"Dignity" and "honour" were the words of last week after Sydney hit rock bottom against Newcastle. Sydney faced the A League's form side last Sunday and wrestled out a 2-1 victory against Perth that provides some of the path ahead.
Sydney were far from dominant at home - in the first half the Sky Blues were barely seen; Bruno Cazarine provided the only attacking thrust. But certain signs were encouraging: Sydney were a little more desperate, a little more alert, a little more willing in the challenge and pacy with the pass.
Brett Emerton and Scott Jamieson led the effort while Karol Kisel, Hiro Moriyasu and Bruno Cazarine played their roles. Captain Terry McFlynn was absent yet Sydney roused themselves after a fairly diabolical first half to secure three precious points.
It was Hiro, Bruno and Kisel who made Sydney's first goal - Hiro showed great awareness to combine a tackle with a touch on, Bruno perfectly released Kisel and the Slovak scampered down his least favoured left side while Joel Chianese led the defence to the near post.
The highlights show the rest: Emerton's emphatic finish, the deliberate celebration in front of The Cove, and Sydney were off to the races.
Sydney found further joy down the flanks through Jamieson and Shannon Cole before Emerton showed wonderful judgement to curl a lofted ball around a defender on the goal line and on to the brave Bruno's bullet header.
Naturally a clean sheet was too much to ask, and Sydney's inability to keep the ball in the final stages provided a needlessly nail-biting finale as Perth surged forward.
Terry McFlynn will be available for selection against Adelaide and now the dilemma presents itself: will Lavicka restore his captain to a victorious side? Hiro Moriyasu has barely played for Sydney since signing an extended contract last season, but he was incisive and decisive against Perth.
Hiro has his limitations and some touches out of trouble seemed a little speculative, but Moriyasu made the most of his opportunity and does not deserve to be dropped.
The obvious move would be to ditch home debutant Joel Chianese, who looked willing but limited as a second striker, and move Carle forward, leaving a midfield of Kisel, McFlynn, Moriyasu and Emerton.
But Nicky Carle has repeated his statement that he prefers playing at 8 over 10 and Carle has always looked better with players in front of him. Unfortunately a central midfield of Carle and Moriyasu is hardly going to help in the mix or at set pieces and when Dario Vidosic starts sending freekicks at Adelaide's smorgasbord of big men, Sydney might rue their diminutive midfield.
Lavicka's alternatives are to play Mitch Mallia next to Bruno Cazarine in a classic little/large predator/target man pairing, and slot McFlynn next Carle; or to drop McFlynn to the bench.
Lavicka has run out of reasons to pick anything but a team that matches his footballing philosophy. The outgoing manager will probably push Carle forward behind Bruno and hope that Sydney's new-found width continues to threaten. Mitch Mallia, Rhyan Grant and Carle might need to wait for next year to get a go at their preferred positions.
The rest of the side picks itself: Bruno, Emerton and Kisel will start, while Rhyan Grant and the Beauchamp/Bosschaart central pairing are chiseled into the backline.
Scott Jamieson had a brain fade against the Newcastle Jets but he seems to have dodged the usual bullet for abandoning his post. The former Next Big Thing has shown glimpses of class this season and was a constant threat on Saturday.
Shannon Cole looked lively against Perth but will remain on the bench as the great struggle for a contract continues. It is hard to believe that Sydney could cut loose a local boy and fan favourite who can cover four positions and once earned selection for the Socceroos, but Cole might be running out of chances to win a new contract.
Earlier this season Sydney FC honoured William Doggadog Duran, a fan I never met but who was clearly loved within The Cove and respected by the players. Barely a month later, less than ten thousand Sydneysiders showed up for Saturday night's game. Those who stayed missed the dignified performance they've been praying for.
If Sydney beat Adelaide, who ended their own wretched run of form with a scrappy win over Gold Coast on the weekend, the fans should return for a pivotal clash against the high-flying Wellington Phoenix on February 25.
Showing posts with label Hiro Moriyasu. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Hiro Moriyasu. Show all posts
Monday, February 13, 2012
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
A Wasted Summer Part 3: Sydney FC's Crippled Magicians
Sydney FC's championship defence was destroyed the moment Nicky Carle succumbed to his second injury, and coach Viteslav Lavicka had only himself to blame.
