3 minute read
Newcastle coach Ernie Merrick has pinpointed the winless Jets' inability to score open-play goals as their biggest issue after dropping to last in the A-League.
Newcastle coach Ernie Merrick suggests there's no quick fix to his team's failure to score from open play.
The 4-1 away loss to Sydney on Friday left Newcastle bottom of the A-League and winless after three rounds and underlined the issue.
The Jets' only goal came from a thumping Matt Millar header from a free-kick.
Newcastle's only other goals this season came from a throw-in and a penalty.
They created some good chances in open play against Sydney but couldn't convert any.
"We're just struggling to score a goal during open play and we've done so much work on it all pre season and we've been doing it last year as well," Merrick said.
"So I'm not sure if it's something we're going to solve in the short term, but at training it's not a problem.
"It's all mental, performing under mental stress and physical fatigue, because we don't have that at training, they are all fresh short, sharp sessions."
The Jets' strikepower has been reduced by long-term injuries to prize recruit Wes Hoolahan and forward Kaine Sheppard.
Both were injured in September before the season started and aren't expected back until the new year.
"When we lost Kaine Sheppard and more importantly Wes Hoolahan, it made a big difference and I can't replace them," Merrick said.
Asked what Newcastle could do to solve their open-play scoring drought Merrick said: "Continue to work at it in training, that's all we can do."
Merrick isn't sure the club will have sufficient financial resources to sign another proven goalscorer when the January transfer window opens.
The Scotsman, who coached his 300th A-League game on Friday, was adamant Newcastle had sufficient depth to be competitive and make the finals despite their mediocre start to the season.
"I still think we've got a strong enough team to win matches and still think we've got a strong enough team to win matches on a regular basis and be in the finals. I don't think there's any excuse," Merrick said.
"They are allowed to have a bad game away from home against a very strong side."
The Jets' scoring woes apart, Merrick was upset by their sub-standard defensive effort on Friday.
"We defended very badly, I'm not (just) talking about the back four, I'm talking about all over the park," Merrick said.
