Glory Head Coach David Zdrilic has backed his charges to go toe-to-toe with Brisbane Roar in what he expects to be a fiercely-contested Isuzu UTE A-League Round 9 clash at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday (kick-off at 2pm WST, watch live and FREE on 10Bold).
Watch his full pre-match media conference HERE.
Check out the A-Leagues video preview HERE.
Like Glory, the Queenslanders are still searching for a first win of the season having drawn two and lost five of their seven games to date.
And Zdrilic believes neither side will take a backward step as they battle to secure a potentially season-changing result.
“We played them in our first [Australia] Cup match and they are a very good ball-playing side,” he said.
“They’ve obviously conceded goals like we have, but they can also create good moments and score goals.
“So we’re expecting a fight because they are also fighting for their lives.
“We expect them to come out at us and pose a very strong challenge, but that’s every game in the A-League.
“It’s more about us.
“We need to approach this game by being very aggressive and confident.”
The Head Coach went on to acknowledge the disappointing nature of last weekend’s home defeat at the hands of Newcastle Jets, but insisted that he has been heartened by his squad’s subsequent reaction on the training ground.
“Obviously the run of results that we’ve had has been tough to take, but as I said before, the guys reset themselves and the training’s been very good,” he said.
“We’re fully aware of the position that we’re in and we want more.
“The last game against Newcastle wasn’t good enough… but everyone is putting their hand up to play and to train.
“That, for me, is positive.
“We’re coming up against a team that’s in a very similar position to us.
“We need to use that as a positive motivation, which we are doing and training has been very good.”
Zdrilic is also keenly aware of just how significant a first win of the season could be at a number of levels.
“You can look around the world at teams that are going through a bad sequence and Manchester City is a perfect example,” he said.
“No-one would expect them to be losing games like they are and they don’t seem to be able to find a solution to it.
“We’re in a rut now where we haven’t been able to win games, so obviously a win would be massive for the confidence.
“In a tough period when you’re not getting the results, you have to fight for those moments and we have to keep fighting.”
Glory will travel east seeking a first win in the Sunshine State since January 2019, but the men in purple did claim the spoils in the most recent clash between the two sides, goals from Adam Taggart (2) and Stefan Colakovski sealing a 3-2 victory at HBF Park in February.
In addition to Head Coach Ruben Zadkovich and assistant Chris Coyne, there are also a number other former Glory personnel in the Roar squad, namely Scott Neville, Adam Zimarino, Keegan Jelacic and Antonee Burke-Gilroy.
Roar’s two draws this season have both come away from home, at Macarthur FC and Western Sydney Wanderers respectively, while at Suncorp, they have been downed by Sydney FC, Melbourne City and Adelaide United.
Highly-rated teenage forward Thomas Waddington has been their star performer this year, helping himself to four goals and an assist, while experienced Irish import Jay O’Shea remains one of the competition’s most influential midfielders.
Match Details
Isuzu UTE A-League 2024/25 Season Round 9
Brisbane Roar v Perth Glory
Suncorp Stadium
Saturday 21 December 2024
Kick-off: 2pm WST
Brisbane Roar squad: 1. Macklin FREKE (GK), 4. Ben WARLAND, 6. Joe CALETTI, 8. Walid SHOUR, 10. Florin BERENGUER, 12. Lucas HERRINGTON, 15. Hosine BILITY, 16. Thomas WADDINGHAM, 17. Harry VAN DER SAAG, 18. Jacob BRAZETE, 19. Jack HINGERT, 21. Antonee BURKE-GILROY, 23. Keegan JELACIC, 24. Sam KLEIN, 26. Jay O’SHEA (C), 27. Ben HALLORAN, 29. Matt ACTON (GK), 30. Quinn MACNICOL, 35. Louis ZABALA, 43. Adam ZIMARINO
Ins: 6. Joe CALETTI, 23, Keegan JELACIC, 24. Sam KLEIN
Outs: 11. Neicer ACOSTA
Unavailable: Nil
Perth Glory squad: 1.Oli SAIL (gk), 2.Riley WARLAND, 5.Lachlan BARR, 7.Nicholas PENNINGTON, 9.David WILLIAMS, 12.Taras GOMULKA, 13.Cameron COOK (gk), 14.Nathanael BLAIR, 15.Zach LISOLAJSKI, 16.Adam BUGARIJA, 17.Jarrod CARLUCCIO, 19.Josh RISDON, 20.Trent OSTLER, 21.Abdul FAISAL, 22.Adam TAGGART (c), 24.Andriano LEBIB, 26.Khoa NGO, 27.Will FRENEY, 29.Tomi MRCELA, 31.Joel ANASMO
(Two to be omitted)
Ins: 15.Zach LISOLAJSKI, 20.Trent OSTLER, 24.Andriano LEBIB, 27.Will FRENEY
Outs: 6.Brandon O’NEILL, 33.Luis CANGA
Unavailable: 3.Anas HAMZAOUI (injured), 6.Brandon O’NEILL (concussion protocol), 8.Mustafa AMINI (injured), 10.Nikola MILEUSNIC (injured)
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