1. Less-Than-Odd Couple Needed in Newy
Tiago: too unpredictable, even if that makes him quintessentially ‘Newy’. Josh Mitchell: under-skilled in playing out from the back with little time to learn. Has also made mistakes in starting opportunities. Ritter: just not working out. Possibly not up to scratch in central-defence. Connor Chapman and Taylor Regan? Hey, why not. Newcastle are filling every other position on the pitch with youth so they might as well pair Joeys captain Chapman and local-lad Regan at the heart of a leaky defence. The partnership has the most scope for growth of all the listed options and, given they managed a clean sheet on Saturday, the Jets’ first of the season, the two youngsters are quite probably the most assured option even now. They dealt with Adelaide’s multiple threats well, earning the right to continue beyond next weekend’s home game against Brisbane. Regan, the man to have joined 18-year-old Chapman against the Reds, is, at 24, enough of a commanding leadership figure to make it work. The two backed Gary van Egmond’s decision with a clean sheet, now he must extend the same vote of confidence to them.

2. Fair Play for Flores
Marcos Flores is better as a #10 than a #9, okay. Who doesn’t know this? We’re sure Melbourne Victory supporters do. Reports of him being jeered by the home faithful on Saturday night or at any prior occasion seem greatly exaggerated. That’s not to say there hasn’t been plenty of criticism directed the way of the former Adelaide ace, though. Fortunately for Flores, we’re also sure Ange Postecoglou doesn’t care about that. And it’s pretty simple as to why: Victory are winning. Nothing but doing his job in a winning cause is needed from Flores. In a role that is to essentially make space for his wingers and then retreat from the key goalscoring positions, as a striker no less, the Argentine is hardly going to be prolific with goals or in general play. It doesn’t excuse poor form in the latter, sure, but it’s a role he’s learning and as Postecoglou’s decision to keep him as a false #9 in Gui Finkler’s absence confirms, the boss trusts his player to continue making it work. An improved second half against Wellington might just be looked back upon as a microcosm of his season come the end of the campaign.

3. Old-Time ‘Roos Still Scoring
We hope you ironed your vomit strips and tried the Japanese food because Sydney FC hosted a Socceroos reunion party on Saturday night! But what’s this, the evil old Kiwi has turned up? Oh, of course, New Zealander Shane Smeltz just had to pop his head in and make things awkward. Still, the Sky Blues will take more from the 2-2 draw than Glory, given form and ladder circumstances. Emerton-to-Culina was the highlight for ‘Roos and Sydney fans alike as the latter’s goal was both nostalgic and a glimpse of what could be to come. Vedran Janjetovic was impressive once more for the visitors but he was still powerless to prevent Smeltz’s brace. The short-term result of the Kiwi’s goals may be no more than a point at home against a team at the bottom of the ladder, but his improved form and long-term output will be of far greater significance to Ian Ferguson’s side come the later rounds.

4. It’s Tactical
We can envisage two questions, one per supporter group, arising from Melbourne Heart’s defeat of Brisbane Roar on Sunday. The first, from the home side, is likely to be: “can we play you every week?” Roar fans, on the other hand, might be asking: “why do we suck so much against Heart?” That’s the PG-rated translation, of course. The answer to the first is no. You should pay more attention to how the fixture list is formulated. The second? It’s tactical. That’s probably the more interesting answer of the two. Postecoglou’s ultra-attacking Roar had a solution for when attacks broke down. It was to swamp the ball-carrier and cause a turnaround at the earliest possible occasion, not just to create another goalscoring chance but to compensate for the lack of numbers behind the ball. What Aloisi’s Heart have done so well twice this season is to exploit that now weakened safeguard better than any other team. Having not been immediately suffocated, as would be the case during Roar’s championship years, the ball was spread – crucially, quickly – through a midfield lacking anticipation of danger and then wide to catch out the fullbacks, before being cut back centrally. Though not all teams will be as open as Brisbane for the Red and Whites’ pace and precision to exploit, doing so to the champions still demanded astute coaching and game-sense. That cannot be affected by the opposition. For Brisbane, rediscovering their “swagger” will do them some good in the attacking third, though snapback hats, denim cutoffs and printed singlets will do little to help fasten a revolving door of a midfield. 

5. Mariners Must Stop Mat
An affair between two proven fighters expected to be as well-contested as their opening weekend stalemate was, for the most part, just that. Even to the end, with 10 men on the pitch, Western Sydney wouldn’t let the result slip until the last possible moment, when Central Coast’s wealth of second half chances finally told. It took a quality goal for the visitors to hit the lead, too. Daniel McBreen’s purposeful one-two and finish was followed by the Mariners with numerous sweeping and well-executed moves, often involving several players, that went to waste through poor finishing. Until McBreen finally ended it. Again. Does it matter if Tom Rogic leaves in January? McBreen could simultaneously play as a #9 and a #10 for the reigning Premiers, no trouble. Beating the Wanderers was a check in the ‘can do’ column for the Rogic-less Mariners. That McBreen may be able to compensate for the potential loss of the elegant midfielder purely by himself is some feat, though still not heartening enough to smother the disappointment of Mat Ryan’s impending trial with Rangers. It’s all well and good for a club to not stand in the way of youngsters – admirable, even – but allowing him to miss a match for a mid-season trial, and it is a trial, is madness. Stand in his way! He signed a contract to play for Central Coast and he should do just that until all parties agree to him signing elsewhere. It won’t make a Grinch out of the Mariners and it might mean Rangers do some actual work. Let Daniel McBreen have a word about that.