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Ambition vs application

Ninkovic's versatility highlights how Sydney FC's multi-faceted approach brought them success. (AAP Image/Brendan Esposito)
Roar Guru
9th March, 2018
10

It was only a month or so ago that the football fraternity was awash with the excitement of the forthcoming ACL.

There were pundits that were prepared to suggest that Sydney FC, the all-conquering conquering A League side, was ready to eclipse the achievement of their Western Sydney neighbours in 2014 by winning the trophy this season and possibly holding an unlikely treble in one year.

At the halfway mark, those kind of predictions look slightly absurd. While possibly unlucky not to pick up all three points away in China recently, the same could not be said against Kashima.

The team barely got out of first gear in the first half, looking pretty flat. While the tempo was raised in the second half and there were a few good chances created, some schoolboy defending from a late corner (always cover the back post) really let them down and consigned the team to last place in the group as we head into the second half of the group phase.

So has it all gone wrong, or were all the comments and predictions just way off the mark?

If this is a genuine attack on the trophy (and surely we must assume that) then is this really a reflection of the strength or weakness of the A-League? After all, the current Sydney side is dominating on all fronts.

Leaving last weekend’s result aside (there are still eight points to make up), the side has really coasted through the season, often not having to play well to wrap up three points, always doing enough and sometimes making their domestic opponents look pretty average.

It has been claimed by posters to this site that indeed, the Sky Blues are not that good at all, which does rather suggest the rest of the league is very poor judging by the results in the ACL.

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What really puazzles me though is the attitude towards the ACL which for me, should be the aim of any side that claim to be champions of a national competition. However, I am not convinced. The fans don’t exactly turn out in numbers (that is across the board, not just Sydney FC).

The starting line-up at home didn’t suggest there was any great ambition in the forward line. Matt Simon as the point of attack doesn’t put fear in most A-League defences and doubtless Kashima would be aware of his lack of goalscoring prowess.

The pace of the game and lack of shots at goal against a side that contained a fair sprinkling of J League reserves including a 38-year-old goalkeeper might suggest there isn’t a real concern about the tournament.

In the post match interview, Graham Arnold did not appear overly concerned and he made a point of stating that the A-League is an important competition as well as the ACL and it isn’t as though they have a game this weekend and needed to rest key players.

After three rounds, I still have concerns about the club’s ambitions and when I put that point to one side I am then confronted by a lack of application or perhaps ability.

I don’t get it.

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