R15 vs Brisbane Roar | Sat 18th Jan | 7:00pm | SS7

Just watching for the first time and no one is at high intensity. And we've done enough to win that. Gotta be more clinical. Maybe a few  communication issues at times, but...hopefully put the next one away. Hard to find scapegoats there. Feels like a smash and grab.

I agree with NP. Most of our best opportunities in the 2nd half involved Hooper, and that was only after Ball came on. Hooper does his best work in and around the box and he didn't have a lot to work with until Ball came into the game and started providing some ammo from wider positions. Hooper is a goalscorer, he needs the service. He does a lot of good things but he's never gonna be the guy who's charging around all over the pitch like Ball is. Roy Krishna is gone, guys. The problem is for Talay to work out how to get the best out of Hooper, when that happens the goals will come. If it doesn't happen,Hooper might well have to be on the bench.

Agreed.  It looks like skilful players like Ball and Piscopo may be the best answer to that question.  Sotirio and McCowatt have the energy and speed but they (especially Sotirio) may not read the ball movement as well as the other two. And Davila is going to benefit from the skilled players' service more than from fast players' service, too.

When do we get Piscopo back?

From what I gather he returns after the Jets game - during the bye week.

Still think its very much a work in progress. People seem to forget combinations and learning where guys like the ball and reading a guys touches dosnt happen overnite. These guys havnt been together that long its obvious from some things we have seen it's coming together. . Think many are to quick to right guys off its coming shark we have wai0ted a long time for this style of play. Have patience people.

Late in games against Sydney and Brisbane there was (from my angle) a simple tap-in needed after a goal-bound shot went rolling parallel to the white line. If that is correct then it is either inexperience on part of the nearest young player (Waine?) watching it roll past, or a kind of respect  - not stealing someone else's likely goal.

totaly agree, I think both Waine and Mcowatt have missed simple tap ins when the shot has been sent across....commentators have made the same point a couple of times now across several games.

It was Piscopo who should have been following in at the back post when Davila missed against Sydney FC.

I'd  like to see a few on here performing with continuous high intensity in a very hot environment with high humidity and it pissing down with rain - for a full 90 minutes. Let's be realistic, it won't happen, especially if you are not brought up in that type of climate.

We lost, but we didn't lose due to crap performance, that's the important part.

We dominated them away, in difficult situations.  I will be more concerned if we performed badly.

It happens in football, and we need to be more patient with the players.

Which is why there are no excuses against the Jets this weekend.

yeah, we need to smash the jest this friday!

I reckon the hot, muggy night in Brisbane is the A-league equivalent of a cold, wet night in Stoke. You're always going to be at risk of dropping points there, even when playing generally well. Bring on Friday.

Lets hope you are right. They lost to City last week but were the better side. Won't be easy.

I hope Ball remains fit to play.  

Was the decision to take Sotirio off against Brisbane purely tactical, or was there any suggestion of anything else? He ran a lot against Brisbane so I would not be surprised if he was simply more exhausted from the humidity than others. 

How is Cacace faring after that game? He looked like he had a niggle and was subbed.

I'd like to see that too. Especially if it's me. Be like 20 again. No worries. 

But then you bums would just want me to do it again next week. 

Reckon our players are too smart. Stuff themselves proper only in a final. 

Sotirio was probably due to the knock he took, same with libby.

I dont get the hate on Hooper. He could be fitter for sure, but hes bringing plenty to the team, for a start he's doing things that Waine, McCowatt and Sotirio aren't doing, for all their future promise.  The reason we lost was not down to Hooper, and the reason we didn't score when dominant in the first half was not down to Hooper.

welcome back Royz, 

but I think its a little unfair to suggest that Hooper "can't score to save himself" - he has two already.

side note- enjoyed Kosmina's insight a lot 

Many don't like him but he's far more knowledgeable than any of the other Fox Sport pundits. I really enjoy his comments about the more technical and tactical aspects of a game.

Agreed - he also seemed to be very fair in his assessments and have no bias whatsoever unlike other commentators.

And had some great tactical insights.

I'm not a fan in general, but thought he was good on Saturday.

shark, didn't mean to 'this' this. Just Royz being Royz

Fowler called for  LUCK n luck went his way.