Graham Arnold keeping his players’ focus on the next game only

Sydney FC coach Graham Arnold is determined to keep his players’ focus on the next game and not the Premiers Plate.

Midfielder Milos Dimitrijevic comes back into the Sydney FC starting line-up against the Phoenix tonight, replacing the suspended Brandon O’Neill. Picture: Getty Images

Graham Arnold’s Sky Blues could move a step closer to clinching the Premiers Plate and becoming the Invincibles of Australian soccer when they play Wellington Phoenix at Allianz Stadium tonight.

But having previously eagerly pushed the idea of going through the season unbeaten, Sydney FC’s coach is now determined to shift the focus away from all the hoopla as the A-League enters the final third of the season.

Rather than concentrating on what might be, Arnold is now ­demanding his players solely focus on what is ahead of them day by day.

“I have told the players I don’t want to hear about it any more,” Arnold said. “For me, you can’t get there unless you go through the process and the process is 27 games initially. We haven’t won any trophies.

“The process is we want to win every game and we will win every game. The process is that tomorrow night is the first game of the last nine (of the regular season), and that’s against Wellington at home.”

It’s an intriguing turnaround from Arnold, who first floated the Invincibles idea back in November, just seven weeks into the ­season and a third of the way on the road to the Sky Blues’ now ­unbeaten 18-game streak which sees them nine points clear at top of the table.

No team has ever finished unbeaten in an A-League season, with Ange Postecoglou’s Brisbane Roar going closest, losing one game in their first title-winning season, 2010-11.

After losing to Melbourne ­Victory in round six, the Roar went on a 25-game unbeaten streak in the regular season before winning the Premiers Plate-championship double.

The Premiers Plate is Sydney’s to lose with nine matches left but Arnold is not getting ahead of ­himself with any premature ­celebrations.

“There are still 27 points available, so I’m not one bit excited until it’s mathematically ach­ieved,” Arnold said.

“Then there is still another major trophy (the championship) ... again it is all about the process and thinking only about the next game in front of us.”

The Sky Blues will be coming off the back of a couple of per­formances — against Melbourne Victory (a 2-1 win) and Brisbane Roar (0-0) — which Arnold described as “not showing our best, football-wise”.

He believes his team is capable of much better football, which must be a frightening prospect for some of their rivals who are already chasing shadows.

“The good thing is what the players are saying. They believe the last two games were good, fighting performances with great attitude but they did not show their best football-wise,” Arnold said.

“In the A-League, there are ­certain ways to win and we keep finding them.

“If I sat down every individual and asked them about the performances of the last two weeks they would all say they think there is still a hell of a lot to give and that they are not near the best.

“So, times that by 16 on match day and you can see there is still improvement left in the team.

“This team has ambition and fire. The ambition is to be the greatest in A-League history.

“Collectively, they are a group of winners and would die to win. They would kill for each other on the field.

“When the chips are down a little bit, they put their bodies on the line ... you saw it last week against Brisbane.”

Arnold will welcome back defender Michael Zullo for tonight’s match after his one-match suspension. He should come into the side for David Carney.

The Sky Blues will lose midfielder Brandon O’Neill, who is automatically suspended for one week after picking up his fifth yellow card of the season last week against the Roar.

While O’Neill has been in great form, his loss will be offset by the classy Milos Dimitrijevic coming into the side.