After Match Week 6 of the 2020-21 A-League season, Brisbane Roar sat second on the ladder after stringing together four consecutive victories.
It was an impressive run and one littered with attractive goals and the product of coach Warren Moon’s effective game plan.
The obvious markers of the Roar’s play were keeping the tempo of matches at an uncomfortably high level for opponents, pressing frantically when required and adopting a trigger happy approach in the final third.
It served them well and despite an opening week 1-0 loss to Melbourne City in Redcliffe, the net began to bulge with comforting frequency. Wins over Melbourne Victory, Newcastle Jets, Adelaide United and the hapless Victory for a second time brought 13 goals and saw just five conceded.
At that time, most in the A-League world were chuffed to see the powerful orange juggernaut potentially returning to its former glory, as well as being utterly entertained by the style and brand of football that Moon had them playing.
At the crux of the success was Dylan Wenzel-Halls, a somewhat divisive player when it comes to the broad array of opinions around his value and potential long term success in the competition.
However, a revitalised Joey Champness, a pair of obviously talented Japanese imports and the gifted Irishman Jay O’Shea also had something to say about the successful run as Brisbane became, Mariners aside, the talk of the A-League community.
No doubt some of the kernels of the success were laid the season prior by former manager Robbie Fowler, despite his eventual non-attendance, and a fourth place finish in 2019-20 should have clearly indicated that Brisbane had improved considerably on some of the dark seasons of recent times.
Yet just when the old cliché of darkest hours coming right before glorious dawns full of hope and positivity seemed to have come true, things have very briskly headed south and the solution is proving extremely difficult to locate and activate.
The Roar have not won since that run; towelled up by Macarthur 2-0, thumped by Perth in the west 3-1 and beaten by Western United on Sunday with a solitary goal.
In between, scoreless draws with the Jets and Sydney FC, along with a 1-1 draw against the Sky Blues in a return fixture up north have perpetuated a sudden fall down the ladder.
Brisbane Roar now sit outside the six at the mid-point of the season, a whopping ten points in arrears of Central Coast.
Based on recent results it would be easy to suggest that something is fundamentally wrong, that the team is riddled with injury concerns or VAR has conspired to rob them of point after point. However, nothing could be further from the truth.
Barring the comfortable loss to Perth the Roar have been in every contest; appearing likely and hopeful of snatching a levelling or winning goal until the dying moments of added time. Yet unlike earlier in the season, the ball just will not find the net.
Chances are being created, the strikers are letting rip when they see it and there is absolutely no evidence that the team is significantly underperforming or working any less enthusiastically than it was just a month ago.
The for and against statistics are an awful read, with just two goals scored in their last six matches and a total of seven conceded. It all adds up to the most Jekyll and Hyde season to this point and does raise a serious question around whether some of the early excitement may have been a little misplaced.
(Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images)
Are the two wins against a now forlorn Melbourne Victory worth far less than what we first thought? Was the success on the road in Newcastle merely a case of three points that a top six contender should pick up comfortably?
Is it also fair to say that their results against teams we can now confirm as serious top six contenders seem rather shaky and flimsy? Beaten by City on opening day, Macarthur FC in Redcliffe and losing away to Perth and Western United, Brisbane’s only recent highlights have been the two draws with the champions Sydney; a team who was also having problems creating chances and finding the net.
Perhaps it is merely a confidence thing. However, the short term future could well provide the answers, with Roar next slated to face an improving Wellington, the dangerous Western United once again, the resilient Wanderers, the red hot Melbourne City and Central Coast on the road.
Should the northerners come thought those matches with a bag of points their season will be back on track. Should they not, many will realise that they went off a little too soon about the Brisbane Roar.
Kanggas2
Roar Rookie
As a Mariners and massive A league fan John , you would be aware that Adelaide got 3 dodgy penalties against then just 3 weeks ago in Adelaide. Anyhow, great to see you back commenting on the football.
coolncold
Roar Rookie
JB, I am not Will, the one who use Will as the alias here. I am cool and cold. I have changed my alias a number of times here. I used to call you JB Hi Fi. If you remember, you know me. Regards
Stuart Thomas
Expert
I'm sure you are joking but frantically searching the WWW in the hope that you are not.
Lionheart
Roar Rookie
wasn't Sam linked to Mariners a few years back?
jbinnie
Guest
coolncold -I am just an average fan of football and not too bright obviously in your eyes. Again that's an opinIon and you are entitled to that opinion, so let's end it there before we send Stuart into woop -woop land. Cheers jb. PS You never did tell me if you were, or are, "WILL" so I'll never know. jb.
Punter
Roar Rookie
Haha, you funny you.
Stuart Thomas
Expert
There is a place for Sam Allardyce in the A-League. I'm sure of it.
Stuart Thomas
Expert
I'm going back to the start of this conversation. Now I'm confused!
