CRAIG Deans has made slight adjustments to the Jets' preparation in a bid to correct their slow start to A-League games.
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But the Jets interim coach and former A-League defender believes the key to winning games is for players to win individual battles.
The Jets are searching for their first win of the A-League campaign against the Brisbane Roar at McDonald Jones Stadium on Wednesday night.
In all three defeats to open the season, the Jets have been slow out of the blocks.
They were chasing shadows and conceded two goals in the opening 25 minutes in the 2-1 loss to Macarthur at home on Sunday.
The final 65 minutes was all the Jets. They pulled a goal back in the 43rd minute but couldn't find an equaliser.
It was a similar script in the 2-1 loss to Western Sydney.
"You can't keep doing the same thing for the same result," Deans said. "We changed a couple of things around today's session. As far as the pre-game preparation and warm-up, we will also make some adjustments.
"The way they reacted to a bad 15 minutes has been a positive. The challenge now is to the start the way we have finished games, be a bit more ruthless and assertive from the word go.
"Being first to score in a game with a younger group will change the attitude .... that is an important thing as well for us."
Deans, despite a three-day turnaround, will keep faith with the same XI that went down to Macarthur.
"If we played terribly, we might look at changing a couple of people," Deans said. "We weren't out-played completely, other than for the opening 15 minutes. Again, we copped a goal from a set piece. That is the disappointing aspect. We have conceded goals from four set pieces in three games. That is a killer.
"That suggests it's the moments you are not winning. It's not a tactical situation or anything like that. The players who played on the weekend get another chance tomorrow to rectify the situation. You don't win games because you want to, you win games because you have 11 people who win more than they lose in the individual moments. Good teams - championship teams - do that all the time. They do it every week, every training session."
The Roar are playing their first game in 18 days but will be without former Jets winger Joe Champness, who is not permitted to play against his former club as part of the loan agreement.
Brisbane coach Warren Moon said the break hadn't helped momentum after a stirring 3-1 win over the Victory at AAMI Park on January 2. On the plus side it has given Japanese import Kudo time to build his fitness.
"We knew he needed time to get on the park and get to build up his fitness and, yeah, he'll be travelling with us and we might see him on the park," Moon said
The Roar will also have a debutant in goal after experienced custodian Jamie Young suffering a knee injury in training last week, opening the door for 22-year-old Macklin Freke.
"I had no hesitation when we made the changes in the off-season that Macklin would be our number two because we have great belief in him and his ability," Moon said.
"I'm excited for him. Jamie's a slight knee injury. We don't think it's too major but we won't see him for a couple of weeks but I'm really excited for the opportunity Macklin gets."
Moon is not taking the Jets lightly, despite their underwhelming start to the season, suggetsing Deans' side haven't got the results their performances have warranted.
"We know they're a good side. We played them in the pre-season and we know the threats and the strengths that they have," Moon said.
"We're expecting a really tough game tomorrow."
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James Gardiner
James Gardiner, chief football and rugby writer at the Newcastle Herald.
James Gardiner, chief football and rugby writer at the Newcastle Herald.
