Usually one of the Hyundai A-League's best attacking units, without Smeltz, who has departed for Turkish club Genclerbirligi, and Porter, who was kept out with a hamstring injury, United simply didn't have personnel to hit back after Melbourne settled in to defend an early lead.

Widely tipped for a high placing in 2010/11, Gold Coast are now without a win in three starts, yet Bleiberg is playing it cool and says it would have taken a miracle for his undermanned side to beat Victory, and things will change with the arrival of the cavalry.

"I believe that everybody will say how much we missed Smeltz, but for me we missed Porter more," said Bleiberg.

"We missed having a target man, someone that would be there to challenge the centre defence of the victory, someone that would be there to receive the ball at their feet and shield it.

"We were a bit like a chook with no head up front."

Gold Coast had the bye in week three and after their loss to Victory on the weekend are once more scheduled for a week in wait before returning to A-League action in Perth on Sunday week.

According to their coach, United would rather get back on the pitch and crack their first win of the season, but a fortnight break will give them a chance to reload, with Porter certain to be fit, and big-name striker Bruce Djite expected to join the ranks.

"It's not good for our momentum and our feeling now, because we're dying to go to the field again and kill the next opposition, but we have a week off which will allow us to reshape," said Bleiberg.

Though they will have games in hand, the threat of anchoring the A-League ladder after five rounds seems to be affecting some more than others on the Gold Coast.

While Bleiberg insists that it is still early days, some of his players appear to be getting anxious with the slow start.

Brazilian import Anderson strode straight into the tunnels in a huff after being replaced by his coach in the second half, and captain Jason Culina was spotted leaving the ground visibly frustrated shortly after the final whistle.

But while Bleiberg said that Anderson would get a talking to for his dramatic exit, he also informed press that Culina was emotional at the best of times and his agitation was no cause for alarm.

"Jason is a very emotional person. He doesn't even try to hide his emotion," he said.

"When we win, you'd think that he'd won the World Cup, and when we lose he's very frustrated. We lost today so he was frustrated."