Phoenix rise to the top

You can barely wipe the blank expression off Ernie Merrick’s face at the moment. The Wellington Phoenix coach has led his charges to the apex of the A-League standings for the first time in the club’s history, and it has been the demure Scotsman’s football philosophy which has taken them there.

Wellington have played with great fluency in attack all campaign and, despite missing top goalscorer Nathan Burns in their 2-1 win over former competition pacesetters Perth Glory, they looked every bit silverware contenders this week. Their season was also reflected in a single moment during the second half in Perth, as Glen Moss stretched to deny a luckless Andy Keogh at one end before Roy Krishna hit an ambitious near-post strike to cap his brace – and the win – at the other less than a minute later. Merrick has his team playing with equal parts grit and flair. And, though Melbourne Victory lie just two points behind with a game in hand, nobody could deny the Kiwis deserve their place at the summit for now.

Break the bank for Janko

After notching an A-League record of nine goals in seven games, and eclipsing Alessandro Del Piero’s Sky Blues milestone of 14 goals in a single season, Marc Janko should be kept at all costs by Sydney FC. OK, he is the highest paid player in the league (some reports suggest Besart Berisha is the second highest earner, and only picks up a wage only half that of Janko), and he is away on national team duty for Austria through the season. But that aside, Sydney FC have rarely looked as good going forward as they do now.

As they battled through the torrential rain to defeat an in-form Brisbane Roar side on Sunday, it raised the question as to whether the big Austrian could have the same impact on the league as Roar superstar Thomas Broich. There is every reason to suggest Janko could achieve similar feats in the A-League if he stays longer-term, which is surely worth the investment for those at FC HQ. There were reports through the week that scoring 15 goals in the regular season would trigger an automatic renewal of his contract for next season. If true, we can expect to see the 31-year-old in Sky Blue again next term as his hat-trick against Brisbane pushed him beyond that mark. If not, expect negotiations between player and club to be one of the most talked about points for the remainder of the season.

Praying for Jesus

Josh Kennedy has given Australian football fans so many fond memories over the years. From nodding home against Iraq to seal qualification for the 2014 World Cup, to scoring the winner against the Netherlands in a 2008 friendly, the lanky striker has certainly done his bit for the cause. That’s why it’s so difficult to see him struggle with fitness, as he is.

Having suffered with back complaints for some time, Kennedy seemed to be fine until the 54th minute of City’s 4-0 rout of the Newcastle Jets on Saturday. That moment saw City fans and neutrals hold their collective breath. The 32-year-old limped off clutching his upper thigh, leaving coach John van ’t Schip to explain that his star front-man was experiencing “hip tightness”. Such hip pain can often be a referral from a deeper back problem, of course, and that could spell another lengthy stint on the sidelines for one of the Socceroos’ favourite sons. Let’s hope it is nothing so major but it did appear the most worrisome moment of the A-League round – aside from the Jets defending at times.

Victory picking up the pace

At first glance, the ladder may not tell this story in full, but Melbourne Victory are still one of the team’s to beat this season. Besart Berisha showed on Friday night against the struggling Western Sydney Wanderers that he is still one of the most lethal strikers in the league, while the real star of the show was Fahid Ben Khalfallah. The Tunisian set up all three Victory goals and must be considered one of the signings of the season – an astute pick-up from coach Kevin Muscat.

Yes, the Wanderers are second from bottom, but Victory will take plenty of momentum out of this week’s contest, not least because they have a decent run into the finals over their last seven games. All of their remaining matches are winnable, including two in which they host the Central Coast Mariners, and one when the Newcastle Jets visit the Victorian capital. With FBK pulling the strings for Berisha, Archie Thompson and Kosta Barbarouses, this side is capable of doing something memorable in the final stages of the season.

Bottom three now decided

The race for sixth spot between City and Brisbane will heat up significantly over the coming rounds, though this week all but confirmed the Jets, Wanderers and Mariners will bow out before the finals commence. The Central Coast were still in with a shout until now, but after the sacking of coach Phil Moss led to another defeat this week – a 2-1 loss away to Adelaide United – there is no doubt they will finish outside the top seven. They simply have too much ground to make up now. 

For their part, the Reds are back on track after taking a fall in their past two encounters. Craig Goodwin’s winner may have taken a massive deflection, but it was reward for Adelaide’s typical offensive style. Josep Gombau’s men will feel they have a point to prove after dropping off the pace a little, and Tarek Elrich’s selection in the Socceroos’ squad to face Germany and Macedonia is justification of the club’s direction. For the bottom three, though, preparation for season 2015/16 begins now.