Last Friday night, the Western Sydney Wanderers suffered their fifth loss of the season, going down to the Melbourne Victory 3-0 at ANZ Stadium.
In Josep Gombau’s 11 games in charge, Western Sydney have three wins, three draws and five losses.
The Wanderers have struggled to score any more than two goals a game, despite having marquee man Oriol Riera leading the line and finding the net six times.
But their biggest concern is a leaky defence and fitness towards the end of the game. The Wanderers have conceded 27 goals this season, and been thrashed by Sydney FC (5-0) Newcastle Jets (4-0) and Melbourne Victory (3-0).
Before Tony Popovic left, the club claimed to have had their best pre-season to date. Their performance against Arsenal looked positive, with Arsene Wengersaying, “This team looks a bit more physical and bit more ready, a bit more advanced physically than the opposition (Sydney FC) we had the other night.”
It was music to fans’ ears, despite losing 3-1 on the night.
With three more months to prepare, the players were accustomed to Popovic’s tactics and style of play, and fans were optimistic about challenging for the prestigious toilet seat after a recruitment drive netted marquee players in Oriol Riera and Alvaro Cejudo, Roly Bonevacia from Wellington Phoenix, Socceroo right back Josh Risdon, and Spanish left back Raul Llorente.
So where has it gone all wrong?
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A week out from the season, a bombshell was dropped, with Popovic deciding to leave the club take over struggling Turkish club Karabükspor. Hayden Foxe took over in the interim, while the club hunted for a replacement manager.
Foxe kept the philosophy Popovic instilled during pre-season, so players knew what their roles were. But there were issues of holding on to leads, as well as conceding late and silly goals. Players were out on their feet after the 65th minute.
Gombau’s appointment seven rounds into the season led to optimism from supporters, but things have not gone according to plan. The Spaniard completely destroyed Popovic’s philosophy, trying to instil his style of play, which the players have not warmed to.
Despite leading the league in passing accuracy, with 81 per cent, the players look lost under Gombau, not sure how to play the ball or who to pass to.
Defensively, they have been shambolic – it also does not help that they are out of position, as seen against Sydney FC and Melbourne Victory last Friday night.
The Wanderers have released three players this month in Jumpei Kusukami, Jacob Melling and captain Robbie Cornthwaite, yet only signed Marcelo Carrusca.
Gombau has been bringing youth players to the bench to replace the released and injured players for the time being, although he’s hinted there are more signings to come.
But in the meantime, the coach has to work with what he’s got until the end of the season, then make the necessary changes.
The old saying ‘things will get worse before they get better’ has been the case for Western Sydney this season – but history suggests Gombau will indeed make things better.
It’s just a matter of the fans being patient.
Kangajets
Guest
Just having a laugh abt Gombau and the Socceroos mate . Why so serious?
Josh
Guest
Recruiting. WSW have failed miserably here since Day 1, there's a transfer window open now and all we've seen is 3 out 1 in - this is unacceptable. I get the feeling next season will be rather strong though, if the club gets on a roll then MVC will finally have some competition in the member numbers and crowd figures.
Buddy
Guest
Kanga - I don’t disagree with you. It isn’t about the level of interest though, it is the format. I have no interest in starting the old debate but I just acknowledge the top team at the end of 27 rounds and I switch off until the next season. If I don’t watch it, I figure it doesn’t happen! Head in the sand, call it what you like!
striker
Guest
Gombau for the socceroos job oh please, what has he won except for the FFA cup.
Post_hoc
Guest
The only thing that has gone wrong is 1 week before the start of the season the coach leaves. Despite all this Wanderers have only lost 5 games. Rather remarkable if you ask me. The same number of loses as Victory 2 less than the Mariners who people are hailing as going well under Okon and 1 less than the Jets who everyone is raving about. Not sure who are worse when it comes to the Wanderers the fans who have no concept of football but expect a team to win all the time. I am loving having bad seasons, more than happy to get rid of those types of fans that way I end up with better members seats in the new stadium, or so called football pundits who seem so focused on the Wanderers coaches that other coaches seem to get a free pass.
