Oh, how the mighty have fallen. I really wish I could go back in time three seasons ago to experience the joy of the 2018/19 campaign again.
On the 14th of April during that season, a 1-0 win over Newcastle secured our maiden Premiers Plate. On Sunday afternoon, the 24th of April 2022, the 2-0 loss to Adelaide condemned us to our first A-League Men’s wooden spoon.
The contrast between the seasons is quite remarkable. Under Tony Popovic, we finished with 60 points from 27 games in the regular season. 18 wins and only three losses, the most goals scored and the least goals conceded.
With two games remaining, we sit on 14 points from 24 matches. Three wins to our name and 16 defeats, with the least amount of goals scored by some margin and the second worst defensive record in the league.
What I find most remarkable is the turnover of players. Of the 16 players included in the match day squad for the Grand Final against Sydney, only two players remain. Liam Reddy and Andy Keogh, who left the club after that game before returning.
Obviously, no one could have predicted the impact COVID would have on the squad. Nonetheless, a nearly complete haul over of it in a relatively short period of time is hard to fathom and is hardly the recipe for sustained success.
The enormity of the Glory’s off-season decisions can’t be understated. A sliding doors moment is on the horizon for the club. What they do in terms of recruitment in all departments will heavily influence the direction the club goes in moving forward.
For the supporters, we can only hope the right decisions are made in naming a full-time coach, appointing a technical director, and deciding which players stay on for next season and which ones are moved on.
Before all that happens, we have two more home fixtures to get through before the season’s out. Sunday’s performance should offer some encouragement to the team after the dreadful result against Western United.
Three shots in total and zero on target isn’t ideal, but all season the issue has been at the front end of the pitch. Our defence is the area which has dropped off significantly in a few of our recent fixtures.
It was good to see a gritty, determined effort from the young side that took the field at Coopers Stadium. For the majority of the game, we were compact and solid at the back.
One man who did struggle was Joseph Forde. On starting debut at left-back, he was unable to deal with the pace of Bernardo Oliveira on the wing. On multiple occasions, a burst of speed from the attacker got him past the defender into dangerous positions in the box.
It was no surprise the son of Cassio was the man who opened the scoring for the Reds in the 24th minute. Ryan Kitto was able to evade Antonee Burke-Gilroy and Callum Timmins with too much ease as he sauntered into the box. His cutback was met by the 18-year-old who tucked it away into the bottom right corner.
Forde also had to contend with Nestory Irankunda when he came onto the pitch as a sub. Coming on for the goal scorer Oliveira, it was the fellow teenager who iced the game in added time with a superb goal. George Blackwood controlled a goal kick magnificently and played Irankunda into space. The young man also used his speed to create separation between him and Forde before launching a rocket past Liam Reddy.
I thought Reddy had a decent game in goal, making a quick save down low from a Bernardo shot and twice denying Hiroshi Ibusuki from close range. I continue to be perplexed by the decision not to give Cameron Cook some more minutes. If I were a betting man, I would say Ruben Zadkovich likes having the experienced hand in goal to guide the young defenders.
Jacob Muir is one of those, and I was impressed by his showing on the weekend. Not only does he get into good positions defensively to block shots and clear the ball away, he is very composed and positive on the ball, not afraid to drive forward with it.
That positivity nearly got us on the scoresheet. He pushed forward with the ball and tried to play Pacifique Niyongabire in. The pass was partially cut out and Joshua Anasmo got on the end of it, putting the ball in the back of the net before the flag went up for offside.
Adelaide went back into fourth and are almost certain to make the top six. Oliveira was very good and Irankunda picked up where he left off. I thought Lachlan Brook had a good first half and was a tad unlucky not to score before being subbed off at half time.
The highly fancied front three are scheduled to return for Saturday night’s clash against the Wanderers. Keogh in what may be his last game, Bruno Fornaroli from his injury sustained on Socceroos duty and Daniel Sturridge in what would be a first appearance since February. Ever the optimist, if the Englishman does play, I believe he’ll score and we can all Sturridge dance the night away at HBF Park.
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