Adelaide United coach Josep Gombau said he is concerned for the club’s fans after seeing his side succumb to its fifth loss of the season.
Adelaide United coach Josep Gombau said he is concerned for the club’s fans after seeing his side succumb to its fifth loss of the season following a 2-1 defeat by Brisbane Roar at Coopers Stadium on Friday night.
Gombau rates the Roar as the best side in the competition and said he was pleased with United’s performance, particularly in the first half, calling their effort ‘brilliant’.
But, with United winless since the opening day of the season, the Spaniard also acknowledged the Reds need to start chalking up wins or run the risk of losing much more than just three points.
“Today we played against a team for me who is the best team playing football, in my opinion,” he said.
“We had more of the ball than them, we created more chances than them… I am so satisfied with this. But, of course I am sad and unhappy for the result.
“Not for me, not for the players because they are believing and they know that they are working well, but for the fans and the people that come here and not see the team winning, this is my concern.
“We need to get the results. I am happy with the way that we played but we lost what is most important – the result.”
Gombau scoffed at suggestions his players are unfit and suffer from second-half fadeouts, despite coughing up the lead for a fifth time this season.
United’s tendency to concede after the hour mark has also been well documented with nine of the Reds 17 goals against arriving after 60 minutes.
“I am satisfied. I don’t see a problem in the fitness,” he said.
“Because they (the opposition) score in the second half people think that (it is fitness), but no, this is football. I don’t have this opinion that we are not fit.
“For today, for people who understand football can see that Adelaide United played a very good game and created a lot of chances. The football that we played I think that is brilliant. The first half is very good in my opinion.”
At full time, United led the visitors in almost every department aside from the one that matters – the scoreboard.
The Reds had more shots on goal, more crosses, more passes than Brisbane and they even shaded the Roar in terms of possession.
But, Besart Berisha’s double proved the difference and Gombau was left to rue spurned opportunities.
“We won in passes, we won in possession, we won in shooting, we won in crossing, we won in attempts on goal. We created more chances than them but we didn’t score (more). They created less and they scored the goals,” said Gombau.
“I am satisfied with the players, they are working very hard. They are playing in my opinion a very brilliant football. What we can do is keep working and next week we have another game and we will win the next game. That is all (we can do).”
When asked to weigh in on United’s desperate situation, Roar coach Mike Mulvey paid tribute to the Reds’ efforts on Friday night.
Mulvey said he believes Adelaide can survive these turbulent times but will need the full support of their fans and a slice of luck along the way.
“(Only) if the fans and the club keep believing, which is really, really important,” he said.
“The other element, is that yes I do (think they will improve) if they can attain some confidence from somewhere. I don’t know where that’s going to come from.”
“They probably need a bit of luck to go their way but I believe they’re playing the game in the right manner and they deserve a lot of credit for that.”
