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The Orange Army. (Brisbane Roar Official Thread)

Is Lucas Herrington going to feature until January?
Good question.

I expect him to - he is still a quality back and it would be a discredit to him and to the club not to use him till then. We need a solid start to the season on the grounds of our previous seasons alone so the best starting side should be taking to the field from game 1.

My concern is that Valkanis might play Valkanis as his replacement before I have been convinced he is worthy of taking the field in a starting role.

He has not looked poor to date, but I cannot say he has been clearly better than anyone else either.

Some of the games in pre-season it has looked like Valkanis (coach) has held 1 central defender when we have possession, had the second centreback push out to the fullback position, and allowed the fullback to push up further. I don't know if that is 'normal' but I don't remember it being done much.

We have always tended to maintain two central defenders in their central positions - relying on our defence to keep us in games and our midfield and forwards to play their isolated attacking role.

Maybe I just haven't noticed it until now and everyone does it.
 
Good luck with that.
To have us playing much better, competitive football is the one critical thing for me.

The rhetoric I can understand but it carries the risk of being a lead weight if we stumble from the gates. He has cleverly worded it as a goal not a destination though I think.

The team has its lofty ambitions, and Valkanis appears to have given them the tools and structures to have a fair chance. Minds and bodies v the world - here we come.
 
whose our best xi in your view?
I am a bit stumped at CB because we have a few options but I have not seen them all under pressure if I have seen them at all.

Bouzanis/Freke (Bouzanis edges it at the moment for me but not clearly better and maybe he is change for changes sake)
Salas Herrington Warland (untested but I think OK) Burke-Gilroy
Stajic
Klein O'Shea McGarry
Ruhs Vidic/Long

Hore, Lauton and Brazete are all quality subs that can start too.

From memory, Ferkranus has done well at CB and Bility did not make mistakes in pre-season. But that is not the same as season competition so I am just open to seeing who we end up with at centreback - and we will see what is to be seen. I can maybe swap Valkanis for Warland (likely to see that anyway I suspect). We have not had the luxury of seeing our CBs in training with and against each other for comparison.

Vrakas has quality but he has got to show composure before I can rate him best in position. I'd probably have him and Klein interchangeable if he proves himself reliable.

I see my right hand side a bit weaker with these selections - not including a dedicated right winger in favour of a more mobile midfield with Ruhs dropping back to help bring the ball out allowing Klein and O'Shea to push wider as it suits.

I am really good at picking a best XI...such clarity of thought.
 
What sort of crowd should we expect this Friday?
Mostly people, but a few support dogs :P.

I have no concern with numbers. I would like to start with 8k+ but we have to show it on the park before I think we will get commitment out of wallets again.

How much do frustrated/alienated people need to physically get back on board? Is a solid and promising pre-season enough? It will be interesting to see!
 
I am a bit stumped at CB because we have a few options but I have not seen them all under pressure if I have seen them at all.

Bouzanis/Freke (Bouzanis edges it at the moment for me but not clearly better and maybe he is change for changes sake)
Salas Herrington Warland (untested but I think OK) Burke-Gilroy
Stajic
Klein O'Shea McGarry
Ruhs Vidic/Long

Hore, Lauton and Brazete are all quality subs that can start too.

From memory, Ferkranus has done well at CB and Bility did not make mistakes in pre-season. But that is not the same as season competition so I am just open to seeing who we end up with at centreback - and we will see what is to be seen. I can maybe swap Valkanis for Warland (likely to see that anyway I suspect). We have not had the luxury of seeing our CBs in training with and against each other for comparison.

Vrakas has quality but he has got to show composure before I can rate him best in position. I'd probably have him and Klein interchangeable if he proves himself reliable.

I see my right hand side a bit weaker with these selections - not including a dedicated right winger in favour of a more mobile midfield with Ruhs dropping back to help bring the ball out allowing Klein and O'Shea to push wider as it suits.

I am really good at picking a best XI...such clarity of thought.
do we still have herrington? Cb is my main worry since I'm working under the assumption he is gone in January
 
Tuckerman has moved to the roar
And the Guardian:

 
do we still have herrington? Cb is my main worry since I'm working under the assumption he is gone in January
He isn't meant to go till January - so I am expecting him to start as our best proven centreback.

I sort of remember Ludwik as being OK, Ferkranus looked OK in pre-season when I saw him, Bility as I mentioned may be improving but may also have shown improvement against non-league opposition.

I am not worried about CB - Valkanis knows enough to have that covered given the number of signings we have had - more I admit to ignorance of how good they all are individually and as a defensive pairing/group. I am keen to have the fog lifted as the season gets underway.
 
Mostly people, but a few support dogs :P.

I have no concern with numbers. I would like to start with 8k+ but we have to show it on the park before I think we will get commitment out of wallets again.

How much do frustrated/alienated people need to physically get back on board? Is a solid and promising pre-season enough? It will be interesting to see!
Think you’re right. If we have a good season we should nudge 10k+ somewhat regularly.

Big if though. We’ve seen this before and I’m apprehensive but quietly confident.
 
Think you’re right. If we have a good season we should nudge 10k+ somewhat regularly.

Big if though. We’ve seen this before and I’m apprehensive but quietly confident.
I am not putting more value on it than I think it is worth, but we have been better this pre-season than any since I think Fowler's initial rebuild had us playing a different style.

We have ground out small victories in recent years and failed to convert chances against lower tier teams.

This pre-season we have played more balanced and better football and have been putting chances away.

Silly to sell the house and put it all on the first game - but regardless it has been a much more convincing pre-season and I am looking forward to seeing how we apply that in full on competition against our peers.

Sure pre-season means absolutely nothing on game day 1. At the least I go into game 1 with the expectation of good football as a minimum.
 
Michael Ruhs will be the signing of the season.
He has been fantastic in pre-season.

You can count on him anywhere from halfway forward to create something and his strength allows him to withstand a lot of counter pressure.
 
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