The sight of Tim Cahill, one hand held up to his furrowed brow, the other clutching at a quickly swelling ankle, was the most memorable of the early stanzas in Melbourne City’s clash against Sydney FC.
The reverberating worry that emanated out from this tragic tableaux sent shivers down the national spine, with the trip to Honduras quickly approaching and, as of yet, no-one stepping forward to inherit the weight Cahill tends to shoulder for the Socceroos in the biggest games.
As much as that image of Cahill limping to the changing rooms lingered in the mind, it was not potent enough to mask the scene, fading into view, of the contest between two very different A-League contenders.
Vast stretches of the first half went like this: Sydney passing the ball side to side, sometimes darting into more advanced areas, twirling their way around tacklers, but eventually being forced back into neutral territory.
A pleasing dance, to be sure, led by Milos Ninkovic and performed to a soundtrack of City manager Warren Joyce’s barking voice, urging individual Melbourne players to press, to drop off, to work harder, to, ultimately, defend.
City’s rise to the top of the A-League table over these first four games has not been one with ribbons and tassels attached, one based on any particular flair or joie de vivre. It has been a staunch march, with every movement performed with stiff-armed vigour and gritty efficiency.
Before this match, the three teams below City had scored as many or more goals than they had. But none have conceded as few as Warren Joyce’s team, and it’s already clear – and has been broken down in great detail by The Roar‘s resident tactics maestro Tim Palmer – that City’s defence isn’t just setting the benchmark in the league this season, it’s also the emblem of the Joyce era’s identity.
Joyce is not bashful about his approach, one which many would argue – in spite of its effectiveness – is an exemplar of anti-football, especially when executed by a team with City’s talent and resources.
This was an attack-minded City starting XI on paper, with Luke Brattan returning to the line-up paired with Stephen Mauk in midfield and with Michael Jakobsen returned to the back-line, albeit as a left-back. Ross McCormack and Cahill began as a front two, the first time Joyce has used this arrangement this season.
But in practice this was not an attack-minded team.
Mauk and Brattan were extremely deep in the first half, as were the back line. The wingers, Bruce Kamau and Nick Fitzgerald, were seen acting as auxiliary full-backs, doubling up on the Sydney attackers. The offensive scheme revolved mainly around frenetic, direct counter-attacking, with Fitzgerald in particular excelling as he scampered away with the ball from deeper positions.
After Cahill’s injury, Joyce replaced the Socceroos talisman with Marcin Budzinski, a midfielder, which prompted a relatively lengthy period of City possession and pressure, though it waned after five minutes or so. City were not pressing Sydney with urgency when they lost the ball, preferring to settle back into a stable defensive stance.
Almost all of Eugene Galekovic’s kicks were bombed long, and City ended the match having made 180 fewer passes than Sydney did but more long balls. City’s forwards were repeatedly flagged for offside, launching in behind after said lofted passes a little too eagerly.
City had one clear chance in the first half, and Sydney didn’t have any for all of their passing. This passing whirred into action again in the second half, a woven net of one-twos, one-two-threes, fours, fives and sixes. City were seen packing ten men into their defensive third as soon as Sydney approached. Some moment of sudden potency would be needed to bore through this electric-blue forcefield, but what striker-savant, what kind of supreme goalscorer, would provide it?
Well, as it turned out, it was Luke Wilkshire, a player who hasn’t scored a league goal in nine years. Of course the initial spark that lit the fuse was provided by Ninkovic, as he turned with poise and released Zullo down the left. Zullo’s cross was whipped toward the back post, where Wilkshire had held his run cleverly, allowing his marker to drift away from him.
The former Socceroo detonated a shot first-time, into the ground, and it bounced past Galekovic, over the head of a leaping City defender and into the top corner of the net. In celebration, tongue practically bursting through his cheek, Wilkshire raised his right boot and pointed to it.
(AAP Image/David Moir)
Joyce brought on Marcelo Carrusca and Neil Kilkenny to try and spur the City attack into life. It worked immediately, with Carrusca dazzling with a sumptuous turn on the touchline, winning a free kick.
