Melbourne City’s 19-year-old winger Ramy Najjarine should be included in Warren Joyce’s team for the elimination final against Adelaide United.
Many would be convinced he can do damage after seeing what he produced at the weekend in City’s 5-0 win against Central Coast Mariners: a gorgeous strike for his first A-League goal and evidence he has conviction in front of goal.
Najjarine’s display was nothing new – he picked up the club’s ‘Rising Star’ award at the City awards night on Saturday and been scoring and creating in the youth ranks for many seasons now. He was finally given a chance in the A-League, and is able to carry his skills and technique onto the bigger stage.
Melbourne City have lacked goals this season, with six A-League teams having scored more in the 2018/19 campaign, three of which are below them on the table: Wellington, Newcastle, and Western Sydney.
At AAMI Park on Friday, it was an exciting City team to watch, something I haven’t thought since 20-year-old winger Daniel Arzani was at the club. The build-up to Najjarine’s goal was beautiful.
Fifteen-year-old Idrus Abdulahi worked a beautiful one-two with Lachie Wales and put it through to Shayon Harrison, who then passed it to Najjarine. A piece of play that unlocked a defence that you’d love to see more of.
You would have seen more of Najjarine in 2017/18, however he was unfortunate to do a shoulder injury which had him in the stands for months. I don’t buy into the discussion about who is better than who, with Najjarine and his close friend Arzani, because they’re both unique players with different qualities. And when they’re in the same team together they’re lethal.
Joyce has an exciting talent at his disposal, and now that Najjarine is back and firing after injury, he could be a weapon for the gaffer to call on in the elimination final against Adelaide United – a team City have drawn with in their past two meetings.
