Strike power will be the priority for Queensland Roar coach Miron Bleiberg despite MRI scans confirming defender Josh McCloughan will miss six weeks with a groin tear.
McCloughan suffered a 5cm adductor tear late in Queensland's 1-0 A-League upset of Melbourne last Friday night.
But Bleiberg will have attack rather than defence on his mind when he looks for McCloughan's replacement before taking on ladder leader Sydney at Aussie Stadium on Sunday.
In a bid to break the Roar's goal drought, Bleiberg said he would spend this week running the rule over two strikers and an exciting midfielder.
The contenders are ex-Perth dangerman Stuart Young, former Trinidad and Tobago under 23 striker Kevin Nelson and late addition Goran Talevski, direct from Croatian club Hadjuk Split and formerly of ex-NSL clubs Sydney United and Marconi.
Nelson, 26, played professionally in his native Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela and Canada before initially arriving in Australia as a potential replacement for Adelaide's retired midfielder Aurelio Vidmar then linking with Queensland.
Bleiberg said his back-up plan was to sign Scottish-born defender Stuart McLaren if the trio failed to impress.
"We have room (on the player roster) now because of Josh so the priority is to sign a striker - if a striker doesn't work out then Stuart McLaren is the next in line," he said.
Bleiberg said midfielder Talevski had arrived at late notice but he was more than happy to consider the ex-NSL player.
"If the midfielder (Talevski) is as good as another midfielder like Maradona I can accommodate him - if he is half as good as Maradona maybe we can look at him for next year," Bleiberg laughed.
No wonder Bleiberg's priority is attack.
Queensland may be fifth on the A-League ladder just one point outside the top four and four behind leaders Sydney.
But the Roar has notched just 11 goals in as many matches this season - the second worst in the league and trailing only cellar dweller New Zealand (seven).
To put its scoring prowess in perspective, Queensland only managed a 1-0 win over Melbourne despite the host having Kevin Muscat and Geoffrey Claeys sent off in the second half.
But Queensland is the best defensive unit in the league, conceding just nine goals.
"Although Josh is out for six weeks I am very happy with the (defensive) players already there (like) Tyler Simpson, Todd Gava and Ben Griffin - I am looking for firepower," Bleiberg said.
McLaren has been training with the Roar squad part-time for several weeks but a Queensland team official said the free kick specialist was simply "not fit enough at the moment".
"He hasn't trained for two weeks because his wife has just given birth and he won't be considered (for Sunday's clash)," he said.