A-League road gets no easier for winless Adelaide United

A-League road gets no easier for winless Adelaide United

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With Adelaide United’s abysmal form continuing there appears to be no end in sight for beleaguered boss Guillermo Amor, his side rooted to the bottom of the A-League ladder heading into Friday’s encounter with the Wellington Phoenix.

Adelaide’s season had hit a new low after a humbling 4-2 defeat by Melbourne City in the previous outing, in a performance that was unacceptable for the home fans who turned out to watch the game. The dramatic fall from grace was certainly unprecedented with the football fraternity, having gone from FFA Cup Champions and title contenders to the foot of the table with a similar squad in a matter of months. Many presumed the Reds would carry on in identical fashion as they did under Josep Gombau, but unfortunately it has not been the case.

The expected seamless transition from Gombau to Amor could not be further from the truth. Despite a promising beginning to Amor’s reign, remaining undefeated in all six of his friendly clashes, before relinquishing the club’s FFA Cup title defence to eventual winners Melbourne Victory, it has all gone downhill perceptibly quickly. Two draws followed by three consecutive losses translates into the Reds’ worst ever start to a domestic season. As the South Australians prepare to travel across the ditch, it is worth noting that their record in Wellington is not anything to be excited about. United have won merely twice against the New Zealanders away from home since 2007 and judging by that omen, Ernie Merrick’s men will come into the clash as devastating favourites.

Having failed to score through one of their own players, there was a sense of optimism leading up to the match that perhaps it would all come together for United against an inconsistent City team. Those hopes were a far cry from reality, as the Reds were a disjointed unit that was relentlessly exposed on the counter-attack by the rampant visiting outfit.

The Reds are without a win in four games
The Reds are without a win in five games

Defensively, it was shambolic to say the least. While at fault for some of the goals, the duo of Osama Malik and Dylan McGowan were often isolated and had inadequate cover in front of them. Hence, it has been no coincidence the Reds have already conceded 11 times this campaign in five matches, compared to just three during the 2014-15 season. Incidentally, it took 13 games to ship 11 goals last year, which has been one of the more alarming concerns for the former Barcelona legend now at the helm.

The departure of stalwart Nigel Boogaard has illustrated just how much his presence and experience has been missed, leaving a gaping hole in the heart of the defence that has not been filled. Goalkeeper and captain Eugene Galekovic’s absence through injury has not helped, often responsible for marshalling his back four about when to press forward, or shuffle across to avoid being caught out of position.

A usually flawless Marcelo Carrusca has been below-par this season and peculiarly almost non-existent in the Reds’ most recent matches. Speculation has hinted that the Argentine maestro is yet to fully recover from an injury he sustained due to his underwhelming form. The 32-year-old appears devoid of confidence and lacking complete mobility on the pitch. His influence on proceedings has so far been inconsequential, making a limited impact from the advanced-midfielder role.

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Sergio Cirio could be gradually returning to form following his sumptuous curling effort in the setback to John van’t Schip’s men. Although, prior to that moment, he too looked out of sorts and arguably attributed to the instability he has endured. The Spanish winger is undoubtedly most effective as a left-forward, where it allows him to cut inside onto his favoured right-foot. Utilised as a right-midfielder and then as a central-striker, Cirio has looked unsettled as a result of playing multiple positions in a campaign still in its infancy.

With several players out of form and seemingly starved of self-assurance, combined with an uninspiring record in New Zealand, it gives the impression that Adelaide will again struggle and more than likely still be searching for an elusive victory this season.

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