Sydney FC Squad:
It’s an expectation that Graham Arnold will employ his Central Coast Mariners 4-4-2 diamond that morphs into a 4-2-3-1 depending on how you look at it.
With Arnold focusing on his job of recruitment, his attention turned to making sure that there are at least 2 players to fill each position in the squad. Now a week out from round 1, we take a look at what Arnold has to choose from.
———-Janjetovic
Ryall–Faty–Anderson–Gersbach
——Tavaras–Dimitrijevic
—Holosko–Ninkovic–Brosque
————Smeltz
With backups from:
———-Necevski
Grant–Jurman–Calver–Tratt
——–O’Neill–Abbas
—Hoole–Blackwood–Naumoff
————Simon
Plus Stambolziev, Mullen, Woodcock and Bouzanis
After drawing up my preferred first 11, I then had no problem at all putting each of the backups in their preferred position. Something that shows the balance of the squad and something that hasn’t been the easiest of tasks after an injury or 2 under past managers! *Cough Frank*
Sydney FC Strengths and Weaknesses:
Of course Sydney FC have signed Filip Holosko as their marquee man and therefore it would be a safe bet in predicting the top dog to receive all the applause, but to be honest it’s Milos Ninkovic that I’m most looking forward to seeing play. An intelligent, extremely tidy player on the ball to sit in behind the striker was the one thing that Sydney have lacked for a few years now. Brosque isn’t a playmaker and neither Dimitrijevic or Antonis were true playmakers either. Alessandro Del Pierro brought his own set of issues mostly revolving around, well… running. Now take a look at some of Ninkovic’s work in this video and tell me you’re not excited!
Sit Ninkovic in front of Tavares and Dimitrijevic and you have a VERY technically tidy as well as mobile midfield to provide service to the likes of Smeltz, Brosque and Holosko who we know will have no trouble putting the ball in the back of the net.
It’s in defense however, that there are still some unknowns. Faty has the pedigree and has shown some glimpses of being the experienced CB required, but there are still some major concerns around consistency on the back of fitness. I still don’t think we’ve fully replaced Ognenovski more in terms of leadership and organisation he provides to the players beside him in the back line. Faty, Anderson and Jurman all provide the defending, but the team NEEDS someone back there to step up and become a true leader of the squad. I can see that quality in Ryall, maybe this is his year to really take ownership of that defensive line.
There are also a couple of the young X-Factors in the squad I am expecting big things from. This is the last chance for Naumoff to really break out, and sitting behind the big guns in the front 3rd pecking order, I do have my doubts whether he will be able to. Each time I watch Naumoff play in any of the youth national teams, he shows me enough to want to keep persisting with him, but we need to see composure and finishing at the adult level improve 10 fold. Although slightly younger and not having had the same opportunity yet, Burgess is moving toward the same category as Naumoff. One of them HAS to step up this season.
Something we know will happen is that Arnold will give youth a chance. I’ve only mentioned a few names here, but he will not be afraid to throw a kid in the deep end if he thinks he can do a job. Something that keeps the year exciting and slightly unpredictable when it comes to team selection.
A-League Rundown:
Moving a bit further away from the Republic, the SFCU forum has a great yearly post that I’m going to steal the following template from, titled A-League Predictions.
A-LEAGUE CHAMPIONS: Sydney FC
A-LEAGUE PREMIERS: Sydney FC
THE FINAL LADDER:
#1) Sydney FC
#2) Melbourne Victory
#3) Brisbane Roar
#4) Adelaide United
#5) Newcastle Jets
#6) Wellington Phoenix
#7) Central Coast Mariners
#8) Perth Glory
#9) Western Sydney Wanderers
#10) Melbourne City
GRAND FINALISTS: Sydney FC v Brisbane Roar
SYDNEY SEASON MVP: Milos Ninkovic
SYDNEY GOLDEN BOOT WINNER: Shane Smeltz
JOHNNY WARREN MEDAL WINNER: Milos Ninkovic
JOE MARSTON MEDAL WINNER: Shane Smeltz
YOUNG PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Giancarlo Gallifuoco
GOLDEN BOOT WINNER: Besart Berisha
COACH OF THE YEAR: John Aloisi
BEST NEW SIGNING: Oliver Bozanic
BIGGEST FLOP SIGNING: Marc Warren
1st COACH SACKED: Kenny Lowe
FFA CUP WINNER: Melbourne Victory
Elsewhere across the league, I see a lot more of the same as last season. While each new season always throws up one surprise contender, I’m going with this year’s being the Brisbane Roar under Vundercoach John Aloisi. The Victory will again be very hard to beat. They have a true football club culture being build down there which is great for the league and the rivalry. Likewise, Adelaide have looked good in pre-season and the FFA Cup but I’ll hold off on praising their club culture until we see how much of the Gombau style and success is continued under new manager Amor.
On the other side of the coin, I just can’t see anything changing for Heart or our friends out West. Neither have recruited overly well and with managers that have been found out in the past by the top half of the league, I see more of the same.
But really it’s in the dugout where I’m most excited. The A-League needs young, fresh coaches to step up and with Scott Miller from a health science background at the helm at Newcastle, we have a fresh perspective on how things should be done. I really want him to succeed for the good of coach regeneration in the league for the future but putting Newcastle as high as they are is more in hope than in confidence.
John Aloisi is another one that although fits into the re-hashed loser category, I think will actually be hugely successful. Aloisi didn’t have any success in Melbourne, but since losing his job there has gone overseas to broaden his education and come back hungry and full of knowledge. The ownership debacle in Brisbane hopefully wont scuttle his chances of success because I see huge parallels between what Postecoglu did.
The fact that Kenny Lowe signed Marc Warren, possibly the worst footballer to ever pull on an A-League jersey shows why we need the young generation to succeed with fresh ideas.
What are your thoughts on the upcoming season? Leave a comment and let us know.
Sydney FC Insider 