BENCH use questioned: Coach John Aloisi calling the shots during Heart training. Picture: George Salpigtidis
Source: Herald Sun
DESPITE all the huff and puff about an improved away performance, Melbourne Heart produced another insipid display on the road.
The 1-0 scoreline to crisis-hit Wellington was flattering to Melbourne Heart, who didn't show any signs of desperation until the dying stages.
There were no excuses for Heart - a full squad, coming off the back of a great win, Phoenix playing on neutral territory in Dunedin and the club in disarray after coach Ricki Herbert's resignation
It just looked like Wellington wanted it more than us," John Aloisi said afterwards.
Quite damning considering what was at stake.
Imagine a Kevin Muscat or Jacob Burns playing in the same circumstances.
They would be vocal, encourage and challenge teammates, bully the opposition and demand the ball at clutch moments.
They are - were in Muscat's case - players opposition players hate facing but teammates love lining up alongside.
Or Central Coast's Pedj Bojic, who urged his teammates to lift in the dying stages of the Wanderers clash on Saturday.
There was none of that for Heart, who have too many nice guys on the park and a leader with a bit of mongrel should be the number one priority when Aloisi goes shopping in the off-season.
Heart players are clearly scarred by their away form and Aloisi needs to shake things up.
Unfortunately Heart's two final games are its last two of the season, against Brisbane and Central Coast.
Heart doesn't want to go Bluetongue Stadium in the last round of the season needing a result.
Does Aloisi punish the players at the selection table now for the home clash against Adelaide United on Labour Day Monday?
The same 11 that mauled Sydney FC a week earlier started in Dunedin.
I think it's time for Aloisi to make some big calls.
His subs were too predictable - Nick Kalma, as usual, made way for Fred while Golgol Mebrahtu replaced Richard Garcia.
I believe there was room for both of them on the park, as Garcia is the closest thing Heart has to a leader.
He's vocal on the pitch and doesn't shirk responsibilities, and he's versatile, so switch him elsewhere.
Aloisi also missed a great chance to start Dutchman Marcel Meeuwis in New Zealand.
The 32-year-old arrived a month ago with great pedigree, with Borussia Monchengladbach and Feyenoord among his previous clubs.
He's been a sub three times but a deep-lying central midfielder like him either starts or he doesn't.
He came on in the 81st minute and coincidence or not, it was Heart's best period of the game and the only time it seemed to look desperate.
Heart's away losing streak is now 11 games.
VICTORY'S BACK
Newcastle did Melbourne Victory a huge favour by resting Emile Heskey and Michael Bridges for the clash.
A youthful looking Jets side would've walked taller by just having the pair on the bench.
So when James Brown and James Virgili became ill the day before the game, Gary van Egmond's had no choice as he'd already announced that the pair would be rested.
Irrespective of the opposition, the win was huge for Victory and important in terms of restoring confidence.
The lesson learnt from the last month is that the 'false 9' position is the most important for Victory in this formation and gameplan, as Archie Thompson proved yesterday.
When Marcos Flores was subdued against the Wanderers, Victory struggled to build any meaningful attacks and the same applied against Central Coast when he was injured.
Unless Francesco Stella finds his feet in the coming weeks, Ange Postecoglou must continue playing one of his stars in the 'false 9' role - Flores when he's fit and Thompson when he's not.
GOAL OF THE WEEK
Rojas' fifth was a gem. Huge question marks surrounding the defending, but he used pure skill to lose his marker and round keeper Mark Birighitti
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