I like big Mac. Yes he not fast, but makes it up with experience and skill. You just need to service him in the box.

I wonder if we can use north or devere as a DM to screen. We really need kristensen. 

But as I keep on saying the fitness is criminal.

Get rid of D'Agostino, he is crap, cost you the game. Get in Holman and the French winger and you will be massively better going forward. Use FBK as an impact sub. Perhaps at times bring him on for Maccarone if he is tiring and push Skapetis up front. Keep North at RB, he did quite well with the other two centrally. Get Kristensen fit so he can play.

Most importantly get rid of D'Agostino.

Dont even get me started on the "poor training facilities" as an excuse.  

There are 100 plus soccerfields in this city, all of which would probably pay money to have the Roar train there and do a bit of engagement with their youngsters.  I havent been to Brisbane Lions field for ages, but it used be like absolute carpet. Plenty of others around the city are more than adequate for training. It certainly doesnt seem to worry the thousands of amateurs who tran on the pitches every week and dont seem to have any problems with soft tissue injuries. 

Yet in their wisdom, Roar decide to shell out heaps of money to a rival code so that they could train on a pitch which apparently suffers due to a dry winter and Rugby using it again.  I almost think they should be docked 2 points for going their in the first place and 2 further points for complaining and using training facilities as an excuse for turning up in poor condition. 

@ Bender

The training pitch is fine. It's not what JA remembers from his days in Spain nor is it what the club need but as an excuse it's piss poor. He used it last year when we had a string of games without a win and it just doesn't sit right.

The obvious retort is obviously when he moves to Logan in January he'll do nothing but win right lol

Slightly off topic. New WLeague supporters page:

https://m.facebook.com/The-Roar-Corps-285467301946138/?notif_t=fbpage_fan_invite¬if_id=1507947149188783&ref=m_notif

The Kiwi coach was obviously correct in his assessment of Ingham.So the question is what are the metrics used by Roars fitness coach.
We continually hear how McKay is the fittest player at Roar,yet his first two games have been rubbish.Constant turnovers with terrible passes.He wasnt alone,there were some shocking passes going forward.Absolutley aimless passes to noone.Is that fitness and the brian telling them to just hump it long and hope?
I like many others ,I was baffled that a legless BKF wasn't replaced first.
D'Agostino had the enrgy ,but he really dissappionted with his game.A whole preseason and he was poor in most things.
Skapetis just dissappered in the second half.(Fitness again?,but why,he had a full preseason)
McKay and Caletti as midfield screeners.That's a joke.Get someone in who can tackle and hold the ball for longer than a microsecond,under pressure..Kudos to Adelaide for closing them down.(Not that hard)just breath on them.
The backs were pretty good,except for aimless passes forward at times .The big Mac did all that was asked of him.
Jets next week.Yikes.

He looked lost in the game last week but last night he showed glimpses of a high quality footballer.  He was clearly getting frustrated when balls weren't played first time to him, I think once he and Holman start to gel we'll see some quality up front, as he already seems to ave an understanding with Skapetis.
The thing that concerns me is the lack of pace around big mac, he hold the ball up fantastically and when Skapetis and Daggers were off there was no one to run beyond him, FBK was stuff, Holamn plays in the pocket and no one else was taking the bit between the teeth.

We're entirely disjointed in midfield, the sooner Eric gets here and TK returns the better I feel, but it is feeling pretty grim at the moment.

Just watched CCM and WSW. Both significantly better than either of our performances. Long season ahead I fear.
Oh, and hope Aloisi was watching the derby. Might have learnt something about how to hold onto a lead.

We've never really had any quality facilities so why this is being tolerated as some kind of excuse I don't know. 

@ clockwork

ffs. City didn't show how to hold on to a lead - they sat deep and invited victory in, lucky it wasn't 2-2

Yes they sat deep. They didn't mindlessly continue to play as if they were the ones looking for another goal.

