WHAT a difference a year has made for Corey Gameiro.
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This time last year the Port Kembla junior was cursing his luck after he slipped and dislocated his right kneecap while doing promotional work at Fox Studios in Sydney ahead of the A-League season.
The Sydney FC striker had to sit out the first six weeks of the 2013-14 season and contend with further injuries plus Young Socceroos' commitments.
But 12 months down the track Gameiro is without doubt in the form of his life.
Playing in a more advanced role under new coach Graham Arnold, 21-year-old Gameiro has banged in 12 goals in nine pre-season fixtures to date.
He will look to add to that tally this Friday night when Sydney come to WIN Stadium to take on his former club Wellington Phoenix.
Gameiro told the Advertiser he couldn't wait to play in Wollongong in front of family and friends.
"I love playing at WIN Stadium. Every time I have played there it has been fantastic having my friends and family in the crowd supporting me," he said.
"Fans from the Illawarra show time and time again that there is a big football following down the South Coast. I'm hopeful we get a good turnout and I'm expecting a lot of fans to be down there just to support football."
Confidence and a settled pre-season have contributed "greatly" to Gameiro's run of good form.
The influence Arnold has had on Gameiro and the Sydney squad has also been "fantastic".
"Confidence is massive in any sort of profession, especially in sport. Last year I really didn't have much of an opportunity to get up front and show what I can do and when I did, chances were very limited," he said.
"Arnie has also worked massively on team culture and getting everyone together, making sure everyone is on the same page and the boys have really adapted to it well and we've all jumped on board with it and we are just like a little family at the moment and everyone works hard for each other and it's showing on the pitch."
Despite scoring goals regularly Gameiro has to fight hard to secure a starting spot in a Sky Blues' outfit featuring the returning Alex Brosque and new strikers Shane Smeltz, Bernie Ibini and international marquee Marc Janko.
"It is good to be able to watch them (new strikers) because I can take little things out of their game and try and add it to mine," Gameiro said.
"I have been doing well but it is about performing in the season proper. I want to have a good season with Sydney FC. First and foremost I want to try and keep my spot in the starting 11 and try and have a successful year as a club."
Sydney's clash against Wellington at WIN Stadium on Friday, September 19 kicks off at 7.30pm.
On September 23 the Sky Blues play round 16 FFA Cup against Sydney United 58 FC.