Adelaide United’s five-point plan to bounce back to winning ways against Newcastle Jets following its Wellington Phoenix setback
The worst performance of coach Gertjan Verbeek’s Adelaide United reign ended in a shock home loss. We present our five-point plan to get the Reds back to winning ways against Newcastle Jets seven days later.
A-League
Don't miss out on the headlines from A-League. Followed categories will be added to My News.
- Reds young guns commit to long-term deals
- How to get the most out of your Advertiser digital subscription
Adelaide United will seek to erase memories of its worst performance of the Gertjan Verbeek era as it bids to return to winning ways against Newcastle Jets.
The Reds served up a feeble display to slump to a 2-1 home loss to previously-bottom Wellington Phoenix at Hindmarsh Stadium last Sunday.
Stream every game of The 2019/20 Hyundai A-League season LIVE & On-Demand with KAYO SPORTS. Get your 14 day free trial & start streaming instantly >
It ended a five-match winning streak in all competitions stretching back to October’s FFA Cup final and left third-placed United looking over its shoulder at the chasing pack.
But how will Adelaide consign the Phoenix failure to history seven days later against the Jets?
We present our five-point plan to get the Reds back on track:
1. Avoid sluggish starts
United has conceded five of its 10 goals shipped this season in the opening 30 minutes of games, while scoring just two of 13 at the other end in the first half-hour.
It left it with mountains it was unable to climb in season-opening losses to Sydney FC and Melbourne City, and might again hurt against a Jets side coming off back-to-back victories.
But the seeds of defeat were sown long before then, as the visitors dominated the first half with 11-3 shots only to be denied by an inspired Paul Izzo.
2. Thrive without its inspiration
But the Australian under-23 midfielder will sit out the visit of Newcastle to recover from a grade one knee ligament injury.
Fellow winter recruit Michael Maria is an option to shift inside in place of McGree, leaving Ryan Kitto to come in at left back.
Curacao international Maria impressed in a central role against Brisbane Roar in round five, but it remains to be seen whether he can provide McGree’s cutting edge in the front third.
3. No more Sunday-itis
The Reds have now won just three of their past six Sunday afternoon outings at Hindmarsh, a run dating back to midway through the 2017/18 campaign.
Adelaide’s flat Phoenix showing was mirrored by the 6207 crowd – its lowest for a home league match in almost three years – as the timeslot again proved unpopular with fans.
With the forecast 38C temperatures for this Sunday’s Jets encounter potentially harming the attendance once more, United will need to dig deep within to rediscover its spark.
A high-octane display, akin to the commanding Friday night disposal of bitter rival Melbourne Victory a fortnight ago, is required to overcome its Sabbath stumbles.
4. Get physical again
United had supplemented its fluid counterattacking game with a steely edge to fuel the string of triumphs which had taken it to the cusp of the top-two.
But its competitive streak went missing against Wellington, as the Kiwi side was hungrier for the second ball and out-muscled the hosts.
This was evident in the Reds winning just 43.5 per cent of duels and 33.3 per cent of aerial duels – well below its previous season average of 55 per cent.
Adelaide also needs to step-up on defensive set pieces, given it has conceded a league-high six times from a combination of penalties, corners and throw-ins.
5. Stop Jets’ main man
Containing the threat of Newcastle playmaker Dimitri Petratos may hold the key for the Reds.
The three-cap Socceroo is starting to regain the form which earned him a place in Australia’s 2018 World Cup squad and scored the Jets’ sealer in last week’s 2-0 Western Sydney success.
Indeed Petratos, along with McGree and Melbourne Victory’s Ola Toivonen, is one of just three players to register multiple goals and assists this A-League campaign.
Much will depend on United’s teenage midfield anchor Louis D’Arrigo limiting the time and space for the 27-year-old to create, in what is shaping up as an intriguing match-up.