“From Adversity Comes Strength, From Strength Comes Success”
-Utah Governor Gary R. Herbert
Sometimes a football team plays with a sense of freedom when all seems lost. The odds are against them, and there is really nothing to do but just do what they do best. More often than not, upset results happen, especially when there are local bragging rights at stake.
Melbourne Heart have never gone into a derby as anything but the underdogs, and without a win all season that is not going to change this week.
It has been a season of discontent for Heart so far, with only four draws to show for their efforts. What transpired in Sydney on Sunday was a perfect summary of their campaign. The first half was completely listless. There was a distinct lack of intensity and passion from the red and white, a common problem in almost every game they’ve played. They produced numerous chances in the second half, but profligacy in front of goal cost them dear.
Nothing seems to have clicked for Heart so far. They have arguably only had two spells of football all season that has got the fans singing. Central Coast were outdone by a fired-up David Williams back in Round 2, while Andrew Migliorini inspired the comeback against Adelaide in the 3-3 draw a couple of weeks ago.
Under pressure boss John Aloisi has struggled to get his team playing consistently and is sorely missing the presence of injury-cursed captain Harry Kewell. Heart naturally step up their game when Kewell has been on the pitch, but he has been limited to a total of 119 minutes. In addition, his missed penalty was horrendous and spoke volumes as to how far from his best he is at the moment.
If things keep going as they are, Heart will become the laughing stock of the league, if they aren’t already. Aloisi looks like he is living on borrowed time, and desperately needs a result against Victory.
Even with their circumstances at the moment, getting that result is not exactly an impossible task. Since the departure of Ange Postecoglu, Victory have been subjected to plenty of scrutiny about their playing style. Results have not been flattering for new coach Kevin Muscat and he has had to face questions about Victory’s lack of a centre forward.
The critics have a point too. Muscat’s tenure began with success over Wellington Phoenix, but the back to back trips to Sydney ended in bitter disappointment. For all the beautiful build up play, Victory looked lost when it came to delivering the final ball. Instead of what should have been two wins out of two on the road, Victory came home with no points. A subsequent trip to Central Coast also failed to yield a goal, despite Victory absolutely steamrolling their opponents throughout the contest.
Defending has also proved to be a liability for Victory, with the centre back pairing of Adrian Leijer and Pablo Contreras delivering more slapstick moments than commanding presence. Jason Geria at right back is also learning his trade at the top level, and still looks very raw.
For all of Victory’s dominance on the field, the failure to score and tendency to make critical errors in defence is one positive that Heart will hold on to when the two sides kickoff on Saturday evening.
Neither side is going into the derby in perfect shape, and both have plenty to sort out if they are to achieve the targets they have set themselves.
Then of course you only need to look back on previous derbies. While Heart have never gone into a derby in worse shape, they only need to remember the first ever meeting between the two Melbourne clubs back in the 2010/11 season. Heart had just come off a 4-0 drubbing by Brisbane Roar, compounding a poor start to the season, while Victory were stuttering along, failing to see out games which they had control of. Aloisi scored the opener that night and he will know how much of a boost a goal for a struggling can be against their biggest rival.
Heart may be entering the derby as the undisputed underdogs, but this is no David and Goliath battle. Victory’s weaknesses have already cost them games against less fancied opposition this season, and who’s to say that it can’t happen again.