About: Talking City

Melbourne City were victorious for the first time since their 4-1 win against Brisbane Rose in early December, after successfully beating Wellington Phoenix in a fairly comfortable game with goals coming from Harry Politidis and Nathaniel Atkinson. City were able to control possession comfortably for the majority of the 90 minutes, with the New Zealand outfit having no answer to City’s ability to keep the ball. 

Here are some key points which we could take away from the game:

Injuries continue

Unfortunately, right now it feels like we are losing a player every game with the latest being Austrian midfielder Andreas Kuen, who had to come off after providing an assist with a potential hamstring injury. With no confirmed timeline on how long he could be out with the injury yet, City fans will be left nervous for a few days as we wait to hear news about the midfielder who has started his time in Australia extremely well, having scored two goals and notched five assists in his eight appearances so far.

With Yonatan Cohen out for two months with an MCL injury and the likes of Leckie, Tilio and Caputo still several weeks away, Vidmar will have to rely on the youth for a bit longer as he waits for players to return from injury, or potentially bring in reinforcements when the January transfer window opens later in the month.

Atkinson a long term midfield option?

When Nathaniel Atkinson returned to the club at the start of the season, many expected the player to slot in at right back seamlessly and continue how he played before he transferred to Hearts. However, what was seen as peculiar at first might be an incredible piece of talent ID from Aurelio Vidmar and the coaching staff as every week Atkinson seems to be getting more and more confident in that midfield position. Whether that was down to Vidmar’s vision for the player or just due to injuries remains to be seen but could be the start of an exciting new era for Atkinson who could potentially take his game to another level.

With the 25-year-old scoring and being named man of the match, it won’t be a surprise if Vidmar keeps playing the Socceroo in that right midfield position long term.

Transfers incoming?

With the January transfer window coming up and the number of injuries which seem to be happening at the moment, it will not shock me if the club makes a couple of moves in the upcoming window. Despite the youth players performing well, it would be unfair to put a lot of pressure on the young guns. One or two incoming players to boost the squad up in experience would be a smart move, with the forward line being the area with the most injuries, it would not shock me if we see at least a striker potentially come in to add a bit of experience to that frontline.

The January window is always a tough period to make signings for any club, but especially in the A-League with the salary and foreign player cap (which city have one spot free), so if City choose to dive into the market, the addition will have to have an immediate impact.

Overall it was a good performance from the boys despite the number of injuries and there are a lot of promising signs from the younger players with Vidmar’s style of play slowly being more ingrained into the group. Hopefully we can keep this unbeaten streak going when we face Western United on Tuesday.

Melbourne City’s A-League Men’s second home game of the season ended in frustration with the boys losing two-nil to the Western Sydney Wanderers.

A contentious penalty and a quick break was all it took to stop City winning their first home game of the season, as the boys put in a fairly uninspiring performance which lacked any sort of attacking threat and leaves some serious questions marks for the rest of the season.

Here are the three things we learned from the match:

Lack of clinical precision in the final third

Before I start this point, I want to preface by saying that I am fully aware of the injuries to Andrew Nabbout, Marco Tilio and Mat Leckie which certainly doesn’t help. However, the main issue I noticed in this game within the final third was more about tactics than the players themselves.

When we were able to move the ball into the final third, the amount of crosses with no real target astounded me and made me feel that they are clueless on how to actually approach chance creation in the final third. Even with key personnel missing I feel there were better ways to create chances, like we have done in the past.

It felt like Medin Memeti was used more of as a target forward than a player who is comfortable picking up the ball and dribbling forward with it, which is what he has done for the academy side. I’m not entirely sure what the idea was and here’s hoping the club can find some synergy soon.

Kuen settling in

One positive to take out of this game is how Austrian midfielder Andreas Kuen seems to be settling into life in Australia. The 29-year-old has become comfortable in his role on the left side of midfield and was the brightest light in the final third with his intelligent off-the-ball runs into the half-space and his ability to pick out players with smart balls into the box, which is very reminiscent of a certain Richard van der Venne who quickly became a fan favourite.

