Sydney FC will eclipse points record set by Graham Arnold’s Sky Blues if they beat Newcastle Jets next week
Red-hot Sydney FC have a unique record set by Grahan Arnold’s premiership-winning team two seasons ago firmly in their sights after yet another victory pushed their advantage at the top out to nine points.
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After a 2-1 win at home to Adelaide United, Steve Corica’s Sydney FC are in touching distance of eclipsing Graham Arnold’s dynamite Sydney side of 2017/18 next week.
A double from Paolo Retre extended Sydney’s unbeaten run to nine games with the Sky Blues on 31 points after 12 matches.
Should Sydney FC defeat cellar dwellers Newcastle next week, they will better Graham Arnold’s early season record two seasons ago, notching up 34 points after playing 13 matches.
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“I didn’t realise that stat but it bodes well for the season ahead,” Sydney FC skipper Alex Wilkinson said.
“We’ll keep plugging away game by game and I think we’ve still got things to improve on.”
Arnold’s side had 33 points after the same amount of games in late 2017.
After 12 games, Corica’s side have scored more goals and have the same record with 10 wins, one draw and a loss as Arnie’s premiership-winning team.
However, in Arnie’s fourth season at Sydney FC, they had conceded less and kept more clean sheets at this point of the season.
Sydney FC have only collected two clean sheets so far, showing their defensive results are yet to hit the astronomical heights of their attacking teammates.
“We’re disappointed to concede from a set piece again, that’s two weeks in a row now,” said Wilkinson.
“That’s pretty sloppy on our behalf, but first half we were good, we opened them up very easily.”
Wilkinson says there’s no difference between Corica and Arnold in regards to the importance of defensive prowess.
“He (Corica) still places a lot of importance on defensive structure. We’ve only had two clean sheets, but we should have had a lot more.,” he said
“Brisbane was a penalty, last kick of the game, the last two weeks have been set pieces, so we’re not conceding too many goals from open play, that’s the disappointing thing because set pieces are things we should be able to control.
“If we can fix up those little sloppy moments where we are switching off then the clean sheets will come.”
Originally published as Sydney FC will eclipse points record set by Graham Arnold’s Sky Blues if they beat Newcastle Jets next week