.gif "Sack Attack: An A-League Webcomic")
Sydney FC
Semester Summary
It's hard to really pinpoint how Sydney's season is turning out. Do you judge them on their cohesive 5-0 drubbing of Melbourne Victory on the weekend? Or perhaps they'd be better analysed on their previous five matches in which they collected a measly one point. However you choose to view the Sky Blue, they're a conundrum. Frank Farina is strangely now the longest serving current coach in the A-League, but he hasn't found the level of consistency fans so desperate crave. What's truly upsetting is that Sydney FC fans have no idea what supporting a stable club feels like.
Areas of Excellence
Points on the ladder. For all Sydney's rollercoasting, they've put points on the board and sit fifth on 22. They have zero chance of challenging for the premiership but a finals series appearance looks likely. What's key about their ladder numbers is their par-for-the-course goals for and against: zero. It's telling when a team wins five nil and still has a goal margin of +0.
Areas in need of improvement
Injecting youth successfully. We're not talking about filling up Hagi Gligor's veins with chemical substances so that he performs twice as good as he did on Sunday - heck that'd be impossible anyway. No, Farina hasn't quite got the hang of properly employing his youngsters. Corey Gamiero is the name that comes to mind. Meanwhile if you play a couple seasons with Sydney FC on FIFA you'll discover that Joel Chianese turns out alright, so give him game time!
Top Students
Terry McFlynn. The man bleeds so much sky blue that when he kicks the bucket you could paint over the red on every old Heart jersey and still have paint left to do your baby sons room. He hasn't played as much this year but is forcing his way back into the team. Another five?
Class Clowns
Look, we don't be wantin' to call him out, but Del Piero's form has been on and off more than Dawson and Joey. Sydney's destiny is intrinsically linked to Alessandro's and that means FC's fortunes rest on the creaky hip, weary back and tired legs. He's the most wonderful thing to happen to the A-League but his time is unfortunately up.
Grade
C-.
 |
Bright, which this article might not suggest. However, someone who looks at a glass and thinks "You know what? This glass is half not empty" will tell you that the Bling could power home and finish fourth; a respectable end to a tricky 2013/14 season.