International players are usually hit and miss in the A-League with some coming in fit and firing, and others struggling to match the pace of the league or simply here for a payday, so it is good to see City’s recruitment has found a player with the quality and experience of Kuen, especially with lack of creativity after Tolgay Arslan’s shock departure in the off season.

Inconsistency continues

One issue I haven’t seen talked about by much of the fan base over the past two seasons is the complete lack of any consistency from the side, although injuries haven’t helped, one week we look like we could dominate the league with ease and then the next we look like a mid-table club.

Last season was a prime example of this with us winning games 7-0, 8-1 & 8-0, but despite these dominant performance, we also had dreadful performances as well.

What’s the solution? It’s unclear whether this inconsistency stems from management decisions or the players themselves, but it’s a problem that urgently needs addressing. Without a fix, a return to our former success seems unlikely.

This latest result has set alarm bells ringing among fans, who will now demand on-field results sooner rather than later. If improvements don’t come quickly, the club will face mounting questions and increasing pressure to deliver answers.

As we edge closer to the 2024/25 A-League Men’s season, it’s safe to say that the mood around Melbourne City feels a little more tempered than in years past. With the squad undergoing significant turnover yet again, it’s difficult to know what to expect. Nevertheless, the Talking City crew is here once again to naively offer our baseless predictions, knowing that football can always surprise, and hoping that we’re right in the end.

We’ll be sticking to our tried-and-tested categories:

• Player of the Season (POTS)
• Young Player of the Season (YPOTS): For players 21 and under.
• Breakout Player: The one set to step up this season.
• One bold prediction for the season

So, despite the tempered expectations, here are our best guesses for what lies ahead in the new A-League Men’s season:

Regan

POTS – Marco Tilio. If he can stay fit, he can be one of the best players in the league. Putting him down to have a massive season, proving exactly why it was the right move for him to come back to City.

YPOTS – Arion Sulemani. This is a player who should have made his A-League debut some time ago now but was halted by injury. With Max Caputo being out for some time, I can see Sulemani being relied on for some late firepower.

Breakout player – Kai Trewin. I reckon he’ll be a rock for us this season and possibly catapult himself into a deal overseas.

Bold prediction – Our youth and vigour will take us all the way to the grand final. If we win it, I’m not so sure. It’s a strange one this season as we don’t have much expectation for success, but maybe that will do us good. I feel we have quality players who will be able to push us all the way to another Grand Final in May.

Josh Gribling

POTS: Marco Tilio

YPOTS: Arion Sulemani. Versatile and well-placed to capitalise on injured/injury-prone forwards.

Breakout player: Sulemani.

Bold prediction: Multiple youngsters who’d not even made their senior debut before this season will be a lock in the starting XI by the end of the campaign.

Jessee

POTS: Yonatan Cohen will score 10 + goals and 5 assists winning the Scott Jamieson Medal.

YPOTS: Arion Sulemani who has dominated in our NPL squad will have his breakout season for the club with regular game time.

Breakout player: Kai Trewin will be in the A-League Team of the Season and in Socceroos contention by end of the season.

Bold Prediction: This will be our lowest average crowd attendance for a season in the City era.

Matty B

POTS: Nathaniel Atkinson to end up finding his way further up the field and contributing some decent numbers

YPOTS: Nieuwenhuizen. I’m predicting a Young injury.

Breakout player: Kai Trewin to solidify a place as one of the leagues best CBs.

Bold Prediction: Vidmar to outlast Kisnorbo

Tom O

POTY: Nabbout, back the man in for a big return

YPOY: Nieuwenhuizen, same reason as Matty

Breakout: Zane Schreiber to earn his place in the starting midfield

Bold prediction: City to miss finals and battle for the spoon. Bonus prediction: Kisnorbo gone from the Vuck by New Year’s.

Tom S

POTS: Aziz Behich, will be the most consistent player in the side and will thrive with the captains armband.