Stuart Thomas
Expert
I actually thought he headed him intentionally, attempting to create the kind of situation I mentioned above and a free pass. He cleverly went down, knowing it was his only chance. I'm not sure the hands in the back did much at all. Interesting moment though and poor Simon, he's been copping that sort of stuff for years and never retaliated once!! :silly: :silly:
Lionheart
Roar Rookie
best have a talk to Pep, he’s a big fan and has him streets ahead in the epl and that goal of the round last week, already labelled goal of the season, which was applauded by all fans, that was spectacular because it was a longball!!!
coolncold
Roar Rookie
JB, Akbari was substituted in 2 minutes after the goal lost. Are they the same men before the goal lost? Are the formation the same? I have to give you full marks for persisting without fully understand.
jbinnie
Guest
coolncold- I have to give you full marks for persistent. If you go back to my statement I said the team you cited actually "played" last week. You will note I did not cite a time or content in when your selection 'played' simply that the men you mentioned had "played together " and still lost the game. Cheers jb
coolncold
Roar Rookie
How can “no striker” be new? Ange Postecoglou played 4-2-2-2 when he was in Melbourne Victory. Archie Thompson was one of the wingers. I cannot remember the other one. In a 4-2-2-2 formation, there is no centre forward. Archie Thompson scored some goals as a winger. The left winger passes to the the ball to the right winger to score during counter attack. According to wiki, this formation was used by France under Michel Hidalgo at the 1982 World Cup and Euro 1984, and later by Henri Michel at the 1986 World Cup.
NoMates
Roar Rookie
Agree and have said it a few times already, Roar tend to use 1970s longball and actually like Sydney FC are quite boring to watch.
coolncold
Roar Rookie
JB, Formation of last week was different. It was a 3-4-3 not 3-5-2 …. Trewin…………..Aldred…………..Gillesphey…………… Hingert …… O’Shea…………..Daley………..Brown ……Danzaki, ……Wenzel-Halls……….Champness The goal lost happened at 72’, and Akbari was substituted in at 74′, 2 minutes later. Akbari substitute Daley actually. Then how can my 3-5-2 be the same as the formation last week?
jbinnie
Guest
Andy- "Long ball" is a subject which you must examine closely before using it to ridicule a player or a team. When a player is put under extreme pressure, and knowing he has no second defender behind him, he can use 2 balls, one a back pass to his keeper or fellow defender, which immediately stunts any attack move that was forming , His other alternative of course is to boot the ball as far up the field as he can ,thereby reducing the pressure on him. So, next time you see a "long ball" being used, make sure the player involved is not under the pressure I describe. Cheers jb.
jbinnie
Guest
coolncold.- Have I to assume from your comment you are ,or are acquainted with, Will, who I had asked to explain his idea of "nice football." You see until one gets an idea of what a fellow supporter of the game means by such a statement it is difficult to assess what he means. You for some reason or another have decide to argue my comment and ,while agreeing that the right defensive position is troublesome you go on to cite a team which in fact played last week in the loss to Wests Utd. !!!! Your opinion of the coach is your opinion and to that you are entitled but to suggest this site should not be about thesis but for blogs perhaps it is your turn to explain what a blog is, and what it is intent on doing . Cheers jb.m
jbinnie
Guest
Lionheart - the 3 man backline has been around for a few years now and I suppose it is a natural progression. the change from a 3-5-1-1 to a 3- 7-0 line up as long as you have the correct players doing the correct jobs. Just remember ,when watching an EPL game today you are watching players who are way above the standard of the lads playing in our A-League and I don't supposes it matters to the manager of an EPL who scores the goals as long as the team are functioning to the system. Play anywhere is not a new idea. It may surprise you but the idea actually germinated in Russian football and was based on a theory that had its origins in Austria where they "employed" a system called the Viennese Whirl, which had as it's basis, the idea that a player could conserve a huge amount of energy by just playing in the field position his movement had taken him. It first appeared in a limited way when the Moscow Dynamos toured Britain in 1945 and never lost a game. Needless to say the head honchos in British football put these defeats down to the war and had to wait another 9 years before the Hungarians hammered home the message. Cheers jb.
coolncold
Roar Rookie
His comment on O’Shea support’s on the whole idea of his comment about needing a good central distributor. His comment on Danzaki means this young man should develop more on distributing and creativity. His comment Wenzel Halls may mean Wenzel Halls should develop more on distribution, assisting and creativity. So, Wenzel Halls may change to play a mid-fielder at the later stage of his career. Yes, Akbari is one of the young players who can shoot. Therefore, the coach can consider him playing the attacking role. Again, he should be trained to be more creative and distributive. Most of the goals lost in this season start with the weakness at the right back. This may be associated with the departure of Scott Neville. This is a place for blogs not thesis. Therefore, he does not have to link his 4 comments on the 4 players with the comment on the coach necessarily. to my idea the coach is alright because he is young and new. That means it is better to give suggestions for him to consider. Consider: Change 3-4-3 to 3-5-2 ………………. Trewin…………..Aldred…………..Gillesphey…………… Hingert …… Akbari…………….O’Shea…………..Daley………..Brown ……………………………….Danzaki………..Wenzel-Halls As said, most of the ball lost started from the weakness on the right back. With double wing-backs (Hingert and Akbari), the problem can hopefully be solved. In a 3-4-3 formation, Trewin (just 19) may not be sure when to play as a full back and when as a right back. For a young full back, It is hard to reach the level of Avraam Papadopoulos or Jade North. Papadopoulos might reach the right side line sometimes.
AndyAdelaide
Roar Rookie
how is longball football "nice"? we're in the entertainment business people, Brisbane roar and their fans don't seem to realize this still lol