Sydney FC are going through another rollercoaster season in the A-League.
After a run of three consecutive losses early in the season they then bounced back with four straight victories.
However their recent form of only one win in seven has seen them drop out of the top six, and the improved displays by Adelaide United and Wellington Phoenix means that a spot in the finals could be a big ask for the Sky Blues.
Their team’s performance against the Central Coast Mariners on Saturday night was all too familiar for Sydney FC fans, and many voted with their feet by departing Allianz Stadium before the full time whistle.
The lack of creativity in midfield, and a general lack of pace through the team left the Mariners largely untroubled. The 1-0 score line at full time was if anything flattering to the Sky Blues.
The lack of creativity and penetration is highlighted by a statistic that shows Sydney only managed one successful pass into the penalty box in 90 minutes of play – and that was from a corner. The Sky Blues actually set up their side with decent width – something they have not often done in the past, generally favouring a narrow diamond formation.
However, without a natural winger in the squad they were not able to create noteworthy chances.
Worryingly Alessandro Del Piero was too often the most advanced Sydney player on the pitch. The Italian’s lack of pace and fitness means he is far from an ideal target man.
He would be more effective in a deeper position releasing the pacey Gameiro or picking out the aerially strong Despotovic.
Watching the game it was noticeable how the Mariners dominated in midfield. Having looked at a player influence map from Saturday night it shows that the Sydney midfield was biased to the right, leaving the left side exposed.
This is also the side where Del Piero had most influence, and he is hardly going to track back and cover the midfield behind him.
Sydney’s tackle map also shows how the Mariners then targeted their left hand side. Marc Warren struggled at times at left back, as he has done on a number of occasions this season, eventually leaving the field injured.
All of the above a far from new problems for Sydney FC, but it seems they are still no nearer to finding answers. One of the biggest questions facing coach Frank Farina in the remaining weeks of the season is how he utilises Del Piero.
The influence that the Italian has on the team has clearly diminished, and Sydney’s over reliance on him has now been horribly exposed.
Farina still seems to have the support of the club’s hierarchy at this stage, even if large portions of the supporters are less than convinced. If Sydney fail to make the finals for a second successive season it is unlikely that Farina will survive in his post.
As an interesting side note, the coach that Sydney initially wanted, Ian Crook, stepped aside in 2012 has now become available after Gary van Egmond was sacked by Newcastle Jets on Monday.
Mato-Bateman
Guest
Eddy Bosnar is training with Sydney FC. Even though he is 33, I don't mind if he did sign cause he is quality but seriously what about Aaron Calver?
AZ_RBB
Guest
Sydney FC unveiled its three year plan this morning. Details here - pic.twitter.com/e2eX1ibnrm
Michael
Guest
Interesting and I agree with you, Gary Cole didn't work out with Sydney, perhaps it was just politics, but he did a wonderful job for Melbourne. Sydney had Steve O'connor as Technical DIrector before Gary, he had a vision for the club with youth and was implementing an academy structure he also did very well for the club. If they get rid of Farina, as much as he isn't getting the results at the moment, I'm afraid they will just become a bigger joke of a club that can't make up it's mind on direction, sure he might not be getting the results like all of their other coaches, but maybe they do just need as you say someone to come in and help with the direction who can work with Frank, the players and the staff.
SportsFanGC
Roar Guru
Purple Rain and Nordster - My comment has nothing to do with status quo or AFL/NRL. I was specifically commenting on the A-League and the salary cap. While I do agree with Nordster that football should look at what other countries are doing I do not agree with the essence of his continued rant about the A-League salary cap, which is a very simplistic suggestion of "Lets remove the salary cap and implement promotion and relegation because that is the way it works in Europe". Could either of you explain how the A-League will remain sustainable or survive, let alone become profitable, if a promotion and relegation system was implemented? What clubs below the A-League currently in any state or territory have the finances or business to compete in the A-League and travel around the country and to Wellington throughout an 8 month season? How does the A-League sell its broadcast rights at the next TV deal if at the end of a current 4 year deal the following happen: Sydney FC and WSW were relegated the previous season? Maybe it was Melbourne Victory and Melbourne Heart? Maybe Perth Glory and Adelaide United? What Nordster continually overlooks every time he goes on about the salary cap is the culture of Australia and its support of the tiers below the top competition, which is very minimal. Do yourselves a favour and have a look at the crowds for the Vic Premier League, NSW Cup, VFL, Shute Shield, Sheffield Shield etc etc Literally no one there. Culturally we are different to other football nations, another point that Nordster completely overlooks. What I want from the A-League in the future is a strong 14-16 team competition, with viable teams, great TV ratings and average crowds of 15K or above. What I don’t want is a league where Victory, WSW, SFC or BR warehouse all the talent available, win the competition between themselves each year and the other teams make up the numbers. That system won’t work in AUS.
nordster
Guest
Franko....Re Smurfs and marquees...They are able to overspend on some players but given the size of this club, they are Underspending on the base squad. Distorts the wage spend toward a small number of players. Lets hope Scott Barlow discovers Bitcoin and untrackable side payments ;)
nordster
Guest
AR the whole deal with mutli division leagues in football is that big clubs generally do not get relegated. And if they did it would be a massive story in itself and motivator to win promotion again.
