Adelaide United face a daunting trip to Wanderland to play an organised Western Sydney Wanderers outfit in what should be a fascinating clash on Saturday night.
The Reds will need to quickly put their insipid performance against Melbourne City behind them. It was a match where fans and pundits alike expected an evenly-poised encounter, but believed Adelaide would just edge their counterparts – largely attributed to City’s leaky defence.
However, those sentiments could not be further from the truth. Although, only a goal separated the two sides on the night, United were lacklustre, disjointed and rarely threatened gloveman Thomas Sorensen. Nick Fitzgerald’s clinical finish midway through the second-half proved the difference and gave the visitors a deserved win and emphatically bring to an end Adelaide’s impressive 14-match undefeated streak.
POPULAR ARTICLES
AUSFIFA founder talks about the growth of the unique FIFA gaming platform
Kevin Muscat: No player is safe ahead of Suwon Bluewings clash
A-League – Team of the Week – Matchday 23
Nevertheless, Guillermo Amor’s men will need to put in a much-improved shift if they are to get something out of their huge meeting with the 2014 Asian Champions League winners. While the squad as a collective were well-below the lofty standards they had set in the previous three-and-a-half months, the tactics employed by the Spanish tactician should also be analysed.
Amor, for the first time in a long time, got his tactics wrong. Hindsight, as the proverbial saying goes, is a wonderful thing. Yet, had the Barcelona icon made some minor adjustments, the result against Melbourne could have produced a dissimilar outcome. Young defender Jordan Elsey did not experience his best game, though in mitigation he was deployed in an unnatural left-back position, following the injury to stalwart Tarek Elrich. The 22-year-old was mainly at fault for the goal conceded – easily allowing Fitzgerald to cut inside and expertly dispatch his effort into the top corner.
Elsey, who will miss the upcoming match against Western Sydney through suspension, has been entrusted as a fullback in the past. However, it is no secret he is more confident and comfortable in central defence. Perhaps moving Craig Goodwin into left-back and starting either talented speedster Bruce Kamau or Mate Dugandzic on the wing would have been a wiser option.
18-year-old George Mells also struggled at the base of the midfield and should have received his marching orders for a second bookable offence before the interval. Sure Isaias was returning from a knee complaint, hence why he began proceedings on the bench. But one just wonders if Amor had of taken a calculated gamble and started the Spanish pass-master, given the enormity of the clash, Adelaide would not have lost the midfield battle as convincingly as they did.
And the coach will have to immediately learn from those mistakes versus an extremely disciplined Western Sydney. The Reds have an uninspiring record in Parramatta – yet to taste success in five previous visits against the Wanderers.
A tight affair is predicted after the preceding two fixtures this season culminated in 1-1 and 0-0 stalemates at Coopers and Pirtek Stadium respectively. In the context of this campaign, a win for either WSW (second) or Adelaide (third) will somewhat represent a ‘six pointer’ – due to the immense permutations attached to this intriguing encounter. By pure coincidence the other two members in the top four face off this weekend, with league leaders Brisbane Roar also hosting fourth place City on Friday.
With a rampant Perth Glory favourites to claim the three points against Wellington Phoenix on Sunday, despite the laborious journey across the Tasman – it connotes that neither side, in particular Adelaide, can afford to lose. Currently, five points separate the Reds and the Glory on the table, but a United defeat and a Perth win would see the gap close to a mere two points, with three rounds remaining.
Amor will be optimistic their jaded showing against John van’t Schip’s troops was simply an anomaly. Only time will tell if that is the case of course, however, heading to a venue they have had scarce success will illustrate a true test of their character as they battle a genuine title aspirant in the Wanderers.
If Adelaide were to come up trumps, it will not only enhance their position in the league standings, but also serve as a monumental psychological boost in anticipation to a riveting finals series.
What are your thoughts? Let us know by dropping a comment below via our Facebook comment box. Make sure you follow us on Twitter @Outside90 and like us on Facebook.
