Mark ModiNo Spoils for the Victory
All props to the Roar. They know how to win away from home. Sadly, for their pseudo Oranje fans, they seldom have anything to cheer about at home. I was thinking about this the other day, after trudging home despondently from the Telstra Dome. Melbourne's home record isn't really that much better than the Roar's is it?
Well, of course it is...no one loses as much at home as Queensland does, but still, the Telstra Dome is far from a fortress. On Sunday night, the day after the AFL grand final, more than 22 thousand people witnessed two very different performances. A thoroughly lacklustre and creatively turgid one from Melbourne, and a tactically superior and beguiling one from the Roar.
This is the third time Farina's men have taken full points back to Queensland, which, in my mind anyway, highlights his ability to out think Ernie Merrick. We could just say that it was a blip on the radar from the league leaders. A sub par performance, one that all teams have from time to time. After all, Sydney lost to Wellington didn't they? And Arsenal lost to Hull, at the Emirates no less.
We could say that. But I reckon there's more to it than that. It's common knowledge that the flanks are Melbourne's weak spots, despite Merrick employing Matthew Kemp and Evan Berger to do some sort of a job out wide. Most of the Victory's attacks come through the centre, via the golden boots of Carlos Hernandez and Archie Thompson.
Both players were off on Sunday, with Hernandez taking that notion literally, copping two yellows, one for a scything challenge, the second for his tryouts for the next Olympics.
This, the third red card in as many matches for Melbourne, changed the game irrevocably. Queensland, who had already created a number of very decent chances, particularly through Charlie Miller's guile and the hard running of Massimo Murdocca, took the initiative. Reinaldo, while being a Roar cult hero, is not much chop as a striker, was sacrificed for Taj Minniecon. Minniecon, blessed with speed, opened up the Victory defence on a number of occasions, simply by running the channels and utilising his number one asset. And it was this asset in the end, that broke through a stubborn Victory defence, as shown below.
So, getting back to my point. Three times Queensland has come to Melbourne and won. Three times they've exploited Melbourne's lack of pace at at the back and width to score sucker punches that have left the Victory lying flat on their arses. And they're not the only ones. Newcastle, aside from the whalloping they received earlier in the year, have also faired well in Melbourne, as have the Central Coast Mariners.
Is it because of the pressure to perform in front of the A-League's largest crowds? Or is it because opposition sides have pretty much worked out Merrick's home game plan and know how to get round it?
I know which one seems more plausible. Still, Melbourne is on top and have only lost the one game. This week's match against the hapless Perth Glory, again at the Dome, should shed more light on the subject.
Well, of course it is...no one loses as much at home as Queensland does, but still, the Telstra Dome is far from a fortress. On Sunday night, the day after the AFL grand final, more than 22 thousand people witnessed two very different performances. A thoroughly lacklustre and creatively turgid one from Melbourne, and a tactically superior and beguiling one from the Roar.
This is the third time Farina's men have taken full points back to Queensland, which, in my mind anyway, highlights his ability to out think Ernie Merrick. We could just say that it was a blip on the radar from the league leaders. A sub par performance, one that all teams have from time to time. After all, Sydney lost to Wellington didn't they? And Arsenal lost to Hull, at the Emirates no less.
We could say that. But I reckon there's more to it than that. It's common knowledge that the flanks are Melbourne's weak spots, despite Merrick employing Matthew Kemp and Evan Berger to do some sort of a job out wide. Most of the Victory's attacks come through the centre, via the golden boots of Carlos Hernandez and Archie Thompson.
Both players were off on Sunday, with Hernandez taking that notion literally, copping two yellows, one for a scything challenge, the second for his tryouts for the next Olympics.
Carlos Hernandez
This, the third red card in as many matches for Melbourne, changed the game irrevocably. Queensland, who had already created a number of very decent chances, particularly through Charlie Miller's guile and the hard running of Massimo Murdocca, took the initiative. Reinaldo, while being a Roar cult hero, is not much chop as a striker, was sacrificed for Taj Minniecon. Minniecon, blessed with speed, opened up the Victory defence on a number of occasions, simply by running the channels and utilising his number one asset. And it was this asset in the end, that broke through a stubborn Victory defence, as shown below.
So, getting back to my point. Three times Queensland has come to Melbourne and won. Three times they've exploited Melbourne's lack of pace at at the back and width to score sucker punches that have left the Victory lying flat on their arses. And they're not the only ones. Newcastle, aside from the whalloping they received earlier in the year, have also faired well in Melbourne, as have the Central Coast Mariners.
Is it because of the pressure to perform in front of the A-League's largest crowds? Or is it because opposition sides have pretty much worked out Merrick's home game plan and know how to get round it?
I know which one seems more plausible. Still, Melbourne is on top and have only lost the one game. This week's match against the hapless Perth Glory, again at the Dome, should shed more light on the subject.
