Can Adelaide United upset the Sky Blues again?

Can Adelaide United upset the Sky Blues again?

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Adelaide United saw off a resilient Brisbane Roar 2-1 at Adelaide Oval on Friday night to book a date with Sydney FC at Allianz Stadium on Saturday night.

The Sky Blues finished the regular campaign in second place four points ahead of the Reds, however Graham Arnold’s side was unable to defeat Josep Gombau’s squad in three A-League fixtures and one FFA Cup clash.

Are Adelaide the Sky Blues’ bogey team? What secrets does the Spanish manager know about Sydney? How have the Reds collected a total of 12 points from their Sydney counterparts? Will this play out the same way on Saturday?

Let’s start from the beginning.

Sydney FC vs Adelaide United – FFA Cup Quarter Finals – Tuesday 21 October 2014

The first encounter between the sides this season was in the inaugural FFA Cup at Allianz Stadium, where the Reds’ Bruce Djite went rampant in extra time. Djite scored a brace following on from a Nikola Petkovic red card with goals from Sergio Cirio and Alex Brosque in each half.

That night, Sydney FC was outplayed from start to finish. The only reason the match went beyond 90 minutes was down to the Reds’ wastefulness in front of goal, otherwise it could have easily been four or five.

Gombau’s side maintained 61% of the ball and had a passing accuracy of 83%, an area where it found its joy as the Sky Blues looked to be chasing shadows. The keys for Adelaide were Spaniard Cirio and Argentinian Marcelo Carrusca. The pair choreographed everything the Reds did, moving forward and the combination opened the scoring through the former.

Djite was unstoppable inside the box after Petkovic was given his marching orders for a crude challenge on Fabio Ferreira. The then-Adelaide forward found himself free twice in the danger zone and rocketed the ball home with two classy finishes.

Adelaide United vs Sydney FC – A-League – Friday 7 November 2014

Sydney FC bounced back in the second meeting between the two teams and were unlucky not to take all three points in their 0-0 draw at Coopers Stadium. A late Petkovic free kick found the net but was disallowed in controversial fashion, as referee Alan Milliner had not blown his whistle to signal the resumption of play.

Regardless of the Serb’s lack of fortune, the Reds were yet again in control of the match and it was only Sydney custodian Vedran Janjetovic and his backline’s brilliance that kept them from finding the scoresheet.

Adelaide had all the possession once more with 61%. That dominance led to 17 shots on goal, with the majority coming from Carrusca and Cirio. Both players hit the upright while youngster Awer Mabil’s pace was a constant headache for the Sky Blues’ full-backs, but the Reds flyer spurned multiple chances from point blank range.

If it was not for Sydney’s resilient defence it could have been a grim night for Arnold and those in Sky Blue at Coopers.

Sydney FC vs Adelaide United – A-League – Friday 26 December 2014

Following a scrappy opening stanza, Adelaide showed its class with goals from Djite, Mabil and Pablo Sanchez, elevating the Reds into second place on the A-League ladder and, in the process, leaving Sydney to ponder where it all went astray.

All three of Adelaide’s goals came down the right flank which was guarded by Alex Gersbach. Both Carrusca and James Jeggo got in behind the Sky Blues’ left-back, while Cirio sliced through the heart of Sydney’s back four to lay the third goal on a plate for Mabil.

Sydney was not too far behind in terms of possession at Allianz, enjoying 45% of the ball, while its passing accuracy was at a similar rate with 79% compared to the Reds’ 82%. Where Arnold’s side fell apart was on the counter. Adelaide intercepted the ball 19 times in dangerous areas, giving it a platform high up the pitch to punish the Sky Blues.

Sydney FC vs Adelaide United – A-League – Saturday 4 April 2015

The Reds managed to steal all three points at Allianz Stadium thanks to a Mabil stunner eight minutes from time. The heroics of Eugene Galekovic were to thank for the win, with the goalkeeper pulling off several superb saves throughout.

In a game that saw Sydney FC dominate, Gombau still had an answer as he elected to play Osama Malik and Nigel Boogaard in the heart of his defence. The two towering defenders doubled up on Marc Janko to limit his freedom in flight. It worked a charm too, as the big Austrian failed to boss the final third and was quiet for the majority of the match, despite having a goal disallowed for offside.

The Reds’ goal came down the right flank yet again, and this time it was Petkovic who backed off and allowed Mabil free passage in-field. The Ajax trialist curled his shot into the far corner past an outstretched Janjetovic.

SYD vs ADL 1

Analysis

Adelaide United have exposed Sydney FC down the right flank (Sydney’s left) numerous times, most notably through the pace of Mabil. Time and time again, Gersbach or Petkovic allowed their opposite number enough space to go inside or outside. Both options have been utilised and resulted in Sky Blue disappointment. To fix this, Sydney will need to get tighter at the back and only allow the attacker one option: narrowing the angle and closing the space, even disrupting the advances with a foul higher up-field.

The second key to victory is the Reds’ blistering pace, which is found all over the park. The aforementioned Mabil has bucket loads of pace, however, the more dangerous winger is Cirio on the other flank. The Spaniard begins as a winger, but loves drifting in-field to link up with Carrusca. This is when the South Australian side is at its most lethal. The pair have the ability to interchange passes quickly in narrow spaces and subsequently explode out the other side into acres of space or have a strike on goal. If Arnold was to stick Milos Dimitrijevic on the Argentinian, it would hinder much of Adelaide’s play and win the Sky Blues possession in comfortable areas, although that is much easier said than done.

The final key point is Sydney’s scramble defence inside the box especially surrounding Djite, who has caused plenty of damage. The Reds’ forward nursed a groin injury in last Friday’s victory over Brisbane Roar and should be back to face the Sky Blues. The task will be given to either Petkovic or Matthew Jurman and will be a battle of raw strength and awareness. If the Sydney centre-backs can muscle up on Djite in duels and monitor his movement off the ball, another of Adelaide’s attacking ploys is cut off.

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