This City team, waiting on the return of Bruno Fornaroli and Fernando Brandan, is nonetheless still packed with attacking talent. Injuries have forced City into playing a little more defensively, but not this defensively. Graham Arnold brought on Matt Simon; yes, the time had come to dig in with a narrow lead in hand. Sydney have seen staunch defences before, many times last season, and have learnt to win in spite of them.
City had a few half-chances as the game sloped towards added time. Fitzgerald was sprightly until the end and Budzinski active and interested. But they couldn’t score and have now been leapfrogged by Sydney, who have lost just once in their last 35 matches and sit on top of the table again.
Fitzgerald and substitutes Budzinski and Carrusca were the only points of light for City in attack, and the manner in which they were utilised – Fitzgerald ended the match at right-back – clearly shows Joyce is not arranging his team to maximise their chances of scoring, just their chances of not conceding.
City are playing this way in every match regardless of the potency of the opponent. This match exposed how what can look steely and indomitable in victory looks so meek and unambitious in defeat, and on Friday night it looked particularly ill-fitting on a team as grandly assembled and inherently talented as City.
Joyce’s defence has garnered deserved praise, but the price of such stolidity shouldn’t be 90 per cent of the attacking ability of his team. This was a moment for City to consolidate first place, to show they aren’t pretenders, to match it with their main title rivals. In trying to stifle Sydney’s attack, they managed only to throttle their own.
Redondo
Guest
JB - that crowd was a bit of a surprise. But even so, Newcastle had a worse crowd against Adelaide last year. On the bright side, there are obviously a lot of fans willing to go to Newcastle's matches - many just didn't bother for this game. Phoenix is never a big draw card - maybe that's why. Hopefully, the club has a handle on why certain games don't attract the fans. Ditto for other clubs. The strange thing for all clubs is when attendances fall well-short of the number of paid-up club members.
Nemesis
Guest
"I did not know Graham Arnold invented the cynical foul and time-wasting during the 2016-17 A-League season" According to SydFC fans, Kevin Muscat & the MVFC team are the only group who have ever resorted to such tactics. Maybe, fans should accept all the good/bad/ugly stuff in football is part of the game & it happens across all clubs, all leagues, all levels.
j,binnie
Guest
Redondo - Don't lose sleep over your observation. The cynical foul has always been part of football, but as a tactic, it was brought to "perfection" when Inter Milan, under the "amateur" psychologist Helenio Herrera, brought it to a new level in perfecting his "catenaccio systems" in the early 1960's.Cheers jb.
j,binnie
Guest
Redondo - As you say it is early days to be doing crowd analysis but it is not too early to ask "why is this so"?. Take Newcastle Jets for instance . Everyone appears to agree they are playing very attractive football and yet their home attendance figures almost beggar description. Their opening home game against Perth attracted nearly 15,000 to the game. Their second home game against WSW attracted 11,468. They drew both games but had won their 2 away games against CCM and Roar. Now one would have to assume that these results and ensuing figures ie P 4, W 2, D 2, L 0, F 10, A 5, Pts 8, showed an excellent start to their season. Come game 5 at home against Wellington ,attendance 6,258. Can you explain that,? In 5 or 6 weeks almost 9000 fans have "disappeared" Jets by the way are not alone . In the 23 matches played so far the overall attendance figures to HAL games has dropped by 51,000, Food for thought,and more importantly -----action. Cheers jb.
Nemesis
Guest
Sydney only has a low number of YCs because the refs continue to ignore the thuggery of Matt Simon & the clumsiness & cynical fouls of David Carney. Yesterday, David Carney fouled a player on 2 occasions with cynical fouls after the opponent had skinned him & Carney's chubby legs couldn't keep up. But, no YC. Then he handled the ball deliberately - foul was called, but no YC. Simon is a thug. Everyone knows it. His only job is to come on the pitch with 15-20 mins to play & hurt as many opponents as he can. The FoxSports commentators are friends of Arnold & members of SydFc,, so they just laugh & say "well that's Matt Simon, you know what you're getting". I'm a big fan of the ALeague, but I'm finding my level on interest this season is at an all-time low. Can't wait for new teams to form & 2nd Division. I'd rather watch my team playing in the 2nd Div than playing in this repetitive 10 team closed competition.
punter
Guest
Thanks Redondo, I just wasted my time reading LuckyEddie's comment, normally I avoid his comments, but having read what you said I couldn't help but think, what? These AFL guys come in different guises.
