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.
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.
Kangajets
Guest
There is definitely hope , but it will take a change in emphasis on squad development and rotation. Newcastle will expect to be in the Acl next season , and will need to add 4 excellent players to their squad to compete. As for long term , population numbers will keep Australia behind countries like Japan in the overall talent pool , also Japan and China Korea doesn’t have the other footy codes sharing the talent pool at a juniors level either .
Kanga.Odonovan
Guest
I think because it's Sydney that some people aren't interested. Just because of Graeme Arnold If it was Adelaide or Perth in the acl would want them to do better . Lots of English people enjoyed spurs getting knocked out of the cl
buddy
Guest
That's a very pessimistic outlook KJ! No hope for A League sides in the foreseeable?
buddy
Guest
So the question remains, Why Was it talked up so much? Did we not do any homework on J and K League? Surely that cannot be the case?
buddy
Guest
Budgets, squad size, marquee signings all contribute without a doubt but everyone knew the situation before the competition started and there was definitely talk of Sydney being good enough to win it, so something must have gone wrong somewhere or are we speaking too soon?
buddy
Guest
Agreed Nem that MV are going OK although they have a tough passage. As far as SFC is concerned, they have been disappointing but nobody seems to really care. Are we that insular? I suppose I have come across plenty of English fans who want to win epl far more than UCL so maybe we are not so different.
Michael Mills
Guest
Our depth is certainly not as strong as it was last year. Our bench for good chunks of last year had a mix of Redmayne, Ryall, Dimitrijević, Ibini, Carney and Simon, all players with significant A League experience. Dimitrijević was Sydney’s player of the season just two years prior, and Ryall is one of Sydney’s most-capped players. Leaving Buijs out of the ACL squad has been a mistake, in hindsight. Given Ninkovic wasn’t available on Wednesday, we ended up with only one of the visa players in the starting lineup. Given their injury problems earlier this season, it was foreseeable that Adrian and Ninkovic wouldn’t make it through unscathed. Perhaps a better strategy would have been to leave one of those two out, pick Buijs and then recruit an attacking Asian player to fill the ‘+1’ visa spot. Bottom line though, Sydney have just been outclassed by the Japanese and Korean teams.
Nemesis
Guest
Considering its poor ALeague form, MVFC doing very well in ACL. I keep reading Sydney were unlucky to not win in Shanghai. Nonsense. Draw was very just result. Shanghai had chances to bury Sydney. Sydney missed chances themselves. Same with any match. MV had chances to beat Ulsan at AAMI Park. Ulsan took the lead 3 times. No one can suggest either side were unlucky to not win. Draw was a fair result. MVFC's ACL campaign now rests on its performance on Tuesday night at AAMI Park. It's basically a knock out match. Whoever wins is back in the race. Loser is definitely out. Draw would also help neither team, but there'd be a glimmer of hope for both.
shirtpants
Roar Guru
Compare the budgets for the A League against their opponents. Part of it has to be laid on Graham Arnold. He hasn't developed the depth of the team to compete in both competitions. Naivety on his part. Maybe tactically he needs to be more versatile in a high quality knock out competition. I don't think we will see another Australian team win in the next decade at least.
Kangajets
Guest
Graeme Arnold has not rotated his ageing squad all season Sydney do not have very good depth Yes there are some poor teams in the A league this year , but there always bad teams . The other teams can buy better marquee players The salary cap surely impinges A league teams from doing very well in Asia. Wsw and Adelaide were the exception. What’s noticeable is that Japanese and Korean teams have a much bigger pool of talent ......... this is the real question?? Is this down to training , development or just population and a lack of alternative football codes for young players.