YPOY: Ben Mazzeo, showed a lot of promise before his injury and will get lots of game time with an injury prone attack.

Breakout: Kai Trewin, although very well regarded in the league, moving to City will put more eyes on him and potentially lineup a European move.

Bold Prediction: We win the Premier’s Plate.

Jimmy

POTS: Andrew Nabbout. Had a pretty rough year through injury last year but don’t think there’s been a more important season for him being one of the most senior players. Should bang in quite a few goals and assists.

YPOTS: Max Caputo. Feel like it’s gonna be a season for the forwards, some big shoes to fill this season and his development has been more than impressive in the lead up to JMac’s departure. Very very intrigued to see the link up with Andy and Lecks who will finally have some height in the box to cross to.

Breakout: Ben Mazzeo. A close second in the YPOTS for me, should get some big minutes along side some big names. Really hoping Akka takes him under his wing on return and shows him the way of a City youngster.

Bold Prediction: We finish 3rd and make a Semi.

Declan

POTS: Nate Atkinson. Coming back with a point to prove with getting back into the national team and potentially another crack at Europe.

YPOTS: Zane Schreiber. Scored in the Aus Cup and has been a feature in most preseason minutes so far. With the loss of Lopane with injury I think he’ll be given the opportunity to be the attacking outlet off the bench.

Breakout: German Ferreyra: Think will bring back some much needed mongrel to this side and fast become a fan favourite. With early murmurs of comparisons to Bart Schenkeveld from inside City’s walls, I’ll think he’ll be one to keep an eye on for sure.

Bold prediction: Atkinson to get 10+ goal contributions.

Mikey

POTS: Jamie Young. Somebody has to take up the mantle of being called Jamie and being player of the season. I expect Jamie to save us points and be the difference in several games we’d otherwise lose.

YPOTS: Caputo, hard not to be him if he stays injury free from now — trust has been placed in him in the preseason and I expect to see more of him this season.

Breakout: Trewin, hate to be boring but agree wholeheartedly with Tom S, Jessee and Matty. I can see this season cementing Kai at City and potentially launching him beyond City in a Metcalfe/O’Neill rise in stock.

Bold Prediction: We miss Finals for the first time as City but we don’t lose a Derby.

Rene

POTS: Tilio – A full pre season under his belt will help him hit the ground running this season and hopefully relieve him of his injury issues he experienced since he’s been back.

YPOTS: Beach. Because f*ck it, why not.

Breakout: The big Argentinian German. He’s already had a breakout of tattoos so hopefully he can add a breakout season to go with it. Looks like an absolute mongrel, something we have lacked probably since Jamo retired. As long as he stays on the park longer than our first Argentine did, we should have a gem, as well as the tattoo.

Bold prediction- (Editor’s Note: Rene’s bold prediction has been hijacked by higher powers, because he originally tipped Talbot to have a great season and be his YPOTS which is a) Bold as F*CK, and b) Ineligible because Talbot is 23): I’m going to go with a bloke who has been getting a lot of stick of late and that’s Callum Talbot. Think he is under a fair bit of pressure to perform at a higher level after last season and can see Callum stepping up to the task.

Overall

Category winner is followed by nearest contender:

POTS: Marco Tilio; 3 votes (Atkinson, Nabbout; 2 votes)

YPOTS: Arion Sulemani; 3 votes (Nieuwenhuizen, Caputo; 2 votes)

Breakout: Kai Trewin; 5 votes (German Ferreyra; 2 votes)

Sent off in his final game for Melbourne City for a foul to prevent our greatest rivals from scoring in the dying minutes of extra time.

It was the self-sacrificial act that encapsulated Curtis Good as a person, clubman, and footballer, but he deserved better.

Now, we reflect on the decorated career that preceded that moment, with fans having long said goodbye to the most-capped City player in club history.