The Czech oversaw a clearout of seasoned veterans but failed to replace his favourite player: Karol Kisel. The decision to fill Kisel's left midfield spot with young left back Scott Jamieson hamstrung Sydney early on, but was brutally exposed when Carle took to the sidelines.
When Steve Corica was injured last campaign, Kisel took his place at the head of Lavicka's diamond. Equally at home in the playmaking Number 10 slot or minding the left side of midfield, Kisel provided creativity and confidence on the ball.
When Nicky Carle keeled over for most of 2010, Lavicka's only options were to play Mark Bridge at 10 or promote his new signing Hiro Moriyasu, who was only just finding his feet. Bridge's catastrophic loss of form and Hiro's inability to threaten in front of goal left the team without a way to score goals or even hold up the ball and transition from defence to attack.
Lavicka's plan to shoehorn Jamieson into left midfield left the young wingback all at sea. He failed to threaten with his first touch and his delivery is too wayward to trust him with the ball at close quarters. If Lavicka had to play a fullback in midfield to accommodate Jamieson, Shannon Cole and Sung Hwan Byun, Cole would have been a much better choice.
Later injuries to Alex Brosque and Bridge sealed Sydney's fate, and the Cove only had Bruno to cheer as Sydney fizzled in front of goal.
The one positive to come from this sorry season is the emergence of Dimitri Petratos and Terry Antonis. Sydney must play these two youngsters as much as possible in 2011/2012. The A League rewards clubs that promote and develop young players, and the fans will flock to see future Socceroos learn their craft.
SQUAD REVIEW
ATTACKING MIDFIELDERS
Nick Carle, Terry Antonis, Dimitri Petratos, Kofi Danning, Brendan Gan, (Hiro Moriyasu)
Viteslav Lavicka's 4-4-2 diamond with conservative fullbacks requires creative input from the two wide midfielders. Unfortunately Lavicka chose to play Hiro Moriyasu and Terry McFlynn in front of Stuart Musialik, a conservative approach that lost Sydney games and fans.
Nicky Carle showed in the opening match against Melbourne that he can more than replace Steve Corica. Carle might lack goals and genuine pace, but his sublime touch gives Sydney the rarest of players in the A League: one who can hold up the play under pressure, play the right pass and unlock a defence with a moment of magic.
If Carle stays fit for most of the next season (and his career shows no reason to doubt he will) Sydney will make the finals. If Lavicka can play Karol Kisel or another more offensively minded player with Carle in midfield, Sydney may well go further. Sydney must attack from the first game to win back their fickle fans.
The whinging minority who call Carle a false marquee should consider the gross wages payed to John Aloisi, a player who only came good for six weeks in two years, and measure Carle's contribution at the end of his contract. Carle's wages are far from obscene and I am confident he will prove to be value for money.
News that Sydney were chasing Matt McKay showed welcome ambition and is a great relief: it means that the club has finally acknowledged the gap left by Karol Kisel in left midfield (just in time for Kisel's return). But Brisbane would never let their captain leave for free and Sydney cannot afford a transfer fee. This transfer is extremely unlikely and Sydney would be better served looking elsewhere for versatile wide midfielders: Scott Chipperfield and Brett Emerton, anyone?
Terry Antonis found precious little time on the pitch this season but Sydney must promote and develop his talent. Antonis must play, and in Carle's position, at every opportunity next year (whenever Carle is injured, suspended or tired). Antonis destroyed Wellington in February and his understanding with Dimitri Petratos in that game is surely a sign of good times to come. In that match he ran at players, picked the right pass and controlled the ball despite atrocious conditions. We can only hope he does not move overseas too early.
Dimitri Petratos is an interesting case. He has Mark Bridge's versatility but twice the ability. Petratos can pick a pass, score a goal (his air swing against the Victory aside) and occupies intelligent positions. I still believe his best position is attacking central midfielder and I hope he will find a home on the left side of midfield, but his work as Bruno Cazarine's support striker at the end of the season was inspiring. Sydney should sign him up long term and Petratos deserves to start matches.
Sadly Kofi Danning has not come on in the same way. Danning is caught in a terrible bind. His pace and enthusiasm dazzles against players his age, but his first touch can be dire and is not up to A League standard. Danning's greatest problem is his coach's system. Lavicka only plays Danning up front as a last resort and the Czech rarely plays with out and out wingers.
