After two big wins, is the real Melbourne City finally on show, asks Matt Windley

COULD this finally be it?After so many false dawns, could the sleeping giant that is Melbourne City finally be awakening?

Aaron Mooy of City competes for possession with Michael Neill of the Mariners during the round 9 A-League match between the Central Coast Mariners and Melbourne City FC at Central Coast Stadium in Gosford, on Thursday, Dec. 3, 2015. (AAP Image/Dan Himbrechts) NO ARCHIVING, EDITORIAL USE ONLY

COULD this finally be it?

After so many false dawns, could the sleeping giant that is Melbourne City finally be awakening?

The raw numbers paint a positive picture.

John van’t Schip’s men are the league’s leading scorers this season and in the process have scored more goals — 23 — in the first nine rounds than any club in A-League history.

The team contains the A-League’s golden boot leader — Bruno Fornaroli, with seven — and in beating Central Coast 5-1 on Thursday night it became the first side in league history to score five goals in consecutive games.

Harry Novillo is another who has shot up the scoring charts with four goals in his last three games, while City also boasts the hottest player in the league right now, Socceroo Aaron Mooy, who currently leads the NewsCorp Player of the Year Award.

And while it’s too early to talk potential grand finals and whatnot, it should be noted that previous early high scorers have gone on to win the A-League title.

Brisbane scored 22 goals in the first nine games of its 2011-12 championship campaign, while Melbourne Victory had 21 to this point last season.

Melbourne City striker Bruno Fornaroli celebrates a goal against Central Coast Mariners.

Van’t Schip must still rectify his side’s defensive woes, as City has conceded 16 goals, the third-worst defensive record in the competition.

But letting in just a goal a game in the past three is nonetheless an improvement.

City fullback Ivan Franjic said yesterday City makes no apologies for aiming high this season.

The Socceroo did say, however, that the team could ill-afford to get too excited after its commanding recent performances, saying it would all count for nought if the team had its colours lowered in Newcastle on Sunday.

Things were looking far from rosy all of a month ago for City after being humbled 3-0 at home by Western Sydney.

Franjic revealed that a frank heart-to-heart among City players following that AAMI Park performance may well have been the catalyst for the sudden turnaround, a mini-run that started with a gutsy draw away to then-league leader Brisbane.

“Losing 3-0 at home like that was unacceptable, especially for our fans,” Franjic said.

“We knew from then on that we just had to start winning, there were no excuses.

Melbourne City winger Harry Novillo scored two classy goals against the Mariners.

“You look at the team around you and there are quality players all over the pitch. So everyone looked at each other in the eye after that result and said ‘we can’t have this any more’.

“Everyone was honest, put their hand up and said it wasn’t the best performance.

“We just sat down as a team and said that it has to be about consistency.

“In this league if you can’t find that consistency then it’s very hard to finish in the top two and we’re a team that wants to finish in the top two because we’ve got the quality of players.

“(The last two weeks) have been a big step in the right direction, but we have to continue that now.”

City is still far from full strength.

International marquee Robert Koren (calf) and central defender Aaron Hughes (calf) are extremely close to making returns after joining in full training last week, while fullback Michael Zullo (calf) is also nearing a comeback.

Beyond the Jets game is a derby against Victory on December 19, a game that comes just four days after Kevin Muscat’s side will have played in Perth.

Originally published as After two big wins, is the real Melbourne City finally on show, asks Matt Windley