After returning to the club in September 2018, these qualities moulded him into one of the A-League Men’s best central defenders and set the foundations for the most successful era in the Club’s Men’s history. His performances alongside numerous defensive partners throughout this golden period from 2019/20 onwards – Harrison Delbridge, Richard Windbichler, Rostyn Griffiths, Nuno Reis and Thomas Lam – were instrumental in winning an A-League Men’s Championship and three A-League Men’s Premiers Plates. Whilst he arguably peaked in that double-winning 2020/21 season, when he won our Player of the Year award and received a place in the ALM Team of the Season (for what would become the first of three consecutive occasions), he would never drop too far from those high standards, becoming a symbol of consistency.

Photo: Melbourne City FC

On the field, he was special. His characteristic nonchalant composure, vision for long balls, and resolute defense made him a player we could always count on. His familiar cool and dominant performances at centre-back provided a sense of security and pride.

To fans, he was more than just another player in the squad; a Melbourne boy, he was one of our own.

Fittingly for a club legend, his legacy will live on thanks to the club’s decision to rename the Clubman Award to the ‘Curtis Good Award,’ presented to the player who best embodies the City spirit, character, and values.

From his injury-derailed Newcastle United spell, to his lack of Socceroos appearances, to the absence of an ALM Grand Final win, and ultimately, to the 2024 Elimination Final that we had spent so long 1-0 up against 10 men for; Curtis Good deserved more from the playing career he’s put together, but fans were privileged that he chose to spend so much of it here in City blue.

Photo: Melbourne City FC

An ode to a club legend by Rene Falzon.

On Sunday, our Finals run ended in a whimper. Much like our season. It was full of inconsistency, missed opportunities, and frustration.

In the midst of losing what seemed to be a game that only Melbourne City could lose, we also lost not only a club legend, but a champion of Australian football as a whole in Jamie Maclaren.

That last save in the penalty shootout only meant to me that we had all seen the end of his stellar career wearing the City blue and was, for me, the most disappointing part of the night.

Photo: Melbourne City FC

Jamie, alongside Scott Jamieson, was the catalyst for an era that stretched across four seasons. One that saw us win three Premiers’ Plates, one Championship and make four consecutive Grand Final appearances. Some might argue that there could have been much more, but personally, I’m grateful for what this club achieved during that time.

There has been a lot of talk about the great man’s form this season, but that should never overshadow what he has achieved at the club. A club looking for an identity, a winning culture, and most importantly, a player who we could safely say played for the badge.

We got all of that and more from Jamie.

His performances during his time at the club speaks for itself. He scored 115 of his A-League-record 154 goals for Melbourne City, the most scored at one club by any player in the league’s history. Add the four consecutive Golden Boots, a Melbourne City Player of the Year award, and countless records broken, including the five goals in that 7-0 Melbourne Derby that equalled the most scored by a player in one game.

Photo: Melbourne City FC

Jamie has been fantastic on and, more importantly, off the field.

In my eyes, he has been the face of this club for so long and that is down to the effort he has made with our supporters. There are a lot of things that he does off the field that are never mentioned. This is down to the fact that he never did anything just to get a pat on the back. He did it solely for the supporters.

On a personal level, Jamie has been amazing to me, and I couldn’t speak any more highly of him as a person.

From walking my kids out on game day to giving his boots to my daughter just because he saw her crying away to Brisbane, and countless more interactions with him in between. He has treated me more like a friend than a supporter and for that, I’ll be forever grateful.

Photo: Melbourne City FC

My most memorable moment of his doesn’t come from either his five goals in the Derby or his amazing effort to score a late winner against Western United playing practically with one leg in Geelong. For me, it came after a dismal performance in the 4-0 loss against Adelaide in the 2019 FFA Cup Final. I’ve only seen red on two occasions as a supporter of this club. Pure anger that takes control. This was one of those moments and when the players came around at full-time to greet the travelling fans, that anger took over and I had the rant of all rants.

The players didn’t know how to handle it.

All except Macca.

The players had eventually moved on and here he was just listening and taking every bit of what I was dishing out. Once I was done, he looked me in the eyes and simply said: “So f*** off, then”.

