Melbourne Victory manager Kevin Muscat joked with the Fox Sports broadcast team, a slightly smarmy curl sneaking across his upper lip.
“I’ll take a few more of these bad 3-0 wins”, he chortled, after his side had beaten the Western Sydney Wanderers.
The Fox match-day team had universally backed the Wanderers to win on Saturday night against Melbourne Victory, and Muscat was savouring the moment.
It was almost exactly a month since his team had beaten these opponents by the same scoreline, and here he was again, nudging the freshly baked humble pie across the table to the family of wretched doubters.
Besart Berisha summoned a performance of startling precision and efficiency, exposing through stark proximity alone how much the Wanderers need a player like him.
His hat-trick made the day a comfortable one for Muscat in the end, but his “bad 3-0 wins” line dragged behind it a small anchor of truth.
If his team repeat Saturday’s performance next weekend against Melbourne City, they’ll lose.
Muscat should not expect Bruno Fornaroli or Tim Cahill to be as forgivingly profligate in the upcoming Melbourne Derby as Brendon Santalab was last weekend.
The Wanderers striker – starting his first match since round six – threw away at least three glittering chances, including a point-blank header which he sent directly into the body of Victory gloveman Lawrence Thomas.
Thomas, as it happened, was an impenetrable force-field in goal, saving spectacularly not just from Santalab, but from Jack Clisby and Nico Martinez.
A goalkeeper in blistering form sends waves of confidence emanating forward. As Thomas repelled shot after shot – he made five saves in the match, all of them excellent – the Wanderers wilted.
Their need for a marquee striker grows further with every impotent performance, like a lolling, blubbery elephant fattening itself on buns, swelling in the corner of the room.
Never mind talk of Dimitar Berbatov, or Robbie Keane; Carlton Cole has been out of contract since July.
But back to the point. Just because Santalab’s goal-scoring abilities appear to exclusively receive a 5000 per cent boost when he trots into the contest off the bench, doesn’t mean the Victory shouldn’t be worried about their, yes, fairly bad 3-0 win.
Victory allowed the Wanderers’ attackers – Santalab, Jumpei Kusukami, Nico Martinez, and Mitch Nichols – 20 unique touches inside their box. The Wanderers took 11 shots inside the Victory box, and had seven corners.
The intoxicating dribbling that Nico Martinez beguiled the Victory defence with all evening, is the same sort of movement Fernando Brandan and Fornaroli will relish in reenacting.
The Victory rank second in the league for clearances and fourth for blocked shots, and yet second last for interceptions.
This indicates they are allowing the opposition attack to advance unbridled deep into their territory, only to hurriedly clear the danger once the situation is critical, rather than snuffing things out in more neutral areas of the pitch. They made 37 clearances in the win over Western Sydney.
When Matthieu Delpierre retired from football in April of this year, the Victory lost an immaculate defender.
But more importantly, they lost a defensive captain, who could provide stability and leadership – two necessary pillars around which you can anchor a defence.
There is a looseness to their defensive structure now, and it was exposed against the Wanderers whenever Martinez spooked them with some divine turn or sudden passing incision.
In such a moment, with the scores at 0-0, they clump together oddly, retreating in a panic, as Santalab wafts unchecked at the far post.
Had Scott Neville – the No.12 at the bottom of the frame – or Martinez – following his pass – been inclined, they might have powered into the box while Nichols was twisting and turning on the left-hand side, because the Victory defenders were not prepared to meet them.
Drawn slightly towards the ball, and backtracking in a panic; these are the signs of a defence that doesn’t quite know what to do in an emergency.
Later, Nichols was sent through neatly, and he applied an elegant touch to bring the ball back inside to cross.
His delivery was perfect and Santalab was clear to head in the equaliser. Of course, the striker managed only to meekly nod the ball directly into the welcoming torso of the goalkeeper.
However, the freedom with which he was allowed to scupper another chance was only possible because Alan Baró had lingered recklessly in the build up, half-tracking Santalab’s run, then pausing horribly at the vital moment.
He had only Santalab’s shoddy forehead work to thank for not being responsible for his team losing their lead, and as he turned, expecting a goal, you can see he was visibly relieved to see what happened.
This sort of chance will be feasted upon by Tim Cahill.
Santalab would later miss this chance, executing every aspect of the sequence perfectly except the finish.
As alarming as the ease with which Western Sydney passed its way through the Melbourne lines was, the pocket of space Santalab created for himself was even more galling. Another bullet dodged.
Neville might have passed more acutely back to Martinez, who was also free.
Berisha scored his three goals – a perfect hat-trick by the way, with his left foot, right foot, and head – from three shots on target.
This sort of performance is not easily to replicate, and neither are Thomas’ saves.
Muscat was all smiles, flashing ‘I told you so’ looks liberally after the Wanderers match.
However, his team risks another comprehensive defeat to their local rivals if they continue defending with such slackness.
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