Campaigns aren’t won and lost in the opening rounds but a heavy defeat might prompt introspection for City fans

Sifting through the ashes of his team’s lacklustre capitulation to Sydney FC, Melbourne City coach Warren Joyce was characteristically blunt. “We didn’t pass the ball quick enough,” he said. “There wasn’t enough movement in the forward areas, and we give the ball away cheap as well.”

Rather than sugarcoat the performance or attempt to reframe the match in a more positive light for his side, Joyce sent a stern rebuke to his players. “Intent to close and press could have been better all night, I think the intent to win duels and win tackles could have been better, the intent to run in behind could be better – it’s the intent to do it.

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“That makes it disappointing because that [intent] was one of the things we talked about in the build up to the game.”

But was it simply a question of intent? Or does a basic reformulation of “the boys didn’t look up for it” or “we needed more hunger/passion/cojones” avoid more difficult questions?

On the first point, few perhaps would have disagreed with City’s coach. In front of their first home crowd of the season and with the match increasingly ebbing away, Melbourne appeared bereft of ideas as their play slowly descended into one interminable lateral pass between Bart Schenkeveld and Harrison Delbridge, and back, so forth and on, forever.

But are there wider philosophical or structural issues behind this?

For two seasons Sydney FC have been the benchmark in the A-League. With their defensive discipline and intelligent, hard-working press they have a remarkable knack of making fancied opponents look distinctively pedestrian; just ask the Wanderers during their pre-season FFA Cup derby.

The templates to beat them exist. Paul Okon’s willing workers and harrying pressers at the Mariners showed that last season, while the aggression of Kevin Muscat’s Victory during the finals showed another way. But with a 0-0-4 record against the Sky Blues perhaps Joyce-ball isn’t showing indications of evolving.

A defensively-minded coach, Joyce repeatedly put a premium on physically-gifted or defensively-inclined players last season, showing an occasional tendency to play banks of centre-backs at the base of midfield ahead of more centre-backs, with Osama Malik, Iacopo La Rocca or even Michael Jakobsen screening further up field.

It’s a resolute structure that brought noticeable gains to a City (née Heart) side that was notoriously porous over seasons past. But the cost of the trade-off becomes clear offensively, or in scenarios when Melbourne need to chase a game.

Already this season, City have shown sublime moments on the counter attack, such as Riley McGree’s late winner in the opening round Melbourne derby. But when handed possession – such as in round two against the Mariners and last weekend against a Sydney side that was leading – the attack struggles.

Of course, just weeks into the competitive season it’s unfair to expect everything to click; international call ups, injuries, even the adjustment to professional opposition sometimes offer teething problems. Nevertheless, questions begin to mount for Joyce and City.

As Bruce Kamau sparked a lightning attack in transition to put on the opener for the Wanderers against Wellington on Saturday, it was a timely reminder of the pace that left City over the off-season: no Kamau, no Nick Fitzgerald, no Daniel Arzani.

The absence of Michael O’Halloran through injury is an obvious blow, but with new recruit Florin Berenguer looking more a provider than an explosive attacker in the Arzani or Harry Novillo mould and Lachie Wales still a longer-term project it appears that in Joyce’s second-season squad pace is a diminished priority.

Similarly, while players such as Neil Kilkenny or Marcelo Carrusca failed to feature generously under Joyce, midfielders that have arrived like Kearyn Bacchus or Rostyn Griffiths are cut from a different cloth – hard working, defensively-minded holders, very much of the Joycian mode.

Neither of these options are objectively better or worse, but they are definitely factors that might arise during a discussion around a lack of front-third mobility and/or quick, creative passing.

Questions loom at the vital No 10 position as well, with City starting three different players – Anthony Caceres, McGree and Dario Vidosic – in their central attacking midfield role across their three games so far, to mixed success.

Combinations, especially with new players arriving at a club, take time to form – but watching new besties Miloš Ninković and Adam Le Fondre run riot on Friday night only highlighted the forlorn figure Bruno Fornaroli cut without an obvious front-third complement. The most consistently prolific marksman the A-League has ever seen, it’s only the third time the Uruguayan has gone goalless across three full games in his Australian career.

With their opponents next week, Wellington Phoenix, being presented a similar reality check during round three, City should still fancy their next home match, and an early-season rev up to his players ahead of this was perhaps in Joyce’s mind.

But it might take more than the players to adapt and respond if this well-resourced football club that has historically flattered to deceive is to enjoy a breakout season and land the silverware its global owners, as well as its long-suffering fans, no doubt expect.