YES, we were beaten by Melbourne – again. Yes, we were poor. Yes, we need to play more attacking fluid football. But can we? Not if we keeping hanging Cristiano out to dry.

In the wake of Tuesday night’s loss, legitimate questions are being asked about the way Adelaide played – or play.

Now part of this is the standard knee-jerk reaction that fails to take into account that we are second on the table with a game in hand, that we have played in three comps this year and that we have done without the services of our marquee striker all year.

Some of it is fair enough though. The ‘tough defence while we hit them on the break’ isn’t wildly attractive and simply doesn’t work against every side. Viddie has to start taking a few more risks.

What amazes me is the daggers that have come out for Cristiano.

Here’s a guy who hasn’t come in as a marquee but has scored goals all season (equal top with Travis) and has played more outfield time on the field than everyone bar Travis, Og, Jamo and Reid.

He’d have to be one of the best – and most astute – signings in the league. What he isn’t is a lone striker.

Cristiano is a similar player to John Aloisi. He’s a goal poacher with football smarts who needs to feed off a partner and a creative midfield.

He’s said himself that the lone striker role doesn’t suit him. He’s not big enough, fast enough – possibly even fit enough – for that role. He knows that but week in, week out he’s gone out there to lead the line and he’s done pretty bloody well.

It’s possible to criticise his work rate (benching him earlier this year did get a reaction) but that’s as much his style as anything else. Some players look lazy. Travis is one of the fastest players going round and covers miles of ground but looks half asleep most of the time. Not everyone is an energiser bunny like Jamo.

Cristiano needs help from his mates. One way forward is giving him another striker to work with.

It’s completely pointless pulling him off and putting on Robbie Younis. Younis needs to learn from Cristiano if he’s to prosper and Cristiano needs someone to take the defenders on, throw his weight around and let Mr C sneak in while they’re looking the other way.

Maybe Ago has some moments in him left to show? Maybe he can share them with Cristiano?

The other – and more likely possibility – is that we genuinely need to play 4-3-3 with Cassio and Travis playing as out and out attackers. We all know Trav doesn’t defend anyway, unless he’s really in the mood.

In that memorable game against the Nix when we actually scored six goals Cristiano didn’t look lazy or out of place. He looked key to most of what was going on because he wasn’t being asked to do it all himself.

Everyone knows we need another key striker – and that we’re missing Diego’s sporadic, creative brilliance in midfield – but we’re not going to get one overnight.

Viddie needs to roll the dice and put a rocket under Trav to get out there, lead the team and terrorise the opposition. Tell him to score. Same with Cassio, even if he is returning from injury.

Stick Alamao in behind Cristiano and ask him to create. Leave the defending to the back four, with Barbiero (or Salley or Costanzo) and Reid in defensive midfield. And attack!

Adelaide are tired. I think Viddie looks tired. Niggling injuries are catching up with us. There’s player disquiet with questions about who will be here and who will not in the coming year.

Now is the time to get the group together and remind them what they’ve achieved this year – and what remains on offer.

This is not the time to single people out and rip into them. It is the time to stop hanging Cristiano up there on his own.