Western Sydney Wanderers coach Marko Rudan is yet to decide who he will slot into the position of injured captain and central defender Marcelo should he be missing for a lengthy period.
Marcelo limped off in the 34th minute of the comeback 2-2 draw in the A-League Men clash with Brisbane Roar at Suncorp Stadium.
“I think it is an Achilles. I am not too sure how bad it is but it is intact so that’s good,” Rudan said of Marcelo after Friday’s match.
“He is walking but is a bit frail at the moment. We need to go through due process.”
Rudan switched defensive midfielder Jorrit Hendrix back to central defence to cover for Marcelo and the former PSV star did a great job, kingslot96 saving two goals with blocks to deny Roar.
The 28-year-old Dutchman could be an option for a more permament stint in the position in the future in place of the Brazilian veteran.
“Having spoken to Jorrit when he signed, he is a very articulate and inquisitive kind of guy who really understands the game,” Rudan said.
“He mentioned playing as a stopper for 10 or 20 games in the top division. I always had that in the back of my mind.
“That’s why I didn’t go with a defender on the bench, even away. We wanted to fill up the bench with attacking options.
“I thought he was great and I thought Tom Beadling really stood up without Marcelo.
“Moving forward, I don’t know. I need to assess everything but Jorrit certainly showed what he could do.”
Marcelo’s injury comes a week after Socceroos forward Brandon Borrello broke his foot and had surgery on an injury that will keep him out for three months. The Wanderers did well to conjure a draw in his absence.
They have accomplished attackers, including goal scorers Nicolas Milanovic and Marcus Antonsson, who partnered Zac Sapsford and Lachlan Brook in the forward line against Brisbane.
“And that front four, we can move them around depending on what we see through the game and in the opposition,” Rudan said.
“Nic can play on the left and right and centrally as well.”
The Wanderers, provisionally in the ALM competition lead, came back from a 2-0 deficit at Newcastle Jets in early November to draw and repeated the feat against Brisbane.
“I’ll be making reference to that,” Rudan said.
“The two away games have been a bit of Jekyll and Hyde. Conceding two is not what we are about.
“We want to be the first team to score every time we play…yet that fight is there. The spirit is there. We have worked a lot on that…where we confirm those values as a group.”