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In Adelaide there is unity, but will there be an identity?

Does Australia's football future sit with the FFA cup? (AAP Image/Ben Macmahon)
Roar Rookie
1st December, 2015
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Eight games without a win is a disastrous initiation, but Guillermo Amor’s men showed plenty of promise despite once again succumbing to the Melbourne Victory machine.

A team at its lowest ebb will undergo a spiralling descent before the board is eventually forced to relinquish the coach. The most salient indication of this downfall is realised when the coach loses the respect and authority of his players.

If Saturday’s match told us anything, it is that the unity remains intact at Adelaide United, making it increasingly likely the Reds can bust their slump.

In the early stages of Saturday’s fixture, the Reds were lively, aggressive and assertive, and for a brief moment embodied the tenacious qualities of their opponent and arch-rival Victory.

Despite Josep Gombau’s reluctance to endorse this approach, it is crucial to mounting a serious challenge against a serious title contender. Too often Adelaide have settled for Melbourne’s pocket rather than the pitch, therefore Amor and his players should be commended for their daring stance.

In hindsight, Adelaide would never match their opponent’s ominous attacking smorgasbord as Melbourne capitalised, albeit from a contentious penalty and a suspect goalkeeping attempt from slowly decaying stalwart Eugene Galekovic.

Had there been no penalty and no free-kick, Victory would have found an alternative means of terrorising the Reds. Consequently, Victory encapsulate the very essence of Adelaide’s flaw – possession is a hollow income; goals win you games.

Despite remaining a manageable proposition for the A-League’s pacesetters, Adelaide’s spirit will endure just so long as it generates a win within the next fortnight.

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The greatest lesson that emerged from Saturday’s match was Adelaide’s thirst for creativity, as marquee man Marcelo Carrusca again soaked up the sidelines. George Mells may be a talent of the future, but the time has come for Amor to end his boldest experiment. While Mells’ newfound experience will undoubtedly bolster the squad, Carrusca’s instant influence on Saturday confirmed his significance.

And the same goes for poor, neglected Pablo Sanchez, who is a crowd favourite and a reliable goalscorer. He may not have bags of talent, but he plays with a passion and flair that garners more goals than Adelaide’s current mainstay.

Bruce Djite epitomises Adelaide’s fraught quest for goals and – after another meek and mild performance – must be replaced for Sunday’s match with Perth. If Mells can have a taste, it is only logical to grant Sanchez the same opportunity, especially considering Djite poses a greater challenge for opposition defenders from the bench, such is his size.

Adelaide is also heartened by the return of young defender Jordan Elsey who has performed exceptionally well in Osama Malik’s absence, so much so he may one day force Malik back into the midfield.

There is no doubt Gombau’s one-dimensional Barcelona prototype has been sussed out by opposing clubs, even those that are fundamentally weaker. But, as influential South Australian football coach Edmund Kreft explained to The Advertiser on Monday, Adelaide United are not capable of playing like Barcelona, therefore Amor’s gameplan is a viable alternative.

Unfortunately, Gombau did not bequeath his Spanish sidekick with a completed article, and his squad is struggling to adjust to Amor’s changes. The Barcelona legend has rightly made alterations to his squad, and there is a chance they may not come off.

But at least Amor is attempting to revive Gombau’s flawed project and in turn restore Adelaide United’s identity.

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