TFT Issue 3960!

Not to jump on the bandwagon or anything, but Adelaide United really should be able to win this game. I’m not going to read too much into their win in Sydney last weekend, impressive though it was to break Rudan’s unbeaten run. In that game, they capitalised upon WSW’s inability to defend set pieces. The game itself was very even, and could have gone either way.

That serves as a handy segway as to why I want to back The Reds here though. Casting aside my utter disdain for a lifeless, predictable Sydney FC for just a second, Adelaide United have been absolutely lethal of late. They’ve not played amazingly, and they’ve not dominated teams. Even in the 5-1 win against Phoenix, the game was actually very even. However, Adelaide United are converting almost all of their chances at the moment, and you just can’t argue with a team that’s doing that.

They do have some complications to overcome, mind you. Juande’s season is over, and now they’ve lost Isaias to a hamstring complaint – that’s their two sitting midfielders gone. D’Arrigo will do a reasonable job but there’s no real player to sit alongside him. They may have to ask Alagich or Yull to play there, which is a risk. I mean, Sydney FC’s midfield is very good – but only if you afford them the time to be. If Adelaide United harass them – and I expect them to – then they should be ok without their Spaniards.

For now, it’s imperious Goodwin, powerful Ibusuki, and crafty Halloran that are destroying teams. I wouldn’t want to overlook Kitto’s contribution behind Goodwin either – they’re virtually telepathic at times, the two ex-Jets men. Adelaide United have what it takes to go in front against teams whilst they’re so confident and ruthless, and then they have weapons like Irankunda to come on when they’re sat back to defend their lead because nobody in the A-League will catch him on the break. It’s a system that’s worked well for them lately, and should again here.

Sydney FC – well, where do I begin? They’re still horribly over-reliant on Le Fondre up front, who understandably looked rusty when he came off the bench last match, having been out for an age with injury. He’s not been great this season anyway, being honest, but Corica’s apparent refusal to play replacement striker Wood instead of him continues to baffle me. Lately, they’ve even used inside forward Mak and left-back Caballo in the central striker position rather than playing Wood, which is just mental, and naturally didn’t work.

Cards on the table – I did feel a bit sorry for them last weekend. They were all over Western United from start to finish, and should have won the game. However, repeatedly making the same defensive errors against long balls left me with little sympathy for them – even veteran Wilkinson finally looked his age. Only a thunderbolt from Mak got them level in the end though, just when it seemed like they wouldn’t manage it. They’re just too predictable, Sydney FC – slow, and cumbersome, barring the odd burst of life from Mak, Lolley, or Burgess.

Sydney FC could give Adelaide United a good game; they’ve got the personnel. It’s not impossible for them, you know. It’s just that their displays under Corica are really easy to anticipate so nobody really struggles against them anymore. An industrious, motivated, and in-form Adelaide United should not be an exception. They are due a bad result, which is a little bit ominous, but Sydney FC are the perfect kind of team for them to upset so I have to roll the dice on the home win here.