First semi-final: Melbourne Victory v Melbourne City
Much hyped as the first ‘finals series derby’, the competitive tension between Victory and City quickly dissipated; and it was that hoary old chestnut in question once more – horrid City defending.
As Kate Cohen pre-shadowed in last week’s elimination finals, City’s switch to a 4-2-3-1 finally appeared to give the side greater balance; with two recognised wingers, a classic No9 in Josh Kennedy, Robbie Koren playing more centrally at No10, and Aaron Mooy dropping deeper to join Erik Paartalu.
It was a parallel system to Victory’s, playing as they have all season, with the formation that has once again risen to pre-eminence in the A-League. Gone are the halcyon days of the 4-3-3 of Ange Postecoglou’s Brisbane, the greater defensive coverage offered by two midfield screens, best exemplified by Tony Popovic’s all-conquering Wanderers (at least for the first two seasons), making the 4-2-3-1 the go to for three of the four finals sides this year.
Inside 20 minutes however City’s season-long vulnerabilities were hopelessly exposed – a team of round pegs in square holes demonstrating the disjunction the squad’s imbalance has long threatened.
As highlighted previously, without an agile No9 to lead an energetic press, City’s first line of defence offers limited pressure on the ball carrier. Thus in the 18th minute, Victory centre-half Matthieu Delpierre finds ample time to pick a pass as he rakes a long angled ball out to Kosta Barbarouses at right wing.
With Besart Berisha looking to play on the shoulder of the last defender, Gui Finkler peels off to get between defence and midfield for a cutback – this poses a challenge for City: does Connor Chapman as centre-back follow the Brazilian stepping out of the defensive line, thus leaving Berisha for right back Kew Jaliens, or does he hold space and rely on the retreating Paartalu to make up the ground and close down Finkler?
Seeing Paartalu lumbering, Chapman gambles on the second – but crucially makes no sign of communication to Jaliens, who occupies space, seemingly oblivious to the danger of a striker who has scored four goals in their previous two encounters at this stadium.
A brilliant overlapping run from right-back Leigh Broxham is not tracked by City’s left winger Harry Novillo, and he picks out an unmarked Berisha six yards out for the easiest of finishes.
With at least six individual or collective errors that would have any defensive coach tearing their hair out, it’s hard to single one player for fault. And while Jaliens isn’t a natural full-back – who is, in the City squad? – given his vast experience as a World Cup playing Dutch international, it’s simply mind-boggling that he wouldn’t identify the danger posed by the lethal Albanian and shift across earlier.
It was a concatenation of pure awful, and conceding such a goal put City at a tremendous disadvantage. Factor in a moment of brilliance from Barbarouses and inside just 30 minutes it was already a case of ‘better luck next year’.
What an off-season awaits the City hierarchy, rebuilding a misshapen and misfiring squad – John van’ t Schip will have impressed few of the Abu Dhabi group’s honchos that he’s still the man for the job with this performance.
Second semi-final: Sydney FC v Adelaide United
On paper a more even contest, a similarly bloated (albeit harsh) scoreline was the end result as Sydney FC demonstrated that alongside the Victory, they are one of the two teams the fans deserve to see in a grand final.
Much has been made this year of Victory’s attack – with many asking if Berisha, Thompson, Fahid Ben Khalfallah, Finkler and Barbarouses are the best ensemble the league has ever seen. And while it’s a question deserving consideration, against Adelaide the Sky Blues quietly suggested that their attacking options aren’t too shabby either.
Tactically, Josep Gombau again showed his squad’s remarkable versatility; lining up this time in their 4-3-3 formation with Osama Malik moved out of the 3-4-3 ‘dual role’, and preferred at right-back. It was a move presumably designed with the pace and physicality of the dangerous Bernie Ibini in mind, and yet it was the more diminutive Chris Naumoff that posed the Adelaide defence headaches.
Instrumental in Sydney’s opener with a brilliant flick round Dylan McGowan and then the assist for Ibini’s confident finish, Naumoff as early as the seventh minute announced himself in this game. Picking up the ball just inside the Adelaide half, the teenage midfielder drove past three Adelaide players before curling a wicked, dipping left-foot shot just past Eugene Galekovic’s post.
It was a career-defining performance from the youngster – despite more than 30 senior appearances, he’s only in glimpses shown the tremendous potential that Sydney FC coaching staff and youth league team-mates rave about. His goal in the 90th minute was just rewards – it’s only the second time Arnold has given Naumoff the full 90 minutes in 24 appearances this season, and he rewarded his coach’s faith.
It could be the final missing piece in Sydney’s attack – with all the midseason attention on Mark Janko’s goals – 15 between rounds seven and 21 – a late season ‘slump’ by the Austrian marquee has been amply covered by the brilliant late form of the opening goalscorers here, Ibini and captain Alex Brosque.
And whereas the Victory can be separated as a lethal front four and a reliable back six, its arguable that Sydney’s midfield duo of Mikael Tavares and Milos Dimitrijevic provide a more creative, rather than destructive, base from which the Sky Blues can build attacks. Leaving aside their metronomic passing accuracy and keen feel for tempo, as evidenced in Sydney’s crucial second goal just before half-time, the roles played by both Tavares and Dimitrijevic were critical – Tavares with a thoughtful first time ball to Ryall, and Dimitrijevic with a driving run that draws centre defender Nigel Boogaard off Brosque for the finish.
Of course, it wouldn’t be this season’s Sydney FC without a late defensive wobble – at 3-1 Adelaide had several chances to fashion a remarkable comeback. Despite the additional experience of Jacques Faty, you’d never quite absolve this Sydney back four (plus keeper) of occasional absent-mindedness. Remove this from their finals showing and the Sky Blues will give their forwards every chance to stand toe-to-toe with Victory.
