If bottled-up frustration could be converted into electricity, the people at Lang Park last night might have powered a small city for a month.
A crowd of more than 15,000 watched Queensland Roar lose 1-0 to Sydney FC in Round 5 of the Hyundai A-League. The Roar have failed to score at home in two successive games, but coach Frank Farina doesn't seem too worried.
"Yes, it is frustrating," he told the media conference after the game. "But if we keep playing as well as we did tonight, we will win many more games than we lose."
The game was won in the 69th minute, when Sydney FC's non-World Cup winning Brazilian, Patrick, came on and scored with his first touch.
The finish was simple enough, but the goal was beautifully constructed and was tangible evidence of the difference between these two teams on the night.
Ruben Zadkovich controlled the ball from a throw-in, by juggling it over his head, and bringing it down perfectly at his feet as he turned and lost his marker. Zadkovich slid a pass into the path of Steve Corica who had found space in the penalty box. Corica's perfectly timed run allowed him plenty of time to look up and pick out Patrick.
It was a moment of sheer class from Zadkovich and Corica, and for once the Queensland defence was flat-footed and unprepared. It was also a demonstration that skill, precision passing and clever movement off the ball are the key elements to creating goal chances.
Queensland Roar's attackers would do well to study that goal in depth. They appear to believe that running flat out to the corner flag and then hooking in an aimless cross is the best way to set-up a goal.
Sydney FC's coach Branko Culina - a picture of confidence but not arrogance at the media conference after the game - gave a hint of what most visiting coaches to Lang Park must be thinking.
"You have to give credit to Queensland. They run all day, they're quick, they attack you all day. Maybe if they slowed down a bit they might do better, but that's not my job," Culina said.
Queensland Roar lined up in a 4-4-2. Reinaldo, McKay, Tiatto and Marcinho were the midfield, and Lynch and Milicic the strikers.
Tiatto was playing a central role in this game, with McKay moved out to the left. This writer would switch those two around. Although Tiatto is the better ball-winner, McKay is the superior passer, and Tiatto's boundless energy is better used in stretching defences wide.
Queensland found a better shape in the second half when Massimo Murdocca made his return from injury, slotting into right midfield with Reinaldo moving up front.
Murdocca was more successful at getting the ball into good positions for the strikers, but unfortunately it was Reinaldo he was getting the ball to, and he was having an unhappy night.
The most probable explanation for Queensland Roar's attacking woes is that Clint Bolton is a master of voodoo, and he has especially good control over his Reinaldo doll, which he has trained to shoot straight at him at all times.
Seriously, Bolton did have a good night. He saved well from Simon Lynch on the 24th minute and Marcinho in the 27th minute.
The Roar also had a double chance in the 40th minute, when Terry McFlynn cleared a Craig Moore header off the line and Bolton blocked the follow-up from Reinaldo.
Just on the hour Queensland were foiled again, not by poor finishing by brilliant defence. Marcinho and Murdocca combined down the right, and Murdocca's low cross seemed just right for Lynch at the far post. But Mark Rudan made a Herculean effort to get his toe on the ball ahead of Lynch.
In the 82nd minute Farina played his last card, withdrawing Reinaldo and putting burly defender Sasa Ognenovski upfront with Lynch. Despite looking quite of place, Ognenovski went very close to equalising, but once again Bolton was equal to the task.
The standard across the A-League is always quite even and goals are in short supply. The fact that Archie Thompson, who is a nifty goal-sneak but nobody's idea of a top-class striker, has been the most successful attacker in the league shows the lack of quality up-front that has plagued all sides, not just Queensland.
For its whole history so far, Queensland Roar under Miron Bleiberg and now under Frank Farina, have played up-tempo attacking football. It hasn't been successful.
Is it time for a rethink? The Roar's first-choice strikers, Lynch and Milicic do not seem to be best served in the high-tempo game. A more considered passing game might work better for Milicic in particular.
When Reinaldo plays up front, he gets a lot of chances through his bravery and hard work. They are often contested opportunities however, which take a high-quality attacker to convert. Reinaldo's whole-hearted approach gains him the support of his coach - but with Murdocca back in midfield this writer hopes that Farina uses Reinaldo off the bench next week.
Sydney FC may or may not have turned the corner with this win - but it seems more likely that the lessons to be learned from this game are more immediately applicable to the losers rather than the winners.