Lionheart
Guest
why don't they play at Penrith? the panthers ground (pepper stadium)
That A-League Fan
Roar Guru
Gombau knows what he's doing, he's creating a new style, not looking for short-term success.
Kangajets
Guest
The finals 6 might be more interesting then you think. Victory city and the jets might be full strength by finals time , so that might be entertaining
Buddy
Guest
Why the supposition that anything has gone wrong? That makes the assumption that things were right in the first place and that clearly was not the case. The throwaway lines from Mr Wenger was really saying that WSW were a more physical than skill based side, not that they were a better prepared side than SFC. These are turbulent times at the club. The rebuild and subsequent loss of the stadium is having a huge effect on the crowds and supporter base. Just to say “suck it up princesses” as has been suggested in various places ignores the many facets of the forced move and how it has affected the club as a whole. The revolving door transfer policy of the Popovich era has meant never really having a really settled side and the supporters begin each season learning new names and new pronunciations. The start of the season saw one win and five draws and it was clear that the team, under the guidance of Hayden Foxe did not understand how to convert the one pointers into three. Along comes the change with JG and more upheaval. It was clear from the first few games that he was trying to make big changes in playing style and that the players were either not responding, unwilling to respond or unable and since then we have seen a mixture. There is a total lack of pace within the team and the long habit of defending in a straight line and leaving one wide area open for exploitation has brought them undone on a number of occasions. Last Friday night it was the right side of defense. The back door was wide open and Kosta Barbarouses and Carl Valeri must have been salivating as they exploited the hole time and time again. Obviously little was learnt from the Sydney game where the triangular approach of two forwards and a midfielder opening up the left side caused mayhem. What was puzzling though was that nobody appeared to have any idea how to close down that space and stop the free flowing attacks and that has to include JG. Off the field the club appears to be in a post RBB headline era. The flares and troublemakers are nowhere to be seen and the excitement of the early days has disappeared with the active support thinned out and almost non existent at times. The West Sydney terrace maintains a safe distance, occasionally joining in the obligatory “who do we sing for?” Chants and they look as though they want to step in if and when the RBB disappears altogether. So its transition time. Everyone waits impatiently for a return to Parramatta Park. Fans turn up grudgingly, not enjoying the experience of ANZ or Spotless, not liking what is going on in olaying terms, not trusting the new coach and with a dejavu feeling about what will happen at the end of the season. Personally, I have never had an interest in the make up of a top six and I doubt that many fans of the club are particularly bothered this season although nobody really wants a wooden spoon as a memento of the year. Brisbane have issues, somdoes Mel Victory, Mel City continue to underwhelm us, Adelaide are eratic, Perth lurch from defensive comedy to player crisis on a week to week basis. Mariners offer glimpses of what might be,every few weeks. Jets look as though they peaked too early and Wellington like to prove they can contribute at least on the field. So the pathway is left clear for Sydney FC to dictate terms for the most part and they do a good job. Trouble is that just as in every other league around the world, people get bored of the same old same old and yearn for something new and exciting like a Dortmund, Athletico, Leicester et all!
Post_hoc
Guest
The only thing that has gone wrong is 1 week before the start of the season the coach leaves. Despite all this Wanderers have only lost 5 games. Rather remarkable if you ask me. The same number of loses as Victory 2 less than the Mariners who people are hailing as going well under Okon and 1 less than the Jets who everyone is raving about. Not sure who are worse when it comes to the Wanderers the fans who have no concept of football but expect a team to win all the time. I am loving having bad seasons, more than happy to get rid of those types of fans that way I end up with better members seats in the new stadium, or so called football pundits who seem so focused on the Wanderers coaches that other coaches seem to get a free pass.
Kangajets
Guest
Gombau will be using his contacts in Spain to source the right players for his system. Might be some short term pain , with long term success. I wonder also if Gombau is thinking he should have waited a bit longer and he might have landed the Socceroos job.