Sydney FC want to get back to winning ways and extract some revenge on Central Coast

MORE than two months after a defeat that shocked the A-League, Sydney FC are gunning for revenge. And Central Coast are in the champions’ sights.

Alex Brosque wants revenge on the Mariners. (AAP Image/Brendan Esposito)

MORE than two months after a defeat that shocked the A-League, Sydney FC are gunning for revenge.

Sky Blues captain Alex Brosque has revealed the “bad taste” left by the aftermath of Sydney’s 2-0 loss to the Mariners in November — an acrid memory that will be carried into Saturday’s clash between the two teams at Allianz Stadium.

Unconcerned by his side’s 0-0 result in Adelaide last Sunday, their second draw in three games, Brosque was adamant that Sydney would return to winning ways at the Mariners’ expense.

Certainly they won’t lack for motivation, after the unconfined glee with which Central Coast celebrated beating Sydney in round six — a result that remains the champions’ only defeat of the season.

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The Mariners rejoice at a surprise result (AAP Image/Dan Himbrechts)

“I think for us it’s about remembering that last game,” Brosque said. “It left a bad taste in everyone’s mouth — not just because we lost, but the way they carried on after the match.

“The boys were definitely hurting after that game, and that’s stayed lingering around these past few months. It’s a good game to be facing after one that didn’t go all that well for us.

“The Mariners played a good game to be fair to them, and I remember on the way out of the stadium speaking to a few of their supporters and telling them they deserved it.

“But the way we played, as a team, we got that wrong a little bit. We allowed them to come out and play through us a bit too easy which is something we don’t let teams do.

“We’ll analyse that game again, and make sure it doesn’t happen again.”

Sydney FC won’t let it slip again. (AAP Image/Dan Himbrechts)

Despite two draws in three games, Sydney remain only a point behind this time last season — and already, with 11 rounds to go, are only 11 points short of the 50 target that in most seasons secures the Premiers’ Plate.

The only serious challengers appear to be Newcastle, and Brosque said the next month would be pivotal.

“That 50-point level has been a target from the start,” he said. “(Coach Graham Arnold) mentioned it when we came back, that the Premiership is so important. Not just because of what it signifies, but also because the amount of teams that have won the premiership and gone on to win the grand final is a crazy figure.

“It’s so important to have those home finals, and that 50-point mark is generally the level that gets you that. We’re almost there, but Newcastle are chasing and doing well to stay so close.

“Looking at the draw they’ve got a hard month ahead of them so we’ll see how they come out of that. But we’re worrying about ourselves; when we get a result like the Adelaide one, we bounce back from it.

“Last year we were riding a wave of something that hadn’t been done before. It was incredible to see where we could reach.

“Having done it now, and having that experience behind us, if anything it’s become more of an expectation. So while we’re sitting a point on where we were last year, we’re not overly happy with that.”

Originally published as Sydney FC want to get back to winning ways and extract some revenge on Central Coast