TFT Issue 3414!

Although I think that the Jets can and will improve, especially now that their defenders are back, I just can’t take them seriously. It’s as if their players’ heads have all gone because they can’t create anything. They’ve become seriously poor at damaging teams, basically.

When I watch them, I see a team that passes purely for the sake of passing, not to progress, or to make anything happen. In a better team, that wouldn’t be an issue because they’d have individuals that could make something happen – but they don’t. The only one that can is Krasniqi, and a combination of him consistently starting on the bench and suddenly being contaminated by the depressing state of affairs has made his impact rather underwhelming. This Jets team is not good enough to cope without some degree of confidence – and they have none. 

The Jets’ fans usually have plenty to complain about anyway. Their main bugbear this season has been Boogaard and Topor-Stanley in defence. They’ve both done sterling jobs at the club over the years but are cracking on a bit now, and are being caught out a lot more easily, as well as making considerably more mistakes. I think it’s harsh to blame them for the Jets’ position on the ladder because it’s in attack where they’ve struggled the most this season, but it’s also fair to say that they’re nowhere near as stable as they once were.

Without a solid defence, the Jets really are up shit creek because that attack will not outscore any in the A-League in an open game of football. Against Western United, they attempted to play the game more tactically, knowing the above to be true, and still managed to mess it up by conceding an own goal in the first-half. They’re too easy to play against, the Jets, just sitting off teams, waiting to concede. They’re not threatening on the break anymore, they’re not making runs in behind, and they’re not making one-twos. Honestly, it’s just pass, pass, pass – and not in the amazing Barcelona way of the past! 

That’s why I think City are going to murder them today. Fun fact – I tipped the Jets to beat them in the reversal of this fixture, which they did. At the time, it made sense – but not anymore, obviously. Even in that game, City wasted some seriously good chances but to be fair to them, they were only just bursting into bloom. Now they’re tearing the division apart at will, scoring goals as they see fit, and winning the majority of their matches. What I like the most about them is their work-rate though. They want it, and they work hard to get it – I don’t remember seeing that from them in a long time.

When you fuse the above positive traits with the natural quality that they have, not to mention the seriously talented youngsters on the rise, you get a very complete unit; one that can get away with dropping defensive midfielder Griffiths into defence sometimes to improve ball possession, composure, and distribution. Good and Metcalfe are contributing heavily at the present time, particularly the latter, and the team creates a lot of chances on goal from a lot of different situations. This is a seriously hard team to contain right now, and I can no longer hesitate in stating that they’re the best in the country.

I think it speaks volumes that this team has only played badly on one occasion over the past few months, which was in their draw with Macarthur FC last time out. I say ‘badly’ – they were still good value for the draw. It’s just that they looked sluggish, passes weren’t connecting, and they simply didn’t take most of the chances they created. Sloppy play at the back gave the equaliser away too when they weren’t really under any duress. Instead of being put off by that display, I am encouraged that the law of averages has now had its fill, and I expect City to be back to their best today.

If the above does indeed prove to be the case, then backing City to beat the -2 Asian Handicap looks a risk worth taking here as they’re unlikely to receive any opposition from their disillusioned guests.