That's simply not true. Just because we played on the counter against you and smacked you 4-1 doesn't mean we did it every week. I can remember one game against Perth away that season where we had nearly 70% possession and lost 3-1. We created nothing and only scored from a Diogo Ferreira own goal.

@ sub007

I don’t get why you’re so defensive about it?

Adelaide played some wonderful football that season, even in those first 8 rounds there was a good team not quite clicking, they just did it without possession based football which - like Roar - was kinda Adelaide’s mantra under Gombau.

Mulvey was fired for trying to change Roars football “philosophy” from Ange-ball to this type of counter attacking style, he could see the writing on the wall and here we are as a club four years later still caught between two styles.

And you look at many of the Roar forums and fans are complaining not enough possession/not enough passes/not like Ange’s side. Even our fans haven’t moved on.

I'm not being defensive. I'm pointing out that we didn't play on the counter every week. The way that we would play depended on the opposition. Against you and WSW we would play on the counter but against other sides, we would keep possession.

Plenty of articles at the time pointed out you did play counter attacking football, plenty of fox pundits admired Adelaide’s counter attacking style at the time ... but you saw something different, that’s fine.

Any reason why we’re not using an injury replacement spot if Holman is going to be out for so long?

Buijs btw would be an excellent pickup IMO.

@BRFC

No idea. Preseason once the squad was formed there was talk of them signing in the January window, possibly even a marquee/visa player.

I don’t know if not signing an injury replacement is part of that plan or whether they just haven’t found anyone?

Holman is on a decent wicket, eh?  Twilight of his career, nothing to prove, getting paid a packet to never play.

Yeah, Holman will be on decent coin - not the biggest but I’d say that $120-$150k bracket. While he’s not playing insurance will be paying that and I wonder if it comes off the cap and that’s why they haven’t it replaced him?

Might be time to let Holman go, seems to be very injury prone now. That's no disrespect to him, it's just the way it can be towards the end of your career.
I'm happy with the personnel and unless it's a really Top signing I doubt we'll see a replacement.

Yeah Holman was a mistake. It’s easy to say in hindsight, but had he have been fit and come off the bench and bagged a couple of winners we’d all be happy enough ... he’s had at least a couple of knee operations in the last 3-4 months so really can’t see him coming back now.

The was a weird game wasn't it?. Maybe City were just a lot shittier than Roar.  As I mentioned elsewhere, I can't remember Roar stringing 3 or 4 passes together.  It was reminding me of the pre Ange days.  I don't mind counter-attacking football, but it seems that the Roar get the ball and then look for a long diagonal pass straight away. The defense still looks vulnerable to concentration lapses (a better team eg Perth would have had 2 against the Roar).  And for all that, there were tonnes of chances created by the Roar.  Not sure what to think.  The next three games (Adelaide, Newcastle and Victory) will give us a better indication if they can do anything this year.

Also the Devere situation sucks if the rumoured fallout is true.  Really rate him as a defender.


. 

@ aok

I saw Roar string some beautiful passing moves together. There was some really good football played even though we played the game without the ball much of the time.

There were occasions when the passing moves didn’t work, they seemed a little too prescriptive rather than free flowing ie they’d make the pass even if it wasn’t on sometimes.

There were other occasions when there were clearly no options on so they’d hoof the ball forward and turn over possession. To my eye this was intentional - “if there’s no options boys, roll the dice and see what happens and if we turn it over just rinse n repeat”.

This is Aloisi’s football - and this is what he needs to stick too. Somehow he’s got caught between his style and Roarcelona and he’s got to stop it.

Roar fans don’t like not having possession, don’t like counter attacking football, but if that’s JAs style just JFDI and either win, we n and win again or go down all guns blazing.

The change out of Bowles for Pepper seemed to work. We still seemed vulnerable down the right side but maybe that’s because Hingerts being asked to go forward (but note Avram nearly gave a penalty away because we were exposed, almost identical to WSW).

There’s a good side trying to break out of this team - can Aloisi do it is the big question?

I think that's a bit rough mate. I thought Roar were ok, regardless.
Yes we'd like to see more but it was an improvement for sure, and that's what we are hoping for week to week.
Bautheac, Taggart, Young, Lopez, Mauk, Papa are as good as anyone in those positions in the league.
And Mikks looking better also.
So I think if it comes together it'll be awesome.
Maybe Aloisi has decided that sitting s little deep and looking for counters is the way.
You can play a high tempo possession game but if you get nothing out of it because the opponent sits in, you may well be caught on the counter yourself....or become fatigued too early and struggle in the last 20 and become vulnerable.
I'd love to know Aloisi s thinking and game plans.

Waz, I watched the  game 1.5 times (we had friends over when the game was on, so couldn't really concentrate on the the game and I recorded it).  I watched the recorded version yesterday and can't remember a string of passes numbering more than three.  I'm going to re-watch it and actually see how many times there's a string of passes (more than 3) and let you know :)  If counter-attacking football is what JA wants, then I am OK with that, but they appeared a little one dimensional and disjointed.   As I said, I will re-watch.


Jimo8, I agree that the players you mentioned are outstanding (especially Lopez, who I think will just keep getting better as the season goes on).  I also agree, there is nothing wrong with counter attacking football, and I'm pretty sure JA (or one of the other coaches) had said his intention was to have the Roar super fit and running over the top of other teams in the final 20.


