Monie striking for the semi-finals

?We didn’t really have our full squad available until the first match of the season with new players coming in and a few injuries so we hadn’t really had any time on the training pitch together.
“We’ve also got a few of the lads coming back from the A-League National youth teams who will be pushing for first team spots so there is a healthy rivalry for places at the moment and that’s not a bad thing.”
Matthew Mayora, Olympic’s main striker, had a fantastic campaign in 2009 and is again up front this year but as Monie points out; “The service into the front two has been very good so far and there is plenty of goals in this team but where we’ve really stepped up is the fact that our defence has tightened up a lot and we are conceding far less than in recent times. 
“In our match against Sydney United, one of the benchmark teams for 2010, we played well but in saying that we probably created more chances but didn’t take as many but it’s when we are not creating them that it becomes a worry.
“The more we create the more we will take over the course of matches and the confidence the back four and ‘keeper are giving us it allows us to play a more attacking brand of football and we all want to make the semi-finals places at the very least.
“It’s not just for the club and fans but the players really want to do well too and we would all feel disappointed if we don’t make the semis at the very least and the old clich? is, of course, it’s too early to tell but we are feeling good and improving with each match so who knows?”
Slipping under most critic’s radar, perhaps this could be Olympic’s year?
-By Micky Brock