I was taken aback. How dare this bloke say something like that to me? I’ve been here from day one and I’ll continue to be here for countless more, and I told him just that.

His next response was: “Exactly”.

He knew what passion looked and, in this case, sounded like. He also knew that passion like that wasn’t just something you can manufacture. It’s either in you or it’s not. This is why I and many other supporters at this club love the man. He always wore his heart on his sleeve. Always showed his love towards the club and its supporters. Most importantly, he always played for this club in the same way I support it. With passion.

Thank you Jamie Maclaren, the man who scores when he wants.

Unlikely Premiership heroes, our City girls now have the chance to write history and establish the club as the A-League Women’s most successful Finals side as they prepare to face Sydney FC in today’s Championship decider.

With so much riding on the game’s outcome for both sides, a preview of the clash deserves a little more than just the usual discussion of talking points. For this Grand Final preview, Talking City’s A-League Women’s writers Regan Connor and Josh Gribling have teamed up to answer a number of key questions surrounding the contest.

Here’s what to expect from the 2024 ALW Grand Final:

What’s the biggest talking point for you?

Regan: This is our club’s chance to get another massive win on the board and show the league that we aren’t going anywhere. With a huge Grand Final win at home tomorrow afternoon, that energy is certainly going to feed into the next season for both squads and enable our club to keep doing what we do best. Winning.

Josh: The titans of the A-League Women meet on the final day again – though with vastly differing records in Grand Finals. The Sky Blues are contesting their seventh-consecutive Championship decider, having not missed since the 2016/17 season. They’ve featured in 11 overall, but have tasted success just four times. On the other hand, City is four from four in Grand Finals. Enormous bragging rights are on the line.

Which opposition player are you most concerned about?

Regan: It has to be Cortnee Vine for me. The Matildas phenom has been involved in 16 goals this season, and has surely shown exactly why she deserves to be playing at national team level. Our girls will need to be on their toes, and make sure that we shut her down every step of the way.

Josh: Can’t argue with Vine. She’s been Sydney’s biggest threat and possesses the pace that is key to their counter-attacking style. Our backline will need to be switched on.

Where’s the contest going to be won and lost?

Regan: It really is a cliche, but it must be the midfield, right? As we saw against the Jets, we have such a dominant force in midfield that can really make it difficult for opposing teams to play out of. With my hopeful starting trio of Pollicina, Galic and Hughes, there is a fantastic mix of quality in there that will stop Sydney in their tracks.

Josh: It’s what City does with its possession. We lead the league for average possession (61.6%) by a landslide, with nearly 10% to the next closest team. On the other end of the spectrum, Sydney FC averaged the lowest possession (45.5%), and we’ve seen City dominate the ball in the two previous encounters between the teams this campaign. As mentioned above, Sydney will look to Vine on the counter whenever City turns the ball over, so our possession needs to be meaningful and fashion chances deep in the Sky Blues’ defensive box. Cheap midfield turnovers could cost us everything.

Alright, let’s get it over with then. What’s your score prediction?

Regan: At home, with the form we’re in? 3-1 City. No doubt.

Josh: Those semi-final performances were just so convincing. We’ve got this… but it won’t be easy. City 1-0 a.e.t.

On Sunday afternoon, Melbourne City decimated bottom-placed A-League Men side, Perth Glory, in a record-breaking 8-0 thrashing at AAMI Park.

It was a performance no City fan will forget with the scoreline now being the biggest winning margin in A-League Men’s history.

City started with high energy and got rewarded with a wonderful Leo Natel solo goal to open the scoring. Little did City and Perth fans know that only 15 minutes later would the scoreline be 5-0 to City with both Leo Natel & Tolgay Arslan sharing the spotlight.

The second half started a bit slower for City with Perth having the upper hand for the first 15 minutes, seeing a few chances to potentially get a couple of goals back. But with Perth’s urgency to score came an opening at the back for City to capitalise on, with second-half goals from Jamie Maclaren, Steven Ugarkovic, and Tolgay Arslan to get a much-deserved A-League hat-trick.

