Melbourne City 2020/21 Season Preview
Melbourne City have come out of this offseason as one of the big winners. They benefit from a very stable footballing philosophy and style of play inherited from the City Football Group, as well as the obvious financial connections, and have assembled a strong squad, building on the team from last year.
This transition of managerial reigns from Erick Mombaerts to Patrick Kisnorbo (although perhaps over an unexpectedly shorter timeframe than originally planned) will hopefully ensure continuity between seasons. New head coach Patrick Kisnorbo has a significant history at City, having played three years at the club in which he became the club captain, followed by five years in managerial/assistant managerial roles across City’s teams in the Y-League, W-League (where he won a title) and finally two years as a coach with the A-League squad.
This stability across footballing philosophy, finances and club succession should mean that we should see a fairly similar philosophy and tactics to the last season.
To recap on City’s tactics, they play an expansive 4-3-3 formation based on dynamic central midfielders who move forward and wide in possession, with wingers who stretch the play (usually on the right) and also contribute to combination play (usually on the left). The fullbacks can both overlap out wide or underlap by coming centrally, while the deepest midfielder sits in front of the defence as a playmaker who retains and recycles possession. Up front, the striker is the focal point of the attack, making vertical movements either coming deep or running in behind, mainly staying central.
Attack
IN: Andrew Nabbout, Marco Tilio
OUT: Lachlan Wales, Moudi Najjar (on loan), Ramy Najjarine (on loan)
First XI: Jamie Maclaren, Craig Noone, Andrew Nabbout
The Golden Boot winner Jamie Maclaren will remain as the undisputed first choice at striker and was almost an ever-present for City, only missing three A-League games last season. He remains the focal point of the attack, mainly staying central and looking for chances to score.
Andrew Nabbout is the big signing up front and will likely hold down a place on the right wing with Markel Susaeta and Lachlan Wales both having left the club. Nabbout arrives as a ready-made replacement for the direct right-sided attacking role. He’s also proficient up front and on the left flank, and will likely see some time in both slots as a rotation option for Maclaren, or just to freshen up an attack.
Craig Noone is staying with Melbourne City following rumours that he might be headed back to England. He’ll be the first choice left winger, but is equally comfortable to take up this role on the right wing.
Rotation: Stefan Colakovski, Marco Tilio
While Stefan Colakovski and Marco Tilio have both played on the wings in their appearances in the A-League, neither got much of a run-out last season (Colakovski 165 minutes, Tilio 24 minutes). They’re likely to get some game time this season, but are likely to be rotated and eased into the team rather than making consistent appearances on either flank.
Tilio arrives off the back of a Golden Boot winning season in the Y-League for Sydney FC Youth. Sydney’s youth team plays in the same style as the Sydney senior team, in a 4-2-2-2 formation with the attacking midfielders defending wide, but often playing in more narrow positions in possession. Tilio’s play in this system has been less as a traditional winger staying wide but as a more technical and advanced midfield playmaker, drifting inside to get on the ball and attack, very much in the mould of Milos Ninkovic.
His playing style could also see him fill in at central midfield. City’s midfielders usually start centrally but move forwards and slightly wider into the half-spaces, which would fit Tilio’s style of play.
Alternate Options: Florin Berenguer, Adrian Luna, Nathaniel Atkinson, Scott Galloway
Unless there are more additions to come, I wouldn’t be surprised to see any of Adrian Luna, Florin Berenguer, Nathaniel Atkinson or Scott Galloway popping up on the wings too.
Luna’s style of play means that he often switches positions to pop up on the right flank (which happened often when Markel Susaeta was still at the club) and he played on both flanks at his previous club in Mexico
Berenguer frequently played on the left wing in his first season at City, and also for his previous club in France.
Atkinson and Galloway have made substitute appearances on both wings in a handful of games. There are now four senior fullbacks in the squad, so we may see them make more appearances further forwards.
Midfield
IN: Aiden O’Neill, Taras Gomulka
OUT: Josh Brillante, Denis Genreau
First Team: Florin Berenguer, Adrian Luna, Rostyn Griffiths
City had a well-oiled machine in midfield last season. The two central midfielders Berenguer and Luna would get up the pitch whenever possible in attack, with Berenguer getting up the pitch and out wide on the left and Luna driving forward to provide direct running and width on the right. They’ll likely start the season where they left off.
Towards the end of the season, Josh Brillante was the first choice in midfield. But having left for Xanthi FC in Greece’s second division, this opens up a spot at the base of midfield. Rostyn Griffiths is the simplest choice, having played most of his season in the defensive midfield slot prior to filling in at centre-back, but the new arrivals are likely to give him a run for his money.
Rotation: Connor Metcalfe, Aiden O’Neill, Taras Gomulka
The addition of youth through Aiden O’Neill and Taras Gomulka is likely to give the established starters a run for their money, while Connor Metcalfe’s performances last season surely mean he’s knocking on the door for a first-team spot too.
