Are Sydney’s blues behind them?

After their memorably manic 3-2 win against Melbourne Victory last week fans and pundits are wondering: have Sydney FC “turned the corner”? Or have they merely turned a corner—and thus are prone to encounter further pitfalls, football’s equivalent of open manholes, upturned rakes, banana peels, and swarming English backpackers relentlessly trying to secure monthly direct-deposit donations to charity organisations? It has to be the latter, surely, for what is life, and football, but an endless series of corners to be negotiated? So who can be sure what awaits Sydney on Friday night in Melbourne, or indeed what version of Sydney will grace the AAMI Park pitch (this reminds me of the proverbial golfer who thinks his green-finding fairway shot is representative of his golf game, not the vast collection of shanks and slices that preceded it.) If we can be sure of anything, however, it’s that Sydney should feel lighter of soul having won, in trying circumstances, their second match of the season—and against their bitter rivals, no less. They’ll also be buoyed by the continuing influence of Alessandro Del Piero (on the score sheet, on the referees, and on the results – his individual record this season is played two, won two, gone off injured at 0-0 in a third). Finally, they may even be confident. So they’ve no excuses and their performance against the Heart will speak volumes.

Heart attack

During the half-time break at last week’s match fans were treated, if that’s the right word, to a Heart v Wanderers computer game played by two young men in the guts of the stadium and projected onto the big screen. The Wanderers (well, the bloke playing the Wanderers) won the match on penalties but the home crowd at least had the opportunity to do what they’ve only had two opportunities to do all season, and that’s cheer a few Heart goals. And cheer they did, good-naturedly. Sadly for them, they were the only Heart goals they’d see that day.

Considering that the 1-0 loss locked the Heart into last place on the ladder it may surprise some that the mood inside AAMI Park wasn’t imbued with despondency, anger or bitterness. You could argue that’s because the fans have low expectations, or that’s it’s hard to read the collective mood of a crowd when it’s on the small side and widely dispersed around a stadium. Then again, you could equally argue the fans at least recognised their team put in a decent shift against last year’s premiers and that their effort couldn’t be faulted (it’s barely been mentioned, but the Heart have this season played both of last year’s grand finalists, plus leading lights like the Victory, the Roar, and Glory away – a tough opening five matches in anyone’s estimation). Furthermore, chances, plenty of them, are being created, they’re just not finding the back of the net. That’s a pretty big ‘just’, admittedly, but it does explain John Aloisi’s insistence that all is not lost. But if his optimism is to be maintained someone will need to step up, and step up soon. Perhaps Sydney’s fragile defence may help spark the Heart attack.

The Finkler question

With Mark Milligan away on Socceroos’ duty and Kiwi Kosta Barbarouses suffering the effects of some potent Mexican, the Victory midfielder Guilherme Finkler may get his first start of the season against the Western Sydney Wanderers at Parramatta Stadium on Saturday night. Coincidentally, it was against the Wanderers at the same ground when, on 1 January this year, Finkler —who, at the time, led the league in goal assists— ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee causing him to miss the rest of the season. So not even taking into account the hostile atmosphere at Wanderland, and his team having to combat the unbeaten Wanderers, it will be a big night for Finkler, and if he has any unnerving memories about what he called “the worst day of my life” he’ll need to push them to the back of his mind, that dark place where we store unimportant details like website passwords, anniversary dates, and what we had for dinner three nights ago. After the Victory’s self-combustion against Sydney last week, Kevin Muscat will need a switched-on Finkler to help unlock a Wanderers defensive line that as well as being big enough to pack a decent scrum, makes you earn your goals. Just three conceded so far. Not that Victory have their own defence sorted out; they were culpable in all three Sydney goals last week. Considering the backdrop, Victory, you’d think, would gladly come away with a share of the spoils.

Will I Am

Will Perth’s just-arrived marquee player William “I’m not here for a holiday” Gallas really start against Adelaide United on Saturday afternoon when the forecast for Perth is 32°C with a 100% chance of flies? While Glory coach Alistair Edwards is in as a good a position as any to judge it’s hard to imagine Gallas will be physically prepared since the last time the 36-year-old France international laced up a boot with purpose was in April. What’s he been doing since then? It would be lazy stereotyping to say he’s been sitting by the phone eating brie-filled baguettes, drinking red wine, smoking Gitanes and reading Montaigne, so I won’t even joke about that a second time. But has he been, you know, doing intensive training? He’s a wonderful defender (on reputation) but considering the Glory’s biggest problem is scoring goals, not conceding them, it may be prudent —particularly since he’s costing Perth a reported $700,000— to have him dip his toe into the A-League before taking a full plunge. And while no-one would mind if he just called everyone Bruce, the extra time on the bench would also give him more time to learn his team-mates’ names.

A chance for the Jets

Newcastle won’t get a better chance than this Sunday to defeat the Roar. Already without Besart Berisha, Shane Stefanutto and Liam Miller, the Roar have been further depleted by the absence of Ivan Franjic and Matt McKay – their best two players in recent weeks – who are in camp with the Socceroos. In his attempt to fill the breach, Roar coach Mike Mulvey has done a great job so far in coaxing rousing performances out of youngsters like Corey Brown and last week’s match-winner, Kwane Yeboah and, what’s more, he’s done so without sacrificing his team’s attractive style. Credit for that must be shared with playmaker Thomas Broich who this week will be surrounded by so many kids he’s probably had to get a police check in order to play. But will the loss of Franjic and McKay tip the scales in favour of the Jets who will be on a high after a surprise, but well-deserved, away win over Adelaide last week? For what it’s worth (an interesting fact with which to dazzle friends at dinner parties) the Jets have a good record against Brisbane (9-7 Jets with seven draws), so it could be time for an upset.

Round 6

Friday: Melbourne Heart v Sydney FC, AAMI Park

Saturday: Perth Glory v Adelaide United, nib StadiumWestern Sydney Wanderers v Melbourne Victory, Pirtek Stadium

Sunday: Newcastle Jets v Brisbane Roar, Hunter Stadium