There may be 14 rounds still to play, but the A-League title race is essentially over. Brisbane Roar are the competition’s team to beat, with the rest of the league merely playing catch-up.
Remember those Roar fans who unfurled a “Mulvey out” banner last February?
It’d be interesting to hear their thoughts on Mike Mulvey now, after his Roar side schooled Melbourne Victory in the art of high-tempo passing football with a scintillating 3-0 win on Saturday night.
Brisbane’s first goal was a portent of things to come, as Dimi Petratos dummied a Diogo Ferreira cut-back, allowing man-of-the-match Thomas Broich to tee up Liam Miller to open the scoring from a 20-pass masterpiece.
The goal came from an unlikely source given it was just Miller’s third in the A-League, but credit must go to the Roar for picking up arguably the signing of the season, with the former Glory star considerably strengthening an already formidable outfit.
How different the result might have been if ex-Roar striker Kosta Barbarouses had finished an earlier chance for the Victory, but if the hosts thought they were still in the match at half-time, the Roar clearly had other ideas.
Their second goal was simply sublime, with Matt McKay dinking a finish over the hopelessly exposed Nathan Coe after a superb three-man give-and-go.
It was a goal of the highest quality, the sort we tune into European leagues every weekend to watch, and it ripped the heart out of an utterly bamboozled Victory defence.
Dimi Petratos rounded out proceedings with another outstanding finish – that’s four goals in two games for a player Sydney FC considered more trouble than he was worth – as the visitors turned on an exhibition against their shell-shocked hosts.
Put simply, the Roar’s second half performance provided some of the best football we’ve ever seen in the A-League.
What does that say about Mulvey and the reluctance of some A-League clubs to give untested coaches a chance?
Mulvey’s intensity is plain for all to see when he offers his thoughts in his post-match interviews, but it is also clear the Manchester-born tactician thinks deeply about the game.
Always quick to deflect attention back on to his players, it took some time for Mulvey’s system to fall into place, but now it has the Roar are positively flying.
It’s a different story entirely for rookie coach Kevin Muscat and his Melbourne Victory, who not only needs to lift his side for next weekend’s trip to the Hunter, but will do so missing several key players.
Central defender Nick Ansell is away on Young Socceroos duty, as are teammates Jason Geria, Scott Galloway and Connor Pain, while the experienced Adrian Leijer needlessly got himself sent off against the Roar.
Leijer has looked out of sorts all season for the Victory, and Muscat can now add Mitch Nichols to that list, with the normally energetic midfielder substituted at half-time amid transfer rumours linking him to J. League club Cerezo Osaka.
Cerezo’s new coach Ranko Popovic is a known Nichols admirer and it seems the industrious midfielder is almost certainly on his way out, handing Muscat another headache going into the second half of the season.
Victory are now 11 points behind league leaders Brisbane, and only Tony Popovic’s stuttering Western Sydney look capable of providing a genuine premiership challenge.
Their 3-1 defeat to Wellington Phoenix on New Year’s Day ramps up the significance of next weekend’s derby at home to Sydney FC, with the Wanderers no doubt desperate to keep themselves in the league title race.
They’ll hope to see the Roar slip up over the coming weeks, and a heavy multi-code Suncorp Stadium schedule won’t help Brisbane’s slick passing game.
But for now it’s Mulvey’s premiership to lose, after the Roar offered a glimpse of their frightening potential with a positively pulverising performance against the Victory.
TheMagnificent11
Roar Guru
With the exception of Sydney, Wellington and Newcastle (and Melbourne Heart recently), all the A-League clubs have gone with coaches untested at A-League level. Mulvey has better credentials than half of the current crop of A-League coaches. I believe the Roar management went with Mulvey because of the style of football he likes to play, his previous success at youth level and his passion for football in Queensland. I don't know why people are so surprised, especially considering roster of talent at his disposal.
Statler and Waldorf
Roar Guru
I owe you a beer
Mike Tuckerman
Expert
Untested (relatively) at A-League level is what I meant.
titch
Guest
Don't know what Mulvey has done but he has the Roar playing like a solid disciplined unit; everybody contributing, a real team effort. I thought MV were cruelly exposed as a team of individuals.
Tom Jones
Guest
I see them at the non-active end too. And on the side. Good luck getting your membership.
PunterI sit above the cove
Guest
The game in the wet was not really fair indication of their footballing ability.
clayts
Guest
That or the 2 jets victories were anomalies..
clayts
Guest
Broich is also Brisbane's Achilles though. If he gets injured, Brisbane don't score nearly as many goals IMO
Mateo Corbo
Guest
The Roar are playing fantastic football this year. Jets have beaten Brisbane twice this season. Pity they can't find any consistency...
Punter
Guest
I think ADP is the best credential player to ever play in the A-League, but Broich is the best performing player in the A-League ever. He is a class act & 8-10 years junior of ADP & in his peak, while ADP great as he still is , well past in prime.
Allan
Guest
Those vacant seats at the active end are very easily explained, there are a lot of families who bought memberships at the southern end 'just in case' too. I don't agree with it, because I am on a waiting list for full membership but I can't change it.
Tom Jones
Guest
That's a high percentage of members with something else better to do. I'm good with maths, and want large crowds for ALeague games, but I can't get my head around it, especially when I see chunks of empty seats at both ends of Parra stadium, which can't be a coincidence of members not turning up who sit next to each other. Unless there are families of 40 not turning up. That's all.
BES
Guest
The only thing the 2 losses to the Jets has shown, is that we need a decent pitch/conditions to play the way we play. Last time we played WSW on a decent pitch we flogged them. It will be the same next time we play them - provided we have a decent playing surface - which unfortunately, is looking like a big IF over the rest of the season with the usage that Suncorp is slotted for. I just hope our next and final game against Jets is also on a decent playing surface so we can right that ledger as well :-)
Ian
Guest
Don't forget his stint with the Victory women's team, for about 9 games, before taking over at Brisbane Roar. He then won W-League coach of the year for it.
Ian
Guest
You're not the only one.
Ian
Guest
ha ha!! You're welcome.
The Auteur
Guest
If Mulvey is untested then what the hell is John Aloisi?
Statler and Waldorf
Roar Guru
I am so glad that when I commented on a Roar article that I was looking for an A-League team to follow a Roarer by the name of Ian suggested that I should follow BR
Doc
Roar Rookie
While ADP may get more accolades from pundits, overall Broich has a far greater impact on the pitch and is not constantly injured. In my eyes the best long term import in A-League history.
Sid
Guest
passing passing passing. But effective passing and runs. Brisbane play a very simple and effective game, players like Brioch, Henrequie, Berisha all hold the ball well and most time suck in 2 players often leaving a man free in the midfield. The beauty about that is that the free man makes an effective run into the box. 10 different goal scorers this year already. It is almost all the midfield play as a false forward.