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Sydney FC are bracing for a desperate challenge from leaky A-League stragglers Newcastle Jets in Wollongong on Saturday.
On the slide and awaiting injury reinforcements, fifth-placed Sydney FC have a great chance to get back on track at WIN Stadium against the Jets who have conceded 28 goals – 12 more than the next-worst defence.
The hapless Jets are facing a mid-season review following their last-start 5-2 battering by Melbourne City, having notched just one win from their 13 games.
But Sydney FC coach Graham Arnold is wary of them.
“There are two ways of reacting for Newcastle after a heavy loss,” said Arnold on Friday.
“One is to come out firing, wanting to prove people wrong, or still sulking a bit.”
“I know (Jets coach) Phil Stubbins … They’ll be looking for redemption.”
Having lost four key players for the season due to injury, Arnold is looking to bring boost his ranks this month’s transfer window.
He revealed he was a “long way down the path” toward signing a former international defensive midfielder as an injury replacement.
“We’re just waiting for a tick on that,” he said.
Stubbins said the Jets’ first match of 2015 was critical if they were to salvage their season.
“We’re looking to tomorrow’s game as a line in the sand for us,” he said.
He acknowledged the team had lost their structure after going down 3-0 early against Melbourne City.
But he insisted they remained a decent team and he sensed that Sydney FC could also be down on confidence and vulnerable.
“Nobody wants to be at the bottom of the league (but) the players are certainly capable of winning games,” Stubbins said.
“And we’re coming up against a team that hasn’t won for a period of time – what better way to start the new year?”
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