Just START Rojas (now with added Kosta)

more than proved hes up to aleague standard. nice to have him playing from the start and build a commanding lead as opposed to the usual bring him on with 20 to go when we are 2 down. shame Kosta wasnt given the same opportunity as those two together would be a head ache for any defence

I'd caution everyone from getting hyping up Marco (too much* - he's had a good start, but the real test is if he continues on with it . Have seen it a few too many times - young player has a couple of good games then fades away. He's got sh*tloads of potential though, no doubt

marco has just taken the opportunities better than Kosta

Debatable. To say the least.

you need to say less

Eh?

I guess Kosta was always billed as a 'striker' so therefore we expected goals from him and he was played quite centrally.
Given the width and freedom hes getting at the Roar is bringing out his best and I think this may be because this freedom means he isnt getting weighed down by the pressure of having to score every game.

I think the youth team has helped Ricki give him a chance too.

But 'our' expectations (by this I guess you mean fans') hardly had anything to do with how many chances and consistent a run Kosta was getting?

Im just keen to argue this one with you. Kosta started - but didnt show enough to nail down a spot. Marco prob has

Let's have a look at the stats - Kosta 21 games, 2 goals over 3 seasons (with most appearance off the bench). Marco 10 appearances (again, mostly off the bench), 1 goal over 2 seasons.

Can you honestly say that Kosta was poor when he played for the Nix? I can't - he always showed that he had talent, and was heavily involved in two of the best goal Phoenix ever scored (the equaliser against Adelaide in season 2, and Greenacre's goal against Jest last season). He was also never given a chance to have a consistent run - he was usually the first casualty when Ricki thought he needed a change in the squad, when he never really deserved it through his performance on the field.

el grapadura2010-12-20 21:15:45

Agree with grap on this - I don't remember Kosta ever having a *bad* game and when he came in he usually performed decently. I don't think he exploded onto the scene like Rojas has, though, but that is probably down to Kosta not being able to get any game time in a reserve side before hand and coming in cold.valeo2010-12-20 21:24:01

no he definitey wasnt poor. one of our best on occassions - but at the time I wasnt making a song and dance about him starting because his perfomances didn't demand inclusion. He has stepped his game up. I think Marco has earned a starting spot for the next game

Do you honestly think that Kosta couldn't have done the job that the likes of Daniel/Caceres/Leo have been asked to do over the past 3 seasons? Especially considering the amount of sh*t that's gone through the club in that period and was given numerous chances to prove otherwise?

There were plenty of times, especially in the first two seasons, when we could have given Kosta a consistent run of games and just told him to go for it and not to worry about being dropped the moment he makes a mistake, but this never really happened. Think Kosta's time here was mishandled, and the club's all the poorer for it. But at least it looks like the same mistake is not being made with Marco.el grapadura2010-12-20 21:41:14

I think Kosta has come on leaps and bounds since moving to the Roar - he was good with the Nix but not that good. I think he is benefiting from; playing with better players, playing for an attack minded coach and playing in a team that plays at speed.

rubbish!

he is scoring more for Roar than he did for McArthur Rams

Kosta never made the immediate impact Rojas has - he might be consistently better but ROLLIN ROLLIN ROLLIN ROJAAAAS

unfortuantly certain members of this forum expected Kosta to deliver hattricks every match. the same guys also turn a blind eye to poor performances by the likes of lia,daniel,bertos and brown regularly

Now that is straight-up bullsh*t- those players get attacked regularly. Usually it's justified, but just sayin.

He scored more for the Phoenix than he did for McArthur Rams too. And for the TWs, I might add.

Players get attacked for all sorts of reasons here - from criticism justified because of poor performance, to irrational rants about passing the ball backwards when surrounded by 4 opposition players instead of charging forward FIFA/ProEvo stylez. That's not the point.

What's irking me is that poorer players than Kosta have been given more chances to prove themselves, despite the fact that Kosta showed talent and great potential. Now, I agree that Ange has done a fantastic job with him (and with the whole Brisbane team over the past 12 months or so), and it just pains me that we failed to capitalise on Kosta's talent when we had plenty of opportunity to do so.

So now we're judging players based on how much press coverage they generate?

and the dozens of people who have come up to me wanting to talk about this rojas kid

And why weren't they coming up to talkt to you about him last week?

And will they want to talk about him next week if he's not involved in three Phoenix goals?

Because he hadn't played THAT performance last week. They'll continue to talk about him if he's playing well.

they were. and i haven't got a crystal ball. So I will stand by my call of bullsh*t that Kosta wasnt given the same opportunity as Marco. Nothing against Kosta

See that is kind of my point - Marco was very good for us before Saturday, and hopefully will continue to do so. But he had a good performance against a tired, depleted team that practically didn't turn up, we won 4-0, so everyone wants to talk about the greatest young player in NZ.

Kosta's good performances (just as an example, take those he scored in) came in a draw and a loss, which of course didn't generate anywhere near the positive press this game got, and this clearly means that Kosta didn't take his (few) chances as well as Marco did.

You're just having a yarn now

when on the ball marco pushes you to the edge of your seat as a spectator nearly every time.

When Kosta was on the ball playing for the phoenix he didnt do that to me

"basically you are basing all this on the player Kosta is now"

Erm, it's English - if you can't understand it, not my fault.

What I'm basing this on is the fact that Kosta has always been a good player - here or at Brisbane. The difference? He has more appearances for Brisbane in one season that he's had in 3 years with the Phoenix. How many goals did he have in his first 10 games for the Roar? He was given continuity, and the club showed faith in him and allowed him to build confidence. Obviously Ange's style of play helps him, but do people really believe Kosta couldn't have done this for the Phoenix? Do people honestly believe that Kosta went from a guy who shouldn't start for the Phoenix to one of the key players and goalscorers for Brisbane in just a short few months, just because of Ange? You really believe this?el grapadura2010-12-20 23:23:19

So Marco's style of taking people on is exciting, Kosta doesn't really do this in a same way, what does this have to do with anything?

Oh, and by the way, I've been crapping on about the need to play Kosta and give him an extended run since the last few weeks of season 1. If you can remember that far back.

But then again, what do I know.el grapadura2010-12-20 23:16:02

Angry Box.

Must be the shorts.

do you think Kosta was better in his first 7 games last season that marco has been this season? ACTUALLY

Don't think he was worse overall.