Adelaide United can still contest the A-League finals despite chalking up another unwanted record loss, coach Rini Coolen says.
The Reds' 4-0 loss to Central Coast Mariners on Friday night was Adelaide's heaviest loss on home soil at Hindmarsh Stadium.
The defeat came just over a month since Adelaide were pounded 7-1 by Brisbane Roar - the Reds' biggest ever loss.
But Coolen, despite the Reds banking just two wins and sitting second last on the ladder, maintains his club can recover to make the finals.
"We still have a chance to be in the top six and qualify for the finals. I still 100 per cent believe in that," Coolen said.
"But we have to improve in a lot of areas."
The Dutch coach said injuries were taking a toll, with Adelaide missing a host of big names on Friday night.
Star striker Sergio van Dijk hopes to return from a three-match absence with a calf injury next weekend, while influential defender Cassio (foot) and marquee midfielder Dario Vidosic (back) are sidelined indefinitely.
Ukrainian international Evgeny Levchenko came off the bench against the Mariners in his comeback from a calf injury.
"We can do better, we have too much quality," Coolen said.
"But we need all the quality all available and (to) lift our confidence and play better football.
"We have to work on a lot of things.
"We have never played with the same team, the same players, the same formation - and that is what you need to lift your players to a higher level.
"One of the positive things for us at the moment in this league is you still have a chance to qualify for the finals ... because every team is very close together.
"But our level of how we prefer to play is far away from the level which we have to do."
AAP
Tags: a-league, soccer, adelaide-5000, sa, gosford-2250, nsw, australia First posted December 03, 2011 11:35:59
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