Home ground disadvantage

Having finished second behind Melbourne Victory, the Sky Blues will have the comnfort of playing in Sydney when they face Adelaide in Saturday’s second A-League semi-final. But, how much help is it for a team which only picked up a sorry 16 points at Allianz Stadium during the regular season? 

Indeed, this campaign was Sydney’s worst at home in six years, and their opponents this week defeated them twice at this venue this term alone. What is it that has prevented this genuinely talented team, coached by one of the best in the business in Graham Arnold, from picking up maximum points on their own turf? Do they not take enough initiative in attack? Does the pitch somehow not suit Arnold’s highly structured style of football? Were their best players simply not available enough of the time?

Regardless, Arnold will have his side primed for this must-win clash. If there have been issues which have stopped Sydney from being at their best on game day, they will have been addressed over the past fortnight of preparation. This is the same forward-thinking coach, after all, who halted his Central Coast Mariners players from celebrating too much after going 2-0 up over Brisbane Roar in the 2011 Grand Final. And we all know how that finished.

Returning Stars To Shine

Sydney FC have certainly suffered more than their share of serious injuries over the course of the campaign. Nicky Carle, Ali Abbas and Corey Gameiro headline a host of players who sat on the sidelines for extended periods over the past eight months.

So the return of a couple of stars could not have come at a better time for Arnold’s men. Terry Antonis has been confirmed as a definite member of the matchday squad after missing the last two months with a knee injury. And, perhaps more importantly, Austria skipper Marc Janko will lead the line once again following his return from a shoulder complaint which kept him out of the final round of the regular season. Antonis is not expected to start, but his availability alone will have given the Sky Blues a boost in the lead-up to this knockout clash. Janko, on the other hand, will surely be there come opening whistle.

Adelaide, meanwhile, are also likely to welcome the return of Bruce Djite from a groin strain, while Michael Marrone is back from suspension. This will give the Reds a spark up front, which was missing at times in their narrow win over Brisbane at Adelaide Oval last week. So, with both teams getting close to full strength, it’s set to be a memorable showdown.

The Odd Couple

Could there be a greater contrast between two coaches on the sidelines than we see in Arnold and Josep Gombau? It’s hard to imagine. Perhaps a Craig Foster versus Ange Postecoglou match-up would take the cake, but this is still pretty good.

While Gombau has subdued himself a little from his Jose Mourinho-esque bursts down the pitch from last season, there still lies within the Spaniard a passion barely bubbling beneath the surface. This is the sort of unbridled joy for the game that was won Gombau many fans in Australia.

Arnold, on the other hand, will almost certainly spend the majority of the game slumped deep in his chair, occasionally standing or barking an order at whichever player dared to shift out of formation. Perhaps a snide comment to Zeljko Kalac or Andrew Clark sitting to his left will follow. Be that as it may, it’s almost impossible not to respect the man and his tactics.

More than the sideline behaviour, though, this game is set to be a battle of syles, with Sydney to play in the typical organised manner of all Arnold’s sides, while Adelaide will look to utilise the pace of Sergio Cirio and Craig Goodwin down the flanks. As this tussle plays out, the game could well be won between the lines, with Alex Brosque for the Sky Blues and Marcelo Carrusca for the Reds to provide a moment of brilliance while stretching the opposition defence out of shape.

Keeping Them Honest

The last time these two sides met, goalkeeper Eugene Galekovic was unbeatable. Like a shot-stopper from an early 90’s video game, the 33-year-old latched onto the ball no matter which corner of the goal it was heading for. There were 17 shots taken by Sydney that night, and none could get past the inspired Galekovic.

Whether or not the Socceroos back-up is able to replicate that invincible form is unknown, but where he will certainly have the edge on his opposite number is with his feet. Arguably the best goalkeeper in the A-League in terms of distribution – certainly since Mat Ryan departed the Mariners - Galekovic will be planning on starting a few of Adelaide’s attacks from within his own box. Expect to see some high sweeping and pinpoint passes from the custodian in this semi-final. With Sydney to press high through Janko and Brosque, Adelaide will be relying on it.

Motivation and Moves

Meanwhile, Janko has been offered a new deal worth a reported $1.4 million, which has chewed up many column inches over the past few months, and Bernie Ibini’s future is also in doubt. His loan spell from Shanghai SIPG expires at the end of the season amid reported interest in the striker from the Newcastle Jets. Shane Smeltz has also been tabled a new two-year deal to stay Sydneyside, but is yet to commit. In contrast, Adelaide have secured Isias, Carrusca and Cirio beyond this season, while Pablo Sanchez and Miguel Palanca are expected to stay. Nigel Boogaard has already confirmed his exit to his hometown of Newcastle.

Could it be that the more settled Reds will upset Sydney FC again, or will the added motivation of potentially playing for the shirt one last time spur on the Sky Blues’ stars? It’s a question that remains to be answered, but come Sunday morning, it could become the biggest talking point of all.