Do you have to have Besart Berisha in your team to win the A-League championship? No, but in the past it has helped a lot and already this season it is again clear that if you don’t have him your chances will be significantly diminished.
Overall, there has been no more influential player in the A-League than Berisha during his four-and-a-bit seasons.
His ability to influence the result in big matches is tremendous and he again had a huge say in the outcome of the latest ‘Big Blue’.
Berisha scored the first and last of Melbourne Victory’s goals in their 4-2 win over Sydney FC and that sort of meaningful contribution is what we’ve come to routinely expect from him.
He gave Sydney central defender Jacques Faty an awful time, getting away from him on both occasions to score. Faty and any other player who marks Berisha knows what he is going to do, but stopping him remains one of the hardest tasks in the A-League.
Berisha’s grand final record is brilliant and is the ultimate testimony to his ability to come up with the biggest blows on the biggest occasions.
In the 2011-2012 season decider, Brisbane Roar were 1-0 down against Perth Glory, but then Berisha levelled the scores in the 84th minute and converted from the penalty spot in added time to complete a 2-1 win.
Brisbane finished one win short of the 2012-2013 grand final, but in season 2013-14 Berisha was back on the biggest stage. And, again, it was the late, late show from him, almost as if to prove that the more intense the situation gets, the greater the pressure and the taller he stands.
Brisbane trailed Western Sydney Wanderers 1-0 until Berisha scored in the 86th minute, and the Roar went on to win in extra-time.
Last season, Berisha did it at the other end of a grand final, scoring the first goal for Victory in their 3-0 win over Sydney.
But it’s not just Berisha’s goalscoring ability that endears him to Victory fans. Although his natural inclination is to set up for his own shot when the ball reaches him in a dangerous position, he has the skill to create opportunities for teammates. And he does a lot of work in defence.
Berisha automatically comes back to defend on corners and free kicks and shows great composure at that end of the field. He is not a frantic clearer of the ball if it falls to him, but will instead calmly try to connect with a teammate down the field.
The double he scored on the weekend took Berisha to joint top of the competition goalscoring list with five, alongside Melbourne City’s Bruno Fornaroli.
And it is interesting to compare what Berisha has been able to do for Victory so far this season to what Sydney haven’t been able to do.
Sydney went into the game against Victory as competition leaders, but they had only scored six goals in five games and were top of the table based largely on the fact they had kept the opposition to just two goals during that time.
It was a different challenge against Victory and one Sydney handled pretty well for a large part of the match, but they ended up paying the price for not taking advantage of goalscoring opportunities between the time Victory drew level at 2-2 in the 28th minute and took the lead in the 68th.
Personnel changes have meant Sydney are setting up differently in the front third to last season and they are yet to find one dominant goalscorer. It is still only early days, but they could live to regret no longer having Marc Janko in the team.
Victory, meanwhile, are clicking into gear with the same starters from last season in the front third and with Archie Thompson still to return from injury and provide added spark off the bench.
And in the heart of all of that Berisha looks at least as good as ever.
Justin Mahon
Guest
Ange, a Melbourne man, was OUT of contract at Brisbane and Victory contracted him. He made several bad purchases but fixed the rot in the football department, before leaving to the National Team after being poached while UNDER contract by the FFA. Victory fans hater BB for the reason other fans did. He is amazing. The reason you saw more of is express this is because we are overwhelmingly the largest club in the country with the largest following.
Baracuda
Guest
You mean 14 don't you, MVC announced it on 22/1/14! Also; will Berisha have extended his contract come May? For it was only for 2 seasons
Ian
Guest
Top striker, top player. Gives 100% for the club he is at and the fans. Nice guy off the field. Though some clubs will always mean more to him than others ..*cough cough Bris cough bane cough*.
Ian
Guest
Good post. On social media MV fans in particular used to destroy Berisha and he stopped using twitter and facebook for months. Then it became a different story when they acquired the best striker in the league after acquiring the best coach in the league from us. I recall some Roar fans, not me, saying Berisha had basically a slow start to the season. Not that he'd lost it completely. Berisha's heart is still part orange. No one needs to think he bleeds blue and white. He gets 750k a year though.
