Having swept the board as A-League Premiers, Champions, and FFA Cup winners last year, Sydney has remained at the top of the league table all season. They have won the last six games in a row, last losing 2-0 to Central Coast Mariners in November. Put simply, they look unstoppable.
Who Can Halt Sydney’s March to Another A-League Premier Crown?
Much credit must go to Brazilian striker Bobo. The 31-year-old has had a blistering first half of the season, banging in 10 goals in 12 games, including a hat-trick in the recent 4-1 demolition of Wellington Phoenix. Bobo has also struck up a good understanding with players around him on the pitch, laying-on four assists for team-mates. Bobo has not been doing it all himself either, Adrian Mierzejewski has also chipped in with six goals for Sydney.
It seems the most likely challenger to Sydney this year will be Newcastle Jets. At the time of writing, they sit five points behind them in the table. The Jets have netted 29 times this season, with Roy O’Donovan, Andrew Nabbout and Dimitri Petratos all enjoying good seasons in front of goal. However, Sydney beat them already this season with a 2-1 victory at the Allianz Stadium in November.
Even at this early stage in the season, the writing may be on the wall for third-placed Melbourne City. They are 12 points behind Sydney at the moment and have suffered five defeats already. Goals are a problem for Melbourne, with only 14 scored in 12 games – that is only about half as much as Sydney (27) or Newcastle (29). Surely the race to be Premiers will be between Sydney and the Newcastle only?
Bookmakers backing Sydney for a Second Successive Title
Incredibly, you can still find Sydney at odds greater than evens with Betway to be this season’s A-League Premiers. Their closest rivals – Newcastle Jets – can be found at 6/1 with the same bookmaker. While undoubtedly Sydney looks nailed-on for the Premier title, there are plenty of other honours up for grabs this season. If you are having a punt, you can find out how to bet on all Australian sports with the best UK betting sites online right now and see if you can bag a free bet for the A-League.
There could, of course, be a shock or two still to come for Sydney this season. A bad run can occur at any time. They also have to manage the AFC Champions League fixtures against Shanghai Shenhua and Kashima Antlers when they kick off in February. It should not be underestimated how long trips to China and Japan to play those fixtures can have a detrimental effect on the squad. A congested fixture list could potentially derail Sydney’s season.
Still, Graham Arnold has this team in record-breaking form. They look well-equipped to balance league and cup commitments. Few would be surprised to see them holding more than one trophy aloft come the end of the season.