Now that Lavicka has re-signed with Sydney for another season, it is time for Danning to leave. Though his departure would leave Sydney short of genuine pace, the kid is at the age where he has to play. Another season on the bench will do him no favours and he does not fit within Sydney's best 20. Danning may be a likeable lad and a crowd favourite but he has not lived up to the hype.
Brendan Gan is another player who looks likely to leave. Gan should have slotted into a wide midfield role after Kisel departed, but Lavicka is clearly reluctant to pick a player who divides fans. Gan is keen and adequate, and has a cool finish, but he will probably have to leave and fight for a spot elsewhere to prove his worth.
It is a great shame that the Fury are no more. Players such as Gan and Danning could have found a home there, but will probably end up on the Gold Coast or across the Tasman instead.
MARK BRIDGE
Bridge is the only player afforded his own section throughout my season review because he is a player without a natural position. He also deserves special mention because he was undoubtedly the major disappointment of 2010/11.
This season showed Bridge to be a jack of all trades and a master of none. 1 goal and 6 assists in 19 games would be a poor return from a winger, but Bridge has played as a target man, playmaking number 10, wide midfielder and second striker.
Unfortunately he was not particularly good at any of those positions. Bridge lacks the pace to play winger, the vision and confidence to slot in at Number 10, the acceleration and lethality to excel at second striker and the sheer dynamism to lead the line.
Bridge looks most at home up front with his back to goal, and suffered badly when Nick Carle's injury forced him into attacking midfield.
Players dream of this kind of opportunity. Bridge was asked to run the offence for the A League defending champions. He tried hard but became The Cove's greatest disappointment since John Aloisi.
By late spring Bridge lacked the confidence to turn on the ball when had metres of space around him. Teams crowded him early, destroyed his confidence and reduced him to training drill passes and robotic movement off the ball. His failure to close down properly also left the team dreadfully exposed against overlapping fullbacks.
Bridge tried hard and occasionally put in a good performance. But the former Young Socceroo has suffered the curse of versatility. A sustained spell at striker produced his best form last season, but the A League has moved on. Other clubs have Van Dyk, Smeltz, Thompson and Fowler, and Sydney's "Killer Bs" though never truly prolific, could just about match that standard.
But Bridge never got near the input of the new and improved number 10s: Broich, Flores, Perez and Amini, and is certainly no Carlos Hernandez or Daniel. If the man at the top of the diamond goes into his shell, the team falls apart, and Bridge failed all too often.
It is not too late for Bridge, who clings to his new and improved contract while young talent like Matt Jurman departs for bigger money elsewhere. Like Aloisi Bridge may redeem himself and he does not lack raw ability. He needs to back himself next time he gets on the ball. He must play with the freedom denied him by the shackles of his own mind.
The Czech oversaw a clearout of seasoned veterans but failed to replace his favourite player: Karol Kisel. The decision to fill Kisel's left midfield spot with young left back Scott Jamieson hamstrung Sydney early on, but was brutally exposed when Carle took to the sidelines.
When Steve Corica was injured last campaign, Kisel took his place at the head of Lavicka's diamond. Equally at home in the playmaking Number 10 slot or minding the left side of midfield, Kisel provided creativity and confidence on the ball.
When Nicky Carle keeled over for most of 2010, Lavicka's only options were to play Mark Bridge at 10 or promote his new signing Hiro Moriyasu, who was only just finding his feet. Bridge's catastrophic loss of form and Hiro's inability to threaten in front of goal left the team without a way to score goals or even hold up the ball and transition from defence to attack.
Lavicka's plan to shoehorn Jamieson into left midfield left the young wingback all at sea. He failed to threaten with his first touch and his delivery is too wayward to trust him with the ball at close quarters. If Lavicka had to play a fullback in midfield to accommodate Jamieson, Shannon Cole and Sung Hwan Byun, Cole would have been a much better choice.
Later injuries to Alex Brosque and Bridge sealed Sydney's fate, and the Cove only had Bruno to cheer as Sydney fizzled in front of goal.
The one positive to come from this sorry season is the emergence of Dimitri Petratos and Terry Antonis. Sydney must play these two youngsters as much as possible in 2011/2012. The A League rewards clubs that promote and develop young players, and the fans will flock to see future Socceroos learn their craft.