Article addressing the low crowd on Friday plus some attempts to quash the rumours started by Roars own coaching staff; bit fucking shambolic to be honest:

http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/football/brisbane-roar-blame-adelaide-united-drawing-power-for-poor-aleague-crowd-numbers/news-story/6e570a0ad2f763f4ff7339315ada4f42

$15,000 for one nights accom in Ballarat? Where the F Are these guys staying?

Let's say 20 players for a trial, 5 support staff. That's $600 per person for one night accom in Ballarat plus dinner, breaky and lunch.

Now extrapolate that for the season.

Think I found the problem.

Well, they've moved the preseason crisis in to the actual season - that's different.

I like a good twist. Only problem on field is not going to provide a decent distraction to the back room shit show. Now the shit on field to. Shit, shit everywhere.

God news.... French guy visa finally cleared and on his way down. I wonder if he will get payed....

"John Aloisi’s side are now winless in their last six games in all competitions dating back to last season – the longest drought in club history." .... this presumably excludes the penalty shot out win over wanderers in last years finals. JA is certainly wracking up a lot of "worst records" under his leadership

Which is why I said 5 rounds to get some wins. 

So we play Sunday. Hope he's fit and ready!

I wonder if some of gloss has come off the excitement of his new adventure for him.
Coming now very late into a team who has 2 losses, negative press, psychotic assistant coaches who stir shit, a sacked CEO....feeling a little more anxious than he did when he first tried to book his flights would only be natural.

He has been training with Len or Lille not sure but a Legue 1 team. So he should be fitter than the current Roar team.

We can't expect Bautheac to be fit,but at least he will give us some pace up front.The problem as Maccorroe has found is that the players behind are not good enough to get the ball forward with any accuracy.
Jets up next and we can almost bank on Petratos having a blinder against us.
I wonder if JA will stick with McKay and Caletti as screeners?
I'm thinking in an ideal world only one of those should play and they should sit in front of two DM's.But with no Kristensen,there are no obvious candidates.
I have no idea whether Oxborrow is good enough and I dont see any other options.Pepper is not up to standard.I still think one of the CB's should step up.Avram P?
I wonder what was going through JA's head during recruitment?..'We have Pepper now all we need is cover for him...hmmm...Oxborrow.'?
When he looked at McKay,Caletti and Kristensen,did he really think ,they would command midfield all season in attack and defence?The fittest player in the club(how hard is that at the moment),who has forgotton how to pass amd tackle,,a newby with great potential,but unable to make one tackle and a good dm slowly breaking apart.
I would be interested to know what JA has as a plan and how the players he has selected fit that plan amd like everyone what have they been doing during preseason?
I get the feeling he has lost control.Maybe he leaves defence to his brother and fitness to someone else,but has not adequately managed those subordinates?

So I am hearing that Kingsman was using his own money to help pay the players on time? Any truth to this?

Crimson, I would definitely screen the back 4 with either of the 2 wing backs , Ingam or O’Toole , both are physical (6ft+) and both look to be lightening quick , against Demi I think either would do a job .
Oxborrow don’t look too speedy to cover imo and Pepper has not been included in past 2 squads

If Kingsman was paying wages from his own pocket that raises two issues.One he is a liar and the Bakries would not be happy with being tainted or two he is truthful and one of the only CEO's in history to do this and the Bakries would not be happy with being tainted.Net result he gets fired for being a bigmouth and airing matters which should be kept behind closed doors.Who ever heard of CEO's talking about delecate financial matters in public of a private company who employed them ?.....Either way he is an idiot and deserves to be sacked for breaching confidentiality...nice guy or not.
How hard is it for the Bakries to find a professional CEO?

Crisis over before the weekend starts I'm told. Then we can just go back to worrying about the football.

Shame it was a good distraction.

Don't worry I'm sure there is more to come. 

Well yeah Mr B. Hopefully it's another 14 months or more before the next one

I heard he told Ross to stop bagging the club and punching people .... so John sacked him.