Tensions have boiled over in a frustrated Brisbane Roar camp after the winless A-League champions reached a new low, with two players appearing to get in an altercation after a 3-1 loss to Melbourne City at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday night.
The outlook appeared bleak enough for Brisbane after opening their season with four straight defeats.
However, a true insight into how badly the Roar are struggling was provided post-match when teammates Shane Stefanutto and Jamie Young had to be separated as they left the field.
Veteran defender Stefanutto appeared to take Young to task after the English goalkeeper had conceded a total of 10 goals in his four games to date.
Twice the pair had to be separated by teammates or officials in a shocking look in front of fans.
“I would have to see it and talk to the players before commenting on it,” Roar coach Mike Mulvey said.
“But you have to understand the players are going to be frustrated – I thought we deserved something out of that game.”
Brisbane had hoped to reboot their season after a week off.
However, Mulvey sounded like a man who was tempted to go back to the drawing board after City notched their season-opening win just days after farewelling the man expected to kick-start their season – guest superstar David Villa.
“We need to find some answers, we need a re-think,” Mulvey said.
“This club is built on a tradition of playing a particular way and right now we are trying to emulate that.
“But it hasn’t translated to wins on the park so we need to have a look at everything from top to bottom.”
Melbourne City had failed to trouble the win column by the time Villa left the club last week just four games into what was supposed to be a 10-match guest stint.
But it was the Roar who looked devoid of strike power by fulltime – much to the disappointment of the 17,131-strong crowd.
Asked if teams still feared Brisbane, City coach John van ‘t Schip said: “I don’t know.
“I won’t say we fear them but we respect them because of what they have done the last few years but games can be cruel.”
Melbourne City set up their win with a stunning burst of two first half goals in as many minutes.
David Williams drew first blood when he made disappointing Roar defender Jack Hingert pay for a turnover in just the eighth minute.
And Mate Dugandzic made it 2-0 by the 10th after latching onto a spectacular long ball from ex-Roar hero Erik Paartalu.
The result was sealed when Marc Marino put away James Brown’s sublime cross in the 83rd minute.
Brisbane only got on the board in the 67th minute when Brandon Borrello headed a Matt McKay strike.
TomCahill
Guest
Fantastic comment
TomCahill
Guest
Is it possible that the recruitment issues come down to the overriding 'we don't need big name players' mantra that Brisbane built over the last few years of success? Could this team ethic be to the detriment of the current squad?
TomCahill
Guest
Thank you Ian, I think it's so easy for us as fans to over-simplify the work of a manager.
Ian
Guest
so why didn't Rado get it to work if it's so easy? and Rado was the assistant coach to Ange for the 2.5 years Ange was there. Interestingly Muscat took over from Ange. so why hasn't Muscat walked into a double or why wasn't one achieved with Ange at MV if it's a piece of cake? or compare the team listing of when Ange left to the team listing in April/May 2014 when we secured two trophies?
Josh
Guest
I like that one 'rbbfc'. Is that similar to 'lokomotiv cove' ?
marlie chiller
Guest
Are you sure it wasn't a new signing for the youth team?
TomCahill
Guest
But just saying that shows a clear lack of understanding in regards to how hard it is to win any professional league, there is a reason why the manager is the most scrutinised person in any club and they pay the price with their job so often. I've never really been a fan of Muscat, but the way Melbourne are playing means he gets the credit, not Ange. I'm actually really impressed with how well MVFC are going. It's very easy for us on the outside to say that winning the A League is easy if you have the right player cycle and style, but discounting the manager's input into that is total folly imo.
Kyle Stewart
Roar Pro
What part of the side did Mulvey actually have anything to do with? Ange built the whole system at brisbane, rado couldnt get it to work and Mulvey walked into a double if you ask me. We're seeing similar at Melbourne with Muscat, however i feel that Muscat has changed the system Ange put in place by adding in a striker and bringing in some depth and reliability.
TomCahill
Guest
I just can't abide by that last statement, you just cannot tell me you effectively grasp football management if you think Mulvey has no tactical nous and still win the double.
TomCahill
Guest
Do you guys have any understanding of children and family? Doesn't seem like it. If you're blaming Smith's mistakes on that then you're grasping at straws.
TomCahill
Guest
I have so much faith in Mulvey it's silly, can we just bite the bullet and play Borello and Brown now? I feel like they offer more than their contemporaries.
