Perth Glory striker Billy Mehmet has dismissed suggestions that his team are a physical side as they prepare to take on Sydney FC.
Perth Glory striker Billy Mehmet has dismissed suggestions that his team are a physical side as they prepare to take on Sydney FC on Sunday.
According to Sydney media reports, the Sky Blues are expecting the visitors to crank up the rough stuff at ANZ Stadium, an assertion Mehmet was quick to refute.
“I don-t know where they got that from,” the former West Ham trainee said.
“If you look at the stats, I think you-ll find we-re actually around fifth in terms of fouls committed in the league.
“If we need to be physical, we will be, but we-re not a physical side.
“We pass the ball around, that-s the main thing we do.”
And the statistics do indeed support Mehmet-s claim.
Ironically it is Sydney FC themselves who along with the Newcastle Jets currently lead the entire league in terms of fouls committed and Ian Crook-s side have also picked up nine yellow cards in their three games to date, an identical record to Glory-s.
Having defended his side-s reputation, the man with two goals to his name already this term swiftly switched his focus to Del Piero and the challenge of limiting the marquee man-s influence.
“We-ve spoken about it and obviously playing against Del Piero is going to be a good thing for a lot of the boys.
“He-s a great player.
“He can score goals and he can drop deep and create things, so we-ve just got to try and get in his face and stop him.
“That-s the only thing you can do.
“But they-ve got other players who are dangerous as well, so it-s not just all about Del Piero, we-ve got to stop the whole team.”
Ian Ferguson-s men will certainly make the long trip east in confident mood having breezed past Melbourne Heart last time out and Mehmet has been pleased with both his own personal form and that of the team.
“With Shane (Smeltz) out I-ve come in and scored a couple of goals and I-m happy with the way things have been going,” he said.
“I just hope I can continue doing that, but the main thing is for us to continue playing the way we have been as a team and go out there on Sunday and pick up another three points.
“We-re passing the ball around well and creating a lot of chances.
“I scuffed one just before I scored against Heart on Sunday which I was disappointed with, but the main thing is we are creating chances and as a striker, if you-re getting chances, you-ll convert one of them eventually.”
