if it’s goals you want, round 5 delivered plenty of them – and all the answers to our questions as well.
1. Will the Wanderers back up?
“We are Sydney” was the chant that reverberated around Parramatta Stadium as the Wanderers proved they had the steel to back up their maiden victory.
Never at any stage did they really look like losing to the Heart, sure John Aloisi-s team came back hard late in the second half and Josip Tadic was causing Nikolai Topor-Stanley huge problems, but by keeping their structure the Wanderers kept the Heart out and got the three points.
While scoring still seems to be a bit of an issue for them, Mark Bridge has now netted twice in two matches and Joey Gibbs looks like being some real nuisance value in the box, they have found a way to be a threat in the attacking third and though their second was a shocking own goal from Patrick Gerhardt, it was the pressure the Wanderers were creating that caused it to happen.
As for the Heart, they showed fight, but that-s about it, John Aloisi is staring down some very real problems very early in his career as a first team manager.
2. Will the Mariners strangle Sydney?
The Mariners didn-t so much as strangle Sydney as leave “the Sky Blues- entrails splattered all over their own penalty area” – or so said Andy Harper on Saturday night.
Much of the talk before this game was about a supposed clash of styles; in the end it was more about a clash of two teams at very different stages. The Mariners are tight, coherent, efficient, well-drilled and organised.
Contrast that with Sydney-s injury ridden backline, the lack of leadership in defence and the confusion of how to stop Tom Rogic getting between the lines, and you get a very one-sided result.
The Mariners have now set their own bar pretty high, whereas Sydney have set themselves a target for the rest of the season – they simply cannot afford another performance like that.
3. Will nib Stadium implode?
Nope – but it did explode. What a game this was between two athletic, mobile and direct teams.
Both sides use the whole park, going through the middle and on the flanks and it was a pleasure to watch a game which both teams were so obviously set out to win. There was no room for pragmatism in this fixture.
The Glory deserved their three points, just about, through their determination not to let the visitors off lightly as they let several good chances go begging.
However much Perth protest, they are a physical team – pulling in three yellow cards in this game – but that doesn-t mean they aren-t a good footballing side. Somehow, you can just see these two meeting again later in the season, although with even more at stake.
4. Can Brisbane bounce back?
They bounced as hard as they could – it-s just it didn-t bounce into the net. They say goals are the end result of playing well, in which case Rado Vidosic should have nothing to worry about.
Brisbane were the better side on the day and created enough chances to bury two Adelaide Uniteds.
The problem is this isn-t the first time this has happened. Good football counts for nothing if you can-t finish it off, and Brisbane-s sudden profligacy in front of goal is perplexing. Let-s hope it-s sorted soon, otherwise Vidosic might find the pressure of keeping up Ange Postecoglou-s impossibly high standards just a little too much.
5. Can Victory exploit Phoenix-s travel sickness?
On Monday night, Victory could have said to Phoenix, it-s not you, it-s us. For the first hour against Wellington, Melbourne were brilliant. Solid at the back, driving in midfield and almost untouchable upfront as the triumvirate of Thompson, Rojas and Flores finally began to bloom.
The performance of Gui Finkler in midfield was another bright spot for Postecoglou-s side as the Brazilian produced some excellent passes and first touches, and played a hand in all the goals.
But Victory lost their mojo after the coach took the Brazilian and Argentine off, assuming his team were well in control. Without that attacking impetus, Phoenix were able to battle their way back into the game and almost snatched an unlikely late equaliser.
Victory can be pleased with that first hour but the last 30 minutes were a warning. Phoenix saw how a sluggish start will punish them away from home yet can draw inspiration from their resilience. A game of two halves, in many ways.