Captain Eugene Galekovic does not need to be told how much the Reds need to eradicate their defensive lapses if they are to start climbing back up the Hyundai A-League table.
Captain Eugene Galekovic does not need to be told how much the Reds need to eradicate their defensive lapses if they are to start climbing back up the Hyundai A-League table.
Unfortunately the point was raised again after the Reds coughed up the lead conceding a sloppy goal to give Perth Glory a point last Saturday. In the opening six rounds, Adelaide United has led opponents three times but not been in front at the final whistle.
Against Melbourne Victory, the Western Sydney Wanderers and then last weekend against Perth Glory the Reds scored the opening goal only to see their advantage erased due to mistakes that have allowed the opposition to capitalise.
Thus rather than have nine points from those three games, the Reds only have two and while Galekovic has accepted some of the brunt for how the team has leaked soft goals, he says it will take a more concerted effort across the board for it to stop.
“We-ve got to be more focused on set pieces…and I-m responsible as well, I-m the leader at the back and I-ve got to try and get the boys going,” Galekovic said after the squad-s first training session back following Saturday-s game in Perth.
“It-s disappointing – three games we-ve been leading and we-ve dropped points so we-ve just got to get better at it.”
If Galekovic was going to keep his first clean sheet of the season, this Saturday night-s showdown against Melbourne Victory at Etihad Stadium would be the perfect time to do it. Keeping the Victory scoreless at Etihad Stadium has proved one of the toughest assignments in the Hyundai A-League, and this is no more accentuated by the fact that in 13 attempts, the Reds have only managed to do it once – in Round 8 of 2006/07.
Coupled with the fact that Melbourne Victory comes into the game on the back of consecutive losses, it will take a Herculean effort for the Reds to shut them out on Saturday night but Galekovic has an air of confidence that it is achievable.
“We both haven-t been getting results so I don-t think that really matters in these games,” Galekovic said of both teams- form guide heading into the match.
“Players just want to go out there and beat the opposition. It-s a good time for us to meet them in Melbourne, we obviously need a win and are going to be desperate, but it-s the same for them.”
To hear what else Galekovic had to say, click on the video link above.
