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The Guardian - AU

Sport

Paul Connolly

A-League: five things to look out for in the coming week

Jeronimo Neumann Jets — Jeronimo Neumann’s struggling Jets face a tough week. Photograph: Dean Lewins/AAP

1. Silly season shenanigans

Christmas is a period when our cosmic overlords place all of humanity in a small ice-cream container, put the lid on and give it a firm shake. Just to see what’ll happen next. Well, this festive season is not so different for our A-League teams. With the A-League having scheduled a brief intermission to coincide with the coming Asian Cup, three rounds have been shoehorned into the next 11 days — days which could prove critical as the competition makes its turn for home. Of course, such is the way of the world, some teams have it harder than others, and it’s unfortunate that one of the teams struggling more than most —Newcastle— have what appears to be the hardest run; three games in just eight days, two of them away to Victory and Sydney. Wellington, currently as content as dogs with their heads out the window of a speeding car, also have three games in eight days, though the first and third of these are, at least, at home. They have the top four in their sights.

And wouldn’t you know it, like capitalism at work, the competition’s top three teams – Perth, Victory and Adelaide – have three extra days (“luxury!”) in which to play their trio of games. But perhaps that looks better than the reality. Two of Perth’s games, for instance, are against Victory (away) and Adelaide, while they begin their run tonight against a seemingly resurgent (or is it an illusion?) Melbourne City at AAMI park. But incentive is high for the men from the west. Should they emerge from this flurry of games with seven or more points Perth will be in the box seat for premiership glory.

2. Now or never for the Wanderers

While their great rivals Brisbane have begun, belatedly, to rectify their horror start to the season, the Western Sydney Wanderers are still lying in the gutter and staring at the stars. But, like many pundits, I’m sure, I still can’t quite bring myself to write them off despite them sitting on the bottom of the ladder without a win to their name. Partly that’s because they have two games in hand on most of the field, and two wins could keep them in touch with the sixth and last finals spot. Partly it’s because they have a much better coach and squad than their table position suggests. Mostly, however, it’s down to the imprint their first two brilliant seasons —and their Asian Champions League campaign— have made. Like the image of a light etched onto your retinas when you look away and close your eyes, when I think of the Wanderers I see them bossing their rivals not getting embarrassed by Adelaide, or being held meekly, at home, by Newcastle. It could be that I just need to adjust to the new reality. It could be that perhaps the Wanderers have nothing left to give —or least not enough to save their season. Well, time is fast running out for Tony Popovich’s men, who must have thought someone was taking the piss when they discovered their first game back from the Club World Cup in Morocco required another international flight. Wellington deserve favouritism when the teams clash on Sunday but if the Wanderers can scrape together a point at Westpac stadium, then beat the moribund Mariners at home on Thursday, they may just kick-start their flat-lining season.

3. Slip sliding away

How quickly Sydney’s season has deteriorated. Just one month ago Sydney were undefeated after eight matches (four wins, four draws) having conceded just five goals. In the three games since, however, they’ve lost two and drawn one, conceding seven goals in the process. Significantly, in a period in which they’ve won just one of their past seven games, they’ve also lost four key players for the remainder of the season, defender Sasa Ognenovski this week joining the No Joy Luck Club of which Corey Gameiro, Ali Abbas and Nicky Carle are already members. Ognenovski is said to have nerve damage in his thigh; poor Graham Arnold must be suffering nerve damage of a different, more encompassing kind. He’s certainly not sleeping much, up all night on the phone in the hunt for the kind of young, Europe-based talent he hopes can turn his team’s fortunes around. But Sydney – whose collective head must be down, just as it was after Wellington’s first goal last week – can’t count on being rescued, certainly not over the coming week when they play Adelaide (at home, Friday) and Brisbane (away, on Tuesday). There is some comfort in the return from injury of Alex Brosque but when your midfield and defensive structure is missing a few key links, when your attack has lost some of its pace, Adelaide is not the best opponent to face. What can Arnold do? Motivate his players, tweak his system, and pray.

4. Adelaide to regain their stride

Their FFA Cup win has made it easy to forget that Adelaide United are coming off consecutive A-League losses. Two weeks ago they were beaten 1-0 by Brisbane at home, while last week, in a shock, they went down to previously winless Newcastle at Hunter stadium. And it wasn’t just their Achilles heel —poor finishing— undoing an otherwise dominant performance. Newcastle earned their win, had more shots on goal, and were more effective with the ball when they had it (albeit much less often than Adelaide, given Newcastle’s 34% share of possession). It was an uncharacteristic performance from Adelaide and while there’s no cause for Reds fans to worry at the moment a third loss on the trot, against Sydney on Friday, might inject a splinter of doubt from which an infection could set in ahead of a home game against Wellington on New Year’s Eve. Time for Adelaide’s swagger to return.

5. Is there a lighthouse on the horizon for the Mariners?

Brisbane haven’t won at home this season in four starts, so good thing they’re away on Saturday to a central coast team that has equalled the worst run in its proud, giant-killing history —11 games without a win. Last-start losers to Perth (4-1), the Mariners can’t take a trick at the moment but perhaps the return to their home ground – their real one, Central Coast stadium, not North Sydney oval – will see them circle the wagons and dig in for a fight. Perhaps their fans, desperate to show their club’s owner that Gosford should not be jettisoned for pipe dreams, will come in droves and spur their team to new heights this season.

Try to forget the Mariners have won just twice in 16 matches against Brisbane in Gosford, that’s unhelpful. Instead, Mariners fans, find solace in the return of Nick Montgomery, in the absence of Brisbane’s Thomas Broich and Matt Smith and perhaps even the return of veteran Shane Stefanutto who has looked off the pace this season. But have the Mariners anyone to exploit Brisbane’s weaknesses? Anyone to put the bleedin’ ball in the net with anything even remotely resembling consistency? Only the Wanderers have scored fewer goals, so imagine what the favoured scoreline will be when these two teams meet on New Year’s Day?