A disappointing start to the A-League season
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By Pippinu, 7 Aug 2009 Pippinu is a Roar Guru
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- A-League, football, Melbourne Victory
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It’s been well-documented that the pattern of the A-League in its first four years has been one of alternating fortunes for the Victory and the Mariners. When the Victory are up, the Mariners are down. And vice versa.
This helps explain my sense of déjà vu in watching the opening game of the A-League. There was much about last night’s game that reminded me of our title defence from two years ago: Hernandez struggling to get into the game, and given his normal high standards, displaying quite a few poor touches.
Crosses from good positions that went nowhere; amateurish first touches and passes completely missing the mark.
And to top it all off, the Mariners getting some early points on the board, despite a dour game plan with very little to recommend it.
Indeed, when the Mariners walked out on the pitch, I thought they were wearing their training shirts. The match certainly possessed the quality of a pre-season training run.
The ungainly Simon, despite possessing poor ball skills, was on the spot to score the first goal of the new season. A harmless set piece landed in a nest of Victory defenders, none of whom were capable of providing what should have been a regulation header to safety.
The ball trickled out to a thankful Simon, who actually failed to drill it, but rather applied a shank of such lollipop proportions that it dipped under the bar.
The second goal was even more comical. The less said the better.
I have previous expressed the concern that one injury to either Muscat or Vargas will send the Victory reeling, and my worst fears have materialized after only the first match (once again, parallels with Milicevic injuring himself in the first game two years ago).
So early in the season, and the parallels with two years ago are quite eerie.
A meager 18,000 attended, and that may well be the most disappointing aspect of the opening night.
I would have expected close to double that under the circumstances.
It’s a bit of a concern, because that quality of game will not get the football aficionados parting with their money. Equally, apart from Richmond supporters, I can’t imagine too many AFL fans being attracted either.
I then had a sudden, terrible thought: what if the Mariners make it to the grand final again, playing like that?
It just doesn’t bear thinking about.
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melbvictory87 said | August 7th 2009 @ 12:59am | Report comment
why would you want to go when if your not a member you get the worst seats possible in the stadium. im not surprised how pathetic the attendance was and im so angry that they ruined the game for me since they made level 1 members only. i sat on level 3 bored, no atmosphere nothing.
David V. said | August 7th 2009 @ 2:04am | Report comment
Melbourne were poor, sure, but there’s a longer season and more time to make up lost ground.
Ben of Phnom Penh said | August 7th 2009 @ 2:35am | Report comment
Pip, it is probably not best to post blogs immediately following your team’s loss. There are 27 games in all, this is just one. That said a close season is a good season and this game has signaled that there are no guarantees and everything will be hard fought.
tifosi said | August 7th 2009 @ 6:02am | Report comment
pip one game does not make a season. i expect MV to be up there at the end.
Also 18,000 on a thursday night is a good crowd. We all knew the first two months of the season would be a battle for the crowds.
Cant wait for the new rectangular stadium to open though, then the scheduling can be much better.
Pippinu said | August 7th 2009 @ 7:51am | Report comment
It’s true that it’s not wise to post immediately after a game.
As for the long season – you guys are underestimating our problems in defence – about which I have posted many, many times prior to last night – and my worst fears have materialised – with Muskie out, we have zero cover in the centre of defence – that’s the season gone already.
Brickowski said | August 7th 2009 @ 12:36pm | Report comment
With Musc*&t in you had nothing at the back, so you’ve not really lost anything……
I was kind of hoping for 0-0 last night, but I’ll take a victory loss (?) anytime. A poor season is on the cards and I couldn’t be happier.
Pippinu said | August 7th 2009 @ 12:53pm | Report comment
Bricks
you can really make something of this season (if you don’t go broke paying Aloisi’s inflated salary).
md said | August 7th 2009 @ 1:14pm | Report comment
Hah – SFC is owned by 3 (yes, count them, Trat, Ramsay, Lowy) billionaires and a hollywood actor. Pretty sure they can cover JA’s wage.
Cheers
md
Pippinu said | August 7th 2009 @ 1:40pm | Report comment
but business acumen remains open to question – in Melbourne we actually cover our costs via football revenue
Pippinu said | August 7th 2009 @ 7:54am | Report comment
As for the crowd – look – two doubles in the space of three years – all players retained – the start of the title defence on a Thursday night – and we get the 2nd lowest crowd at the Dome on record – I repeat – the 2nd lowest crowd ever.
I can tell you all now – it’s a real concern.
albatross said | August 7th 2009 @ 11:01am | Report comment
That’s twaddle and you know it.
The crowd for a Thursday night fixture for what was expected to be a lay down misère against what a team touted as one of the worst in the league was, I feel, terrific.
Even the most ardent sports fan would have pause for thought about shelling out for such a contest.
How much coverage was in the Hun?
MVDave said | August 7th 2009 @ 11:06am | Report comment
Then how do you explain the increased membership which after all is paying out for the whole season not just one midweek game with little publicity in the middle of winter. Pleeeease. MV will have 20-22,000 members this season and TBH with the new stadium coming they probably couldn’t have too many more.
Pippinu said | August 7th 2009 @ 8:00am | Report comment
Tifosi
some have pointed to the Thursday night as being a reason for the low crowd – I don’t buy it – in Melbourne at least, Thursday night as traditionally provided very big crowds to footbal games.
MV87 has provided one good insight into what might be happening – with the usual tensions between MV members and the Dome management far from resolved.
It’s true that a move to the Bubble Dome next year might change things completely – but in the meantime, we’re in for a long, painful season.
Bill said | August 7th 2009 @ 8:10am | Report comment
What month next year is the bubble dome expected to be opened?
MVDave said | August 7th 2009 @ 8:58am | Report comment
Latest news says March 2010.
Pippinu said | August 7th 2009 @ 8:38am | Report comment
It will be open in time for the start of the next season.
Brian said | August 7th 2009 @ 4:11pm | Report comment
does that mean Melbourne’s ACL matches will be at the bubble? will Australia v Oman also be at the bubble? Seems weird they’re building it just in time for the Melbourne Storm
MVDave said | August 7th 2009 @ 8:56am | Report comment
A little hysterical Pip but some concerns about last night are valid..
MV membership is up by about 4,000 on the same time last year and are at 17,000 (last years final total was 17,600). There was a long snaking que of people waiting for memberships outside when we walked in with hour an hour to go…not the best way to do things IMO. Many people were unable to go (my son and mates included) because of their own training (Thursdays being the most popular night for training). Many youngsters didnt come because of the school night and later kick off and the crowd of just under 19,000 was comparable to the Bulldogs crowd there on the weekend when they had a milestone game for one player (19,000). Midweek, limited publicity (none on the news channels last night at all???), winter and the game live on Fox with the other reasons listed above mean that last nights crowd was an exception.
The fact that MV started so sluggishly and there touch so poor was a real concern coupled with the injury to Muskie. The Jackal was down as was just about every other player…Berger tried hard but his final ball poor. Well done to CCM for taking their 2 chances but next time there will be a different MV performance.
The overall standard was low but it was 1st game of the season and certainly MV can improve 100%.
In summary nothing to get overly concerned about yet but some warning signs for sure.
Pippinu said | August 7th 2009 @ 9:15am | Report comment
MV
took their two chances?
That’s very generous of you!!