I have no inside information about what goes on inside the Sydney FC dressing room post match, but I hope that it wasn't a pleasant place to be on Sunday night. I hope there were some angry players in there, kicking water bottles and punching walls.
After they worked so hard over Christmas and the New Year to put their destiny in their own hands, to watch Sydney FC give it all away with such an insipid performance before a good crowd hurt, a lot.
Firstly, fair play to the Gold Coast - they pushed hard at the start and nicked their goal before reverting to a typically robust niggling style that seems to be the key to performing in this league. Undoubtedly they did it safe in the knowledge that A-league referees do not do footballing sides many favours (it's only pushing if it's two hands... it's only an elbow in the face if he really, really meant it... it's not handball in the box if he didn't catch it and spin it on his finger harlem-globetrotter style... it's only a red card if it's not Muscat... etc...) and that this referee (though by no means a lone ranger here) has a capacity to lose control of key segments of high pressure games, which generally works in favour of the team winning at the time. That's Miron's idea of tactics and fair enough, because here and now, it works. But to be a tad fairer, Gold Coast worked as a team to a plan and every player bought their A-game to the SFS.
But these are neither excuses nor explanations for Sydney's loss, because having shut Smeltz down and sent Culina out wide, our A-game should be better than Gold Coast's.
It was never going to be much of a secret that in the absence of Brosque, Steve Corica was the man to close down. Michael Thwaite did a decent job man marking him and as occasionally happens in one's late thirties, Steve was a bit out of puff between trying to control play and shake Thwaite. That's not a shock, nor is it really Corica's fault (indeed had his colleagues been as diligent at calling man-on as the sideline spectators were, Steve may have had the opportunity to be a little bit more forewarned and influential).
The other person I am happy to go lightly on is Stuart Musialik, who did a better than fair job at shutting down both Culina and Smeltz, and it was notable that Culina had given up the centre for the wings by half time. That said, Stuart will be disappointed not to have exerted more direct influence on the game in attack. Fans know that he's got the touch and range of passing to do so - and it may be tactics or it may be intent that is stopping him. More attacking intent would have been pretty useful really, but his defensive effort was the business. Our defence was also generally up to scratch (a few give-away corners notwithstanding), so the back FIVE can feel rightly aggrieved with both the result and the work rate of those in front of them.
We lost because Kisel, Bridge, Aloisi and McFlynn did not turn up for this game.
It may be that after such a great Christmas period, Kisel was due a quiet game, but this was just the wrong game to have one. After Brosque and Corica, Kisel is our most likely player to influence a game - at his best, he is balanced and incisive on the ball and energetic in making runs and demanding the ball, off it. On Sunday, he didn't seem to want the ball and definitely didn't go looking for it more than a foot from his touchline. When he had the ball, I can barely remember him cutting inside or turning players - both of which he excels at when on form. If ever there was a game for him to say "move over Bimbi, I'm the future of this midfield", this was it. Sadly, no dice.
Terry McFlynn is another that has shown a real capacity to influence matches this year and after initially struggling to get into the groove of left midfield, is doing a job that The World Game's (tm) (R) etc etc, threatening letters c/- 442's waste management contractor please) Philip Micallef had gone as far as describing as "sensational" just prior to this match. It would have been a good game for Terry to be sensational in. I expect after Sunday, the hyperbole might have only extended as far as "solid-ish" - he looked short of energy and intent.
Bridgey has gone off the boil and his starting place must now be a matter of discussion. I've being trying not to, but there, I said it. Not scoring can become an addictive habit and Mr Bridge seems to be in danger of needing a 12 Step programme. Bridge does great work in harrying opposing backs and closing down space and this is particularly important when he is paired with the glacially paced John Aloisi, but poking the ball in the back of the net occasionally really ought to be his main game. This would have been a really good match for him to restate his claim to being a key striker. Again, no dice.
The ground announcer showed he had a fair sense of humour when he announced that John Aloisi was Sydney FC's player of the match. Ha Ha Ha. LMAO, I really did.
My problem with Aloisi 's game on Sunday is this: if his performance had been put in by say Chris Payne, or Hayden Foxe playing out of position, then it would be acceptable - fine even... but after two years of excuses and rebuilding fitness and confidence, our million buck a season marquee player simply isn't influencing matches.
After listening to his mates and family in the sports media constantly tell us that, now he is fit what he really needs is good service, it just isn't close to good enough for him to not even test the keeper when the service arrives or the chance otherwise appears. Apparently on the training ground he is sharper than Mr Wolf. But against each of Perth and Gold Coast he had two or three clear chances - free headers or balls to feet in space - for zero return.
I'm looking forward to brother Ross telling us that now he is fit, what he really needs is good service about 10 times a match, with no defenders nearby and the goalkeeper distracted by an untied shoe-lace and a bevvy of topless playboy models climbing the goal net. Maybe Ross can organise that for us, because unlike the training pitch, in a game the opposing defenders usually get a say on how many clear, open chances they give you - particularly when they are running out fired up to face the league leaders.
He has five goals and can hold the ball up a bit, but frankly that's the Seek.com job description for an award-wage probationary striker. John Aloisi would struggle to make a list of the top 20 attacking players on form, in a 10 team league. And if John's public defence team at Fox Sports want to honestly and objectively take up the challenge, I look forward to hearing their top 20 lists on Fox Sports FC (which I will watch on replay because Gossip Girl has better ... let's call it cinematography).
Melbourne get the Archie Thompson show pretty frequently. The Gold Coast get the Shane Smeltz show as often as the Jason Culina show and lead the league for it. The Robbie Fowler show in Townsville is a lovely thing to watch. So come on John, prove me wrong. In 2005 you made me cry like a girly-man and I'd love to love you again.
Be a marquee. Be the player that wins us the Premiership and the Championship and I won't begrudge you a cent of your two years of marquee wages or a second of your (sadly less ubiquitous than it ought be, television replays and ad shoots notwithstanding) naked torso celebration. And if you simply kiss the badge and run to highfive some kids on the sideline T-mac style, when you score the winning goal in the Grand Final, I will dedicate a blog to retracting most of the mutinous thoughts I've had about your tenure.
Stepping back, as much as it hurts, the loss is far from fatal and I reckon both Melbourne and Gold Coast will drop points before the league phase of this season finishes. But if we are going to win the Premiership, there needs to be a huge step up in intensity and focus from the performance on Sunday night. If Kisel, McFlynn, Aloisi and Bridge bring their A-game at the same time as Corica and Brosque then we will blow oppositions away - no question. If not, we will need to ride our luck, hope other teams flop, or watch them march past us like we are stuck in treacle.
