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Despite all the talk of a club in crisis with a depleted squad, question marks over ownership, the lack of goals from their marquee player and pressure on the head coach, Sydney FC is in third place on the A–League ladder, only four points shy of leaders Adelaide United.
It’s a testament to the competitive and unpredictable nature of the league.
Heading into Round 15 this weekend, nine points covers first to seventh.
Aside from Newcastle, who, while mathematically still in contention, have admitted it will be a difficult task to squeeze into the four, the remainder of the league could all stake a claim for a finals berth.
After their 6–1 thumping of Wellington, Adelaide hit the summit of the league in their final match before they headed off to the Club World Cup, which starts tonight.
But will another Asian adventure impact their A–League form?
The irony is that Adelaide had just begun to rediscover the form that elevated them to the ACL Final but disappeared once the weight of travel and extra games took their tool and resulted in a dip in form.
How they recover from their trip to Japan and subsequent catch up games in January will determine whether they can make a run for that elusive title.
But don’t rule out the humbled Phoenix. They are a much better team than their performance at Hindmarsh showed.
Melbourne Victory looked favourites just weeks ago, but two losses on the trot to Perth and Wellington have dented their confidence.
Ernie Merrick still needs to find the right mix in his midfield and hope that Archie Thompson stays fit. But with five of the last seven games at home, the Victory have their sights set on the minor premiership.
Up north, the Queensland Roar is also a real threat.
The best defence in the league has broken its home hoodoo and has away form that is the envy of other clubs. With Van Dijk hitting form, a potent midfield and the Scottish Energizer Bunny Charlie Miller still running despite his hernia complaint, the Roar will feature prominently in the finals.
Should Perth replicate the Roar’s away form (five of their final seven matches are away) and play like they did against the Victory, the Glory could squeeze into the four for what would be the surprise of the season.
Central Coast has the best attack in the league, with some of the most exciting strikers, while Sydney, buoyed by its new Russian owner, not only has some promising youngsters performing well but also stars who can turn it on in an instant.
Will one team emerge from the pack?
If this season’s race and last season’s four club final round showdown are any indications, we are truly blessed with a remarkably competitive league.
It is a fantastic advertisement for the A–League and will undoubtedly help the much discussed crowd numbers as we approach the finals series.
The beauty of the A–League is there are no easy opponents, such is the evenness of the competition.
This is also vitally important for the long–term viability of the league.
With so many of the franchises new in structure and in the process of building a solid foundation of support in their respective communities, winning and remaining in contention for the finals is the best way to keep the fans interested.
So who is your money on heading into the business end of the season?
Whoever it is, I wouldn’t bet the house on it just yet.