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The Cirio Factor
Bite-sized Spaniard Sergio Cirio has been ever present for
the Reds this season and is equal top on the scoring charts at Coopers Stadium
with three goals. In addition to his prowess upfront, his runs down the right
side have caused problems for every team in the league. The explosive nature of
his play has given Adelaide a much needed route from midfield to attack, an
area in which the club has been lacking in recent years.
The Carrusca Factor
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The Carrusca Factor
What Sergio Cirio has in pace and guile upfront, Argentine
Marcelo Carrusca has in footwork and skill. The attacking midfielder has always
been highly regarded since he joined Adelaide United in 2012 but has taken
things a step further this season. He has three goals to share top spot with Cirio, as well as a number of delightful assists. Perth Glory fans won’t easily forget
his diagonal ball to set up Adelaide's opening goal in round three, and Wanderers
fans will feel the same about his chip to Fabio Ferreira in the box last
Saturday.
Going Long and Going
Wide
All season the Reds have looked to get the ball from the
centre to attacking positions quickly and have done so through long, searching
balls. Time after time Adelaide’s back four lay off passes which are collected
wide on the overlap and the ball makes it way to the corner flag to be crossed
in. It’s a constant barrage which makes defending against the side so hard and opposition
teams haven’t been able to keep the problem solved for a full 90 minutes.
Sydney FC came the closest in the round four goalless draw between the two
sides, but even in the very last second Adelaide was pulling this move, only
for the resulting shot to go over, which brings us too…
Finishing
It wouldn’t be a South Australian team if it didn’t have a
flaw or two, and in Adelaide United finishing is one of these. With 28 shots
against a 10-man Western Sydney Wanderers outfit last Saturday you’d think the
Reds would have won 15-0. You’d be wrong. The two-nil victory – whilst still
exceptional – was slightly marred by the poor conversion rate of the victors as
they hit high and wide, or straight at the keeper. It wasn’t a once off either,
and every week it seems United find a new way to miss. Awer Mabil’s miss from
an open goal line against Perth will surely go down as miss of the year.
Melbourne Victory
Trust Melbourne Victory to come and poop all over an Adelaide
United party. The old rival has been at it again in A-League version 10, and it’s
an ongoing slide that Josep Gombau needs to arrest. A 1-1 draw that Adelaide
should have won in front of 33, 000 spectators in round two was tough to swallow for United fans, but the 3-2 loss a few weeks ago in Melbourne had them choking.
The manner in which the Reds’ defence capitulated in the first 30 minutes of
their most recent clash will cause great concerns come finals time, given the
likelihood that at some point these teams will meet. Adelaide needs to find a
way past the Victory in Melbourne, or kiss league and finals success goodbye.