The last-place Brisbane Roar hosts the newly improved Newcastle Jets this weekend, in a match which could certainly go either way. Join The Roar for live scores and a blog of the match from Sunday 5pm AEDT.
The Brisbane Roar, a legendary club in Australian football and a team whose has hosted many fantastic and talented players over the years, sit rock bottom after two rounds.
Their loss against Melbourne City coupled with the heartbreaking loss at home to Adelaide has left the Brisbane based outfit lacking confidence and spark so far this season.
However, it’s still early days in the new A-League season with plenty of football to be played.
The Roar however haven’t shown thus far any type of football that they are known to play, and with the recent losses of their great players of the last few seasons, new players are struggling to fill the void and consequently they team is underperforming.
Fahid Ben Khalfallah has struggled to fill the boots from the recent departure of Thomas Broich, and Nicholas D’Agostino hasn’t come close to meeting up to Jamie Maclaren’s ability so far.
New signing Eric Bautheac should help however as the dynamic French winger looks to steer the side into action.
However if the Roar were to succeed in this game and moreso this season, they need the like of Khalfallah and new signing Massimo Maccarone to start scoring regularly.
Additionally the Roar need to make Brisbane a place that teams come to fear again, with sides becoming more and more confident of snatching points here in Queensland since players started to leave.
On the flip side of the coin, we have the Newcastle Jets Who have impressed already this season especially with their new signings.
The likes of Roy O’Donnovan, Dimitri Petratos and Ronald Vargas has all been influential in the Jets recent success, especially in their first round thumping of rivals the Mariners away from home.
The Jets have recruited well but there furthermore seems a greater sense of inner self belief and unity within the squad that was severely lacking in recent seasons.
With O’Donnovan banging in the goals, and Vargas looking like the next Broich, it’s fair to say that the Jets are looking much improved so far this campaign.
Prediction
It should be close, and while the Jets are on form the Roar needs points. A draw seems likely.
2-2
Cool N Cold
Guest
When Macarone was the player not guarded by 2 Jet's defenders, the ball was not passing to Macarrone but another Roar player. So, how can that be an offside call. VAR is good but the assistant referee running the VAR in this match is not good. More importantly, the main referee is not good. How could the main referee not better than the VAR assistant referee. Probably, the VAR assistant referee played a video showing Macarone at the offside position despite the ball was not sent to him (Macarone). A tool is good only when the one using the tool is good also. This is the case in which the tool user (the VAR assistant referee) is not good. The other way of seeing this incident is that Macarone was not in play. And he had not interferee the goal keeper. How can that be an offside? The other issue with VAR is that it is not as good for the VAR assistant referee to initiate the VAR review call. It is better that only the main referee can call for VAR review when the main referee is not confident to make a judgement. Should the VAR assistant referee can initiate a VAR review, the VAR assistant referee may be deemed as overtaking the power of the main referee. In NRL, it is always the main referee to initiate the VAR review call.
j,binnie
Guest
TK - What did you mean when you deemed this game a shambles for Brisbane.? It would be interesting to hear your views. I too was puzzled when the teams were announced for I was left wondering if Roar were going to try the 3 centre back plan again with 3 centre backs named in the defence. What I could not understand was that if this was the plan who was filling the right wing back position. It quickly became obvious that my thinking was wrong and Jade North was in fact filling the right wing back position. This struck me as odd for Jade's days for galloping up and down a wing constantly are long behind him. Roar quickly went behind with a goal engineered in Jade's defensive area. In midfield we have the diminutive Caletti, the best passer of a ball in the team, constantly chasing players as fast as his little legs can carry him,and weekly it is becoming more and more apparent that he is filling that position pending the Dane achieving full fitness.In there we also have 2 of the highest paid players in the team and to be honest neither of them are playing to that value. Holman is a shadow of his former self and the amount of "turnovers " he gets through almost beggars description. Matt Mackay is the captain and leader of this squad and it is time Mattie recognised he is getting on a bit and changes his plan of playing.He could do an excellent job of screening his back line players if he put his mind to the task but,never having at anytime in his career being recognised as a finisher, his presence in the opponent's back third is just not required. Up front is a problem.Roar still doesn't have a player that one could describe as "good in the air" so cross ball have to be kept low and hard ,and bot h wingers ,whoever they are, have to be instructed accordingly. With the new signings constantly changing wings ,again I was left "wondering" just what was going on. Cheers jb.
TK
Guest
That was a shambles from Brisbane.
Samuel Ashton
Roar Guru
FULL TIME: BRISBANE ROAR 1-2 NEWCASTLE JETS
Stevo
Roar Rookie
But your comment about attendances is a throw away line without context. Compared to which countries? What is their sporting landscape like compared to ours?
Samuel Ashton
Roar Guru
8 Minutes stoppage time here
perry cox
Roar Guru
Bang on Stuart.
Samuel Ashton
Roar Guru
90TH MIN: SCORE UPDATE:1-2 Roar coming very close here. Can they find an equaliser
perry cox
Roar Guru
Agreed Samuel.
Stuart Thomas
Expert
has to be at least eight minutes of stoppage, surely.
Samuel Ashton
Roar Guru
86TH MIN: SCORE UPDATE: 1-2 Brisbane throwing everything at the Jets here
perry cox
Roar Guru
Brown will be sent tonight. Bank on it.
Stuart Thomas
Expert
What in the world was Petratos doing there?
Stuart Thomas
Expert
Press conference will be interesting to say the least. A few more greys for the champ.
Bazz
Guest
How Brown is still on the field completely defies belief.
Samuel Ashton
Roar Guru
82ND MIN: SCORE UPDATE: 1-2 Roar dominating at the moment. Can they strike back ? John Aloisi is steaming here
Samuel Ashton
Roar Guru
The VAR was correct but it shouldn't of been needed. Should of been picked up way earlier than before. Correct decision though Roar back on the attack here
Samuel Ashton
Roar Guru
75TH MIN: SCORE UPDATE: 1-2 O'Donnovan with the he yellow card. This game is turning ugly
Samuel Ashton
Roar Guru
It was a correct decision but it's like the forward pass in League. Should of been picked up long before hand
tully101
Roar Guru
Good decision, clear offside in the end, The system has worked here