Two-time champions Brisbane plan to respond to a shocking turnover count in an embarrassing 1-0 A-League loss to Western Sydney with a slick display of ball control against in-form Adelaide United on Sunday.
Roar coach Rado Vidosic didn't have to probe too hard to find the cause of his player's out of character performance against the previously winless Wanderers last weekend when his team started the shortest priced favourites in A-League history.
With each mounting turnover from ill-directed and careless passes his players had to turn and chase the ball, eventually leaving them with little gas following two tough road trips to Perth and Wellington.
"We had more than 50 turnovers," said Vidosic.
"Quite a few of them were in the front third and players had to sprint 70 or 80 metres back, it took a lot of energy from them.
"Some guys lost 3.5 kilograms during the game because they were continually running back and not towards the opposition's goal."
The Roar coach, who will be under pressure with another defeat, defended the contributions of stars Thomas Broich and Besart Berisha who were not as dominant as usual.
"Both of them have got some niggling injuries," he said."
"Everyone can have a bad day. I don't think it was only those two, I think most of the players had a day off. It was just one of those nights."
Brisbane could drop to near or on the bottom of the A-League ladder with another loss at Suncorp Stadium on Sunday.
But Vidosic said he wasn't looking at the game as being vital.
"I try not to put pressure on players with must-win orders," he said.
Adelaide United and the Newcastle Jets have set the standard early in the season while Brisbane's only highlight was a 5-0 thrashing of former coach Ange Postecoglou's Melbourne Victory.
Vidosic's son, Dario, is a key player in Adelaide's attack and his father knows his style and the danger he poses.
When he was Postecoglou's assistant with Brisbane he would say it would be alright if his son scored a goal against him as long as Brisbane won.
"Nothing has changed," he laughed this week.
"If he scores one or two and we score four or five that's OK."
Roar captain Matt Smith said the players were bitterly disappointed with their effort against Western Sydney and are looking forward to bouncing back against joint ladder leaders Adelaide.
"We're have all talked about what happened last week and I know I'm pumped for this game," said Smith.
No comments:
Post a Comment