The Melbourne City show produced a season to rival its first as it completed another historic double winning campaign. The team dropped only a single point all year, conceded only five goals for the entire campaign and added trophies five and six to its ever-growing cabinet.
The pandemic has fast-tracked changes to the women’s football landscape in Australia and so the formula that City has relied upon and that has set them apart has been shaken up completely.
Ins and outs
Top tier talent has always flocked to City, who have world class facilities and an almost unrivalled professional environment. But the lure of Europe has arguably hit them hardest. Foundation players and Matildas Lydia Williams and Steph Catley have moved to Arsenal while Ellie Carpenter, Emily van Egmond, and Kyah Simon are now plying their trade across Europe.
Any combination of those players is a tough loss but all five is enormous and it wasn’t just Aussie talent making their way overseas. City also lost W-League stalwart and Kiwi international Rebekah Stott, Japanese World Cup winner Yukari Kinga, Scottish international Claire Emslie and Serbian Milica Mijatovic.
This complete squad overhaul means it will be a new City. And a new City means success might look a little differently this year.
Ins:
- Teagan Micah
- Teigen Allen
- Naomi Chinnama
- Sam Johnson
- Jenna McCormick
- Lia Muldeary
- Julia Sardo
- Tori Tumeth
- Sarah Cain
- Alex Chidiac
- Leah Davidson
- Chinatsu Kira
- Hollie Palmer
- Margot Robinne
- Harriet Withers
Outs:
- Lydia Williams
- Yukari Kinga
- Lauren Barnes
- Aivi Luik
- Steph Catley
- Claire Emslie
- Nia Stamatopoulos
- Emily van Egmond
- Rebekah Stott
- Kyah Simon
- Milica Mijatovic
- Ellie Carpenter
Staying:
- Rhali Dobson
- Sofia Sakalis (ACL)
- Tyla-Jay Vlajnic
- Emma Checker
- Chelsea Blissett (ACL)
- Melissa Barbieri
Strengths
You’d be hard pressed to find a more well credentialed or stacked defence in the league. Teagan Micah is firmly in the discussion for the Matildas number one ‘keeper spot. She is joined by fellow national team player Teigen Allen, Jenna McCormick, and Emma Checker – the newly appointed City captain.
American Sam Johnson returns to the league while Tyla-Jay Vlajnic returns to City after making her international debut with Serbia. The loss of Chelsea Blissett to an ACL injury has thrown a spanner in the works but the likes of Tori Tumeth and Julia Sardo will look to fill that role.
Strong defences win championships. This is a motto which has held City in good stead since their introduction to the league and there is no doubt that scoring against City will once again be a difficult task.
Challenges
The glaring area of concern for City is where are their goals going to come from? Not since Larissa Crummer in their inaugural season has City relied on an out and out striker for goals. More often than not the team in sky blue has had the bulk of its goals scored from the midfield – Jess Fishlock was twice the club’s top scorer while Emily van Egmond took the honour last season.
Beyond 90’s own squads list has City sitting on two recognised attackers – the ever reliable winger Rhali Dobson and NPLW Queensland striker Harriet Withers who scored 12 goals in 14 games for Souths United this season. City may still look to add reinforcements up top and have done so in previous seasons – Jodie Taylor, Hailie Mace and Ally Watt have all been introduced later in the season to play precisely this role. However, for now there is a big question next mark to the goals for column.
Key players
Attacker – Rhali Dobson
Rhali Dobson is a W-League stalwart and is a now a two-time championship winner. She not only provides a solid threat down the wing but will look to use her experience to guide younger team mates and bag a goal or two in the process.
Midfielder – Chinatsu Kira
Chinatsu Kira will be making her first foray overseas when she runs out onto the pitch for City. With a handful of appearances for the Nadeshiko and 140 games under her belt for Urawa Reds in the Japanese domestic league, Kira will hopefully bring an exquisite technical ability that Japanese players are so known for.
Defender – Sam Johnson
Sam Johnson is no stranger to the W-League and was influential in Melbourne Victory’s 2018-19 premiership winning season. She retired from the game but is back, this time in the light blue of City. An experienced and tough defender, Johnson will provide strong leadership at the back.
One to watch
Hollie Palmer made the move down from Brisbane and comes to the club as an exciting prospect with Young Matildas caps to her name. Time in the NSW NPLW with Blacktown Spartans and the Women’s Football Talent ID Camp have her earmarked as a player to watch not only this season but for many to come.
Prediction
The club’s advantages are still present. And this is obvious in the talent they have been able to attract with Matildas such as Micah, Jenna McCormick and Alex Chidiac running out for City. This season could also be the beginning of City’s pivot to a focus on attracting and using the best young players.
It may take time for things to come together and the W-League is notorious for being a sprint, not a marathon. Another championship seems out of reach for City but the Melbourne club still has a defence that seems watertight. A season of close 1-0 victories may be enough to get them at least into the finals series.
