The Resistible Force?

Mark Bridge was the difference maker as he punished a defensive mishap on the 82nd minute to score the Wanderers a narrow 1-0 win. 

Melbourne Victory

Set the tone

Often you can make statistics say anything to paint the picture of a match. Victory’s possession and use of the ball should have been enough, but didn’t quite pay off in the end. Often impressive as they were able to play through and around, Victory got on top through their midfielders as well as the efforts of Connor Pain. Having the Wanderers pushed back on their home patch, Victory only had themselves to blame.

Mistakes and waste

James Troisi and Archie Thompson had off nights, and against this team, that simply could not be afforded. The delivery around the front three lacked and contributed to a second loss in a row for Victory, although the costliest mistake came late. Despite trying to cover space in front of goal, Jason Geria had his back turned to Mark Bridge who smashed home, but Labinot Haliti did all the work with a piercing cross. Geria has had a tough initiation, and it may be time to have Scott Galloway back in the XI.

Substitutes

It is now three matches in a row that Kevin Muscat has made similar subs at roughly the same times. They have been predictable and have had less and less the desired effects each time. This was the same on saturday when Mitch Nichols and Pain were replaced with Andrew Nabbout and Gui Finkler. Geria made way for Galloway late on, when it is late in the game and your team is trailing you can’t have a like-for-like sub, particularly with defenders.

Time for a number 9?

The problems that Victory has had over these last weeks are very much able to be repaired, even just with a minor tweak in the formation. Playing with a striker now has to be a consideration, that extra body in the penalty area to be the difference. Thompson should return to his central position as an out-and-out striker, and Finkler to play behind him once he reaches full fitness.

Crunch time?

This loss very much had a ‘kick in the guts’ feel, if you are a Victory fan. It was very frustrating to see the same thing happen to Victory again. The same team, shape and philosophy that had them revived is still in place even with a coaching change, so what’s changed? Players have made the mistakes and haven’t responded to them. It needs to change quickly. Winning the moments makes the champion team, Victory are on their way there.

Western Sydney Wanderers

Strong

This is not just as a team, but individually. Players like Ante Covic, Iacopo La Rocca, Nikolai Topor-Stanley and Jerome Polenz are one man walls and more often than not, win the individual contests. They play very close to the line of what’s acceptable when it comes to tackles, as some did during the match. But such is the reality of contact sports and being in a results business, the end justifies the means.

Substitutes

Tony Popovic helped get his team to where they had to be by making the right subs at the right time. Shinji Ono made way for Mateo Poljak to help add that extra protection in midfield as they came under pressure, the eventual match-winner Haliti came on for Shannon Cole and Tahj Minniecon was like-for-like for Brendon Santalab. Popovic thought on his feet and changed the game with his subs, proving a difference maker.

Adapting and sitting back

The Wanderers have that ability to win, even if they don’t deserve it but they do just enough. This was one of those moments as they absorbed all Victory threw at them. Though the midfield was overrun by the visitors’, the defenders did the rest and didn’t give anything in the end. Whether they are sitting back or pressing forward manically, Western Sydney are the toughest in the competition.

Selection dilemmas

Last season regulars Mateo Poljak and Michael Beauchamp now find themselves out of the starting squad, and Tomi Juric and Yousouff Hersi are still to return from injuries. How that is juggled will be a story to keep an eye on, but from the outside looking in, it looks clear that Popovic has that respect from all at the club to do this tough job. This squad is just about the same as last season’s but only with more strike power, what they need to go one better come May 2014.

Steady as she goes and more to come

It all looks to be coming together well to begin with, despite a bumpy start that resulted in two draws. They will travel to Brisbane this week in what will be a huge match, after that they play Wellington (A), Melbourne Heart (H) and Newcastle (A) in which all are very winnable fixtures. It can see them take a commanding lead on the table and put them in prime position for a repeat of last year's Premiership.