How to get the best out of Archie Thompson, Harry Kewell, Carlos Hernandez, Danny Allsopp, Jean Carlos Solorzano and Marco Rojas was the question on everyone's lips in the lead-up to the new season.

Almost three weeks in, we're none the wiser.

Despite their firepower Victory have failed to score from two outings which makes planting the ball in the back of Clint Bolton's net in Saturday night's derby against Melbourne Heart an absolute must.

But on the eve of the match, Durakovic was pleading for more time to get his structures right.

"I've got a fantastic headache," Durakovic said. "We've got a big squad and we've got a very experienced squad and some really good youngsters coming through.

"But it will take time for the team shape and the team structure that I want to mould, it will take time. But once we start firing you will see a different Melbourne Victory team.

"It will take two or three weeks, but once we get the structure right, we'll be OK."

Durakovic expects that once his strikers get a taste for scoring, they will be impossible to stop.

He confirmed that Thompson, who will captain the side on Saturday night in the absence of the suspended Adrian Leijer, will play a more central role after having been deployed primarily on the left in the scoreless draw against Sydney FC and 1-0 loss to Adelaide United.

That's likely to mean that Kewell will play a support role which puts the squeeze on Hernandez.

"Carlos is a big part of the squad, but I can only pick 11 players," Durakovic said. "Once we get the structure up and running there will be a place for Carlos.

"When that will take place, we don't know whether it's next week or the week after or this week. I've got a lot of players, and the best structure that I want to play, we'll play."

Durakovic said he has full confidence in Petar Franjic as cover for Leijer and he's urged left-back Fabio not to worry about critical errors that cost his side a penalty against Sydney FC and Sergio van Dijk's winner for the Reds last Friday.

"Those little mistakes in both games cost us," Durakovic said. "But, what do you do?

"You can't punish a player for trying to play football. He's made a mistake, so be it.

"All you do is put your arm around his shoulder and give him the encouragement to play football. I'm quite happy with the way that he's been playing."