Teams without a backbone do not win a Premier’s Plate or an A-League title. Only a fool would disagree with the obvious simplicity of that statement.
However, finding the formula to create such substance is a difficult task for those charged with building, developing and overseeing a team capable of making a run at Australian football silverware.
The longer an A-League season runs, the more a team’s backbone and fortitude, or lack of, becomes apparent. Round 22 told us a great deal about the fibre and hard wiring of a number of teams in contention for the finals.
Those who continue to earn the tick of approval will prove tough to beat in knockout play. Others who flayed away aimlessly seem unlikely to make a realistic impact, should they even manage to make the grade.
There are no such issues for Sydney FC. After the disappointing slippage of two points to Jeonbuk in Asian Champions League play last Wednesday and a second loss to the Wanderers in the now interesting again Sydney Derby just days earlier, the Sky Blues flexed their muscles on Saturday night against Melbourne Victory.
(Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
Despite an early goal and a sense of softness within a few decisions that went the way of the visitors, Sydney found a gear that had escaped them in recent times and demolished Victory with four goals in the final 50 minutes.
In the midst of the busiest of schedules and with many predicting the beginnings of a slightly wobbling apple-cart, the men from the Harbour City looked deep inside and found the substance required to condemn the Victory to their tenth loss of the season.
That Sydney fortitude was built in the Graham Arnold era and the belief and resilience has been continued during Steve Corica’s reign. Love them or hate them, Sydney have a backbone the envy of the league.
While Melbourne Victory’s greatest weakness in 2019-20 may well be a lack of resilience and consistent application across the entire 90 minutes of matches, there is no doubt that they will be back, and soon.
This season has been nothing short of a disaster for such a proud club yet don’t be surprised to see the men in darker blue back sooner rather than later.
Sadly for Adelaide United and as I predicted in my column last week, they now look the most likely to slip from the top six. The harrowing capitulation that occurred at Coopers Stadium on Saturday afternoon said a great deal about the intestinal fortitude of the men in red.
Nikola Mileusnic of Adelaide United in action during the Round 7 A-League match between Adelaide United and Melbourne Victory at Coopers Stadium in Adelaide, Saturday, November 23, 2019. (AAP Image/James Elsby)
They have little and could well fold with nothing more than a whimper by season’s end.
Their conquerors Western United, responded to an extended period of mediocrity with their second consecutive win and eleven goals in a week.
It all looked to be going a little pear shaped for Mark Rudan’s men just a few short weeks ago, yet all of a sudden the United train has rediscovered the rails and moved back inside the top six.
Up north, and despite some questioning the tactics of former Liverpool legend Robbie Fowler, the most firm of substances has been found. Brisbane Roar have accumulated 20 points in 2020, more than any club including runaway leader Sydney FC, and they now look to be a serious player in the A-League finals.
The men in orange are galvanised, tough and getting better with each passing week.
The Wanderers had travelled north, hopeful of another step forward after recent positive signs under Jean-Paul de Marigny.
Whilst too early to completely jettison their hopes, question marks over their substance will resurface after a poor performance against the Roar, where they were clearly the second best team on the pitch.
Nobody questions the credentials of the Wellington Phoenix in what is continuing to loom as a ground-breaking season for the men from the shaky isles. Ufuk Talay has them humming, consistent and capable of confronting Sydney FC, Melbourne City and Perth Glory face to face, well-armed to claim victory.
After dishing out another loss to the spine-less Mariners, Wellington continue to do nothing other than rise in people’s opinions, the longer the season runs.
The round was completed with a match that promised to be the most competitive and critical of the weekend. Both Perth Glory and Melbourne City no doubt talked about that hard edge and substance required to pinch the three points and continue their runs towards second spot on the A-League ladder.
Gregory Wuthrich of Perth Glory. (AAP Image/Gary Day)
Despite the toughness of Tony Popovic being generally evident in the way his troops attack the task at hand, Perth stumbled, went to water and allowed a trio of first half goals. It was un-Perth like.
However, as Melbourne City played the second half without the intensity they displayed in the opening 45 minutes, a revival of sorts took place. The comeback could well have earned a point or perhaps even more if not for some fortune and quality goal keeping.
In the end, City lacked the discipline and determination to finish the job when given the chance and Perth failed to grasp the moment when the game was on the line early. In essence, both teams displayed weakness and frailties.
The final seven rounds will require contenders like Adelaide, Western Sydney, Perth and Melbourne City to iron out such weaknesses, else Sydney FC and Wellington will continue to firm in the betting as the two most likely.
At work
Roar Rookie
It’s called squad management. We have so many players who have been at the club for long periods that much of their salaries are not counted. We’re better on the field and also off it. :silly:
Grants mullet
Roar Rookie
Well done
AndyAdelaide
Roar Rookie
Sydney has been doing it for years, nothing changes
Grants mullet
Roar Rookie
How has Sydney breached the cap ? Please explain to me
AndyAdelaide
Roar Rookie
plenty of substance when the top team regularly breaches its salary cap and the 2nd team is run by dirty oil money lol
AndyAdelaide
Roar Rookie
lol not sure if he checks our match day squad regularly? we seem to have a 15 year old and 16 year olds in there each week. Project Stajic has run its course, hes had enough time to implement the playing style and recruitment. any other club in this league and in professional sports wouldve already relieved him of his duties. Relegation/promotion cant come soon enough!!
