Sydney FC vs Brisbane Roar: Maclaren brace leads to Brisbane victory

Bto - Don't know where you're coming from ,I don't get paid to pick the Roar team and if you are happy with the performances to date then ,be happy. I take it you have never managed a team so let's try and introduce you to what a manager's job is.,Even if his team is sitting top of the league.the good manager will always be aware that no matter his league position his team can always be improved. That being so you then have tp look at every game and try and observe "strengths and weaknesses" in each performance ,and this leads to what we will call "experimentation" with the squad that is available,however this is normally done at season's start Now Roar this season have been an enigma,sometime brilliant,sometime terrible, but now, when other teams are presenting "settled" combinations every week, IMO Roar do not yet know what their best line - up is,and that to me is not good. If you go back and read previous comments you will find there are plenty of people who believe Roar teams at the moment have a plethora of mid-field players all with the same strong points and weaknesses and this is obviously causing problems for the back four for not one of those midfielders could be said to be a good "ball winner." For example, in the "great" Roar teams, the diminutive Mordocca did a sterling job buzzing around the midfield winning ball for others. Not a "great" player in the true sense, but nevertheless worth his place every week. Now watch today's Roar playing and tell me who is doing the job Mordocca did???. You come up with suggestion after suggestion,using different players in different positions all playing different "set-ups" but to me ,by now, this should all have been done earlier in the season and today we should almost know what the Roar team will be week to week,injuries and suspensions being considered, ok? Cheers jb ps What did Young do wrong to not be considered???? jb

So, if Hingerts is to play a defensive midfielder, where Petratos should play? Take a look below: Theo Polenz; Donachie; North; Brown Hingerts; Mckay Borrello; Corona; Broich Maclaren Is Petratos to sub Borrello? Who to take turn with Henrique? Maybe, he subs Maclaren. Polenz has even more serious injury than Devere. So, what is your idea that Devere is to play right back? Theo Devere; Donachie; North; Brown Hingerts; Mckay Borrello; Corona; Broich Maclaren Or Theo Donachie; Devere; North; Brown Hingerts; Mckay Borrello; Corona; Broich Maclaren Or Theo Donachie; Devere; North; Brown Hingerts; Corona; Mckay Borrello; Maclaren; Broich Or Theo Donachie; Devere; North; Brown Hingerts Corona; Mckay Borrello; Maclaren; Broich What is your choice?

Chopper - Dont disagree with you on any point. Borella is not a winger as we know wingers to be,he does an amazing amount of work going backwards to cover the inadequacies of the others you have mentioned and when playing agaiinst the good sides these weaknesses show.,but that type of work does not help the kid to develop his undoubted talent in front of a goalmouth where a centre -back could not take an eye off him for a minute,and if he is keeping them busy McLaren will find spaces where he can prove to be even more dangerous. However these things have been evident for some time and it is now a bit late to be "experimenting".As far as defenesive midfielder goes I think the man who should have been tried is Jack Hingert,the kid has the enthusiasm and hardness to be a great screener just like Murdocca in the "golden years" and with men like Broich and Corona there beside him his passes would not have to be long and accurate ,all he has to do is win the ball and pass it short to the playmakers.I've said it before, as have others,I think this team needs "tweaking" if it is to reach it's optimum performance, so we can but hope. Cheers jb

'they also lack, when compared to MV or WSW, a couple of decent ex Roar players' Funny I hope to see more games like this from us in the next two months.

jb absolutely correct about Petratos being a winger and his inability to win the ball. Unfortunately there are too many "midfielders" at Roar with the same inability Hervas and Corona amongst them. For those who continually rate Corona as a number six (defensive midfielder) have a good look at his tackling style because he does not get his weight behind the tackle and any determined offender will brush him aside. Guaranteed he reads the game well to intercept passes and break up play but actually tackle? Still I believe he is a quality player however I would play him further up the park. Hervas on the other hand I would send back to Spain as he is a waste of a visa spot. On the game the early goal certainly settled some nerves and it was good to see them come back at Sydney as that showed a bit of grit and grind which will be needed if we are to get a home final. I think I would be tempted to play both Maclaren and Borello up front as twin strikers with two wingers that can at least track back to assist the fullbacks however the defensive midfield position remains a problem.

I'm trying very hard to contain my joy, Ian and JB, very happy with the win. It could have been two more. Particularly pleased with our defenders after preceding weeks. But I don't think we'll be top the table for the premiership title and don't think we could beat MV in a grand final. It would be nice to be wrong. I don't want to rub it in to SFC, they lack penetration. And they also lack, when compared to MV or WSW, a couple of decent ex Roar players. They're more valuable than your visa spots.

Which title Lionheart? That was a good game. Let's not fall into the trap of SFC played badly and that's why we played well. Great to have a win and some good goals.

Lionheart - Take heart my friend,from every game there is something to be learned and that sublime piece of play from Petratos to set up Mackay's goal showed once again the potential the lad has to provide talent far down the right wing.Contrary to that he expends heaps of energy running back and forth in midfield where his lack of real ball winning talent actually makes him a danger to the back four,so why JA keeps using him there is a puzzle.All in all this wasn't a bad performance, but then again getting the early goal put pressure on Sydney whose system of playing does not lend itself to winning games when coming from behind. As I've said before we are still to see the best out of this Roar squad and it is going to be interesting to see what improvements will be made over the next few weeks. Cheers jb

Must admit, I did expect better from SFC. Conditions were tough but it was a good open game, and you got to love the result if you're a Roar supporter, no bad player in the conditions. Not title material, but we're not going to roll over. Let's hope for a home semi.

Brave prediction 3-1 to Eastern Suburbs Football Club. More likely to go the other way with MacLaren and Borrello hungry after the failed Olyroos campaign

Brisbane score early. Maybe Sydney will play some football.