On a sweltering Tuesday night at AAMI Park, Melbourne Victory brought the heat and defeated Western Sydney Wanderers 3-1.
Archie Thompson, Kosta Barbarouses and Gui Finkler shared the goals for the home side.
At a time when both sets of supporters were on notice for previous misdemeanours, the only footage sent in to channel 10 would’ve been of the lead-up play to Archie Thompson’s goal, which provided a lesson on how to pass through a usually staunch Wanderers’ defence.
With seven players out of contention for the game, Kevin Muscat would be most pleased with the endeavor of his remaining squad, which overcame the heat, and a short turnaround between matches, to defeat a fellow title contender and close the gap on the top two.
Things just seemed to click
Following some patchy form over Christmas, which included the highs of a derby win, and the lows of a crushing defeat against Brisbane, the festive period yielded little cheer for Melbourne Victory fans. Criticisms of Muscat’s team during this time included the inability to convert chances into goals (a common theme throughout the season), poor defending, lack of strong midfield presence, and a generally predictable game plan easy for opposition teams to plot against.
However, having studied the Wanderer’s last outing to AAMI Park, Muscat changed his team instructions accordingly. Rather than taking unnecessary touches and holding the ball too long in the final third, allowing Western Sydney to get numbers behind the ball, the Victory players looked to play quickly in transition and get behind the Wanderer’s back four, playing the first time ball much more often. Most importantly, they were able to take at least some of the chances presented to them.
Solid individual performances also contributed to a prosperous night for the home side. Having looked threatening all season, but lacking a cutting edge, Kosta Barbarouses finally had a breakthrough game. His vicious low cross to tee up Thompson was followed by a superb individual goal, his second of the season. The performance should act as a much needed confidence booster for the Kiwi.
Adrian Leijer return from suspension yielded a strong, disciplined performance, albeit conceding a yellow card. Archie Thompson’s return to the starting line-up was a big morale boost. Nathan Coe also played a big role in the win, especially towards the latter part of the first half, when the Wanderers had the balance of play. The Victory ‘keeper was up to the task, keeping the away team at bay with some important saves. He was unlucky not to have kept a clean sheet.
Throughout the game, each player executed their role effectively. It meant there was no real bad player on the pitch, a true credit to younger players who stepped up in the absence of a number of big names.
Young players stepping up to the job
With Mark Milligan and Mitch Nichols injured, Pablo Contreras suspended, and a host of youth players away on national duty, Kevin Muscat didn’t exactly have an abundance of players choose from. He had to turn to his youth to fill a number of the gaps left in the side.
His biggest gamble was to pair Rashid Mahazi and James Jeggo in the centre of the park, calling on two largely inexperienced players to marshal the midfield, provide cover for the defenders and launch Victory’s attacks. He also retained Dylan Murnane at left back, who seemed to struggle against Newcastle Jets the game before. With Finkler the only experienced player on a bench containing two debutants, Victory’s squad depth was really tested.
Yet it was Mahazi’s precise pass in front of Barbarouses that allowed him to whip in a cross for Thompson to tap in. He and Jeggo performed admirably in the midfield to control the tempo of the game against a formidable Wanderers line-up. Murnane, after early nerves, also looked composed and confident in his left back position, halting a number of Wanderers’ attacks. Andrew Nabbout was also looking dangerous before a Dean Heffernan kick to the head left him in hospital.
Jordan Brown and Jesse Makarounas had their moments when coming off the bench; the former almost notched up an assist on debut after winning a ball in midfield and playing it to James Troisi, who had his one-on-one chance stopped by Ante Covic.
Overall, Muscat would’ve been pleased with the contribution of his young players on the night.
Archie Thompson’s influence
Factoring in Archie Thompson’s age, recent injury, and not being picked for Socceroo squads, one could be excused for thinking his desire may slowly be waning. However, after watching his most recent performance, it was evident he still possessed the same energy and passion to win as usual.
In his first start since coming back from a hamstring injury, Archie scored the important first goal of the game, putting the Wanderers out of their comfort zone. Scoring first against the Wanderers is crucial, as their ability to defend a lead and absorb pressure is one of their hallmarks. His positioning for Barbarouses’ cross, in front of defenders, was the sign of an experienced player able to read the play and place himself to poach a goal accordingly. His ability to hold the ball, dribble at defenders and passing vision was evidently missed in his absence. The goal takes his season tally to four goals from nine starts.
Thompson, along with the rest of the team, will now be looking towards Wellington on Saturday, who’ve been in solid form as of late. With a number of players still out for the game, Muscat will be once more calling on his younger players to deliver the goods. Should they win, they’ll keep pressure on both Brisbane and Western Sydney (both of whom have also dropped points in recent weeks) in the race for the title.