A-League: Adelaide United star Craig Goodwin remains upbeat despite winless start

The A-League Men’s season is five games in and Adelaide United are without a win, but Reds star Craig Goodwin is remaining positive.

Adelaide United star Craig Goodwin is remaining upbeat despite the club’s winless start. Picture: Mark Brake/Getty Images

Despite Adelaide’s winless start to the A-League Men’s season, Reds star Craig Goodwin believes the club will still “win a lot of games this year” once the team fixes their front third woes.

United drew their first three games of the season before back-to-back defeats against Melbourne Victory and Western United.

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The results have Carl Veart’s side occupying the second-last spot on the ladder with just three points, ahead of only Brisbane who have just the one.

But despite the slow start to the season, Goodwin and his teammates know exactly what’s needed to turn their fortunes around.

A win against Wellington on Saturday would certainly go a long way to doing just that.

“For the most part, I think we’ve played pretty well in all the games,” Goodwin said.

“I think the thing that’s let us down would be taking control and taking our chances when we’ve had it.

“A lot of the games we’ve had we’ve been dominating the first half and not taking our chances, then we’ve been getting punished, probably a little defensively with small mistakes that are letting us down.

“But for the most part it’s in that front third that we need to finetune.

“Once that comes, I think we’ll win a lot of games this year.”

Craig Goodwin knows the team must work on taking their chances in order to improve their results. Picture: James Worsfold/Getty Images

Goodwin has been a talismanic figure for the Reds across his four separate spells with the club.

The five-cap Socceroo returned to Adelaide on a loan deal from Saudi Arabian club Al-Wehda in February earlier this year and scored eight goals in 18 games to help propel the club into the A-League Men’s finals last season.

Goodwin returned for the 2021/22 campaign but is yet to fire, although that could come down to a “disrupted pre-season” due to an ankle injury that he suffered just days before last season’s elimination final against Brisbane.

However, the 30-year-old knows he must step up for the team in order to kickstart the season.

“I do put the most pressure on myself, but I know that’s what I’m capable of and that’s what I have to deliver for the team,” Goodwin said.

“For me, it’s about finding that form and getting that rhythm back.

“I did have quite a disrupted pre-season with only two full weeks of training in the pre-season, which is about three months long anyway.

“It’s (the fitness) been building the first five games. I’ve started the last two.

“I’m feeling good, I’m feeling fit and hopefully against Wellington I can find the back of the net.”

Originally published as A-League: Adelaide United star Craig Goodwin remains upbeat despite winless start