At the end of the day, the Roar got the result and that is a big improvement on the previous 4 games.  

@ aok

I think you’re being a little harsh on Roars performance that’s all, not that your comments/concerns aren’t necessarily valid as it was far from perfect.

That was Roars game, there was only one winner (although it would only have taken a moment if brilliance from city to change things - how they missed flop-n-rolli lol)

Considering the shit we have been playing this was a nice result and had many good moments .
I think possession is highly overrated at present . It was great back in Ange's day but teams have moved on and now have learned to simply park the bus against it... and they are good at it.
Sitting back allows the other team to open up at the back and lets our attackers have a good go .
I actually think the Roars style yesterday was quite good. We let them come at us and defended well. We also caught them out quite a few times on the counter. Once we get a few more scorers on the sheet and confidence grows we may start to convert more of these.
It's a snow ball effect .
The jury is still out for me on whether JA can manage a team.
He is probably a good coach... i.e. he can run good sessions and improve the players football...but can he manage a game situation and think on the run and come up with a plan B if an opposition coach does the unexpected ?
I am not yet convinced of that ....but hey....we won and it was a good win ...
I was pleased for JA yesterday ...it was embarrassing seeing him trot out the excuses each week until now .

I need to correct my earlier post. After watching the game again, the count for 4 or more passes was 15 times during the whole game. Anyway, here's hoping to results continuing.

I’m impressed you watched it back 👏👏

fair call

Talking about passing , I heard someone going on about Honda having 90 successful passes or so ( might have been Muskrat) but I watched the game and so many of Hondas passes were the easy ball backward, that's fine but one good penetrating successful ball forward is better than 10 backward.
Of course the odds of success have to be weighed up,.........but my point is depending on what the game plan might be at any time in the game that risk changes and the turnovers might be worth the risk if deep into the opponents half, if you can win it back etc etc.

I think this played a part in that game. Roar seemed keen to get that second goal to me. So I think that risk was accepted and hence stringing passes together may not be the first priority in many cases.

It seemed City were stringing passes together but getting nowhere.

What do others think?

Only 1 in 4 of Honda’s passes have gone forward this season. Likely a function of the role he’s been asked to play but his passing isn’t as high a standard as Lopez.

Some interesting stats from Sportsmate’s match preview:


Brisbane Roar have won their last two games on the bounce against Adelaide United; the last time they won more was a four-game streak across 2012 and 2013.

Brisbane Roar picked up a 2-1 win in their last game against Adelaide in South Australia, snapping a four-game winless run in the state (D1, L3).

None of Adelaide’s five games so far this campaign have seen the home team win on the day (home team - D2, L3); with each of their last three fixtures won by the away team on the day.

Brisbane Roar have conceded two or more goals in each of their last six games away from home, picking up just one win in that time (D2, L3).

According to Opta’s Expected Goals Against metric, Adelaide United and Brisbane Roar should have each conceded seven goals so far this campaign; however, they’ve each conceded just five - the best overperformance of any team in the competition.

Brisbane Roar have conceded just one second-half goal this campaign, fewer than any other team in the competition.

Adelaide’s Craig Goodwin is the only player so far this season to have made 10 or more crosses in open play (16), total shots (inc. blocks) (14) and tackles (10).

Adam Taggart (Brisbane) has scored five goals in five games this season, taking his career tally to 45; his next goal will see him surpass Kosta Barbarouses, Bruce Djite, and teammate Henrique to become the 9th most prolific goal scorer in A-League history.

I am quietly confident about Friday.

I think we can get the win. Just have to be solid like last week, and clinical up front as I don't think Adelaide will give us too many chances.

I am not confident at all so feel the same about the game.

I don't think we have the team to get many points at home. 

Without a big striker we have a team to counterattack and not much else but at home we try to control the game and hold the ball but when we do we are completely impotent.

Yeah, I think Adelaide are a team to fear away from home but may struggle at home until the striker issue is fixed.

Roar though have a habit of giving dangerous free kicks away so with Goodwin you never know.

Both sides need the win to keep pace with Glory.

I think we'll go ok against Adelaide. Everyone's fit and Mauk is back (I think).
I'm guessing team is
Young
Hingert Papa Bowles OToole
Kristensen Lopez
Mauk
Beautheac Taggs Mikks

Not that hard to guess......maybe Mauk & Lopez to swap positions tho I doubt it.
I'd be inclined to try it tho at least till Mauk gets into the game.

I think you’re right on the team.

Although Lopez has to be pulled back, when he goes too far forward he can’t control the game. Same with Mark tbh - he’s been getting sucked in to the attack, almost like a false 9, meaning he’s been less effective.

Lopez at 6 controlling the flow of the game and Mauk at 10 bossing the midfield is our most effective game plan imo

If Mauk will start, it will be interesting to see how our pressing changes. One of the highlights of the last couple of games has been McKay putting the other teams defenders under pressure, which we hadn't been doing much with Mauk in the team. 
Hopefully Aloisi instructs the same from Mauk, and Mauk can match McKay's engine. 

Yes Mackay has been effective in that position to my surprise. I reckon Mauk can do it too.
Hoping for big effort from the boys, win lose or draw.

Mauk not included in the squad. Wonder if he is not fit again yet or something more going on