TomCahill
Guest
So many big calls, and such vitriol. Kurtishi is class, it's just that his style is not congruent with Berisha's, which is what the midfield was used to feeding. Especially Broich. Young is obviously not a bad keeper, but his understanding with the defence is poor, and is it just me or does he stay way too far off his line? The first two goals could have been saved had he not been so far out.
j binnie
Guest
Mid - Do you realise that from the "great "Roar" teams of 2011and 2012 Grand finals only 8 remain at the clubTheo,Smith, Steffanuto,Mackay, Henrique, Broich Brattan, and Solarzano. Gone but now playing against Roar in the HAL are Paartlu,Redmayne & Murdocca at City,Berisha &Barbaroussas at Victory, Nichols at Perth,Fitzgerald at CCM,&Jurman at Sydney.Also gone are Adnan and Franjic. Now the question to be asked,have those players been replaced with players of similar or better credentials. I'll leave the answer to you. jb
holly
Guest
"whatever happened to Julius Doe?" I believe he is now in Romania
The concerned fan
Guest
Like your thinking on the back 4. Donachie & Smith gel so much better than Jade & Smith. If the 2 middle defenders don't compliment each other, the rot spreads throughout the team. The team concerns itself with defending instead of the attacking style which we've only seen on occasions this season.
The concerned fan
Guest
Everybody has pointed the finger at everyone from Steffanutto to Young, even Hingert for his 5 minute debut. May I dare to offer an alternative but not obvious excuse for the Roar's poor start to the season. Jade North... If this was a game of Fifa15, his contribution to the chemistry would be in the negative. He is obviously a quality player, but he doesn't fit. Watch the games from last year when he was injured & Donachie played in his place, there was cohesion in the defence & the defence seemed effortless. When North plays there is chaos, Matt Smith is out of sorts, they're like oil and water. Donachie suits Matt Smith!, exit chaos, nobody is then looking at the right fiullback or Stefanutto for blame. Just quietly I'm not a Stefanutto fan at all, but he's played better this tear than he has for the past 2 years. He's a big game player & only plays when things aren't going well, which why he didn't play well last year...he's OLD, been there done that, no excitement left in the game...unless things turn to crap. Jade North, could he be the problem? Watch the 3rd goal against Melbourne, he keeps the forwards onside, which puts Donachie out of position, wham bam goallll, while he casually jogs back to the 18 yard box to get a better view of the goal...hmmm
j binnie
Guest
tezza- My thoughts???? You have spelled it out as well as I could possibly do. Possession football is not about keeping the ball by passing the ball sideways,backwards or any where at all as long as a teamate has it. If it was we would be playing to empty stadia all around the world. Playing possession football out of the back is based as you say, getting the ball as quickly and as accurately from your penalty area to your opponents penalty area so that your team can have a crack at goal. Roar are dominating possession in every game they play in, but are being beaten, for they obviously do not have the "end to end" aim in their system make up. This simply means that with every second taken to pass the ball diagonally across the field ,or worse still backwards ,the opponent is being given time to organise a "front"/"press" against your efforts.So we are left with spasmodic flashes of good football being started but breaking down by lack of accuracy in pass,lack of movement into space by teamates or selection of the easy way out,pass it back to a teamate 20 yards behind the play.Your observations are spot on. jb
josh
Guest
They won't - I predict a loss in Perth and a win at home against the Mariners. Who knows where Brisbane are going to bounce back.
Chopper
Guest
The problems in defence I think come from firstly a lack of confidence in the keeper (although I don't think he's that bad) then a lack of drive in the middle and front third. A possession game is based upon winning the ball back quickly with pressing from the striker and attacking midfielders ably supported by defensive (holding)midfielders then the back four all working in harmony. The previous two seasons Berisha had the energy and drive to lead from the front successfully on most occasions. The only time this season that I have seen this happen is when Borello came on against MCY. I think that Solórzano can also do this job but either way they must be supported by Petratos/Henrique and Broich at the pointy end with McKay/Lustica/Sarota (when fit)and Clut depending on the makeup of the midfield. You can then depend on Brattan winning the ball behind them and the back four should have a much easier job because the Team is playing in unison. This approach allows the fullbacks to go forward and link up with the attack and is in deep contrast to the present methodology where fullbacks burst forward regardless leaving gaping holes behind them. The back four currently should be Smith and Donachie in the middle with North right back and Brown left back however two of those are away with the Olyroos this week so Steffanuto gets a reprieve but what of Bowles? Was he bought here as a Mulvey mate? Is he fit? Can he play right back? Other than this we must promote a youngster this weekend. Talking of lost souls whatever happened to Julius Doe? Will Kofi Danning ever make it? How many other ghosts are lurking in the Roar's first team squad?
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
Agree that WSW has 2 games in hand. The fact remains, WSW has started the season worse than MelbHeart started last season, when Aloisi got sacked. In fact, the last time a team lost 3 opening matches was NQF. In the 4th match that season, NQF grabbed their 1st point with a plucky 3-3 draw at Hindmarsh. Let's see if WSW can grab a point next match in Perth.