SQUAD REVIEW
ATTACKING MIDFIELDERS
Nick Carle, Terry Antonis, Dimitri Petratos, Kofi Danning, Brendan Gan, (Hiro Moriyasu)
Viteslav Lavicka's 4-4-2 diamond with conservative fullbacks requires creative input from the two wide midfielders. Unfortunately Lavicka chose to play Hiro Moriyasu and Terry McFlynn in front of Stuart Musialik, a conservative approach that lost Sydney games and fans.
Nicky Carle showed in the opening match against Melbourne that he can more than replace Steve Corica. Carle might lack goals and genuine pace, but his sublime touch gives Sydney the rarest of players in the A League: one who can hold up the play under pressure, play the right pass and unlock a defence with a moment of magic.
If Carle stays fit for most of the next season (and his career shows no reason to doubt he will) Sydney will make the finals. If Lavicka can play Karol Kisel or another more offensively minded player with Carle in midfield, Sydney may well go further. Sydney must attack from the first game to win back their fickle fans.
The whinging minority who call Carle a false marquee should consider the gross wages payed to John Aloisi, a player who only came good for six weeks in two years, and measure Carle's contribution at the end of his contract. Carle's wages are far from obscene and I am confident he will prove to be value for money.
News that Sydney were chasing Matt McKay showed welcome ambition and is a great relief: it means that the club has finally acknowledged the gap left by Karol Kisel in left midfield (just in time for Kisel's return). But Brisbane would never let their captain leave for free and Sydney cannot afford a transfer fee. This transfer is extremely unlikely and Sydney would be better served looking elsewhere for versatile wide midfielders: Scott Chipperfield and Brett Emerton, anyone?
Terry Antonis found precious little time on the pitch this season but Sydney must promote and develop his talent. Antonis must play, and in Carle's position, at every opportunity next year (whenever Carle is injured, suspended or tired). Antonis destroyed Wellington in February and his understanding with Dimitri Petratos in that game is surely a sign of good times to come. In that match he ran at players, picked the right pass and controlled the ball despite atrocious conditions. We can only hope he does not move overseas too early.
Dimitri Petratos is an interesting case. He has Mark Bridge's versatility but twice the ability. Petratos can pick a pass, score a goal (his air swing against the Victory aside) and occupies intelligent positions. I still believe his best position is attacking central midfielder and I hope he will find a home on the left side of midfield, but his work as Bruno Cazarine's support striker at the end of the season was inspiring. Sydney should sign him up long term and Petratos deserves to start matches.
Sadly Kofi Danning has not come on in the same way. Danning is caught in a terrible bind. His pace and enthusiasm dazzles against players his age, but his first touch can be dire and is not up to A League standard. Danning's greatest problem is his coach's system. Lavicka only plays Danning up front as a last resort and the Czech rarely plays with out and out wingers.
Now that Lavicka has re-signed with Sydney for another season, it is time for Danning to leave. Though his departure would leave Sydney short of genuine pace, the kid is at the age where he has to play. Another season on the bench will do him no favours and he does not fit within Sydney's best 20. Danning may be a likeable lad and a crowd favourite but he has not lived up to the hype.
Brendan Gan is another player who looks likely to leave. Gan should have slotted into a wide midfield role after Kisel departed, but Lavicka is clearly reluctant to pick a player who divides fans. Gan is keen and adequate, and has a cool finish, but he will probably have to leave and fight for a spot elsewhere to prove his worth.
It is a great shame that the Fury are no more. Players such as Gan and Danning could have found a home there, but will probably end up on the Gold Coast or across the Tasman instead.
MARK BRIDGE
Bridge is the only player afforded his own section throughout my season review because he is a player without a natural position. He also deserves special mention because he was undoubtedly the major disappointment of 2010/11.
This season showed Bridge to be a jack of all trades and a master of none. 1 goal and 6 assists in 19 games would be a poor return from a winger, but Bridge has played as a target man, playmaking number 10, wide midfielder and second striker.
Unfortunately he was not particularly good at any of those positions. Bridge lacks the pace to play winger, the vision and confidence to slot in at Number 10, the acceleration and lethality to excel at second striker and the sheer dynamism to lead the line.
Bridge looks most at home up front with his back to goal, and suffered badly when Nick Carle's injury forced him into attacking midfield.
Players dream of this kind of opportunity. Bridge was asked to run the offence for the A League defending champions. He tried hard but became The Cove's greatest disappointment since John Aloisi.
