Perth Glory midfielder Will Freney is steeling himself for a pivotal midfield contest as his team embarks on a challenging two-match road trip in Victoria, beginning with a showdown against reigning A-League Men champions Melbourne City.
Freney Eyes Key Role in Midfield Duel
The first of Perth's two consecutive fixtures at AAMI Park kicks off on Sunday, where Glory will face the titleholders in their own fortress. Despite City's recent setbacks—a Melbourne derby loss to Victory and a mid-week draw with Macarthur—Freney is acutely aware of the threat they pose.
The fifth-placed City leads the competition for average possession, controlling 57.4 per cent of the ball per game. Their tactical approach involves crowding the midfield, with wide players and forwards constantly rotating to create numerical overloads. Even without possession, City's structured press forces errors from opponents, a tactic that proved devastating in a 4-0 win over Perth earlier this season—a result that led to the departure of former coach David Zdrilic.
"Melbourne City are great with the ball, but they're also a great pressing team," Freney acknowledged. His plan is to communicate constantly with his strikers and centre-backs, absorb information, and focus on blocking passing lanes to City's wingers or dropping forwards.
Injury Returns and Partnership Boost for Glory
Perth is hopeful that striker Adam Taggart and midfielder Rhys Bozinovski will recover from groin injuries in time to start, after missing the 1-0 loss to Adelaide United. Freney emphasised that the return of his midfield partner, Bozinovski, would provide a significant lift.
"He's come in really well, really settled in off the pitch and all season he's been great," Freney said. "I feel the last three or four games playing next to him has been really nice. We've been creating a really good partnership there and hopefully we can keep that going."
The 20-year-old also expressed his comfort in a central defensive midfield role, after spending the season's opening matches in wider positions. "Playing as a six, that's where I've grown up playing, it's where I'm comfortable and I feel the last three or four games that's shown," he added.
Confidence High Under New Coach Griffiths
Despite back-to-back losses, Freney remains optimistic that a turnaround is imminent under new head coach Adam Griffiths. He pointed to consistent improvement over the past month and a half as a source of belief within the squad.
"The last five or six weeks as a team, we've been improving day-by-day, and the mood has also been improved," Freney stated. "The boys are still confident we can go to Melbourne, play against City and Victory, play well and get three points in both games."
Perth Glory's difficult Victorian double-header represents a critical test of their progress and resilience as they aim to climb the A-League Men table.
