The first of our catchup games is upon us with our Jets quickly backing up from last weekend to turn their attention to Brisbane Roar at McDonald Jones Stadium this Thursday evening.
Our team made their long-awaited return from an extended COVID layoff against Adelaide United last Sunday and despite leading for the majority of the match, ultimately fell short in what was their first hit-out of the new year.
The Jets don’t have to wait long for a shot at redemption however, with our side now setting their sights on Brisbane Roar, in what will be our second match at McDonald Jones Stadium in a week.
BRISBANE ROAR V NEWCASTLE JETS
Date: Thursday 3 February
Kick-off: 7:45 pm
Venue: McDonald Jones Stadium
How to Watch: SECURE YOUR TICKETS
HEAD-TO-HEAD
Since: 2005
Played: 48
Jets: 19
Roar: 17
Draws: 12
BLOWING OUT THE COBWEBS
Our campaign was resumed against Adelaide last weekend and the Jets looked to be in control for a large portion of the game, before conceding two late goals.
Although they will be disappointed by the result, our side will be better for the run with that being our first match since Round Five against Macarthur FC back in mid-December.
Our opponents this week, Brisbane Roar, are fresh from a strong 3-nil victory over Western Sydney Wanderers last weekend and our team will be looking to flip the script against them. Our home record against the Roar has seen us win just six of our 26 clashes at McDonald Jones Stadium.
We will also be looking to break a five-match winless streak against Brisbane with the last victory against the QLD-side coming from a resounding 6-1 victory in Round 26 of the 2018/19 season.
RETURNING TO OUR STRENGTHS
Despite not getting the result against Adelaide United, our Jets showed signs of excitement that has intrigued fans in the opening rounds of the season. We managed to hold the lion’s share of possession with 60% and also completed 153 more passes than our opponents.
However, Brisbane is starting to return to the fore after a tough start to the season moving to eighth position on the ladder after a winless opening month of the competition.
The turn-around has been helped by fixing some defensive lapses, and they now sit second in the league for clean sheets with three, compared to the one clean sheet for the Jets.
Arthur Papas’ side will be looking to continue the high energy football style which has seen us stand at the top of the league for average shots on goal per game with 5.5 shots, with Brisbane close behind averaging 5.1 shots.
The Roar will also be looking to claim their first away win of the season, but our Jets will need to attain all three points if they are to continue keeping in touch with the top six.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Daniel Penha(Newcastle Jets)
Brazilian midfielder Daniel Penha is hard to go past as one of the players to watch in the Jets side. Although he couldn’t alter the result for our Jets on the weekend, the quick dribbler has proven he’s a constant danger with the ball at his feet.
In his first season in the Isuzu UTE A-League, Penha has already notched three assists to his name and also is one of the top performers in the competition in key passes per match, big chances created and successful dribbles.
Suffice to say The 23-year-old has quickly become a key figure in our attack this season and he will once again be relied upon when we take to the field on Thursday.
Nikola Mileusnic (Brisbane Roar)
The fleet-footed forward has proved to be a wise investment for the Brisbane Roar with his opening matches for the club already yielding four goals.
Debuting with Adelaide United back in 2016, the 28-year-old arrived at Brisbane this year after spending a year in the Danish Superliga.
Mileusnic is fresh from a brace scored against Western Sydney last weekend and he has continued his development into a strong attacking threat for the side. He has brought a wealth of experience to the club, which includes two FFA Cup titles with Adelaide and over 80 appearances for the club.
The Jets defence will be sure to have their eye on Mileusnic at all times, as he is also considered to be one of the quickest players in the league. The winger clocks in at an impressive 36.2km/h – just faster than Portuguese icon Cristiano Ronaldo.
STATS & FACTS
Our Jets will be looking at this Thursday as a crucial match to get their season back on track. Three points could see the Jets rocket as high as 8th spot, just five points away from the top six.
We are still on top of the league for the highest average possession held per match with 61.5% whilst Brisbane on the other hand are seventh in the league with an average of 47.3%.
Our team will be looking to break a five-game winless streak against Brisbane Roar this time around but will be hoping to use our home ground to our advantage as Brisbane have not won a fixture away from their home this year.
Our Jets average 1.8 goals per game so far this season – the second-highest in the league – while Brisbane have an average of 0.9, pitting them in tenth.
