Sydney FC have not won an A-League match since January 16. That’s ten straight matches without registering a victory and it’s absolutely no wonder the Sky Blues now find themselves out of finals contention.
Languishing in seventh place, there is only one man to blame for this torrid run of form, and that is manager Graham Arnold.
Arnie’s stubbornness has cost the Sky Blues dearly this campaign as near identical Sydney FC line-ups take to the field week in, week out, regardless of form.
It is near impossible to run a successful football team if you are unwilling to wield the axe on players who fail to perform at an acceptable level. At numerous points this season, Arnie has failed to reprieve players of their spot in the side despite a number of exciting youth prospects crying out for first team football.
For those unaware, Sydney FC were dominant in the National Youth League this season, comprehensively dismantling Brisbane Roar 5-2 in the final to lift the trophy. Despite their strong showings of form, only two members of this squad have seen the field in this season’s A-League.
Instead of trusting in youth, Arnold has persisted with more ‘seasoned’ campaigners, without rotation, irrespective of the torrid fortunes of his side.
When Sydney FC began their current slide, they were sitting pretty in third on the ladder and had lost the least amount of matches of any A-League team. Fast forward ten weeks and their fortunes are not so appealing, the Sky Blues have now registered more wins than only one team – cellar dwellers Central Coast Mariners.
It has been a fall from grace of epic proportions, however, has Arnie done anything about it with regards to team selection?
An examination of the team that went done just 1-0 to Melbourne Victory in the first match of their winless streak and the one which lost 3-2 to the Brisbane Roar at the weekend yields some interesting results.
Seven players started both of these matches for Sydney FC, and the changes their manager has made have stemmed from circumstance rather than desire. Just 19 players were used in the conglomerated two squads of these games, which took place ten matchdays apart!
It’s scary reading for Sydney fans when you consider the man at the helm has absolutely no intention of changing the line-up of a side which has had no domestic joy in over two months!
In no way is this article intended to advocate for the departure of Arnold as Sydney FC boss. However, it is designed to alert Sky Blues fans, players and staff – and of course, Arnie himself – that serious change in man management is necessary if the A-League’s third most successful club in terms of championships are to return to their past glories.
For Sydney FC to snap their winning streak and become competitive with the teams residing above them in the table, Arnie must make his established stars compete for their places in the team.
This should be done by offering opportunities to younger players performing well in youth and National Premier League sides. In doing this, players are handed an ultimatum, improve your form or be dropped.
The Sky Blues have been an embarrassment of late and something must change. Arnold is the man who can make that happen and hopefully he does so soon for the sake of Sydney FC and the A-League.
Two games remain in the current A-League season. Sydney will welcome the A-League’s two most in-form sides, Adelaide United and Perth Glory, to Allianz Stadium in consecutive weeks. Beating either of those two sides will take some doing for a Sydney side which lacks both class and heart at the minute.
In some lighter news, as the season closes, the transfer window opens and will do so at an opportune time for the Sky Blues who could seriously use some reinforcements.
Here’s hoping we see a reinvigorated Sydney side in 2016-17. Whether or not Arnold is the man to synthesise one remains to be seen.
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It will be a bumper occasion, there will not be a spare seat in the house and of course, Sydney FC could well produce a miracle with their backs against the wall.
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