City’s performance against Perth was excellent, but City fans and players shouldn’t get carried away by it.

City has won 8-1, 7-0, and now 8-0 this truly incredible season, but despite these results, there is a reason why the club is 7th and not higher up the table.

City has failed to replicate their superb home form this season on the road, with the club only having three wins away from home this season, which is the third worst in the league.

Mix this away form with a must-win game next weekend against the Wanderers and City must show the mental fortitude that we haven’t been able to see much of this season if we want to be playing Finals football.

The City boys will no doubt receive a confidence boost from this game, but with an angry and upset Wanderers side up next it will be interesting to see how Vidmar and his management team will approach the game.

Melbourne City’s A-League Men’s side are back in action on Sunday in a do-or-die clash against bottom-placed Perth Glory.

For fans unaware, City must win this game if they want any chance of making the Finals series, with a loss putting us nearly at the point of mathematical certainty of missing out.

These are the main three talking points heading into this game:

Result over performance

Although fans would like to see a “statement of intent” performance from the boys, the “win by any means necessary” notion is in full swing for this game.

City fans and players will be hoping to see Western Sydney Wanderers lose against their biggest rivals, Sydney FC in the Sydney Derby later tonight, as a win tomorrow for City would put us only a point behind the Wanderers, with both teams set to play each next week.

Fans have been hoping for the champagne football that we have seen from this club in the past few seasons, but even if this is a scrappy game with loose passes and overall poor-quality play, the most important thing is just getting the three points and hoping that the team can use the result as a morale boost heading into the game against Western Sydney Wanderers the following week.

Right-back issues

With Callum Talbot out on international duty with the Olyroos, and Scott Galloway still out with a long-term injury, Aurelio Vidmar and his coaching staff find themselves with a puzzle to solve on who will play right-back the rest of the regular season.

With City having no other senior right-back registered, the club will have to be fairly experimental when it comes to choosing who to slot in there. Although fans might think it might seem simpler to just switch formations, the club has been settled on the 433/4231 system for quite a few years now, so more likely than not will we see a player making a makeshift move to the right side of defence.

Although there are no obvious choices at first glance, there are a few options the coaching staff could go for here.

Number one would be simply moving one of the current left-backs, Vicente Fernandez or Harry Politidis, to the right side, but doing so would mean City would not have a single senior full-back on the bench which could be an issue if one of Fernandez or Politidis goes down injured at any time throughout the game.

In the past towards the end of games, Vidmar has sometimes played Steven Ugarkovic as a right-back, which also might be an option against Perth.

The most likely scenario to me is Nuno Reis moving into that position, a move that has been perceived negatively after the 6-1 Grand Final defeat, but still might be the most natural option to play there, especially with Nuno being in good form at the moment.

Although it might seem not obvious at first as to who will play at right-back, Aurelio and the coaching team have a few options heading into the game, so it will be interesting to see what they come up with.

Starting striker situation

Over the past week or so, there has definitely been some divide on who should be the starting striker heading into the final games of the season. Max Caputo has started the last five games for City and has one goal and two assists to his name across the same period, whilst the A-League’s all-time leading goalscorer Jamie Maclaren has come off the bench and has one goal to his name in that time.

Some fans believe the club should stick with Caputo for the final games as the 18-year-old has been in decent form and with rumours of Maclaren leaving at the end of the season, this move would be prioritising game time for someone who will be at the club long-term as the club gets ready to rebuild next season. But then there is the other side of the fan base who wants Vidmar to play Maclaren for the final few games as with every game feeling like a do-or-die clash, experience might be massive in this situation.

With Vidmar seemingly ruling out the option to play both of them, it really seems like it is one or the other, and whoever Vidmar chooses for this game will be a massive talking point after the full-time whistle blows depending on how the result goes.

Score prediction: City 3-1 Perth

Melbourne City are due to have a bit of a rebuild again next season.

