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Wow, what a game! In front of a 25,000-plus highly partisan, raucous Melbourne crowd at Etihad Stadium, the Melbourne Victory and Brisbane Roar played out a 2-2 draw in possibly the game of the season.
I had a strange feeling before the game that this would be something special, and I wasn’t disappointed. Here is what I learned:
Melbourne Victory
1. Mehm the tinkerman.
The Victory fielded their fifth different line-up in five games on the weekend. Mehm Durakovic deployed his side in a 4-4-2 diamond midfield, with Broxham screening and Pondlejak and Diogo Ferreira starting on the wings. Carlos Hernandez started in behind Harry Kewell and Archie Thompson.
I wasn’t sure I agreed with this formation and selection. It looked like Mehm was going defensive. I also didn’t see the point in changing a side that won the week before, my main idea being continuity was what the club needed after a tough start. We are never going to find out how this formation/team worked out, as fate would have it. More on that later.
2. Where was Jean-Carlos Solorzano?
The former Roar poacher has been in the Victory squad in all games prior to this, and was a surprising exclusion for mine. I felt this was odd, as Victory had looked better with Solorzano up the front. I’m not sure whether he was injured, or just tactical reasons, but I would start Solorzano. He adds to the attack and Victory look better for it.
3. Credit where credit is due.
It was a great defensive effort from the players. It is a huge credit to them, but also to Mehm and the coaching staff. They (Mehm and co) were faced with the biggest challenge in the A-League right now, made even harder being down to nine men for 50 minutes, and they did brilliantly.
After Foschini’s sending off, the side regrouped and settled into a 4-3-1. Archie was lethal on the counter, the defence was disciplined, compact, tight and gave the Roar only eight shots at goal, despite them having 75 percent of the ball. The coaching staff and playing group can be proud of their efforts.
4. Ante Covic and Matt Foschini were unlucky
A major talking point of the game was the red cards handed out to Covic and Foschini. Covic was silly and put himself in a bad position by tripping Berisha – which the striker made the most of. But it wasn’t a red. It was a yellow card and a penalty, but not a red. Berisha wasn’t in control of the ball and Covic acted on that. Foschini’s tackle on Broich wasn’t a red either. A yellow and a foul, but nothing more. His studs were showing, but they didn’t connect with Broich’s ankle/feet.
5. Very brave effort.
There is little doubt in my mind that if this was last year’s Victory team, or if they were Adelaide United, they would have lost this game. But this isn’t last year’s Victory and to make it even better, it isn’t Adelaide United either. All jokes aside, the Victory side that played on Saturday seemed to have a resolve and a self-belief that wasn’t there at times last season. The challenge is to now to keep that resolve and belief going and turn that into wins.
Final thoughts:
Victory play the Mariners this week and will be missing Covic and Foschini (pending appeal) through suspension and will also be missing Harry Kewell and Carlos Hernandez due to international duties. This is a huge opportunity for the likes of Cernak, Celeski, Rojas, Allsopp and Solorzano to get a place in the starting side.
Brisbane Roar
1. Still the team to beat.
They are the reigning champs – and they are for a reason. Their style of play and the “system over player” philosophy that Ange Postecoglou has put in place makes them the best in the league and favourites to win it all again. This result doesn’t change that. However…
2. Has their weakness been found?
The Victory put in a great defensive effort and absorbed everything Brisbane threw at them. The Roar had 75 percent of the ball, but only managed eight shots on goal (22 shots all up). By sitting back and defending, did the Victory expose a possible weakness in the Roar? Of course it is too early to say, but other teams would stand up and take notice. It will be a challenge for the Roar. They will possibly be confronted with this during the season, and when/if they do, what will their answer be?
3. Is Melbourne Victory their bogeyman?
These two teams can form the rivalry of the season. Writing as a fan who sat in the stands, the passion, atmosphere, excitement of this game was just amazing. Last season, in three encounters, the Roar had lost, won and drew to the Victory. And that classic 3-3 draw ended controversially with Matt McKay equalising late in the game. Their inability to convicingly beat the Victory in recent times, may play into the minds of some of the players. All I know is, bring on the New Years Eve game at Suncorp.
4. Thomas Broich is a lucky man.
In the 27th minute, Adrian Leijer fouled Broich near their 22 yard box. He then surprised the Victory by hitting the ball low as they jumped and the ball rolled into the back of the net. Very lucky goal, I thought. Until I heard that it was a rehearsed training move, with the idea coming from assistant coach Rado Vidosic. You make your own luck in this game.
5. Eric Paartalu a future Socceroo?
This is a more broader point, but Eric Paaratlu has been in great form, and Saturday didn’t make me think otherwise. He fits perfectly in the Roar/Ange system and that is understating it by quite a bit. He is crucial to their midfield in the Sergio Busquets/Barcelona role. With Holger Oseick giving the A-League players a chance, it is only a matter of time before the league’s best defensive midfielder gets a run in green and gold.
Final thoughts:
They will just keep doing what they are doing. There will be no panic from the champs. They will want to learn quite a bit about themselves and where they went wrong after this game. They will move on to play Wellington at Lang Park this week, which will be steady as she goes you would think. The onus is still on the rest to catch them.
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