ROAR REVIEW | Top Of The Table Clash

The tumult of the off-season was briefly cast aside as two goals from Jamie Maclaren and a third from Daniel Bowles gave Brisbane the first points of the 2014-15 season, seeing the Roar sit top of the A-League table after first week of the new season.
Perhaps most pleasing for Aloisi was the form of his two signings, with midfielder Corona and striker Maclaren playing a key part in the result. The Spaniard showed his class on the opening weekend with his passing range and ability with the dead ball adding an extra dimension to the Brisbane midfield, one which was desperately needed following the departure of Luke Brattan.
Maclaren meanwhile showed that Brisbane may have found a replacement for Berisha after putting in a very impressive performance up front. His movement off the ball, and work rate in defence were a feature of the performance, and as the season progresses should see Brisbane get back to that high pressing game which proved so successful.
Aloisi’ third signing, Spaniard Javier Hervas is about a month away from action as he seeks to build up his fitness with the round six home game against Perth looking likely for his debut.

Defensively there’s no doubt some work to be done for Brisbane with the Wanderers creating numerous chances which they should arguably have done better with, but with James Donachie and Shane Stefanutto set to return in the coming weeks the reinforcements are on the way.
Round two see’s Brisbane play their first home game of the season against Central Coast, and I’m not sure anyone would have picked that to be a top of the table encounter. The Mariners had a solid win over the Glory at the weekend with wide players Mitch Austin and Fabio Ferreira impressing, and their speed and pace in wide areas looms as the biggest threat for Brisbane who showed their susceptible to being attacked in those areas by the Wanderers.

In addition to the home opener in the A-League, the W-League also kicks off this weekend, with a double header at Suncorp Stadium on Sunday afternoon as Brisbane take on defending champions Canberra United.

Brisbane’s squad is much changed after last season’s disappointment which saw the Roar miss the finals for the first time, with a host of experienced names moving on. Coming in are a bunch of young players from the NPL women’s competition who’ve been in and around the set-up in years past, while the signing this week of Seattle Reign goalkeeper Haley Kopmeyer will go some way to replacing the retiring Nadine Angerer in goals.

Sunday looms as a big day for Brisbane supporters, with a double header at Suncorp Stadium, before a rare opportunity to enter the playing surface at full-time of the A-League clash with the Roar taking a ‘family’ photo which will see all three of the clubs teams and the members in the one shot.

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