Aiden O’Neill
Aiden O’Neill looks like a promising player, especially for a passing side such as Melbourne City. Surprisingly (to me at least), he had the second-highest number of passes per 90 minutes (65), behind Cameron Devlin and ahead of Luke Brattan – how’s that for company! This will be handy for City as they do enjoy playing a passing game in the buildup and as play moves forwards the midfielders are tasked with driving forward to help in the attack.
At Brisbane last season, he played on the left-side of the midfield pairing, where his role was to provide balance for his more attacking midfield partner Jay O’Shea. The nature of Brisbane’s style of play was such that they would spend plenty of time in possession, with both midfielders hanging around the edge of the opposition box. His metrics reflect this with excellent passing accuracy and dangerous ball progression, while his defensive metrics are also solid.
It will be interesting to see whether he can perform as a more penetrative or creative midfielder, or whether the coaching staff at City see him in the deepest midfield role.
Taras Gomulka
Speaking of the deepest midfield role, the 19-year-old Taras Gomulka looks like another talent. Although his resume in the A-League is only five games long, his appearances at the end of last season showed a maturity beyond his years.
His metrics show a very similar style of play to Griffiths and Brillante – secure in possession with his passing more focused on retention, while his defensive metrics also show his contributions out of possession. If all that’s not enough, he’s even good at set pieces – he took over free kicks and corners ahead of Adelaide’s usual set piece taker Riley McGree.
If his performances are an indication of what is yet to come, City have done very well to secure Gomulka on a three-year deal. It wouldn’t be surprising to see him challenge for the deepest midfield role from day one.
Alternate Options: Nathaniel Atkinson
While the midfield has depth, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Atkinson pop up in midfield. He’s occasionally played in midfield, and his energetic style of play could lend itself to the right-sided role played by Luna, shuttling between penalty areas and providing energy to the right side of midfield.
Defence
IN: Ben Garuccio
UNCONFIRMED: Harrison Delbridge
First Team: Scott Jamieson, Curtis Good, Richard Windbichler, Nathaniel Atkinson
Curtis Good was an ever present at left centre-back for City, missing only two A-League games all season. He provides an assured presence at the back, with strong defensive numbers at the back, but one of his key contributions is through buildup and attack. In fact, his ball progression metrics from centre-back are so strong that they’re even comparable with midfielders in the A-League.
Richard Windbichler had an injury-plagued season, but following his recovery from injury in August he was the first choice at right centre-back. With Harrison Delbridge’s status still unconfirmed, there’s not a lot of competition for this spot in the team.
City’s game plan has the fullbacks contributing to the attack by coming inside, either as deep playmakers or driving forwards in the final third. On the defensive side of things, City’s fullbacks contribute less than their counterparts in the league.
Jamieson is likely to return to the side at left-back where he often takes up a playmaking role coming inside, while Atkinson’s excellent form towards the end of last season is likely to see him also have a starting role on the right, driving forwards in the final third of the pitch.
Rotation: Scott Galloway, Rostyn Griffiths, Ben Garuccio, Harrison Delbridge
Scott Galloway started the season as the starting right-back and is unlucky to be part of the full-back rotations at City behind the club captain and Atkinson’s developing talent. Nonetheless, he’s an excellent rotation option, more than capable of filling on both flanks.
We’ll hopefully see a taste of Ben Garuccio, who’s not played any first-team football since February. His metrics in Scotland point to a primarily defensive fullback, but he didn’t have too much game time and also played for a team who spent a lot more time defending than attacking and eventually finished last in the Scottish Premiership. On the other hand, his previous metrics from the A-League were a lot more attacking. It will be interesting to see how his style of play has changed and whether he can adapt to City’s style.
While City has strong squad depth at full-back, centre-back is looking slightly less deep. Harrison Delbridge is a good playmaking centre-back but he is currently still a free-agent, having not agreed a new deal with the club. We’ll likely also see Rostyn Griffiths reprise his role and step in at centre-back.
Goalkeeping
IN: Matt Sutton
OUT: Joe Gauci, Dean Bouzanis
First Team: Tom Glover
Having started last season as the second-choice goalkeeper, Tom Glover got his chance in December and rose to prominence, capped off by an excellent (almost man-of-the-match worthy) performance in the grand final against Sydney FC. With Dean Bouzanis gone, Glover will be the easy first choice at the club.
Rotation: Matt Sutton
For competition, Matt Sutton has joined from Melbourne Victory, but without a senior appearance to his name, it’s unlikely that he will challenge Glover for the starting spot. With two outs and only one replacement, there’s still room for one more goalkeeper in the squad, but the slot will most likely be filled by a youth goalkeeper.
This article was originally published on The Reserve Team.