Brisbane will face a huge depth test at the business end of the Hyundai A-League season, after Rocky Visconte and Luke Brattan were stretchered from the field in the Roar’s 1-1 draw with Adelaide at Suncorp Stadium.
Brisbane will face a huge depth test at the business end of the Hyundai A-League season, after Rocky Visconte and Luke Brattan were stretchered from the field in the Roar’s 1-1 draw with Adelaide at Suncorp Stadium.
Midfielders Massimo Murdocca (shoulder) and Mitch Nichols (groin strain) were already absent for the clash, while Thomas Broich and several others looked a step below full fitness.
Brattan was taken from the field midway through the first half after feeling his right knee pop making a challenge for the ball and Visconte was taken out in the 80th minute with studs to the top of the ankle.
Both players will undergo scans on Monday to determine the extent of their problems.
While Brattan’s knee-pop looked the result of bad luck, Visconte’s felling came from an undetected foul challenge inside the penalty area.
Postecoglou wasn’t positive a spot-kick was warranted, but suggested the overtly physical approach of the visitors could have been tempered with some early intervention from the referee.
“Visconte definitely got hurt. He’s lying down with an icepack on his ankle, so maybe it’s one that (the ref) missed,” Postecoglou said.
“There were a lot of fouls in the game, particularly early on, and it’s hard to get into any sort of rhythm when that happens.”
“I thought the referee could have stamped down on it a bit earlier.”
“We had three or four out, potentially another couple out with still a couple of games to play, so (our depth) will be important.”
While the health of the roster was a concern, Postecoglou wasn’t bothered by an ineffectual night of finishing.
With Adelaide playing deep in behind the ball, there was no cohesion for the Roar in the first 45 and in the second half when the momentum came, execution was severely lacking in front of goal.
Even Broich, arguably the competition’s best player, seemed hypnotised in front of the sticks, missing two unmarked shots inside the area and having another two cleared from the line when a more assertive strike was needed.
“That’s the way football goes sometimes. We created enough opportunities to win the game and just didn’t take them,” said Postecoglou.
“I can’t fault the effort of the players and I think we kept our composure really well. It was a difficult game with Adelaide sitting back, and obviously them scoring early helped that scenario.”
“You can easily get frustrated, but I thought the boys kept their composure and waited for their opportunities.”
