Tonight Brisbane Roar face Beijing Guoan in China for their Asian Champions League group stage fixture. The Queenslanders go into the match needing points and a positive result from the Urawa versus Suwon game, or their continental tour could be over.
The Roar will face a hostile home crowd of around 40,000, and though Beijing are currently experiencing a mini funk (having drawn their last three matches), they’re still undefeated in their last 21 matches.
Of most concern for the Australians is their casualty list. Influential centre back Luke Devere is out, as is Shane Stefanutto, and Jade North will be nursing a dodgy groin if he makes the field.
The Roar see this as an important fixture, as evidenced by their decision to rest a throng of players for last Saturday’s Melbourne Victory clash.
Brisbane certainly have plenty of motivation, as their previous appearances in the competition have yielded little, but no one wants to go into a big match with an understrength back four.
A patched-up Brisbane did a commendable job against Kevin Muscat’s Melbourne on Saturday, but being tested against classy and unfamiliar opponents should prove too much. Not only will Brisbane face some of China’s best in Yu, Dabao and Song, Boxuan, they’ll also face off against silky Bosnian Dejan Damjanovic and midfielder Pablo Batalla.
On a freezing cold night in Saitama two weeks ago Beijing Guoan looked anything but champions, but still they managed to grind out a draw against Urawa. On Tuesday night, at home at the Workers Stadium, Beijing will be up for it.
Brisbane have all the motivation: previous failings in the ACL, virtually a do-or-die fixture, and a heartbreaking loss to Beijing last time they met, but the green team should have too much class and depth.
TheVolley
Guest
The best thing going for Roar at the moment is our away form given that Roar will not host a finals game this season. We've qualified by virtue of Perth's sanctions. Now Roar just have to get everyone fit and firing in the finals.
JohnL
Guest
After last night's round, even if we win next week, we still are guaranteed of going through.
j binnie
Guest
Waz- After watching the game last night I am even more convinced there is "a team in there" that could cause problems to any side left in the finals series of both competitions in which Roar are involved. Things I observed were (1) Almost every one of Young's long clearances deep into the opponents back third came straight back into midfield. This is not because the clearances did not have the required length but it again proved that Roar do not have an aerial threat up front unless at set pieces when the centre backs can be deployed.Lesson,-the ball should be kept low in general play. (2) Both wingbacks show a natural tendency to go forward whilst at the same time not always as successful in their defensive duties although last night Hingert showed he is perfectly capable of doing both. (3)The man being used as a 'target' does not have the physical strength or the mean streak in him to play that role but once again he last night proved that given the right service coming from a wider position he is perfectly capable of scoring fine goals.More and more as I watch him I see him as a replacement in the role that Broich played when he first came to Roar. (4) In midfield the older Matt Mackay gets the more he appears to want to get involved all across the field,This is not a bad thing for he has the "engine" to play this role but at the moment there are occasions when he is "crowding" Brattan and to a lesser extent young Clut. This of course could be "cured" if Brattan was withdrawn back into the role formerly played by Paartlu in the "great' team, playing deeper between the two central defenders but due to Brattan's range of passing skills, probably a more effective player in that role. (5) As I have said before Roar have what would have to be described as a "rough diamond" in Borello but he is being hopelessly played out of position where his ball skills sometime fail him at crucial times and his lack of "football vision" sees him blast away at balls that would be better cut back to a better positiond team-mate. That of course is a job for a "natural " winger and Brandon is not a natural winger.So why not play him where his restless energy,willingness to have a go, and sheer cussedness to not accept defeat could be used to the team's advantage,causing problems in the front third that could be exploited by others like Broich,Clut,Kaludovic or even Hingert and Brown. Today we hear coaches and commentators talk a lot about "diamonds" and yet Roar don't appear to embrace the concept although having the players to form effective "diamonds" all over the field and it is this concept that interests me. The "diamond" is actually an improvement on the "triangle" for in theory it gives the ball player 3 options instead of 2, so if deployment is done to create diamonds, theoretically the "bad" turnover ratio should be cut down. To sum up and using the players playing last night Roar could have 4 diamonds set up all over the field with Kaludovic given the task of reading where he is most effecvtive in making up the fifth diamond when the occasion arises. Last night proved to me once again that Roar have the players to make an impact if only their "system was 'tweaked" to allow those same players to operate at their optimum in positions more suited to their strengths whilst reducing the "weaknesses" in their general play.. If it was done I feel more than a few teams would be looking over their shoulders at this team of "nondescripts" who have struggled all year to find their best line up and yet have held the top performers to tight games. Cheers jb.
AZ_RBB
Guest
Well in, Brisbane
Waz
Guest
Yeeeeeeeeeeeeesssssssss !! :-)
Waz
Guest
Can they get the lead and hold the lead? Forget "four points from two games" needed they will need to win their two remaining games to go through.
AZ_RBB
Guest
Best of luck to Brisbane tonight. Guoan have only won 1 of their past 5 games but from what I've seen of Brisbane attack in the last few weeks I'm not sure if they'll be able to break down Guoan's strong defence. WSW should bring their swimmers to the game tonight. I think the game will be won in the backstroke leg of the medley.
Mahler
Guest
Anything short of a rout will be acceptable.