Of course, in his own Uncle Ernie way.
Last week we all saw what Melbourne Victory could be - what it was last year and what it was going to be leading into the Asian Champions League. With only one of the Allsopp/Thompson partnership playing last week, the team looked and felt different. Fresh, eager to play and they looked free.
This week Uncle Ernie has decided that he wants Allsopp back. We were fine without him, so let's put him in! So someone had to go... Muscat had to stay in the starting eleven - not even Uncle Ernie is immune to Kev's wrath. But there's no room in the midfield... so let's put our old slow leader in the back four! Yes, that makes a lot of sense! Defenders need to be quick to chase down players who break through - Muscat, with his current speed of a snail, is an excellent candidate!
So who to drop? Well, he couldn't drop poor little Matty Kemp - not now. After all, Kemp kept playing throughout all his poor matches - not even being subbed! Ryall's been doing well, although he strikes me as lazy - more on that at a later time. So Seb can stay, he's young too, and Ernie likes to give youth (and the aged - see Muscat) a change. And you'd be mad to remove Vargas from the starting eleven (although it wouldn't surprise me if Uncle Ernie stoops to this at some point, because, let's all face it - a coach who doesn't feel the joy of goals and brilliant saves MUST be mad!)
So Vasilevski was dropped. Out of the starting eleven... and out of the squad altogether!
Let's move onto the midfield - unfortunately, Broxham is there on his own. Ward's been losing balls throughout the whole half and Hernandez isn't really doing much in winning the ball. Caceres has always been lacking in defensive abilities.
I know Broxham's good, but he's not that good to be able to hold out the entire Sydney midfield!
And so Sydney won the ball in their defence, got through our absent midfield, and Sydney's speedy old man Corica completely out-runs Melbourne's slow old man Muscat. Muscat is a liability in the defense line, and it's a shame that Uncle Ernie persists with playing him there.
By all means, if you want to remain injury-free Ernie, keep Muscat on the park - but not in the defense. In fact, why play Allsopp at all and avoid the whole fiasco? We played brilliantly last week... why change?
3 comments:
Because everyone but Ernie wants Melbourne to smash Sydney. I'm as baffled as you...
Um, maybe because he knew SFC would actually have to attack and Danny/Archie work brilliantly on the counter as demonstrated by their combination to equalise.
What was Vas doing that meant he should get a game at Danny's expense?
First of, what did think of Langerak's debut performance? From our point of view he looked a bit shakey early on but the good thing he wasn't afraid to give his teammates hell when they left him exposed.
I tend to disagree on the Allsopp matter. I think he a necessity if available specially with Thompson and Hernandez being able to put in some excellent balls as they have been doing of late. Hernandez is better suited to the midfield where his passing can be used to full effect and not as an out an out striker. To be honest I didn't even know Vasileski wasn't even on the pitch.
What was more puzzling was the substitution of Ryall for Pace at half time - since coming back from injury he has looked decidedly shaky at the back.
Post a Comment