Numerous times this season we’ve hoped for that elusive turnaround. The kind of match that sets the tone for the rest of the campaign. Sunday’s win over Wellington may just have been the type of result we were looking for.

I was mostly happy with the performance. Going forward we were excellent, with Hernandez and Thompson making things difficult for the Phoenix. The key to this game was the way Hernandez dominated the midfield. Playing in a much deeper role than usual he was able to hold the ball up, dictate the play and was very efficient in transition from defense to attack. Every time we moved the ball forward Carlos was involved. Whether he was bringing others into the game or playing lethal through balls on the counter attack it was a joy to watch.

Archie Thompson was also creating havoc by getting in and behind the defense and making some very intelligent runs. He also managed to score with his head for the second week running. A nice glancing header on four minutes was the opening goal of the game and it got us off to a very positive start which was exactly what was required for such an important game at home.

Week by week Harry Kewell is improving and he had another solid game on the weekend. Despite missing several scoring chances you can tell is so close to reaching his best. There were some frustrating moments though as he seemed to hesitate to shoot on a few occasions, allowing the opposition defenders to get a foot in. He’s just lacking that finishing touch at the moment but overall he’s playing well and hitting some form at a crucial stage in the season.

Elsewhere, I thought Fabio played okay and looks like he’s slowly adjusting to the A-League. Celeski also impressed before getting sent off but surprisingly he’s been a real quiet achiever in recent weeks. He definitely looks motivated to keep his place in the team so hopefully he can keep it up. We don’t need anything fancy from him but he is working hard which is pleasing. Diogo Ferreira has also been a solid contributor and his cracking goal on Sunday was well deserved.

Defensively we didn’t have too much to do in the first half but in the second Wellington came out looking to put some pressure on. Not for the first time this season we got a little complacent, switched off for a moment and Phoenix had pulled a goal back, pretty much out of nowhere. We tend to have some difficulty with playing out games for the full ninety minutes and its something that we must get under control before it gets out of hand. Some other teams will not be as forgiving.

We can take a lot of positives out of this game and it will ensure the players are in the right frame of mind come Friday. We will need to tighten things up but there is no reason why we can’t win the Melbourne Derby. Besides, given the poor start to the season I think the lads owe us fans an early Christmas present.

Speaking of presents, my gift to you is Victorycast #14. Its a real stocking-filler of an episode this week featuring Andrew Weber, Davidde Corran and Paul Williams. To download this episode directly visit the official website at victorycast.com. You can also subscribe to the pod via RSS and iTunes.

I’ll be back on Thursday with a preview of the big game but the podcast should tide you over until then. Cheers!