Auckland FC coach Steve Corica slams performance, but confident of bounce-back after home humbling against Western United

The home team was thoroughly destroyed in Saturday’s 4-0 loss to Western United, which was shocking on many levels.

The home team was outplayed in the first half, so it wasn’t simply the outcome but also the performance.

After 34 minutes, they were behind 3-0, and the visitors were so dominant that they could have had one or two more goals before halftime.

Confusion and chaos replaced the confidence, cohesiveness, composure, and competitiveness that we have witnessed in the Black Knights over the past two months.

Corica was unreserved in his assessment, calling the first-half performance “terrible” and “not acceptable,” adding that the team “didn’t turn up.”

He acknowledged that his team was “bullied” in the first period and lacked physical presence throughout the park.

Additionally, Corica believed that following the team’s remarkable start to the season—six wins in a row prior to last week’s courageous draw in Melbourne—they might have become complacent, forgetting that every victory must be won.

“They just weren’t there – maybe a little bit of complacency settled in,” said Corica. “They think they don’t have to do the basic work that we expect from them. If you are going to do that against a good team, they are going to punish you.”

But the Australian wants to maintain perspective, adamant Saturday’s shortcomings can be repaired quickly.

“Obviously, we have to look at it and work on some things, but the basic things we didn’t do well, and they’re very easily fixed.”

“Obviously, they have to have the right attitude and mentality going into games and be ready for the start of games, but that’s easily fixed as well,” Corica said. “It’s only one loss.

Auckland remain in a strong position, with the 6-1-1 record. They are still at the top of the A-League table and have belief in their strategy, their structure and their squad. Saturday was jarring, no doubt, precisely because it was so uncharacteristic.

But if you dig a little deeper, there are some explanations. Injured centre back Dan Hall has left a massive vacuum, as their quickest and most complete defender. Captain Hiroki Sakai is capable of playing centrally but brings much more as a fullback, while back up Callan Elliott has barely played in the last two years.

Midfield dynamo Louis Verstraete is returning from a back strain and the attacking four were neutralised by the strong Western United defence.

Auckland have also been accustomed to being frontrunners and couldn’t adapt to chasing a game so early. For one of the few times this season, Auckland looked like the brand-new squad they actually are, uncertain and unsure.

“They obviously didn’t have their heads straight, and it’s difficult to have three goals before halftime,” Corica remarked. They begin acting in unexpected ways and are pursuing the game. You could see that we had just left. One or two players weren’t off. Basically, the entire crew was involved.

It was one of those matches where nothing went right, from the penalty for the first goal following Elliott’s handball to Jake Brimmer running into the referee, which gifted Western United a quick transition just before their third goal.

Corica was taking the defeat hard – clearly chastened – and didn’t hold back with the message to his team, either publicly or privately.

“I’m honest with them,” said Corica. “If they don’t turn up, I’m going to tell them. If they do well, I’m going to tell them, which they have done for six or seven games now. But we weren’t good enough in the first half and that’s not acceptable, so we need to be better.”

This is how football is – you have your ups and downs,” said Corica.

Counterpart John Aloisi was thrilled with his side’s endeavour, off the back of a 4-3 win at Sydney FC a week ago. He has sensed belief ahead of the game and their plan had been executed perfectly, in an “outstanding performance”.

But he was also complimentary of Auckland’s early impact – and expected them to bounce back.

“I have no doubt that they will continue to grow,” Aloisi said. Both on and off the field, they’re performing admirably. If you take away this outcome, they’ve been outstanding. Who would have anticipated them, from the first seven games, to win six and draw one?”

Next Saturday, Auckland will play the Central Coast Mariners, the reigning champions, in Gosford. On January 1, they will host Melbourne Victory.