Roar were hard done by: Mulvey

Agree on all points, jb. In my view Mulvey handled Sunday's game poorly, failing to change the shape of a dysfunctional 11 until far too late. If the substations had been made 10-15 minutes earlier, the run of play thereafter suggests that Roar would have got the goal they needed.

Isn't great to say we heard the game on ABC commentary on 702!!!! I was at the game & saw the danger as soon as he began his run & no-one picked him up. That was my lasting memory of Villa's goal watching it live. It wasn't until getting home & watching the highlights did I see Villa's great first touch & Duff's smart cutback.

I agree Miller is a first class DUD. If he's going to stand around doing nothing let him do it from the sidelines.

I was listening to the ABC commentary and despite being shamelessly obsessed with Villa for most of the game, when he did score, they gave Murdocca a lot of credit for his work in the build up. I thought he was one of Heart's better players last season.

JB, some great credit went to Duff's work in the lead up to Villa's goal, also highlighted was Villa's touch & skill to score. There was little credit given to Murdocca's work in the lead up, carrying the ball from half way to slip the ball to Duff to set up Villa. Being a SFC fan, I felt Murdocca was a real handful for the SFC midfield all game.

Real, I think you are right, however, I feel that Brisbane Roar are going thru the same issues as Spain. These same players brought you 3 premierships including 2 doubles in the last 4 years (greatest feat by an A-League club in it's history). You also won last year in a canter, so I think these guys sort of deserve it, but I can see the likes of Stefanutto, Miller, slowly move out by mid year & North next year as Donachie moves more centrally. Germany showed during WC the importance of speed, it's a young man's game.

Real -Yes there are players who are coming on but one has to analyse where they play,what their contribution is to the overall team structure and how that structure is dependent on what could be described as "necessary" talents. Today it is expected in most team plans that full backs be fast,not only to nullify speedy forwards "on the break" but to give width to the team's attack function by constantly supplying a potential threat down the flanks in supporting roles.This in turn demands latent speed and above average fitness.That's when age becomes a factor and there is little doubt that Shane Steffanuto is getting to the wrong age to supply these functions.Here you will find in recent seasons that Shane elects more and more to play the ball backwards as often as he plays it forward.Trying young Donnachie in this position last Sunday was an unmitigated disaster,evident after only ten minutes or so,but not in any way corrected for the full game. Why??? Miller and Brattan are midfielders but both lack the true pace that is needed when filling that most difficult of roles the midfield ball winner ,so that the team on Sunday had a totally unbalanced look with both Mackay and at times Broich trying to supply support to the isolated Petratos. So,Miller OR Brattan in the central defensive role but definitely not both. This is where Mike Mulvey now finds himself. Having cut his "coaching teeth" mainly with various youth teams around the country he now finds himself with a championship winning team that, like that other team in his birth town,Manchester, is badly in need of re-building.Can this re-building be done using local youth? maybe in the long term, but now there are aroung 15,000 people who will be demanding the success run continues and in our unique Australian scenario,other clubs are doing this by purchasing true and tested replacements.That's the crossroads Roar are at at this point in time Cheers jb

The age stats are sobering, however, jb. Experience suggests that Brisbane are carrying to many players over 30 - and 3 of them are mid 30s. Very soon Brisbane are going to have to deal with Broich in a very real decline. Already his work rate is nowhere near the player I recall in his first season at Brisbane. In those first two seasons he did a tremendous amount of defensive work. Not any more. Miller is well past his best. He seems to start now simply because he was Mulvey's first big signing, a sort of coaching statement in boots. He needs to retire. Stefanutto has played at least one, probably two seasons too long. His lack of pace has been a problem for 3 seasons now, and yet he's still starting.

Real -I watched the Melbourne City game and one man who covered every blade of grass showed up what is wrong with Roar. In their halycon days the Roar midfield was Murdocca.Paartlu and Mackay, two virtual buzz bomb workers in midfield constantly winning balls and setting up opportunity for overlapping full backs or linking up with wingers to supply attack after attack with Paartlu always lurking around just outside the box where his height was a constant threat. Compare that with what Roar have now,Both Miller and Brattan are similar types of players,both wanting to play the ball but both lacking the pace to ever be recognised ball winners.When Murdocca lost form or was injured they experimented with Franjic as a ball winner or an attacking flank runner.but with the departure of firstly Paartlu & Murdocca the whole structure of Roar altered and it is in these positions they badly need quality replacements.While I don't fully agree with your age observations I do agree that quality replacements are required if Roar have to maintain their position in the scheme of things not to mention their Asian adventure.jb

A squad turn over mid season? ACL looms...

As a Roar supporter I concur. Brisbane badly lack speed. We have a team with two key players gone and way too many on the wrong side of 30: Broich 34 going on 35; Miller the same; McKay 32; North turning 33 almost 34; Stefanutto 35; Smith 32. I, like many other Roarers, am bracing for a tough season. We are in the same situation the great Victory team was in a few years ago, when Merrick kept on the old hands and payed the price for ignoring the need for squad renewal. Mulvey is now in the same position. The starting 11 is just far enough past its use by date for the team to be slightly off the pace against younger, faster sides. Renewal needs to start asap.

I think it was from the same group who designed their new logo.

I guess you and I will have to disagree on that Ian...yes the challenger did come from behind but he got the whole ball clean from what I could see....play on anywhere else on the park and therefore no penalty... Either way you look at it mulveys claim of being "hard done by" is hard to swallow...matt Mckays red card was textbook send off..

(United fan) Anyone else agree with me now that Brisbane really lack speed? Their fastest player is Petratos and he looks 5 kilos overweight. Mulvey has gotta start thinking of solutions rather then excuses soon. How can you say matt mckay doesn't get upset? He suffers short man syndrome worse than anyone else in the league.

As a Glory fan I can assure you Miller was completely overhyped when he was with us, his A-League career reflects his entire career as he hasn't reached his potential.

Would have been nice if Djite's header when in when it hit the bar and Carruscas easy header was put away (perhaps with a volley) so no doubt could be left with who the better side was on the day. Interestingly, I fancy Adelaide to beat Brisbane much more than say Perth or Newcastle. When it's football v football AU do well, when it's football v scrap, they struggle. Brisbane however are better at football v scrap and hence ran away with the league last year - all power to them. AU v MVFC Friday night @ Adelaide Oval - cannot wait...........!!!!!!!!!

"completely clean challenge' that statement and post is certainly over the top. it was a justfiable shout for a penalty in the box

On a lighter note for the Roar,that Tifo was amazing. Well done to whoever put the effort into making it.

Mulvey is a hypocrite.....according to him he wants the referees to play by the laws of the game (and wanted a penalty for the clean challenge on Henrique) yet somehow tries to justify matt mckays actions...I don't care if McKay has played for 15 odd seasons of top flight football and never been so upset....if anything his experience should know that abusing the referee is an automatic red card... Completely unprofessional behaviour from both player and coach

I was at the game, and to my minds eye Matty spent the entire first half covering for Liam Millers inactivity. I am personally FILTHY with Mulvey on this. Miller has been a passenger in our side for most of last season as he was yesterday.Steve Lustica for Miller every day of the week IMO. Not a single sub till the 75th min when we were chasing the game,unacceptable, and in that time when the passenger was subbed we were all over Adelaide with 10 men. but by that stage all we could hope for was a draw. I put our loss squarely at Mulveys feet and Mckays red for that matter. On game day Mike Im the paying punter and your the manager, so I suggest you do just that.