By late spring Bridge lacked the confidence to turn on the ball when had metres of space around him. Teams crowded him early, destroyed his confidence and reduced him to training drill passes and robotic movement off the ball. His failure to close down properly also left the team dreadfully exposed against overlapping fullbacks.
Bridge tried hard and occasionally put in a good performance. But the former Young Socceroo has suffered the curse of versatility. A sustained spell at striker produced his best form last season, but the A League has moved on. Other clubs have Van Dyk, Smeltz, Thompson and Fowler, and Sydney's "Killer Bs" though never truly prolific, could just about match that standard.
But Bridge never got near the input of the new and improved number 10s: Broich, Flores, Perez and Amini, and is certainly no Carlos Hernandez or Daniel. If the man at the top of the diamond goes into his shell, the team falls apart, and Bridge failed all too often.
It is not too late for Bridge, who clings to his new and improved contract while young talent like Matt Jurman departs for bigger money elsewhere. Like Aloisi Bridge may redeem himself and he does not lack raw ability. He needs to back himself next time he gets on the ball. He must play with the freedom denied him by the shackles of his own mind.
Monday, February 28, 2011
A Wasted Summer Part 2: Sydney FC's defensive midfield
Sydney FC scored 29 goals in 30 games this season. The defending champions won the previous title by scoring then shutting teams out, but Sydney forgot how to score this time around and conceded 40 goals.
Sydney's precipitous drop in form was felt across the park and part one of my review examined the club's defenders and goalkeepers. It is now time to examine the men at the coalface - and how they let down their teammates and fans.
SQUAD REVIEW
DEFENSIVE MIDFIELDERS
Stuart Musialik, Terry McFlynn, Hirofumi Moriyasu, Rhyan Grant
Stuart Musialik arrived in Sydney as a fringe Socceroo and an improving young player - a technically adroit defensive midfielder as composed on the ball as he was efficient off it. Musialik revelled in his favourite "sit and distribute" role last season as Lavicka sat him behind Steve Corica, Karol Kisel and the robust Terry McFlynn.
But Musialik has endured a poor 2010/11. After the opening match against Melbourne, I wrote "Musialik put in his usual performance: an excellent, controlling game apart from one or two dreadful errors that put his team under pressure". Unfortunately Musialik's moments of excellence dimmed until the New Year, and he lost his confidence on the ball just as Viteslav Lavicka lost confidence in his contribution. Musialik - a main man in the championship winning team - remains out of contract for next season. I would miss his best but not mourn his passing, and it would not surprise many to see him suiting up next to Jason Culina for the Jets next summer.
Skipper Terry McFlynn has been underwhelming ever since his superb chip agonizingly found the wrong side of the underside of the bar against the North Queensland Fury. That 1-1 draw in the September rain crippled Sydney's finals campaign and sucked the morale out of the club and the crowd. For McFlynn to finally produce a moment of skill but miss by centimetres from far outside the box was crushing.
McFlynn has offered precious little on the ball and while the skipper's return from injury certainly steadied the ship after Sydney's first few matches, the improvement in A League midfields may have made McFlynn obsolete - at least as a wide midfielder. One goal and one assist in 27 games tells a partial but compelling story and regular readers of this column (I appreciate all two of you!) will know I am not a great fan of what McFlynn brings to the team (his wonderful clearance off the line against the Glory aside).
The future for Sydney is a little brighter. Rhyan Grant enjoyed a strong tournament for the Young Socceroos and looked comfortable enough when filling in for an out-of-form Stuart Musialik. He could seize the position at the base of Sydney's diamond with a strong pre-season, particularly if Musialik leaves as expected. While he is dynamic enough when played wider, he offered few moments of creativity or threat on the ball to suggest he is anything but a defensive midfielder.
New signing Hiro Moriyasu is an interesting case. Hiro played without the fear that seemed to afflict Sydney after Nicky Carle succumbed to injury and his dynamism in midfield was a big reason that the Sky Blues shook themselves back to life. He tackles decisively and backs himself technically - sometimes to his detriment, particularly against fast-pressing teams such as Brisbane.
Hiro has found his home on either side of the midfield diamond and contributes as a box-to-box hard-running midfielder, who can also play a pass (such as the assist for Alex Brosque at Parramatta Stadium). His limitations are clear: he scored one goal from 38 attempts this season and freezes when running at goal with the ball at his feet.
