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Now or never for Roar in ALM says skipper

3 minute read

Brisbane Roar captain Tom Aldred says it has reached win or bust time for the club if they are to make a serious late push for the A-League Men's finals.

TOM ALDRED.
TOM ALDRED. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty Images

Frustrated after getting nothing from a midweek clash with an undermanned Melbourne City, captain Tom Aldred says if Brisbane are serious about making an A-League Men's finals charge they need wins - and lots of them.

The 2-1 loss to City ended a two-game winning run for the Roar and leaves them 11th on the ladder, seven points adrift of the finals positions with 10 games remaining.

With former coach John Aloisi's high-flying Western United visiting on Saturday, the English defender knows nothing less than three points is needed.

"We just need to win as many games as we can," Aldred told AAP.

"If we'd have won (on Wednesday) we could have gone to eighth.

"For us to make the six now, we need to win lots of games. I mean even draws right now aren't probably going to be of any much value if I'm honest.

"We need to put a real run of wins together."

Wednesday's game was Aldred's fourth of the season after a lengthy stint on the sidelines with injury.

The 31-year-old feels he is still working his way to 100 per cent fitness but is also adamant the Roar have the necessary quality to turn their season around.

"I'm confident in what we've got," he said.

"I'm confident in the way we play and since I've come back into the team I feel like I'm part of a team that can cause people problems and is organised defensively.

"I don't think we're far away."

Western head north on the back of a 1-1 draw with Melbourne Victory on Wednesday which keeps them in second place.

Ex-Socceroo Josh Risdon will miss the game after injuring his ankle at AAMI Park but Aloisi gains giant defender Leo Lacroix after he sat out the clash with Victory due to suspension.

As well as Aloisi, Saturday's game marks a return to Queensland for ex-Roar favourites Dylan Wenzel-Halls and goalkeeper Jamie Young.

"Going back to the Roar I'm sure they've got points to prove but we just need to be on our game, focus on us and hopefully get those three points to get us back in that winning habit again," Aldred said.

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