Patience needed for Gombau's Barca style

Dec 1, 2017 - 3:03 AM Western Sydney is same same but different under Josep Gombau, and John Aloisi is preparing his Brisbane players as such ahead of Saturday's crucial A-League clash.

Gombau has only been at the helm for two games but has already tweaked predecessor Tony Popovic's possession-based style to his Barcelona roots.

So far the evolution - a slight alteration to the build-from-the-back system - has yielded a 1-1 draw with Melbourne City and last week's controversial 2-0 loss to Adelaide.

A keen observer has been Aloisi, who takes his languishing side to ANZ Stadium desperate for a second win to lift them out of ninth place.

"I've definitely sensed a change in their system," Aloisi said.

"Gombau was pretty strict on what he wants when he was at Adelaide and I could see that already in the last two games they've played.

"Popovic already had a possession-based style, it's just different the way he (Gombau) is doing it.

"It's no different in the philosophy in terms of possession and trying to dominate the opposition, the difference is there's a few tweaks in their formation, they're a little bit different when they lose the ball."

Sriker Oriol Riera, a product of the famed La Masia academy at which Gombau spent more than half a decade coaching, can already see signs of the Barcelona style since his fellow Spaniard took over three weeks ago.

"It's not the same but it's very similar," Riera said.

"The style is very complex, it's very difficult to improve in just two weeks - in Barcelona it was maybe the last 25 years so it's not easy to play.

"In the future I think we'll have more solutions and more time with the ball, and will create more chances.

Patience is the key for Riera and the Wanderers, who have slipped out of the top six, albeit with a game in hand due to the postponement of their round-seven tie with Wellington.

Now back at home for the first time in six weeks, Riera stressed the need to get a second win on the board against the struggling Roar,.

Brisbane regain Daniel Bowles from a long-term injury but are without the injured Brett Holman and suspended Avram Papadopoulos after the defender spat at Matt Simon in Saturday's 3-1 loss to Sydney FC.

Apart from suspended captain Robbie Cornthwaite, Gombau has a full compliment at his disposal.

Source: AAP