The latest instalment of the league's most volatile fixture ended with the Victory clawing back to level terms to depart Hindmarsh with a share of the spoils. All in all, this contest was not decided by clever tactical flourishes, but through fitness and momentum.
First off, Happy New Year to you all - hopefully your holiday hangovers are a distant and fuzzy memory.
Brisbane returned back to winning form, halting a worrying run of five matches without a win, by easily disposing of a disorientated Victory. Mehmet Durakovic has his fair share of detractors, but this was easily his worst tactical performance against a title contending team yet. By contrast, Ange Postecoglou was masterful in the dug-out, completing bamboozling his counterpart, by tailoring his system to exploit key weaknesses.
This edition of the Melbourne Derby was a thrilling contest, fought between two clubs with contrasting approaches. Heart were able to emerge victorious, largely due to the shrewdness of Dutch manager John van't Schip. Having seen his initial theoretically sound tactical plan fail to contain the sparkling Victory trident of Hernandez, Kewell and Thompson, the former Ajax winger changed Heart's formation, and from then were in the ascendant. This match superbly illustrated the superiority of a collective 'system' over reliance on individual 'star power' in building a team.
Brisbane's fall from grace continues unabated then, with a shocking two-nil defeat away against a resilient Wellington outfit. This was always going to be a tough fixture, especially with such an arduous travel schedule involved, but no one seriously expected such a definitive scoreline against the visitors. This match was notable in a tactical sense for the slight tweaks both managers made to their respective sides.
A clash of the titans. The two most innovative sides in the A-League era, Brisbane Roar and Melbourne Heart, fought for supremacy at Suncorp Stadium; if not quite a title deciding event, it will certainly be looked back upon, with far greater reverence, as a turning point in the evolution and growing sophistication of Australian football. The reigning champions Brisbane, reeling from the unexpected end of their record-setting 36-games unbeaten streak, were keen to demonstrate they are more than just a Thomas-Broich-and-Friends ensemble. Heart on the other hand, have been one of the most tactically fascinating teams in the the A-League. This was their chance to lay down a marker to the other clubs in the league, that they have finally realised their potential.
It's almost like the sky is falling. After a record-setting unbeaten streak, the reigning champions tasted defeat for the first time in 3,240+ minutes of football, bending the knee to none other than...Sydney FC? How in blazes did Lavicka manage that? With clever use of pressing, a dawn sacrifice to the weather gods and more than a dollop of good fortune.
