Our series of 2015-16 mid-season A-League reviews continues with a look at fourth-placed Sydney FC.
The story so far
The Sky Blues began the season in a fashion synonymous with their manager Graham Arnold, starting on a five-match unbeaten streak in which they conceded just three goals. However, their sticky period started with a 4-2 loss to champions Melbourne Victory, as the Harbour-based club seemed bereft of creativity and potency in the final-third. While Filip Holosko and Milos Ninkovic, the foreign marquees, struggled through the opening exchanges of the season, recent outings have seen both return to the kind of form that could see Sydney continue to climb the A-League ladder.
The Cove faithful will be relieved to have seen their side return to the kind of fluidity that saw them finish second in the league last year. Their 4-2 loss to the Victory aside, Sydney have managed to maintain the best defensive record in the competition along with Brisbane, conceding just 12 goals in 14 matches. In their most recent outing the Sky Blues displayed their best in both halves of the pitch. Clinical in front of goal, Arnold’s men did not concede a shot on target – it was a quiet afternoon for Vedran Janjetovic.
The manager – Graham Arnold
To many, Arnold could have looked as though he was suffering from the troubling ‘second-season syndrome’ after his move down the M3. However, for those that know Sydney’s manager, it was business as usual. A self-professed slow-starter, Arnold’s side looked devoid of any cutting edge over the first couple of months and yet were notoriously disciplined and defensively stout. Since then, he has managed to find a setup that benefits his best attacking players. Aided by injury, his selection dilemmas have been eased in recent weeks with club-captain Alex Brosque suffering from a hamstring strain and a number of younger players away on Olyroos duty.
Arnold’s big game prowess will surely benefit the Sky Blues moving forward. Slightly behind par when compared to his debut season, the experience of the former Socceroos assistant will be a defining aspect in Sydney’s second-half of the season.
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Standout player – Milos Ninkovic
Sydney FC looked to have lost one of the most effective marquees in the A-League’s history when news broke that Marc Janko would not be returning to Australian shores. However, they recovered well to ensure the signing of Serbian playmaker, Milos Ninkovic.
Ninkovic has shown an incredible ability to retain possession in tight areas and, in recent times, has shown a tremendous penetrative passing game. Often played in wider areas, Brosque’s injury has brought the former Red Star Belgrade midfielder to the fore. Currently operating as the central-attacking midfielder, Ninkovic created four goalscoring chances for his teammates against the Jets, one of which was translated to an assist. Those numbers are part of an impressive 15 goalscoring chances that the midfielder has created in just 12 games, more than any of his teammates. To add to this, Ninkovic has scored on three occassions including a late-winner against cross-city rivals the Western Sydney Wanderers – safe to say, he is a crowd favourite.
Second half of the season prediction
To replicate their second-spot finish from last season, Sydney must improve. It was about this time last season that they began to dominate the competition but the likelihood of a repeat performance seems slim. With the competition strengthening and the emergence of real title contenders in the form of Brisbane, Melbourne City and the Wanderers, Sydney will need to work for a coveted top four finish. Arnold’s men certainly have the potential to trouble the aforementioned sides, but they will need to continue their improved form if they are to be a real title threat this season.
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