Perth Glory will head to Suncorp Stadium on Sunday bruised and battered.
They have dropped their last two games, firstly falling to an at-the-time winless Western Sydney, before (more painfully) going down to Melbourne Victory 2-0 in the FFA Cup Final. With just one victory in the A-League so far this season, they travel to Brisbane hoping to get back on track.
Unfortunately for them, this is not the same Roar side who evoked the spirit of Steven Bradbury last year, by skating into the finals only due to Perth’s disqualification. With John Aloisi at the helm, the Roar have started on fire, taking 10 points from a possible 15 to find themselves sitting in second place, scoring 10 goals along the way. Bursting at the seams with firepower in the final-third, Perth’s defence will have to be on their toes all game long.
Despite former Glory man Jamie Maclaren’s absence for the clash, his loss has been levelled by the leg injury sustained by Dino Djulbic. The big centre-half, who won Perth’s Most Glorious Player award last season, has picked up where he left-off and is enjoying some strong performances at the heart of Perth’s defence. While Michael Thwaite is still as classy as they come at centre-back, Djulbic is a massive loss. Replacing him is former Portsmouth youngster Alex Grant, an unknown quantity in the A-League.
With Josh Risdon absent due to Socceroos duty, Perth’s right back spot is up in the air. Marc Warren or Anthony Golec could start there after spending time at left-back already this season, whilst recent signing Aryn Williams is also a chance. Diogo Ferriera is another option, having played at fullback at times during his A-League career. None of the quartet are as solid defensively as Risdon, and neither do they possess his attacking prowess. To make matters even worse, they will be going up against one of the league’s best wide men in Thomas Broich. Despite being 34, the German maestro is as crafty as ever, and expect him to be licking his lips at the prospect of taking on a Risdon-less Perth.
On the other side of the park, Brandon Borrello’s continued emergence as a quality A-League attacker is one reason Brisbane have averaged two goals a game this season. After finding the net four times in his first five games, the forward has already equalled his total from 2014-15. His pace and guile up top is a handful for any defender, given Perth’s lack of pace in defence, he is another who could cause some havoc.
Arguably one of the early front-runners for the signing of the season, Spanish midfielder Corona has been sweeter than the beverage with which he shares his name. He’s been one of the reasons the Roar have turned it around after last year’s disappointing season, with his wide range of distribution being a welcome addition at Suncorp Stadium. If the midfielder is given time and space, look for him to dissect Perth’s defence with his pinpoint passing, allowing the likes of Broich, Borrello and Dimitri Petratos to get in behind enemy lines.
In some promising news for the Roar, Henrique is set to make his first appearance of 2015-16. After a long injury lay-off, ‘the Slippery Fish’ will most likely start from the bench, but expect the Brazillian to make an impact if given the chance. His speed and trickery in the final-third has constantly caused opponents problems, and the Roar will be delighted to see him back on the field, further bolstering their already numerous attacking options. If Aloisi throws him into the fray late off the bench, it would be no surprise to see him make an impact on his first game in seven months.
Given the wealth of options Brisbane have going forward, expect Perth’s strong defence to be in for a challenge. Losing Risdon and Djulbic for this game is a big blow, especially given the lack of quality depth at at the club. WhileThwaite remains a quality defender, he canno’t do it all at the back. Given the movement and speed Brisbane possess, it is imperative the defence stays compact and the full backs make sure they’re not charging forward blindly. If Brisbane can exploit any space behind the defence, it could be a long day at the office for Perth.
What are your thoughts? Let us know by dropping a comment below via our Facebook comment box. Make sure you follow us on Twitter @Outside90 and like us on Facebook.
