Melbourne Victory, still searching for their first win since Patrick Kisnorbo's unexpected departure, started strongly against Western United. They completely dominated the first half, registering 13 shots compared to Western's four. The Victory opened the scoring after just nine minutes, and at half-time, it seemed like they would stroll into the winner's column with a commanding performance. However, some questionable tactical choices from interim coach Arthur Diles in the second half allowed Western to creep back into the game and eventually, steal all three points.
Arthur Diles has come under heavy scrutiny from Melbourne Victory fans in the wake of the club's 4-3 loss to Western United. (Image: Melbourne Victory)
A key factor in Melbourne Victory's dominant first half against Western United was their midfield overload, which allowed them to control possession and effectively play through the centre of the pitch. Western United has committed to a 4-4-2 formation this season because their two talented forwards, Noah Botic and Hiroshi Ibusuki, work well together in a classic big man-little man strike partnership. However, because of this formation, they often lack midfield solidity.
Victory's French star, Zinedine Machach, significantly impacted the midfield battle throughout the match. His physicality allowed him to move the ball into dangerous areas, and he created the most chances of any player on the pitch, with a total of four. One of these chances was an assist for Clarismario Santos’ goal in the 79th minute.
Perhaps feeling confident that his team had secured the win, interim coach Arthur Diles replaced Machach with Joshua Rawlins, bringing on a third centre-back to see out the game. This change relinquished Melbourne Victory's midfield advantage to fortify their backline. Diles was asked post-match about his decision to make that defensive change and whether he would do the same thing again if he could.
”Yeah, I think so,” he said.
“I think in the end, we knew that they were going to start crossing balls into the box, getting into wide areas and delivering a lot of crosses.
“They’re the type of team that does that, especially at the end when they're a goal down. So we anticipated that. As for that final goal, we've got seven players in the box, they've got four. So it's a tough one to swallow.”
In football, it can often be counterintuitive to adopt a defensive strategy while trying to protect a lead; the more pressure a team absorbs, the more likely the opposition is to break through that defence, as was evident on Friday night. Towards the end of the match, the remaining midfielders, Jordi Valadon and Ryan Teague, seemed to be running on empty. The constant back-and-forth nature of the game forced them to cover a lot of ground.
With only one midfielder available on the bench—an inexperienced Fabian Monge—it might not have been wise for Diles to substitute his most talented and, more importantly, most experienced midfielder when the team desperately needed to secure a win.
Elsewhere, Bruno Fornaroli led the line for Melbourne Victory and was crucial in coordinating and initiating their press when Western United was in possession. Victory’s press was overwhelming in the first half, and they consistently won the ball high up the pitch to create goal-scoring opportunities.
But Fornaroli was subbed off for an underperforming Nikos Vergos, who wasn’t as strong at leading this press. Melbourne Victory’s defensive shape became a bit disjointed. It led to a super transitional finish to the game, with the ball flying between both ends in a high-octane conclusion that was entertaining for the neutral but not what was required for Victory to close the match.
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It's difficult to be overly critical of Diles since this is his first experience in the managerial hot seat at an A-Leagues club, a role he unexpectedly assumed after Patrick Kisnorbo's surprising departure. However, as the leader of a prestigious club like Melbourne Victory, he must be able to handle the scrutiny and pressure that comes with the responsibility of managing one of Australia’s most prominent football clubs.
In his defence, Diles has the potential to be a quality A-Leagues coach, but he needs time to develop his coaching philosophy and playing style with a full pre-season. But such time is not on his side here. If Diles wants to secure the role permanently, he must deliver results as soon as possible to earn it.
Diles' next opportunity to prove himself will come in a challenging match against Adelaide United, the Original Rivalry. Given the historical significance of this fixture, Melbourne Victory fans will expect a strong performance and for the team to bounce back.
Statistics sourced from FotMob.
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