Paul
Guest
Fuss it is amazing how you are seemingly prepared to hold a grudge old friend; so "some Roar supporters" gave you their opinion which you disagree with and now you want to bag them out lol. I recall you gave us your opinion that Adelaide would be Victory's main challenger for the title this season and look how that's turning out. Get over yourself mate otherwise you just look, well dumb!
Lionheart
Guest
I think they're only ragging you Fuss. But I have to say this, and have said it before on this forum. Berisha picked up a few Red cards (two in about three matches I think) and was often quick to go to ground. Because of that, some Roar fans, even before his move to MV, didn't particularly like him. I was quite surprised at the young fans in particular, who were happy to see him go. Not our style of play. Can't say I agree, but that's what I've observed.
Lionheart
Guest
I've still got FIFA13. When Berisha was signed by MV mid-season, with much fan fare while he was still signed to Roar for the rest of the season, immediately, that day, FIFA 13 switched Berisha to MV. Now, they've still got players not with their right teams from last season. I think Berisha and MV have shares in the EA Sports game.
dinoweb
Roar Guru
Pretty sure, only a few years ago, a group of Victory posters said on this forum that "Berisha was a cheat" and that he was "highly overrated", and nothing but a goal poacher. I tried to explain that having watched him first hand week in week out at the Roar, and using factual data of his output, that Berisha would quickly become a fan favourite in Melbourne, but Victory supporters refused to listen. It's amazing how people seemed to miss his 100% commitment to playing football, and his work rate off the ball. Berisha is simply the best forward I've ever seen play in the A-League, and the only Australian to match him would be Mark Viduca. I'll always be a huge fan, and still can't get used to seeing him in blue over orange.
onside
Guest
"He certainly is a good striker" !!!
Kaks
Roar Guru
LOL
Fadida
Guest
Agree people miss the subtleties. I saw a lot of criticism of Mark Warren this week, but when you look at the subtleties and ignore the poor positioning, awful technique, horrendous crossing and iffy decision making he's probably better than Maldini. Ditto Cam Watson, the new Pirlo. :)
onside
Guest
Subtleties in all sports escape many followers . Champions consistently do simple things well. It's not the riveting freak shot or goal that is the mark of a champion, even though they are all capable, but instead their ability to continuously execute simple moves well under pressure. Berisha ticks all the boxes. Maybe ,just maybe, Brisbane supporters were so used to seeing Berisha in tandem with Broich , that his ability to adapt to other team mates and a different team structure and style, is to them less obvious.
Baracuda
Guest
So much so, does Berisha yeal a FIFA Australia cover next season?
Liam Sheedy
Roar Guru
He is an absolute gun. Certainly when he was injured back in 2007 it was not at a good time. Would have been interesting to see how he went in England at full fitness.
Justin Thighm
Roar Guru
He certainly had an influence on the 2015 grand final, knocking out Matty Jurman early in the game with a well placed elbow that required 25 stitches. He should of been sent off, instead of allowed to play on and score one goal and set up another. With Muscat as your coach, you expect that sort of behaviour, its probably part of his game plan. :( He was at it again on Saturday night with a string of fouls that should have got him two yellows and a red. And then whenever he got a faint touch or bump he fell over like a bag of potatoes writhing in agony. He certainly is a good striker, but I think he is hated more than he is liked, especially in Sydney.
Justin Thighm
Roar Guru
What a pity Broich and Berisha aren't eligible for the Socceroos.
Lionheart
Guest
He's certainly a key player.
onside
Guest
It's opportune to remind readers that it was Ange Postecoglou who located Beshart Berisha and Thomas Broich ,each from different countries, and then actually visited them in Europe, to convince them both to come to Australia. A recruiting masterstroke that represents value, longevity, and continues to reward A-League supporters .
Kaks
Roar Guru
He is that player you hate when he is lined up against you, but you respect the fact that he is astonishingly deadly and can turn a game around on his own. Wish we had him.
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
Pretty sure, only a few weeks ago, a group of Brisbane Roar posters on this forum said "Berisha is getting old & his form is nowhere near what it was at Brisbane". I tried to explain that, having watched every MVFC match with Berisha, and using factual data of his output at MVFC that Berisha was as strong as ever. But, the Brisb fans refused to listen. It's amazing how many people seem to miss the subtleties of football & a footballer's attributes and output. Berisha is simply the most competitive player I've ever seen in the ALeague. He has it all: technically gifted, tactically smart, physically strong & mentally wants to win ever single ball.