With the club having its worst season since the City Football Group takeover, along with a plethora of players coming off contract and no coach signed for next season, City is due for a massive rebuild next season to get it back to the winning ways fans had come to expect.

City will be looking to make signings of intent in the off-season to remind the rest of the competition why we won three consecutive Premiers plates, and these are the signings that I think will do that.

Short side-note before we begin: Both Josh Nisbet & Kai Trewin have been heavily linked with the club for next season, so I have decided to leave those two out. But personally I would love to see both in City Blue next season.

1. RENO PISCOPO

The first signing I think City should make is a player that fans have been hoping to see at City for quite a few years now.

Reno Piscopo is a 25-year-old winger/attacking midfielder who is currently playing for the Newcastle Jets, but is out of contract at the end of the season.

Piscopo is a technically gifted winger who has excellent close control and the ability to take on defenders 1 on 1, which is a trait that has felt absent from City’s side this season.

The Melbourne-born winger has suffered with injuries in the past, but City’s medical team has a history of getting injury-prone players back to their best and playing consistent football, examples being both Curtis Good & Andrew Nabbout, so I have confidence that Piscopo can come to the club and be able to play consistently.

Piscopo being 25 years old is also a massive bonus as well, with the club likely looking to drop the average age of the team, not to mention having players who can potentially play long-term for the club which is massive if we want to see a return of sustained success again.

2. APOSTOLOS STAMATELOPOULOS

With rumours going around that Jamie Maclaren is set to depart the club at the end of the season, City will certainly be looking to bring in a new striker.

Although I personally feel the club will look to bring in a foreign marquee to replace Maclaren, one option is Newcastle Jets striker Apostolos Stamatelopoulos. The 25-year-old has had a breakout season with the Newcastle Jets scoring 15 goals in 22 games. Although he’s a similar sort of striker to Maclaren, with both liking to feed off players around them, Stametolopolous is also fairly comfortable holding up the ball, and with him also being over 6ft tall, he adds an option aerially in the final third as well.

The main issue with Stametolopolous right now is he is still contracted to Newcastle Jets for another season, and with the A-League having no domestic transfer system, the only way the player could sign for the club is by terminating his contract with the Jets or, in pretty dark circumstances, if the Newcastle Jets don’t find an owner and the club goes under, Stametolopolous will become a free agent.

3. MACKLIN FREKE

With Jamie Young being 38 and only signing a one-year deal with the club, City will likely be wanting to bring in a new long-term Goalkeeper. Although the club has both Patrick Beach and James Niewenhuizen as already contracted options, neither of them has made a single senior appearance yet, so it seems unlikely that one of them will be the number one goalkeeper next season so someone more proven will likely be coming in, with my choice being Macklin Freke.

Macklin Freke has had a bit of a breakout season with Brisbane Roar, and this is the first year fans around the league have seen him as a top prospect. The 25-year-old keeper is off contract at the end of the season and would be an excellent option for City if they wanted to bring in a keeper of his style.

Freke is confident with the ball at his feet, which is essential in the way City wants to play and has also proven to be an excellent shot-stopper, who would surely only get better at City.

With Freke still only being 25 there is still a chance City could give him a platform to play a couple of seasons with the club and then head to Europe, which would then give a pathway to one of Patrick Beach or James Niewenhuizen in the near future.

4. ANGEL TORRES

Another signing I think City should make next season is 24-year-old Colombian winger Angel Torres. Torres, who currently plays for Central Coast Mariners is out of contract at the end of the season and could be an excellent option for City next season.

With Leo Natel, Marin Jakolis & Marco Tilio’s loans expiring at the end of the season, City will no doubt be looking to bring in a new winger next season and Torres would be my first pick. Despite a slow start, Torres this season has 13 goals and three assists in 22 A-League Men’s games and would fit the “City style of play” very well. Torres can play on either wing and is a very well-rounded player.