If Hiro can improve his shooting and dribbling options then Sydney will boast a competent trio of screeners and box-to-box players next season. If Stuart Musialik stays in Sydney then Grant may suffer without game time. But will Lavicka gamble on an inexperienced player in such a vital decision-making position? Time will tell.
One thing is clear. Grant, McFlynn, Musialik and Moriyasu provided just four goals all season. Sydney can only afford to have two of the three in the team. The more defensively minded midfielders must be complemented by an attacking player like Karol Kisel or Dimitri Petratos. Left back Scott Jamieson's presence in left midfield at the start of the season shackled an already low scoring side.
And finally: defensive midfield may be the side's engine room, but Sydney need more from their skipper. Will McFlynn keep the armband?
Sydney's precipitous drop in form was felt across the park and part one of my review examined the club's defenders and goalkeepers. It is now time to examine the men at the coalface - and how they let down their teammates and fans.
SQUAD REVIEW
DEFENSIVE MIDFIELDERS
Stuart Musialik, Terry McFlynn, Hirofumi Moriyasu, Rhyan Grant
Stuart Musialik arrived in Sydney as a fringe Socceroo and an improving young player - a technically adroit defensive midfielder as composed on the ball as he was efficient off it. Musialik revelled in his favourite "sit and distribute" role last season as Lavicka sat him behind Steve Corica, Karol Kisel and the robust Terry McFlynn.
But Musialik has endured a poor 2010/11. After the opening match against Melbourne, I wrote "Musialik put in his usual performance: an excellent, controlling game apart from one or two dreadful errors that put his team under pressure". Unfortunately Musialik's moments of excellence dimmed until the New Year, and he lost his confidence on the ball just as Viteslav Lavicka lost confidence in his contribution. Musialik - a main man in the championship winning team - remains out of contract for next season. I would miss his best but not mourn his passing, and it would not surprise many to see him suiting up next to Jason Culina for the Jets next summer.
Skipper Terry McFlynn has been underwhelming ever since his superb chip agonizingly found the wrong side of the underside of the bar against the North Queensland Fury. That 1-1 draw in the September rain crippled Sydney's finals campaign and sucked the morale out of the club and the crowd. For McFlynn to finally produce a moment of skill but miss by centimetres from far outside the box was crushing.
McFlynn has offered precious little on the ball and while the skipper's return from injury certainly steadied the ship after Sydney's first few matches, the improvement in A League midfields may have made McFlynn obsolete - at least as a wide midfielder. One goal and one assist in 27 games tells a partial but compelling story and regular readers of this column (I appreciate all two of you!) will know I am not a great fan of what McFlynn brings to the team (his wonderful clearance off the line against the Glory aside).
The future for Sydney is a little brighter. Rhyan Grant enjoyed a strong tournament for the Young Socceroos and looked comfortable enough when filling in for an out-of-form Stuart Musialik. He could seize the position at the base of Sydney's diamond with a strong pre-season, particularly if Musialik leaves as expected. While he is dynamic enough when played wider, he offered few moments of creativity or threat on the ball to suggest he is anything but a defensive midfielder.
New signing Hiro Moriyasu is an interesting case. Hiro played without the fear that seemed to afflict Sydney after Nicky Carle succumbed to injury and his dynamism in midfield was a big reason that the Sky Blues shook themselves back to life. He tackles decisively and backs himself technically - sometimes to his detriment, particularly against fast-pressing teams such as Brisbane.
Hiro has found his home on either side of the midfield diamond and contributes as a box-to-box hard-running midfielder, who can also play a pass (such as the assist for Alex Brosque at Parramatta Stadium). His limitations are clear: he scored one goal from 38 attempts this season and freezes when running at goal with the ball at his feet.
If Hiro can improve his shooting and dribbling options then Sydney will boast a competent trio of screeners and box-to-box players next season. If Stuart Musialik stays in Sydney then Grant may suffer without game time. But will Lavicka gamble on an inexperienced player in such a vital decision-making position? Time will tell.
One thing is clear. Grant, McFlynn, Musialik and Moriyasu provided just four goals all season. Sydney can only afford to have two of the three in the team. The more defensively minded midfielders must be complemented by an attacking player like Karol Kisel or Dimitri Petratos. Left back Scott Jamieson's presence in left midfield at the start of the season shackled an already low scoring side.
And finally: defensive midfield may be the side's engine room, but Sydney need more from their skipper. Will McFlynn keep the armband?
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