Former Adelaide United favourite Robbie Cornthwaite believes winning is a habit and says the Reds can easily rediscover their Championship-winning groove if they stick to what they know works.
Though born in Lancashire, the 31-year-old Caltex Socceroo is a proud product of South Australia.
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Cornthwaite played for Adelaide City before signing with United in the inaugural Hyundai A-League season where he played till 2011 before signing with K-League outfit Jeonnam Dragons.
This season, his first at Western Sydney Wanderers, the defender has watched on as his former outfit have struggled to regain their double-winning form of last season.
But he senses with their current predicament, the Reds’ vibe is down, though that can change he says.
“Probably they just a little bit of a lack of confidence at the moment. It’s a similar boat to us earlier in the season,” he told www.a-league.com.au
“Like Adelaide, we were playing some good football and dominating a lot of matches and not getting the results, maybe with silly mistake at the back and conceding.
“For them [United], they have to stick to their guns. It’s a game plan that’s worked for them last year.”
However, it would be a mammoth upset if the Reds were to floor Sydney FC tonight in their Boxing Day clash (the second of two games tonight with the Jets hosting Phoenix).
Bottom of the Hyundai A-League against the unbeaten ladder leaders with 21 points between the two clubs, a win tonight in the City of Churches would surely be a Christmas miracle.
But if Gui Amor’s men were to win, that winning feeling, Cornthwaite argues, can easily return.
“It’s like us. Winning is a habit and at the moment they’re on the wrong end of it and they can’t seem to turn the corner,” Cornthwaite added.
“But when they do, I’m sure there’ll be some more positive results like they had last season.”