Aloisi: Heart’s style here to stay

Melbourne Heart’s focus on defence and counter-attacking football looks set to continue despite failing to capitalise on a two-goal lead against Central Coast.

Melbourne Heart’s focus on defence and counter-attacking football looks set to continue despite failing to capitalise on a two-goal lead against Central Coast.

For the second straight match, Heart conceded over 60 percent possession but almost claimed all three points at AAMI Park on Saturday, as they took a 2-0 lead over the Mariners, before the reigning A-League champions salvaged a draw thanks to two penalties in the last 20 minutes.

While Heart head coach John Aloisi was ‘very disappointed’ to have missed out on the win and claimed he ‘didn’t see’ either penalty, the 37-year-old was thrilled with his team’s defensive work.

“Defensively, we’re very good,” Aloisi said.

“Of course, they’re (Central Coast) going to create a couple of chances here and there but, as a team, our shape is pretty good defensively, our structure’s good.

“We’ll get better with the ball but we’re trying to make sure we use our strength of our players, which is…up front that we’re lightning quick.”

While Aloisi had claimed before the game that Heart would attack Central Coast, his post-match comments indicate the Red and Whites are set to maintain a counter-attacking style, combined with a strong defensive structure, throughout the season.

In Heart’s three completed A-League campaigns, they have finished with one of the four worst defensive records on two occasions, including last season, which was Aloisi’s first in charge.

Mariners head coach Graham Arnold definitely noticed a difference in Heart’s structure.

“Johnny’s (Aloisi) tightened up the defensive side of Melbourne Heart,” Arnold said.

“He’s trying to keep clean sheets and he knows he has some pace up front to hurt teams.”

After a ‘pretty dire first half’, as described by Arnold, Heart took control of the contest in Melbourne with two goals from David Williams in the first 15 minutes after the break.

But penalties against Patrick Kisnorbo, for an arm on Matt Simon’s shoulder at a corner, and Patrick Gerhardt, for handball in the box, turned the game around.

Marcos Flores converted both spot-kicks and the Mariners claimed a point, and although Aloisi initially claimed in his post-match press conference that commenting on referees was ‘pointless’, another question soon saw him change his mind.

“The first (penalty), I didn’t see it and if they’re going to be given for that, they’re going to be given three or four a game,” Aloisi said.

“And the second one, again, I didn’t see Patrick Gerhardt move his hand towards the ball.

“So again, I don’t think that’s a penalty.”

Arnold explained he had given his players ‘a blast’ at half-time and conceded he may have prepared Central Coast inappropriately.

“I was just happy we got away with it today, to be honest,” Arnold said.

“I have to say, (based on) the first-half performance I have to look at what we’ve been doing in training.

“When you have one or two players that look tired or off, that’s no problem, but when you have eight, nine…I could have almost changed the whole team at half-time except for Marcos (Flores) and (Nick) Montgomery.”