Melbourne midfielders Leigh Broxham and Grant Brebner believe that the team’s depth in terms of goalscorers will help Victory break the drought against Sydney at Etihad Stadium on Thursday night.
Melbourne midfielders Leigh Broxham and Grant Brebner believe that the team’s depth in terms of goalscorers will help Victory break the drought against Sydney at Etihad Stadium on Thursday night.
Melbourne has gone goal-less in 270 minutes against the Sky Blues this season and with strikers Archie Thompson and Robbie Kruse to miss the major semi-final first leg, there maybe those who wonder where the goals are going to come from.
But Broxham has faith in the firepower the defending champion has at its disposal, saying it’s just a matter of converting the chances that are created.
“It’s going to help if we score a goal or two. We’ve been creating some good chances and stuff like that, but the difference has been in two of the games we’ve played (Sydney) they’ve taken their chances,” Broxham said.
“I think if we take our chances on Thursday, it will go a long way for us.”
Broxham said the absence of Thompson was being felt, but feels his nominal replacement Nik Mrdja, was ready for a big performance.
“You are always going to miss Archie. Archie brings something different that other players don’t. I think it was good that we have been able to bring in Mrdja, he’s been doing a job for us,” he said.
“I suppose it’s time for other players to step up, try and get some goals out of the likes of Wardy and Tommy and get Carlos scoring again. And that’s what Mrdja is here for, to score goals.”
“They’ve all scored goals in the past, wherever they’ve been, the goalscorers are there, I suppose it’s a matter of just getting one past them.”
Brebner, who has scored a few important goals in his Hyundai A-League career, knows that he may have to step up and help out in attack if required.
“It’s certainly something I’m looking to try and do, but we’ll take goals from anywhere. It’s that point in the season now where they’re vital, whoever scores them, that’s all that matters,” he said.
But Brebner is not worried that Melbourne hasn’t scored against Sydney this year, preferring to rely on Victory’s record as the most prolific team in terms of scoring in the competition.
“It may be zero from three games. But we are also the highest goalscorers in the league, by a long, long way. You can look at it any way you want,” he said.