nordster
Guest
Its more than just a question of having marquee spots. (Which just distorts the spend toward a couple and away from the whole squad.) Its the whole question of ...should the league artificially average out the talent across all teams....or do as the football world does and allow for super clubs to develop. Even if that means the best talent congregates at the best clubs. Thats how u raise standards ....level playing fields will always be mediocre by design... As for the lower end of the scale, thats what second divisions and pro/rel is for...
nordster
Guest
Yes well said Purple....i think football should take more heed of what is happening around the football world than what is happening in other sports here, by default. Do u SFM think we should follow afl/nrl for its own sake? To make u feel more comfortable as a generic "sports fan"? ;)
apaway
Roar Guru
We can thank the Sydney board for bringing Alessandro Del Piero to Sydney. Unfortunately, that's where it ends. However, there was a window last season where Sydney seemed to have it right in the attacking third, with Jason Culina and Joel Griffiths operating in front and behind ADP. Brett Emerton appeared to have shaken off his injury woes and was giving SFC options down one of the flanks. What they have never got right is an appalling central defence. Tiago Calvano is terrible and Nikola Petkovic has had a number of central defensive partners which his undoubted talent has not been able to cover for. And look at the talent they have let go: Michael Beauchamp, Shannon Cole and Dimi Petratos have all returned to cause damage to SFC with their respective clubs and seemed to delight in doing so.
Purple Rain
Guest
What do you want, then, the staus quo, where AFL/NRL are the pinnacles of Australian sport and football knows its place in the hierarchy, right?
Sydneysider
Guest
A number of opinions posted here make alot of sense.To my mind Sydney will really sink into the mire should they continue with the current crop of coaching staff who pick up aged players,lack structure on the field,extremely poor decision making during the game added with totally inept tactics.Now that the club has to contend with wsw,their true hope off of warding off fans moving to their rivals is to have at the very least a side that plays a style of football people actually want to go and watch.The rubbish handed out virtually on a weekly basis by the sky blues is enough to make many fans run off and watch their local association sides play.Not only is Sydney missing out on an enormous opportunity to grab a serious hold of the Sydney football market with an absolute legend of the game in ADP within their ranks they run the risk of being the laughing stock of football in this country.Under the current coaches they risk alienating the most ardent fans away from the club to a club who certainly do have a massive fan catchment area not due to their playing style,due though for their willingness to play for 90 minutes and get results.Therefore Sydney need to be attractive with a broad mix of yoith and experience and the fact they play at Allianz which isn't the easiest ground to get to,all the more reason the need to provide incentive to fans to get off their proverbials to be ENTERTAINED.I connect to the internet on an hourly badis daily in the hope the board have shown the coaching gang at FC the back door.Alas,the board is made up of bean counters and pony tailed marketing gurus and therein lies the ultimate problem
Alessandro Vari
Roar Pro
Unfortunately, it looks as though sydney fans will be forever looking back at ADP's time here and thinking 'what if'. Had the club not been run into the ground by this joke of a board and management staff, his influence could have been bigger than we'd ever imagined. Unfortunately, thats not the case, so we have to look to the future. Touch wood that this new generation of Sky Blue youths can set the team into a new direction...
baankskis
Guest
Sydney fan...no Wollongong team. Hope ADP transfers to a well performing club, gets used sensibly and wins the seat. Can see he isn't enjoying his football in Syd.
Ian
Guest
actually i've recalculated based on games not lost - i.e wins and draws for coaches with more than 20 games. and you're right. i did it just on losses alone which wasn't that far off a couple of others.
Matthew
Guest
Take a look at Central Coast Mariners. This is a relatively small team (financially) that almost always punches over it's 'weight'. The team that I support (Perth Glory), hasnt really lived up to it's potential since the old NSL. Sure it's had peaks and troughs but no championship yet. It's also bankrolled by one of the wealthier owners in the A League, Tony Sage who has spent a lot of money over the years recruiting players and paying the substantially higher costs associated with Perth. So its my view then that money is not the answer. If it was, Sydney wouldnt be losing. I certainly think teams rise in peaks and troughs and its up to the team to find a way to keep that peak for as long as they can. Perhaps Sydney is just in the trough at the moment and could be up in a few years.
Disco
Roar Guru
Victory have won the same number of toilet seats as Sydney. I don't rate either Muscat or Farina.
Passionate_Aussie
Roar Rookie
Ian, out of all Sydney coaches who have coached more than a respectable 20 matches, Frank Farina has the worst record by far!
The Minister of...nah can't be bothered.
Guest
I hear PNG is keeping a seat warm for Frankie. All is not lost!
SportsFanGC
Roar Guru
Nordster - Why does football in Aus have to follow what is happening around the world? Have you ever considered that the A-League is run the way it is with a salary cap because we are a completely different football market to the rest of the world? We are not Europe or South America where the game is entrenched as the number one sport and the majority of money ends up being spent. We are a very small market with a ton of sport competing for limited corporate $$ when compared with Euro or USA. Do you honestly want the A-League to end up like Spain or Scotland where basically 1 or 2 teams win the competition every year and essentially buy (and warehouse) all the best players of that league? Do you ever get tired banging that "free market" and "spend what you want" drum in relation to AUS (and to a lesser degree USA) sports? Probably best to just focus on the leagues that operate the way you like, debt ridden hoping that rich Middle East, Russian or American Owners will come to the rescue rather than watching Aus Sport as salary caps will be in place here long after we are all gone.
Mantis
Roar Guru
Fair point. It wont happen regardless