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Wednesday 23 November 2011

Melbourne Victory Mess: Actually is it Ernie's midfield legacy?

It started with Ernie - Mehmet inherited and added to the mess and now look where we are.

The Victory midfield has been a debacle since Fred left. His fast running midfield added much to Archie Thompson and a younger Danny Allsopp's firepower but how many years ago was that.

And was the style sustainable in Asia - or even the A-League. Okay against Ross Aloisi and Andre Gumprecht but Endo and Matt MacKay, never.

The game changes, players age and Coaches move on.

Ernie's legacy? An ageing playing roster with Roddy Vargas, Grant Brebner and Leigh Broxham, and Adrian Leijer at the spine. Does that inspire you?

It couldn't cope - ever - in Asia, and that has to be the measure.

In Australia they've struggled as well. How long can you rely on the magic of Archie or the running of Allsopp. No longer, not now Brisbane, the Mariners and even dare I say Sydney and Perth have your measure.

Victory wanted Simon Colosimo for a reason - they knew.

Melbourne can still win - but for what and why. The biggest club can never play the beautiful game.

They simply have no midfield worthy of the name.

Grant Brebner - too many long balls, Leigh Broxham - not creative is he - and an ageing Tom Pondlejak rejected by the Mariners so many years ago. Has he really got anything left?

So where to now with what they have?

They have Harry Kewell a great left-sided player, they may have to suffer Broxham in the holding role and why not Isaac Cernak or Billy Celeski on the right.

A mobile game today.

If Carlos Hernandez is 10, Archie, Solarzano and Rojas present a force. Play them, or two of them.

A mixture of youth and pace in the forwards, now get some shape and build for next season. A la the Jets and let's see some improvement and quick.

It cannot be hard to improve can it?

In defence the centre pairing is woeful, get rid of Fabio and place Matty Kemp left. Right side? Surely one of the young mobile guns can fill and improve in the spot.

For next year: think Marvin Angulo, Fred, you need a midfield that is DIFFERENT to an ageing Brebner and Broxham. Different from Ernie's vision.

That is the real problem.

If that is the midfield duo the club wants - the club will get the results they deserve.

We've seen them in Asia - outclassed, embarassing and yet still the club persists.

Ernie's legacy?

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