A reduced Roar still too strong for Reds

Yea Newcastle have been a breath of fresh air. I've always had a huge soft spot for Ernie and Donovan has been like a new spark plug along with " Dimi and Andrew ". I've supported adelaide from the time Josep came on board , plus playing juniors for a western suburbs club called the wanderers means automatic support for the red and black. In saying this, i can't remember a time adelaide actually had a fully functioning striker. Djite couldn't buy a goal for ages and then came home with a solid run. They of all teams need to invest in a pair of strikers.

Watch Newcastle Jets. They’re actually the only one I would recommend this season. Adelaide and Mariners get honourable mentions but lacking a decent striker the end result will never be there.

After watching this game and the Mariners/ Nix game.....i went running to youtube for a George Best match, back when we had actual center forwards and 2 fullbacks. Getting a bit tired of seeing the parked busses every week. Predictable, monotonous football.

Good assessment jb. Can’t add anything to that. Be interesting to see who JA goes with to replace Mckay - a conservative coach would put Oxborrow alongside Kristensen, a more adventurous one might start Akbari there.

Waz - Re the injury toll and how it has affected performance,the defense line, peopled over various games by "reserves" like Young,Pepper,O'Toole and Bowles, etc have only conceded 19 goals in 13 matches played, and when it is remembered that 6 of those 19 goals conceded were scored in two games against Wellington and Sydney, that critique figure drops to 13 in 10 matches. Not earth shattering for "reserve team players" This then begets the question is there really a problem with Roar's back line or are they suffering because of the inadequacy of those around ,or should I say ,in front of them. That brings us to your point where we appear to have a striker in the "Berisha mould" ,who was brought to replace another goalscorer, but as different as chalk and cheese in their physical aptitude to the game. So we are then left with 5 positions,key positions that create shape and service effectiveness and I think it is in this area that Roar have to have a long hard look at what is available ,not to mention how any incumbent plays from week to week.Cheers jb.

Correct. You know I was being ironic right? Drop a decent striker into Adelaide and possibly a better quality DM and they’ll challenge for the title. Roar are just a mess and Aloisi must get some discipline in to the squad, hard to decide what must change until he’s got 5 or 6 players back from injury.

Undeserved wins happen in football. But, you can't build a season on that type of system. AUFC have a good system and, over 27 matches, the system is going to work. But, in a one-off encounter, any team can be beaten. That's football.

A quick word on Jacob Pepper - a much maligned player earlier this season. While still short of the quality needed to secure a starting position the improvement in his play is such that it underlines the importance of young players getting game time in suitable competitions. There are numerous players like him that, with good coaching and regular match minutes, improve rapidly to become good players but improvements can only continue with game minutes. There’s a couple of dozen players like Pepper that just need more game time underscoring the need for expansion, a loan system and a second division.

Maccarone to me demonstrates the coaching failure at Brisbane this season; he can do two things very, very well - he can sit deeper in midfield, receive the ball, and hold and distribute a pass under pressure. And then the man can finish given the chance (if there’s a third thing he does very well it’s defensive headers from corners - I’ve lost count how many times he’s done that this season but I bet he’s at the top end of stats for defensive clearances). The coaching failure is simple - having a player (who lacks pace himself) able to drop deep, receive and distribute the ball accurstly begs two fast “wingers” and yet Aloisi insisted on playing Khalfallah and Holman out wide. And the second failure is with such a lethal finisher the team are unable to create more than 2-3 chances per game for him despite seeing what he does when they get it right. I haven’t been a fan of Khalfallah this season, but that central midfield role seems the best place for him (in competition with Holman hopefully) and please for the mother of god, can we see Akbari groomed to take the position next season?!?

Waz - In my time I have known more than a few players and have never found too many stupid enough to take confidence out of a display like that of last evening. On the positive side I agree Khalfalla is probably worth a run in the position you describe and to partner him in midfield with Kristensen on his right and Bautheac on his left,the midfield would have a "football brain centre" that has not been evident since the departure of Corona and Broich. and is surely "worth a go". With Mackay's forced absence maybe this is a "trial" JA will have to make but I wouldn't hold my breath. The wide positions could be filled with pace men ,that is all Holman has offered during his long career and D'Agostino has shown a willingess to participate in that type of play. All this "movement" would have as it's aim to get "service" to an ageing striker,who, despite his obvious lack of true pace,has shown he can still find the net regularly. Cheers jb.

The irony is the story of Adelaide’s season is plenty of chances created but no one to finish them off, the story of Roars season is too few chances created despite having a lethal striker to finish them off. Maccarone playing in red yesterday would have scored five I recon.

Nathan - Gathering 3 points in that manner may improve the table position but does very little in improving a team's football. Adelaide in the past have had some very good strikers, Van Dijk and Djite come to mind,and if one of them had been playing last night then the scoreline would have been very different. Roar didn't "win" this game,Adelaide "lost" it. Cheers jb.

jb. Can’t argue with that, 3 points and possibly a confidence booster along with a perception their luck may have changed is all they can take away. Khalfallah Playing in a central midfield role was long overdue and that has to be a position he and Holman fight over for the rest of the season. The return of Bautheac on the left can’t come soon enough and it’s a shame the club couldn’t see the potential of signing burns and playing him on the right wing. The cavalry charge of players returning from injury starts next month along with a move to a new training ground, that’ll take away two of this seasons excuses lol

Waz - This was one of the greatest "steals" since Ned Kelly was operating around Glenrowan. If ever an example was needed for junior coaches that possession without penetration is useless this was it. After watching the following game last night I was left wondering how far Roar have to go ,not to get 3 points, but to play football like Sydney FC. did against Perth, Roar's recent conquerors just a week ago. Some heroic last ditch defending aside, this Roar team came out of this counter with 3 points but very little else. Once again it was demonstrated to watchers that there is no substitute for experience and skill. with Roar's 2 goals being "engineered" by 2 tradesmen both of whom many have written off. If Adelaide had had a Macaronne or Khalfalla in their team last night it would be extremely doubtful that that scoreline would have lasted.. On the other hand, last night Sydney FC showed Australian football what is possible with some shrewd recruiting and a lot of knowledge of how the game should,and can be, played. Cheers jb.

Once again Adelaide struggle to find the back of net even though they were continually on the attack Blackwood not cutting it. Would like to see a transfer for a striker in January if possible. Nevertheless, heart fought victory by the roar, great defending considering under they were under the pump 95% of the game. Much needed 3 points.

Okay, we’ll take an undeserved win. But Football is just a stupid game - Adelaide didn’t deserve to win in R2 but did, Roar didn’t deserve to win today, but did. Maybe if we could fix that little anomaly the NRL/AFL fans the ffa are so keen on might come and watch?