An exasperated Jason Hoffman expressed his frustration with Newcastle ‘shooting itself in the foot every week’ following Saturday’s 2-0 defeat to Melbourne Victory.
The Jets attempted to blunt the hosts with a defensive mindset at AAMI Park and succeeded in keeping Victory scoreless for the opening 45 minutes.
However, two Marco Rojas goals after the restart and more “frustrating” errors brought the visitors’ plan undone in a matter of minutes.
REPORT: Rojas fires Victory past Jets
HIGHLIGHTS: Melbourne Victory v Newcastle Jets
“We’ve been trying to play good football of late and haven’t got results, so today was about being disciplined and resolute and trying to hold out,” Hoffman told ABC Grandstand.
“We went with that today and I think for the first half we were quite disciplined, we didn’t give away too many chances.
“But the way we started the second half, and the goals we copped, it’s just sloppy again. We shoot ourselves in the foot every week.”
Jets boss Mark Jones was again forced into changes after in-form winger Andrew Nabbout and Finnish striker Aleksandr Kokko both picked up injuries in last weekend’s F3 Derby draw.
Hoffman conceded the club’s ongoing injury issues were impacting their chances of climbing up the ladder.
“I don’t want to make excuses but it is hard when you’re missing a core group that’s key to our team,” the veteran fullback said.
“But in saying that … it’s just sloppy. We’re slow on the ball and we just shoot each other in the foot at times.”