Waz
Guest
“we” was the total we in that context and not aimed at anyone in particular.
Redondo
Guest
Honest to goodness, I did not know Graham Arnold invented the cynical foul and time-wasting during the 2016-17 A-League season. The things you learn on the Roar!
LuckyEddie
Guest
The cynical tackles first appeared last year and have got worse this year. Players are obviously told to foul any players attempting a counter attack and share the yellows. On top of that we have the cynical time wasting in extra time that is done to just break teams chases of counter attacking. So we have cynical fouls and time wasting and people wonder why crowds are not going. The coaches might think it's clever but all fans want to see exciting end to end attacking and it is not happening, Time for the FFA and more to the point commentators to jump onto the spoiling tactics. The commentators waffle on about taking a yellow for the team and what a good foul that was rather than thinking about where this is taking the game. It is becoming really boring and predictable and the crowds are responding by not going. The FFA should get the refs to hand out some red cards for the cynical fouls that stop counter attacks and explain to some of the coaches that no fans means no league. It's become a real disgrace and when you add to that the obligatory diving why would any go.
Stevo
Roar Rookie
100% agree on Kamau. Brattan and Mauk way too similar and more defensive minded. But maybe that’s what Joyce wanted last night. Carrusca starting would improve midfield and add flair.
Redondo
Guest
I'm pretty sure I haven't said anything about Maccarone's age. I did have a crack at him about his 'grounds are empty' comment. Re "it's what we're good at" (negativity) - initially I got the impression Nemesis was the Roar's resident curmudgeonly pessimist. I now realise he's actually one of the site's leading optimists. I reckon the reason he gets so wound up is because so many come on here whining about how the sky is falling when there is no real evidence to justify their panic. Apologies for using you as an example Nemesis.
stan cole
Guest
Yes I believe you watched the same game as I but must have snoozed off when when Sydney keeper made two brilliant saves,witch could have been a very different result. Cheers
Waz
Guest
I agree with you there, they’ll be better for Brandden certainly. However Adelaide should have pumped them last week and City could equally be on 2 or 4 points right now. The table may not lie but it certainly doesn’t tell the truth this early
punter
Guest
Waz, they have a lot of fire power on the bench & to come back Fornaroli, Brandden, Kilkenny, Carusca & they have got their defensive structure very well.
punter
Guest
I'm a Derby County fan Kanga, but in the past decade been watching a lot of La Liga especially Real Madrid & Barcelona. I watched an FA cup tie last year between Derby & Leicester (the then premiers) & it was dreadful, maybe just too spoiled after watching La Liga, but watching sides that are coached by Pulis, Alladyce, McClaren etc doesn't excite me.
Nemesis
Guest
Victory are rubbish this season. I'd rank them the worst team in the competition after 4 matches. Even Brisbane managed to construct a decent 45 minutes last week after being shambolic in the first half. Of course, there's a long way to go. But, if a team is playing decent football (e.g. CCM) and not winning there's more chance that the results will follow. I'd rate CCM as the most likely team from the batch of "No Wins" to start making a move shortly. Next week MV vs Brisbane may tell us which team is the worst this season.
Kangajets
Guest
Ha ha punter You seen the light . Premier league have teams playing all variety of football for a decade . That’s why we love it. It’s unpredictable. You will enjoy it mate .
Waz
Guest
The table can lie until a reasonable amount of games has passed eg Adelaide the season before last. There’s no reason to believe SFC aren’t where they should be, but City? Definite question marks (and big ones)
Kangajets
Guest
Just my opinion redondo. Refs don’t conspire , but they make mistakes like all of us do. Sydney have absolutely deserved more cards . The Graeme Arnold way is foul them before they can attack . Sydney are good at what they do , but I can’t watch that kind of game anymore.
Waz
Guest
“but all this negative disinformation just adds to all the other unnecessary and unjustified negativity surrounding the A-League“ .... but mate, it’s what we’re good at! And tell me you haven’t put the boot into Maccarone over his age???