PB
Roar Rookie
"Brisbane Roar have accumulated 20 points in 2020, more than any club including runaway leader Sydney FC" For the stats fans among us Roar have scored 20 points this year -from 10 games (30 possible) :thumbup: Sydney picked up 15 from 7 games (21 possible) :thumbup: :thumbup: Nix scored 18 from 8 (24 possible) :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:
Waz
Roar Rookie
please, Please, PLEASE tip CCM or a DRAW this weekend. Let’s not stop a good thing hey ...
Griffo
Roar Guru
Lack of fortitude, or an erosion of mental substance? CCM seem to have a collective scar and retreat into their shells without a good run of results. Or is that a bit too simplistic given the quality of the squad they are capable of assembling? This could well be affecting Stajčić and team selections. Sydney appear to have a bank of this mental substance to draw on but I don't think the well is that deep: consider that the choice of coach and football department is just as important to maintain past momentum and ride through difficult challenges, lest it erodes in one bad season and takes a few to overcome. The Jets also, having some history of poor seasons, can have good ones. An interim coach showed some of that mental substance was there, and the new coach + a couple of new signings have the side looking vastly different to earlier in the season. How far can the Jets go in seven rounds? Have Sydney done enough to ride out a bad patch for the Premiership? Will Brisbane storm home? Have CCM already bowed and accepted their place at the bottom, even though they have shown they can play earlier in the season, with a different lineup, and challenge the Jets or Victory for not accepting failure?
Griffo
Roar Guru
So the question is: locking-out the crowds will boost 'media' numbers (media means the online platforms, given the more accurate measures...)? Interesting scenario and perhaps some discussion on whether crowds matter, beyond lost revenue for clubs (but should be savings from not having to hire the venue for those rounds).
Griffo
Roar Guru
Mitch Duke indicated on Twitter that the humidity affected him personally and he didn't receive a 'second wind' like usual. He didn't excuse the performance but felt it affected the team collectively given they know they can be better (some reading between the lines there on my part). While you can appreciate the honesty it still shouldn't detract from a great performance by Brisbane. Also training in that environment this time of year should be an extra advantage for Brisbane at home, but they still have to play and carry out the coaches plan.
Stuart Thomas
Expert
THE form team right now and they have CCM this week. Top four?
Para+Ten ISUZU Subway support Australian Football
Roar Rookie
A well written article Stuart. You are pretty much spot on with your analysis. However, I don't believe that Steve Corica is some sort of football clone of Graham Arnold in regards to football philosophy. The two men are vastly different and have different football philosophies. Corica, has a different managerial behaviour than Arnold and you can see that with how he managers his team. He balances his experienced older players well with his young starlets, far better than Graham Arnold ever did.
Nick Symonds
Guest
I wonder how playing in empty stadiums would affect the A-League? On the one hand you wouldn't have crowds, but on the other hand it might make people focus on the football. Then, if all matches are made available on FTA like has been suggested for the EPL then more people will have the opportunity to see it and it'll get better exposure. If viewership increases in turn then that could push up the price of the next broadcasting deal. Could the coronavirus actually be a boost for the A-League?
Nick Symonds
Guest
BBC Coronavirus and Premier League: Key questions about what lies ahead https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/51805836
Mike Tuckerman
Expert
Brisbane Roar battered them, Buddy. They'd have beaten every other team in the league with that performance.
Nick Symonds
Guest
FTBL: Central Coast coach Alen Stajcic has called for patience while his young team develops into a side that can produce A-League success. - "We have a lot of young players on the field, five or six around the age of 20 playing so that's the break in the cycle," he said. "Sometimes it takes one day, one month or even a year for these players to grow into being A-League players "We have hit that turning point and hopefully - sooner rather than later, the fans don't want to wait years." - https://www.ftbl.com.au/news/even-a-year-stajcic-wont-give-up-on-mariners-youth-539065
TPC
Roar Rookie
Glory actually remind me of the Kenny Lowe era atm, you don't know what you're going to get which is very un-Popovich like.
Buddy
Roar Rookie
Stuart, half of me feels that 10 of the 11 clubs are lacking various pieces of the jigsaw puzzle whilst SFC are complete but don’t really get any better than this which is how I account for their AFC performances and the occasional lapse in the A League. Saturday night at Marvel showcased how far MV have slipped this season, which came on top of a not so good year last year. How I long to see another Delpierre at the back; such a picture of calmness and control and he worked so hard alongside Thomas that it must have inspired allcomers. If SFC really do have a solid backbone it has to show up in a competition that is going to really stretch them and you’d have to say for the most part, this season’s a league isn’t doing that. They go out do their stuff and Lo and behold, another 3 points. I’m not saying they go through the motions, they do way more than that but they do the same thing week in and week out - I believe it is called consistency. I want to see if they can take it up a few notches though.
Buddy
Roar Rookie
I certainly agree on the pre-season rumblings predicting the early demise of RF. I tend to think it was a cheap piece of Pom bashing in many ways as that is still a popular pastime and for whatever reason, has not been declared as racist behaviour in the same way that most other nationalities can claim these days. As for Friday night; I’m still inclined to think that BR were made to look good by a collective “stinker” of a game from WSW. I was embarrassed to be there watching that performance after 3 pretty good ones. They just didn’t turn up possibly with the exception of Duke and I found it difficult to work out whether BR were being made to look good or whether they were playing well. It was probably a mixture of both as the one thing they did really well was to push forward in numbers and they regularly profited from an overlap down the right side which WSW had no answer for and it caused mayhem in the penalty area. Waz, I’m interested on your take in relation to crowd. I thought the game deserved about 2k more and with a 7-30 pm kick off and all to play for, I thought there would be a better turnout.