Reborn Sydney FC looking good for top four

Well, now that our pre-season is over, I feel there is more uncertainty now than at the beginning of it! Whilst pre-season form can be misleading, I'm a bit nervous about being winless in 4 on-the-trot now since our return from Italy. Yes, ADP not being in the majority of those games can have made a difference, but I'm surprised we didn't have our strongest lineup playing in at least the last 2 (if not 3) games - especially against A-League opposition. Let's hope our confidence hasn't been affected too much & that we've managed to learn a lot of valuable things about Glory, Jets & Roar in those last few games... . My starting XI for the Jets game is GK: Necevski (Janjetovic is injured & in doubt for the game) DEF (from L to R): Warren, Bosschaart, Ryall, Bojic MID: Garcia, Emerton, Carle ATT: Chianese, ADP, Gameiro I'm still a little worried about the defence (especially as we've been leaking goals all preseason) and whilst on their day both Necevski & Janjetovic can play out of their skin, over the course of a season they can't be considered in the same class as Galekovic or Covic. Warren & the Boss are both a bit of an unknown (how will Warren handle the A-League? will Boss return to his top level prior to his injuries?), Ryall & Bojic should make the right side pretty solid. In midfield we've got a fair bit of depth now, although I'm not sure we've got a star DM to shield our back four (maybe Emerton can be that? Triantis, when fit again, & Grant hopefully will continue their good performances, and even McFlynn had a good back-end to last season. Then in Carle, Garcia, Yau, & Abbas we've got some variation in offensive firepower that will hopefully provide enough creativity. Then finally to the attack, where I feel we're very strong with ADP (even if teams have done their homework on him and his age starts to catch up with him), Gameiro, & Chianese - plus, Powell & Mallia if the other 2 youngsters drop in form. ADP was so much more of a better player than most HAL teams could counter that it often looked like they were in slow-motion around him. Given he'll be a lot more often further up the park than last season (too often he was collecting a 10-15yd pass from either Tiago or Ryall to start our attack!), I reckon he'll be even more effective (maybe not in goals, but in assists as Gameiro & Chianese will find more space around the box to shoot - my tip: each of them to get 10 goals this season!). My gut feeling is that the first 3 games of the season (Jets @ home, Roar away, Wanderers @ home) will define our season - min. 6pts from those games if we're going to challenge for the Top 4.

Definitely looking forward to seeing how the Jets go this weekend. A good test for both teams a month out...

Obviously you didn't otherwise you'd know that only a couple of actual squad players even played. Most of the players were from the NYL or trialling for NYL

I've been burned before from talking Sydney up in pre-season so I'm not gonna say too much. There will again be a lot of expectation on them but things will become clearer a few weeks into the season. Will be interested to see how they go against Newcastle this weekend also.

It's been our mantra for a few years now: this season will be better and with these new signings I don't think a top 4 spot is beyond reach. Vidosic will have a much better say this time around under Farina because we've seen what kind of holes he can plug in a team if he voices his opinion. Bojic is a massive signing to come straight from a successful and competitive side to the A-League's most inconsistent team is amazing. Carle coming back excites me, I hope the stint in the UAE has rejuvenated him and let him see just how easily they can offload him, in his two seasons with us he was our most inconsistent player (That's saying something with McFlynn on our side) And for him to be so easily put on loan must have spoken to him about how hard he has to work to stay in Sydney. Garcia will add great width, sure we had Joel Griffiths last season who always drifted to the sides but a wide option is always good to have and you're not likely to find many wingers better than Garcia, he and Yau are going to open up a lot for Sydney. Gameiro looks like a good young goal scrapper, essential to any team. It just looks like they have the squad to play the angles game, overlap and go out wide with a few capable people in the middle to pick up goals and some good defenders to stifle any direct counter attacks a wide approach is likely to bring. But as someone else mentioned, almost all teams are looking much stronger Adelaide and Brisbane spring to mind, it's hard not to look at these two teams and worry about what they're bringing to the table.

I did. 4 squad players in the team at best. Half of the team i had never even heard before. reserve your judgement until they play the Jets on Saturday.

Oh and the new guy Petkovic for the defence also, who I also know nothing about.

Defence is still the worry this year. But it'll basically be a whole new back 4. I've got all fingers and toes crossed that bosschart is over his injuries and will be as solid as he was previously. I didn't watch Brisbane much last year but I've heard a few people say jurman hasn't really been looking good and tiago after his first couple of games last year seemed like red and yellows waiting to happen. Bojic you know what to expect so he should be solid. Warren I know nothing about. Grant I guess will be a utility again. Its Farinas big chance anyway. I wasn't really convinced by him last year but there were obvious and acceptable excuses from where he picked up and he's got a clean slate from me this season. The arrival of vidosic to assist is encouraging. And the attack looks exciting again! How can it not with ADP?

SFC look good, but who doesn't this year? Basically every side has improved their playing stocks, many more than Sydney.

you obviously didnt watch the game against St George last night lol