Goalscoring has become a significant problem for Gold Coast United. Back in September I wrote that Gold Coast had only scored more than once in the first half of a match on just one occasion. Apart from the 3-2 loss to Melbourne at Skilled Park, this record remains in track. But now scoring goals at all has become a major problem for the team.
Since Shane Smeltz was tearing the league apart early in the season, Gold Coast have managed to score just seven goals in the last 10 matches. Of those, strikers Smeltz and Porter have managed just two each. Captain Culina added his second for the season and midfielder Steve Fitzsimmons did likewise.
The news gets worse when you consider the statistics over the entire system. Smeltz has scored 11 of the 21 goals United have scored in their 16 games this season. No-one else has contributed more than two and only six players have contributed at all. Milson, Anderson, Caravella and Pantelidis are among the higher profile absentees from that list.
Further evidence of just how bad the situation is becomes apparent when you consider that United have been held scoreless on no less than six occasions (less only than the Mariners on seven). Conversely, the team has scored more than two goals in a match only twice - and those two matches were the first two games of the season.
And finally, to show just how singularly important to goalscoring Shane Smeltz has been, it’s worth noting that the 3-2 loss to Melbourne (the only game in which United has scored twice in the first half) is the ONLY game in which Gold Coast have scored twice through sources other than Shane Smeltz. Even then, the goals came only from a penalty and a converted corner.
Things are indeed dire. With teams realising that to shut down Shane Smeltz is to shut down the entire side, it’s not at all surprising that United have slipped to fourth on the table.
The good news for Gold Coast though is that injuries may force Miron Bleiberg to find a novel solution to the problem. While Joel Porter has been a good player for United, he has let the side down somewhat severely by his inability to contribute anywhere near his fair share of goals. His injury, plus the absence of Tahj Minniecon, will open an opportunity for one of the reserve strikers to stake a claim for more regular game-time.
If Milson can prove that he has overcome the thigh injury that has kept him out of the side of late, he might be the obvious choice to add a second starting berth to his eight substitute appearances. Hopefully he would repay United by breaking his goalscoring duck. Youth team players Chris Harold and Golgol Mebrahtu have also had their names put forward, with Harold having added six NYL goals and Mebrahtu having shown much potential during preseason and in his six A-League appearances to date.
Surely, though, the time has come for Andrew Barisic to be given his chance at the top level of Australian football. The 23-year-old Canberra-raised striker was signed on the back of 19 goals in 26 games for the Melbourne Knights in the Victorian State League. Since then he has added seven NYL goals and could surely consider himself unlucky to have not made more than one substitute appearance for the senior team.
Barisic clearly has an eye for goal, and this is exactly what United need. It’s an old cliché, but whether you dominate play for 90 minutes or rely on long balls and counter-attacks, the only way a winner is determined is by the number of times they find the back of the net. As such, players with the goalscoring knack are worth their weight in gold. The time has come for Miron Bleiberg to stop ignoring his treasures.
Someone is going to get a rare chance to shine against the Mariners on Saturday. Barisic might feel his chance is the longest overdue of any of the contenders, but whether it’s Barisic, Milson, Mebrahtu or Milson, the fans will desperately be hoping that they do all they can to justify their selection.
Since Shane Smeltz was tearing the league apart early in the season, Gold Coast have managed to score just seven goals in the last 10 matches. Of those, strikers Smeltz and Porter have managed just two each. Captain Culina added his second for the season and midfielder Steve Fitzsimmons did likewise.
The news gets worse when you consider the statistics over the entire system. Smeltz has scored 11 of the 21 goals United have scored in their 16 games this season. No-one else has contributed more than two and only six players have contributed at all. Milson, Anderson, Caravella and Pantelidis are among the higher profile absentees from that list.
Further evidence of just how bad the situation is becomes apparent when you consider that United have been held scoreless on no less than six occasions (less only than the Mariners on seven). Conversely, the team has scored more than two goals in a match only twice - and those two matches were the first two games of the season.
And finally, to show just how singularly important to goalscoring Shane Smeltz has been, it’s worth noting that the 3-2 loss to Melbourne (the only game in which United has scored twice in the first half) is the ONLY game in which Gold Coast have scored twice through sources other than Shane Smeltz. Even then, the goals came only from a penalty and a converted corner.
Things are indeed dire. With teams realising that to shut down Shane Smeltz is to shut down the entire side, it’s not at all surprising that United have slipped to fourth on the table.
The good news for Gold Coast though is that injuries may force Miron Bleiberg to find a novel solution to the problem. While Joel Porter has been a good player for United, he has let the side down somewhat severely by his inability to contribute anywhere near his fair share of goals. His injury, plus the absence of Tahj Minniecon, will open an opportunity for one of the reserve strikers to stake a claim for more regular game-time.
If Milson can prove that he has overcome the thigh injury that has kept him out of the side of late, he might be the obvious choice to add a second starting berth to his eight substitute appearances. Hopefully he would repay United by breaking his goalscoring duck. Youth team players Chris Harold and Golgol Mebrahtu have also had their names put forward, with Harold having added six NYL goals and Mebrahtu having shown much potential during preseason and in his six A-League appearances to date.
Surely, though, the time has come for Andrew Barisic to be given his chance at the top level of Australian football. The 23-year-old Canberra-raised striker was signed on the back of 19 goals in 26 games for the Melbourne Knights in the Victorian State League. Since then he has added seven NYL goals and could surely consider himself unlucky to have not made more than one substitute appearance for the senior team.
Barisic clearly has an eye for goal, and this is exactly what United need. It’s an old cliché, but whether you dominate play for 90 minutes or rely on long balls and counter-attacks, the only way a winner is determined is by the number of times they find the back of the net. As such, players with the goalscoring knack are worth their weight in gold. The time has come for Miron Bleiberg to stop ignoring his treasures.
Someone is going to get a rare chance to shine against the Mariners on Saturday. Barisic might feel his chance is the longest overdue of any of the contenders, but whether it’s Barisic, Milson, Mebrahtu or Milson, the fans will desperately be hoping that they do all they can to justify their selection.
