- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
The 2017-18 A-League season’s first nil-all draw was rightfully played out by teams who were bottom going into the match, the Brisbane Roar and Central Coast Mariners.
If there was any doubt that Brisbane and Central Coast were deserved bottom of the table teams before this game, they have earned that reputation afterwards, and both teams have a lot of work to do.
Brisbane failed to win for the seventh game in a row, and also broke their eight-match winning streak against the Mariners.
While both keepers had to make crucial saves at various stages of the game, both teams were guilty of failing to take their chances when they presented.
Bautheac was sensational for the Roar, and despite a man of the match performance, he was rightfully disappointed at the result.
Mariners focussed heavily on possession, and while their passing game was strong, when their passes failed them, they would have been punished by a more clinical opponent.
The Mariners look at their best when they played a lot more direct, through the likes of De Silva, Pain, Hoole and Asdrubal.
Hoole, for all the skill and run that he has offered, needs to learn to put that better finish on his play, that to date is going largely wasted for his team.
While there will be discussions that keepers had to make crucial saves for both teams to keep clean sheets, better finishing should have taken the keepers out of the equation, and it is the failure to finish off clear chances by both teams that should form the basis for discussion about this game.
For John Aloisi’s men, the continuing failure to win cannot go on much longer. The players in this team are better than their ladder position and Win-Loss ratio suggests.
Another round without a win, will surely bring pressure on the star coach. Paul Okon’s young team will weather the storm of criticism, as he looks to build around his young team.
As a finishing thought, despite the less than inspiring play, failure to score, and lack of a winning team, Mariners go to 7th, and Brisbane to 9th, which might give some thought to the idea that a ten-team league is not big enough.
However, with Mariners next up playing Sydney, and Brisbane away to Victory, these teams each needed more from today, and a draw might deliver a point today, but may ultimately cost both sides in the long run.
Final score
Brisbane Roar 0
Central Coast Mariners 0
Are you the ultimate team manager? Pick your own superstar team and go head to head with other football fans for glory and cash prizes on Draftstars. Imagine what you could be buying instead. Set a deposit limit.