City would be competing with many different clubs around the world for his signature, but if the club can offer him either a Marquee or Designated Player deal, I see no reason why the winger wouldn’t want to join the club. Also with Torres being 24, he could easily play at City for a few seasons and then be sold to another CFG club or any other club in Europe.

5. THÉO PELLENARD

With Matt Vandenberg on X reporting that Curtis Good has signed for a Thai League side, the club will no doubt be looking for a suitable replacement. Although it has been heavily rumoured that Kai Trewin will be joining the club next season, Curtis Good is a very different profile and a much harder player to replace, which is why I have gone with a player who currently plays outside the A-League for the first time in this list.

Théo Pellenard is a 30-year-old French centre-back who currently plays for table-topping Ligue 2 side AJ Auxerre. The former French youth international has excellent ball-playing ability for a centre-back, which will be a must-have essential to whoever comes in to replace Good if he leaves.

Although convincing the player to fly across the world might be tricky, City have had success recruiting from France with the likes of Florin Berengeur, Valon Berisha, Hamza Sakhi, Marin Jakolis & Samuel Souprayen all coming from those leagues, so there definitely seems to be interest playing in Australia from France.

All five of these players would be excellent choices for Michael Petrillo and the scouting team to look at in my opinion, and I feel they would fit the club well as they look to rebuild for next season.

Melbourne City picked up their first win in the A-League men’s competition since the 25th of January after a gruelling 1-0 win against table toppers Wellington Phoenix.

A goal from French centre-back Samuel Souprayen was enough for City to collect all three points in a game that proved tough due to the weather conditions, but potentially put City back into finals contention.

Here’s three things we learned from that performance:

Caputo Needs More Gametime

What proved to be a bit of a shock for City fans was seeing Max Caputo start over Jamie Maclaren. Lots of fans have been asking why Caputo doesn’t play more than he does, especially with Maclaren being out of form right now. But when the starting lineups came out, City fans got their wish and the 18-year-old certainly put up an impressive display.

Caputo had looked to be the focal point of the attack, with teammates feeding him both on the ground and aerially, which led to him getting three out of his five shots on target, almost scoring twice only to be stopped by an impressive point-blank save and a goal-line clearance. Along with his shots, Caputo showed his ability to pick up the ball and be part of the build-up, which added extra fluidity to City’s attack, which fans have been hoping to see for a while now.

Still only being 18, Caputo had an impressive display and I, along with many City fans, am hoping to see a string of performances put together before the season ends, as he is a top prospect for the club.

Home Form is Crucial for Finals Hopes

In my preview article, I mentioned that City’s home form shouldn’t be underestimated going into this game, with the side only having one loss from home all season, and that stat still stands strong after this game. With Western Sydney Wanderers up next on Tuesday, the short turnaround could be used to City’s advantage as they have the chance to carry momentum seamlessly into that game.

With only seven games left to play and four of those being at home, City have a chance to string together some consistent performances, which could potentially get the club back into finals football and avoid the embarrassment of missing finals for the first time since being bought by the City Football Group.

Super Souprayen

Although fans were skeptical when the club announced the signing of 34-year-old French centre-back Samuel Souprayen back in July, he has been one of City’s most consistent and reliable players in a season of injuries and inconsistent form.

Although Souprayen has been solid all season, this was easily his best performance in a City shirt. Souprayen was involved in two key occasions in the game, with him being the sole goalscorer and putting in an excellent last-ditch tackle when Wellington was about to be in a one-on-one situation with Jamie Young.

Souprayen’s ability to play out from the back was shown to be impressive as well, which City fans have not been able to see much of as the left-footed centre-back has been played on the right side for the majority of the season. It’s good to see we have a solid ball player if Curtis Good is missing from the starting XI like he was today.

Although it wasn’t a perfect performance by any means, it was a must-win game and the players did what they had to do in the tough weather conditions to collect all three points.

City’s next game is at home against Western Sydney Wanderers on Tuesday night, and a win would see City leapfrog the Wanderers and get into a finals spot.