After an improved run of form across their previous seven games following a 4-2 loss to Sydney FC in November, the Western Sydney Wanderers had the opportunity to overtake their city rivals with a win over the Central Coast Mariners on Friday night. But they would not take it. Despite promising signs under Alen Stajcic, the Wanderers fell to a 3–1 loss in front of their home supporters, with their defence putting in one of their worst performances of the season.
The Western Sydney Wanderers are dejected as Ryan Edmondson put the Mariners 2-0 up on Friday night. (Image: Harley Appezzato)
Finding momentum in the early stages of their clash against the Western Sydney Wanderers on Friday night, the Central Coast Mariners broke the deadlock first. Alou Kuol squeezed the ball through Alex Bonetig's legs to find the net, giving the Mariners an early advantage.
While Western Sydney maintained possession, there was little threat from their attacks or the possibility of a goal, with almost every ball that entered the final third being dispossessed immediately or shut out by the Mariners, who put many numbers behind the ball. From Kuol's early goal to around the 80th minute, the Wanderers could not make their chances count and rarely had opportunities to get off clear shots on goal.
Alen Stajcic's counter-attacking approach barely threatened the Mariners defence, which was anchored well by the guidance of Socceroo Trent Sainsbury and Vanuatu international Brian Kaltak. For much of the game, the Wanderers played long balls and quick one-twos to open up space, although that space was shut down quickly by the Central Coast, who prioritised sitting back and applying pressure in the final third.
Thus, a problem arose with Stajcic's tactics: it lacked the versatility and creativity to break down a more solid defence. Aydan Hammond was the only real creative threat on the right side but, with his inexperience at a professional level, lacked the decisiveness to create clear-cut opportunities on goal for himself or his teammates.
Instead, the team resorted to driving towards the defensive line, which naturally led to players often being dispossessed and left the Wanderers defence exposed to Mariners counter-attacks. This state of play was the case until Juan Mata, Nicolas Milanovic, and Zac Sapsford were subbed on to refine the attacking approach, which worked for the final minutes of the match, as shown by the multiple goal-line clearances produced by the Mariners and James Temelkovski's first goal, orchestrated by Mata.
Stajcic's 4-2-4 shape in possession puts more bodies in the attacking line, placing unnecessary pressure on the defence, especially in a high-tempo and intense system that relies on the players' work rate, who often tire faster. Further, the centre-back pairing usually has to cover most second balls, which leads us to focus on the weakest aspect of the Western Sydney squad at the moment.
While both have the potential to be solid defenders, Anthony Pantazopoulos and Alex Bonetig displayed their worst performances of the season, failing to be alert of the Mariners' key threats in the final third and lacking overall organisation. As the first line of attack on the counter and last line of defence, the pair were too slow to react in and out of possession. They struggled to initiate any threat to the opposition with their passes, as the Wanderers had to rely on its double pivot in midfield to create.
Due to their safety-first approach in possession, the Mariners could get organised without the ball efficiently and had time to prepare for Western Sydney's attacks. The two full-backs also didn't offer much on either side of the ball, with Jarrod Carluccio and Jack Clisby experiencing a difficult day at the office. The duo seemed too slow to contain Mariners wingers Mikael Doka and Christian Theoharous.
Mikael Doka wheels away in celebration after sealing a 3-1 win for the Mariners at CommBank Stadium. (Image: Harley Appezzato)
So, what can we learn from the Wanderers' performance against the Mariners? The transfer window will be a crucial asset in solving these issues and improving the quality and depth of the squad, which has been notoriously absent. Stajcic has already heavily utilised his young players, but the team needs more experience to nurture their development.
Bonetig or Pantazopoulos need a level and experienced head to pair with at centre-back, which was proven to work for Bonetig while playing alongside former captain Marcelo.
The club has signed left-back Alex Gersbach to add more depth and quality. Stajcic has also confirmed three more signings will arrive at the club, but these are yet to be announced. One of these is rumoured to be Mohamed Al-Taay, a natural box-to-box midfielder who departed the Wellington Phoenix a few days ago. Al-Taay could be a good depth signing for the midfield with his high work rate off the ball. He is a good option to replace Dylan Scicluna, who is out for the rest of the season with a torn ACL.
Across the past eight games, consistent performances from the players and consistency from Stajcic in his team selection have been issues. So far, his young players have impressed, and rightly so. Sapsford and Hammond have notably improved each week into, at the absolute minimum, solid impact players.
Should the club nail this transfer window by addressing the squad's depth issues and bringing in the extra quality needed in weaker positions, the Wanderers can find the consistency they desire for the second half of the season. The Gersbach signing perhaps proves that Stajcic and the club have enough pull to bring in quality new additions.
The Mariners loss can be viewed as an obstacle towards a more optimistic future. But if issues aren't addressed, the situation will remain the same, and the Wanderers may not reach their goal of a top-six finish. Stajcic needs to rely on his key players to give the team the edge over their top six rivals and increase minutes for those who deserve it.
Temelkovski put in a much-needed statement to Stajcic that he should consider him for their next game against Auckland, and Juan Mata has started more games lately. Giving those players more minutes can allow them to shine, and Stajcic, seemingly his own harshest critic, also seems to be aware of this, but at the moment, he is not taking such risks.
James Temelkovski (right) scored his first goal for the Western Sydney Wanderers in the loss to the Mariners. (Image: Harley Appezzato)
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That isn't to say that the formation isn't working. Stajcic's system has allowed creative freedom from his inverted wingers, using Kraev, Hammond, and Milanovic's technical quality to support the direct threat Brandon Borrello and Sapsford offer. The connection between the false nine (usually Borrello) and two central midfielders allowed quick combination play in the final third and was effective in the dying moments against the Mariners.
Arguably, they have one of the better attacks of the top eight, which is being let down by their defence. The next few league matches will be pivotal in building momentum to break into the top six. The Wanderers have a clear issue in defence, which has remained at the halfway mark of their season.
Next, Stajcic's Wanderers will face championship contenders Auckland FC in a tough contest. It will test the squad's character, but a positive result could also represent the chance to renew hope for the second half of the season.
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