Arnold is set to be announced as Bert van Marwijks successor for the Socceroos job today, leaving Sydney somewhat in the lurch.

While it's expected that the club will have a successor in place - with rumours that Tony Popovic could even take the top job - Sydney have now endured back-to-back losses, have lost momentum to Championship-rivals Newcastle Jets and sit last in their Asian Champions League group despite claiming they wanted to win it.

To add injury to insult, Milos Ninkovic was missing from the ACL loss due to injury, Michael Zullo - one of their key creative figures this season - was forced off due to hamstring complaint and Bobo was withdrawn due to back issues.

"I made the decision not to take the risk with Ninkovic. At this time of the competition there's no way we could afford to lose him," Arnold said.

"Zullo is pretty much the same as what it was two weeks ago. It's nothing major, just a niggle, a strain when reaching for the ball."

"Bobo pulled up with a sore back after the Newcastle game. (There was no chance for him) to play 90 minutes.

"We have some great young kids who will provide some great energy so we'll assess how we sit with the squad soon and possibly give some opportunities to them."

All in all, what was promising to be an excellent end to Arnold's Sky Blues reign now looks a little more difficult than expected. Far from surrender, however, Arnold's dishing out the war-cries.

"We'll fight right to the death. We expect to win every game. We have great character and attitude," he said.

"It was a tight game [against Kashima] and we conceded two goals from lack of concentration. We'll learn this lesson."