R14 v Melbourne City | Sat 6th Jan | 9.50pm | SS3

Current forecast for Melbourne is +40 degrees. According to The Age, FFA watching closely and will be in discussions with broadcasters re City/Nix and also Victory/CCM match which is the earlier 5:30 kick off. 

Are the team already in Melb? I see Roy is posting pics from there on instagram.

Went straight from Sydney.

I hope we win

Apparently Melbourne City have lost O'Donovan, Budzinski and Kilkenny.. Hmm. Time to capitalise.

Any of them better than what we've got? 

O'Donovan can score from set pieces.. Defeating us with one. So yes.

Uhh, doesn't he play for Jets*, not City, and is currently out injured? 

Going to be an absolute scorcher on Saturday; so very lucky that we're playing the later game. Will still be hot - up around 35 I'd say.

If you're talking about O'Donovan you're both wrong. He is now at Jets this season but yes he is out inju

Football Federation Australia (FFA) can today advise that it has made several changes to Hyundai A-League, Westfield W-League, and FOXTEL Y-League scheduling this weekend in response to high forecast temperatures across Victoria, the Australian Capital Territory, and New South Wales.

“Changes to Hyundai A-League, Westfield W-League, and FOXTEL Y-League scheduling have been made with the interests of the players and match officials, as well as supporters and club staff in mind,” said Head of Hyundai A-League & Westfield W-League, Greg O’Rourke. “The safety and comfort of players, as well as those working at or attending FFA sanctioned matches, is of paramount importance to FFA.”

Hyundai A-League:

Saturday’s Hyundai A-League 2017/18 Season Round 14 fixture between Melbourne Victory and Central Coast Mariners at GMHBA Stadium in Geelong is now scheduled to kick-off at 6.00pm instead of 5.35pm.

The ambient temperature in Geelong is forecast to drop significantly between 6.00pm and 7.00pm on Saturday, while the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) test that FFA uses to determine player safety is predicted to be well under the limit by the revised kick-off time.

Should the ambient temperature in Geelong remain above 31 degrees Celsius at kick-off on Saturday, match officials will implement one (1) or more official drinks break per half.

Meanwhile, the Hyundai A-League 2017/18 Round 14 match between Melbourne City FC and Wellington Phoenix at AAMI Park on Saturday evening will remain as scheduled, as the temperature in Melbourne is forecast to drop to an acceptable range before kick-off at 7.50pm.

Melbourne Victory v Central Coast Mariners
Saturday 6 January 2018
GMHBA Stadium, Geelong, Victoria
Kick-off: 6.00pm (AEDT)

Melbourne City FC v Wellington Phoenix
Saturday 6 January 2018
AAMI Park, Melbourne, Victoria
Kick-off: 7.50pm (AEDT)

great decision!

what decision?

Woops. I think I'm talking about McCormack.

If McCormack is playing, we'll be feeling the heat.

delaying the CCM kick off! doesn't affect our game but it at least shows the FFA is considering players well-being.

Melbourne City FC Squad: 1.Dean BOUZANIS (Gk), 2.Manny MUSCAT, 3. Scott JAMIESON, 4.Harrison DELBRIDGE, 5. Bart SCHENKEVELD, 6.Osama MALIK, 7. Nick FITZGERALD, 8. Neil KILKENNY, 9.Marcelo CARRUSCA, 10.Dario VIDOSIC, 14.Daniel ARZANI, 18. Eugene GALEKOVIC (Gk), 22. Michael JAKOBSEN, 25. Iacopo LA ROCCA, 26. Luke BRATTAN, 27. Marcin BUDZINSKI, 37.Nathaniel ATKINSON, 44. Ross MCCORMARK
**two to be omitted**

Wellington Phoenix Squad: 1.Lewis ITALIANO (Gk), 2.Daniel MULLEN, 3.Scott GALLOWAY, 4.Goran PARACKI, 6. Dylan FOX, 7. Nathan BURNS, 9.Andrija KALUDJEROVIC, 10.Michael MCGLINCHEY, 12.Adam PARKHOUSE, 13.Marco ROSSI, 14.Alex RUFER, 18.Sarpreet SINGH, 19.Tom DOYLE, 21. Roy KRISHNA, 22.Andrew DURANTE 23.Matthew RIDENTON, 24.Logan ROGERSON, 30.Keegan SMITH (Gk)

**two to be omitted**

so the other midfielders clearance is still to come.

Possibly the transfer window is open already which is why Burns is listed.

This might be a case of visa delay for Ljulic.

dp

Hasn't been officially announced yet.

Well would you look at that. 

and Manny.

The Heat is on

I was surprised to see Burns named - it would be easy to leave him off the list with no eyebrows raised - but he might be listed in case someone gets injured in training. If he figures at all, it might be more as a 10 min off the bench, seeing as he has not played with the squad at all (assuming he arrived in Welly to sign and settle in, and they were all in Melbourne).

Wouldnt you have Burns on the bench and give him 25 minutes at the end of the games and increase that each week until hes match fit. Start the game with Parkhouse and substitute him with Burns . Id do that. Also gives the squad a lift thinking Burns is comming on later in the game, even if hes not fit enough yet.

I meant it all depends on how fit Burns is but he hasn't played much recently and had a long haul flight to get here. On top of that he hasn't trained with the current squad or played under this manager before so I think he's probably there to train with the team and learn the tactics and what his role is expected to be, as well as getting fit obviously. Would expect to see him on the bench in the next game but it seems too soon now.

Conans point is fair enough. I guess where im comming from is moral in the squad is possibly low ( im making assumptions here and i might be wrong), and if that is correct, it might be better to do something asap to try and lift it even if it doesnt work straightaway, hence my theory of playing Burns off the bench. But yes, it may not work being different coach new system etc , but if he does manage to lay off a good assist to create a goal or even get a goal, I think its worth the risk .

According to weatherzone.com.au, it will still be 40 degrees at 6 pm, however dropping to 25 degrees by 9 pm, expect it to still be 30-35 at kick-off.

http://www.weatherzone.com.au/vic/melbourne/melbourne/detailed-forecast 

Without a proper pre-season or at least a couple of weeks of fitness work, it's likely throwing him in too early will just get him injured.

Just play him the last 10-20min, can't be worse than bringing Watson, Rogerson. Just brief him and team with a simple striker tactic. By the time he comes on, we will be anyway 3:Nil up ;-)

He's already been through preseason and he's likely to be fit enough.

That's what I thought. It's not like he's been doing nothing for a year. 

Didn't I read on here though that he failed a fitness test for Melbourne City?

Sounds like a tactical ploy to me. He always wanted to return to Phoenix.

By The Time I Get to Phoenix.

I'm very optomistic about Saturday nights match. Really feel we will play well. 

from the Medical Dictionary:   *)

"Optomistic: (adject.): refers to a state of mild, seasonal, visual impairment, best characterised as 'one-eyed short-sightedness'. Generally resolves with no lasting sequelae but may lead to mild temporary depressive states, in severe cases"

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*) not really

Thanks for the jinx.