Leopold Method analysis:
http://leopoldmethod.com.au/brisbane-central-coast/
Brisbane dominate an energetic Mariners
In what was a highly entertaining encounter, Brisbane Roar beat an aggressive Central Coast Mariners to claim a 2-1 victory. There was a lot to like about the proactive approach taken by both teams, but in the end, Brisbane’s classy midfield prevailed against the Mariners’ tenacious pressing game.
Line-ups
Brisbane’s coach John Aloisi made only one change to the squad which triumphed over Western Sydney Wanderers last week, with Dimitri Petratos making way for the returning Matt McKay. Mariners Tony Walmsley lost centre-back Jacob Poscoliero to injury, allowing Harry Ascroft the chance to start in the heart of defence.
Mariners press
From the first minute Mariners looked to press high up the pitch. Centre forward Roy O’Donovan pushed up onto the opposing centre-backs, while the two wingers, Mitchell Austin and Fabio Ferreira, aimed to occupy Brisbane’s fullbacks.
In midfield Mariners’ intensity was impressive. In general terms, Anthony Caceres quickly closed down Corona, Brisbane’s deep-lying playmaker, as Nick Fitzgerald moved to mark McKay. A little further back, Nick Montgomery usually picked up Steven Lustica, and with the back four also holding a high line, Mariners were clearly trying to make it difficult for Brisbane to play out from defence.
In certain moments the strategy helped Mariners generate chances. One example came in the 21st minute, where an advanced Montgomery pinched possession before combining with Fitzgerald and Ferreira to create an opportunity for O’Donovan who fired the shot wide. Montgomery also had a penalty shout turned down prior to half-time, and again, this arrived after he dispossessed Lustica in an attacking location.
There was certainly promise attached to Mariners’ energetic style of defence, it’s just that they could not implement it successfully on a consistent basis. Brisbane regularly sliced through their high press, especially during the first half, and in many ways this was down to the likes of Corona and McKay pulling the strings in the centre.
Brisbane play through the press
The midfield trio of Corona, McKay and Lustica played in a different shape depending on whether they had the ball or not. In defence, Lustica operated as a No. 10 in order to pick up Montgomery, while McKay and Corona played alongside each other in the holding roles.
Once Brisbane regained possession the shape slightly tilted. McKay would move a little further forward, taking up a left-sided central midfield position, and Lustica would remain the highest of Brisbane’s three midfielders. Corona was left to distribute the ball from a deeper position in front of Brisbane’s back four. Brisbane didn’t position themselves in a traditional way and Mariners found it difficult to pick them up. With Thomas Broich regularly dropping deep from left wing to exchange passes in midfield, Mariners were not sure which player to pick up.
In the 11th minute, for example, Brisbane were initially finding it problematic to beat the press. Brandon Borrello was forced to pass back to Jade North who was unmarked in central defence. This left Fitzgerald with the decision to make, and instead of sticking with McKay, his direct opponent, he opted to try and pressurise North. With McKay now free in midfield, North played a quick pass to him. Mariners needed to respond, and Montgomery did so by leaving Lustica in order to close down McKay. Before he could get there McKay played an incisive forward pass through to Lustica who was now in the clear.
The move may have eventually broken down, with Borrello crossing straight to Mariners’ goalkeeper Liam Reddy, but it proved to be a sign of things to come. Mariners’ midfielders were repeatedly dragged out of position due to the movement and slickness of their opposition.
Two minutes later, Corona received the ball at the base of midfield. This time Caceres had moved onto Lustica, so Fitzgerald sprinted ahead to close down the Spaniard. This meant McKay was now free in the central midfield zone, and although Montgomery tried to get out to him, the diminutive Socceroo shuffled out to the left-hand side in order to find space. Corona soon zipped a pass into the feet of McKay, who was now out near the touchline. He then played a ball back infield, towards Jamie Maclaren, and the striker did well to put Borrello through on goal. The right-winger made no mistake lashing home the opener in emphatic fashion. This was again an example of Brisbane’s ability to drag the opposition out of shape.
Second half
Soon after the break, Mariners made a couple of half time changes. Fitzgerald, who struggled to track McKay for much of the first 45 minutes, played higher up the pitch almost as a No. 10. Walmsley also pushed his side to be more aggressive with their pressing, especially from goal kicks, where Fitzgerald would move up onto one of Brisbane’s central defenders in order to stop them passing out from the back.
In attack, Mariners tried to move the ball more quickly with direct passes out to their wingers, Ferreira and Austin, who stayed high and wide in order to be more of a threat when crossing. Within the first three minutes of the second half, Mariners played three rapid passes out to Ferreira on the right-hand side, the last of which led to a convincing penalty shout after Caceres was clattered by Brisbane right-back Jack Hingert. Austin also got in on the act, and by the end of the match, Mariners had crossed the ball 30 times to Brisbane’s 12.
Using this approach, Mariners’ general play improved greatly in the second half, but it also cost them in one particular moment. Around the hour mark, Austin drove down the left before being dispossessed. This sparked a Brisbane counter, as Hingert quickly exchanged a neat one-two with the exceptional Corona. The fullback then launched a long ball to Maclaren, who, in typical fashion, was running in behind the opposition defence. The former Perth Glory man teed up Borrello, and following a powerful finish, Brisbane had a 2-0 lead.
Mariners would eventually pull one back, through Josh Bingham after yet another Ferreira-based attack, but it did little to change Brisbane’s superiority.
Conclusion
Brisbane’s passing and movement allowed them to dominate this match through the midfield zone. Corona orchestrated the play with precision from deeper positions, while McKay added mobility and energy when driving forward. As a result, Brisbane were too much for Mariners to handle.
“They had us by the throat,” Mariners coach Walmsley would later say. “They could have taken the game away from us in the first half.” In truth, they probably should have, but that lack of first half goals was the only minor negative in an overwhelmingly positive Brisbane performance.
Mariners, while still a work in progress, did enough to give their coach and fans confidence their best is just around the corner. Their commitment to a proactive pressing game, even in the face of superior opposition, was impressive, while showing they have the quality to cause problems in the final third as well.
