A season of challenge has confronted the A-League’s reigning champions.
Story So Far
Thirteen games into season 2015-16 and Kevin Muscat’s men find themselves in a position no-one expected. Sitting fifth on the table, having just broken a five-game winless streak which included setting a new club record of four consecutive losses, Victory have found themselves in a form slump.
The season began well enough with five wins in the opening eight games, including a 3-2 victory over Melbourne City and a 4-2 win against Sydney FC in the first grand final rematch.
After 13 rounds last season, the Melbourne team had only lost twice, were undefeated at home, kept five clean sheets and had scored 26 goals; they have already more than doubled their losses this season and scored only 17 goals.
The manager
Kevin Muscat is now in his third season as head coach at the Victory and this campaign is proving to be his biggest test thus far.
No one can deny how well he did last season, pulling together a squad that won three trophies in the 2015 calendar year in his first full season in charge. But now his capabilities as a long-term coach are being tried.
He needs to show that he is able to turn around Victory’s recent run of poor results, which was only broken against the Jets last weekend, back into a side which can be considered a serious championship contender. He will need to show that he is flexible and able to tinker and adapt his game plan and formations to ensure the Victory remain a constant title threat.
Since this is his first full-time coaching job, having served as an assistant at the club from 2011 to 2013 from which he was appointed Ange Postecoglou’s successor, Muscat’s managerial future may be decided by his ability, or inability, to change the Victory’s fortunes.
READ MORE: Goalkeeper in, goalkeeper out at Melbourne City, Victory sign Hume winger
Standout player
In a superstar-filled squad such as the Victory’s, picking a standout player can be difficult. But there is one player who has stood out and has had fans and pundits alike talking about his big future in the game – and he has not even made 10 appearances.
Thomas Deng is only 18 years old but has proven himself as a calm and composed centre-back, complementing the incredibly experienced Matthieu Delpierre in the heart of defence.
Every match he has played has been followed by a plethora of positive comments from fans, commentators, coaches and team mates, all praising his positioning, his blocking, his coolness under pressure and his ability to keep up with some of the best attackers in the league.
.@NAB one to watch: @gomvfc's Thomas Deng – https://t.co/J60ji4PoMb pic.twitter.com/XL0g7kNlHb
— Hyundai A-League (@ALeague) December 22, 2015
His great performances have caught the attention of Olyroos coach Aurelio Vidmar with Deng being selected in the squad for the AFC Under-23 Championship – which will see him out of action for the Victory for most of January.
With Delpierre signalling his desire to retire at season’s end, Victory will be pleased to know they have a brilliant young defender already in their arsenal.
Second-half prediction
Victory’s second half of the season will be no walk in the park. While their four consecutive away games in the November-December period means they will not have to travel as much domestically, their Asian Champions League campaign begins in February which adds extra travel, extra games and stretches a squad whose depth has already been tested this season.
The back end of January sees the reigning champions face all of the teams currently sitting above them on the table – they host Sydney FC, Brisbane Roar, Western Sydney Wanderers and face their crosstown rivals at AAMI Park in the final Melbourne Derby of the season – as well as a trip to Perth.
It is difficult to determine where the Victory will end up because there are so many factors, more than the majority of the other A-League clubs, which will impact upon their league position. While it is still mathematically possible, the club will be hoping for a top two finish but placing it in the top four seems a lot more attainable for the team.
What are your thoughts? Let us know by dropping a comment below via our Facebook comment box. Make sure you follow us on Twitter @Outside90 and like us on Facebook.
