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Sydney FC still chasing A-League goal scoring record

Sydney FC' season has reiterated the needlessness of A-League finals. (AAP Image/David Moir)
Roar Guru
14th April, 2017
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Skipper Alex Brosque declares Sydney FC are lapping up the pressure to crack Brisbane’s all-time A-League points record, branding it exactly what the premiers need to take them all the way to the title.

Anticipation is high ahead of the Sky Blues’ final regular-season hit-out at Allianz Stadium, where Graham Arnold’s team will lift the Premiers Plate they won three weeks ago.

Still on the table is the best-ever points mark of Ange Postecoglou’s awe-inspiring Roar side of 2010-11, who racked up 65 over a 30-game season.

Defeat sorry Newcastle on Saturday and Sydney will take their tally to 66 after just 27 rounds, perhaps the most impressive of their records this campaign.

Brosque conceded external expectation had leaked into the dressing room, but said it was a galvanising force as the squad builds momentum towards their sudden-death semi-final in a fortnight.

“There definitely is, but it’s the sort of pressure we need going into this game,” Brosque said.

“After we wrapped up the premiership there were a lot of eyes on us watching whether we kept our foot on the pedal or slackened off.

“The fact we’ve kept winning games shows this group won’t let up.

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“We know if we want to go down in history as having done something great we have to beat Newcastle.

“It’s the sort of pressure we need going into a semi.”

Debate continues to rage over whether Arnold’s Sky Blues are on a par with Postecoglou’s `Roarcelona’, widely recognised as the best the competition has ever seen.

Brosque believed they’re pushing for that status but must first claim two consecutive championships, as Brisbane did in 2011 and 2012.

“The fact we’re getting spoken about as one of the great A-League teams is fantastic and it’s rightly so,” he said.

“The records speak for themselves – with everything this playing group has done in the one season, there’s no argument.

“But that Brisbane team was a great team and they went back to back.

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“We’re still a fair way off doing that, but we’re on the right track.”

After a bye in the first week of finals, Sydney will re-double their focus for the following week’s home semi-final.

Before that, Brosque will pause to enjoy the special symmetry of lifting the Premiers Plate at the same venue he raised the same trophy seven years ago.

That 2010 championship was Sydney’s last piece of silverware.

“I don’t think it ever gets more special, it’s equally always as good,” Brosque said.

“It’s a different group, different personalities, playing style, everything.

“For me it’s just appreciating what we’ve done. It’s been a fantastic ride.”

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Stats that matter
– Sydney are undefeated in their last 12 games against Newcastle
– The Jets haven’t scored since round 22, conceding an equal A-League record 17 unanswered goals
– Sydney have netted a league-high 36 second-half goals this season

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