April 11, 2015 11:05:08 UK
Socceroos striker Nathan Burns predicts the “good old” Wellington Phoenix will be back in business when they take on Melbourne City at AAMI Park on Sunday.
Having won four straight games to claim top spot in the A-League, things have unravelled for Ernie Merrick’s side in the past two rounds.
Successive 3-0 home defeats to Sydney FC and Melbourne Victory have damaged their hopes of winning the Premier’s Plate for the first time.
I think you’ll see this weekend that it’ll be like the good old Phoenix.
Nathan Burns
But Burns, who missed the Sydney match while on international duty with Australia in Europe, feels the club have learned from their mistakes and will be able to get back on track in Melbourne where they are 4.00 to beat City. City are 1.85 and the draw is priced at 3.60.
“I think it might be a lesson we needed to take leading into the finals,” said the 26-year-old. “I think we got a few things wrong. Just tactically we weren’t ready and then also the players weren’t up for it.”
The Phoenix struggled in midfield in the past two games but the return from suspension of Albert Riera should strengthen them against City.
“We changed a little bit in the last two games and I think we’ll just go back to how we’ve been playing,” Burns said. “I think you’ll see this weekend that it’ll be like the good old Phoenix.”
Burns, who is second in the A-League’s golden boot standings with 13 goals, took plenty of positives from his involvement with the Socceroos last month.
He started the friendly against World Cup winners Germany in Kaiserslautern and set up the opening goal for James Troisi with a pinpoint cross in the 2-2 draw.
“It gave me a new insight of where I need to be and what level they are at and where I have to get to,” said the striker, who has played 12 times for Australia.
“I can now see the steps forward, in the next couple of years, for where I want to be. I think that game gave me that bit of hope.”
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