It’s fair to say the weekend just gone was one of the most enjoyable for Glory fans in quite a long time.
Stephen Peters’ side played arguably their best game of the season to come home with a 3-1 victory against the Wanderers, and then Adam Griffiths’ side definitely played their strongest game in years, convincingly dispatching the Mariners 3-0 in entertaining fashion.
Tonight presents a vastly different challenge for Griff, as his side attempt to back up their impressive outing from last week in a clash with a physically imposing Brisbane side, hungry to get back on the winners list.
The women have the task of taking on the Mariners this time around, a much tougher proposition in comparison to the men’s side. Being on the road adds a little more difficulty to the challenge too.
The sideline battle in the men’s is sure to be just as interesting as the storylines on the pitch. Prepare yourselves for a very tasty affair.
Can the Glory avoid playing into Brisbane’s hands?
Johan Cruyff famously said, “football is a game you play with your mind”. An accurate assessment from one of the greatest minds the game has ever seen.
Perhaps never truer or as important a factor to an A-League match as it is when facing the new look, uncompromising Brisbane Roar.
Much of the Roar’s success up to this point has been grinding teams down for long periods of time, frustrating them with their physicality and defensive doggedness.
Those elements have somewhat faded in the last month, not to mention the small problem of failing to find the net in their last three matches.
However, as Sydney and Adelaide have shown, getting on top early and then defending deep has proved successful when coming over to Perth.
For Adam Griffiths and the players, the need to start on a positive note is enhanced. The Roar are vulnerable; seizing the initiative by scoring early will set the tone for the rest of the match.
The opposite is also true. If the Roar get into the lead quickly, they’ll be in the box seat and can utilise the dark arts they’ve become known for.
Not getting sucked into Brisbane’s antics will hold the Glory in good stead. If they play the game on their terms, they’re much more likely to walk away with three points.
Who wins the youthful midfield battle?
Brisbane’s midfield two in their defeat to Auckland contained a 21-year-old and a 20-year-old. In the Glory’s victory against the Central Coast, the midfield two consisted of a 21-year-old and an 18-year-old.
In both instances, injuries forced the younger of the two to step into the starting lineup for the first time in their careers.
With Jay O’Shea sidelined, Noah Maieroni was thrust into 90 minutes of action after a handful of substitute appearances this season. He was steady without being spectacular.
Giovanni De Abreu on the other hand was brilliant. 3/3 successful dribbles, 6/7 ground duels won and 93% passing accuracy the headline stats for the academy graduate.
As for their counterparts, Samuel Klein and Rhys Bozinovski have established themselves as regulars for their respective sides.
Both are strong at multiple facets of the game, combining a goalscoring touch with effective dribbling and tenacity in their defensive duties.
The midfield tussle always has an influence on the winner at the end of the night. Seeing these guys go at it with their youthful exuberance should be exciting.
And for the Glory girls…
Can they stop the Mariners talented forwards?
In the one game the Glory have lost in their last five, the deciding factor was a star striker with an eye for the goals.
Holly McNamara was the one who did all the damage a couple of weeks ago in Melbourne. This week, Stephen Peters has an equally proficient attacking weapon to attempt to contain.
The Mariners are the second highest scoring team in the league, largely down to the efforts of Annalise Rasmussen, the golden boot leader with eight to her name.
Also at their disposal are Peta Trimis, who has six goal contributions to her name, and Isabel Gomez, the assist queen of the league with five.
The foundation of the Glory’s recent success at home has been in defence. The attacking elements are taking shape, and need to be shown more frequently.
When it comes to this game though, defence matters more. The Glory girls have conceded three goals in each of their previous three away outings, and this Central Coast side are more than capable of doing the same.
Predicted lineup
Lawrence – Taggart
Pennington – De Abreu – Bozinovski – Ostler
Sutton – Wootton – Kaltak – Shamoon
Sutton
All images courtesy of Tom McCarthy.
