#bragging #rights #line #crunch #Sydney #derby
There have been more one-sided results in the 12-year history of the A-League’s Sydney derby than on Saturday night, but surely not many more one-sided performances. It took just seven minutes for Ufuk Talay’s new-look Sydney FC to take a two-goal lead, an opening burst he believed broke the spirit of the Western Sydney Wanderers.
A well-worked short corner, engineered by the red-hot Joe Lolley, set up acting captain Rhyan Grant for his first-ever goal against the Wanderers in just the third minute at CommBank Stadium. Within the blink of an eye, Fabio Gomes made it 2-0 from the penalty spot after a harsh but fair handball call on Lachlan Brook.
Fabio Gomes celebrates his second goal with Anthony Caceres. Getty
Then the real star of the show took over: Sydney FC’s high press, ripped straight from the playbook of the Red Bull football group. Talay’s assistant David Zdrilic used to work with the academy teams of Bundesliga side RB Leipzig, and the things he learned from Ralf Rangnick are now being executed to near-perfection by the Sky Blues.
Their third and fourth goals, converted by Robert Mak and Fabio Gomes, came directly from Wanderers mistakes forced by the energy and intensity of Sydney’s system.
And they did it all without their usual skipper, Luke Brattan, who was suspended – but not missed.
“This is the way we want to play,” Talay said.
“This is the identity we want to create at Sydney. We want to play a high-pressing game, an intense game. We want to be the protagonist and make sure we’re defending forward. And if we’re going to fall over, we’re going to fall forward – not backwards.
Ufuk Talay’s Sydney FC are flying. Getty
“I don’t want to say it’s my work. It’s been a great collaboration with David as well to get the boys to that level, and the boys have bought into it. I think they thoroughly enjoy playing the way that we play, and I think it also makes a great spectacle for the fans.”
Marko Rudan, the Wanderers coach making his return to the dugout after his touchline ban for criticising referees, knew it was coming, and tried to prepare his players for it.
“This is his doing,” Rudan said of Zdrilic.
“This is the Red Bull system. He worked enough years to understand exactly what Ralf Rangnick wanted from all their clubs. He was able to get in the ear of Uffie – not so much into Bimbi [former Sydney FC coach Steve Corica] – and you can see what’s come out of it. They’re going to be a force, if they’re not already a force.”
Sydney FC fans lap up their 4-1 victory. Getty
While Rudan said he took full responsibility for the loss, and apologised to Western Sydney’s fans and members, he also pinned it on his players.
“I can’t coach what’s inside of somebody, how big their heart is, how much they want to win a ball, how much they want to give back, how much they want to make a forward run,” he said. “As much as I’d love to cross the white line with them, they know their roles and responsibilities from a tactical point of view.”
The Sky Blues are now on a seven-match unbeaten run and are playing some truly exciting football. The Wanderers, on the other hand, have won just one of their last five.
