KEEPUP’s Sacha Pisani and Matt Comito joined host Daniel Garb on this week’s episode of The Official Liberty A-League Podcast, to review Round 23 in the Isuzu UTE A-League. Listen below.
There’s no denying just how good Brandon Borrello has been since arriving at the Western Sydney Wanderers this season.
The 27-year-old attacker is arguably in career best form, scoring ten goals in the league to go with three assists and a recent recall to the Socceroos squad, where he not only featured in both friendlies against Ecuador, but found the net in the second of two matches.
Borrello since returned from the international break in fine fettle, adding a brace in their 2-2 draw against Macarthur FC on the weekend, which took him to double digits on the scoring charts.
However, does his incredible season make him the best signing of the campaign thus far? The Official Isuzu UTE A-League Podcast crew debated the topic this week off the back of his sensational showing in Campbelltown last Saturday evening.
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“You look at Borrello, 10 goals in 23 games, it’s his best return in his senior career,” KEEPUP’s Sacha Pisani said.
“Back into the Socceroos fold, scores for the Socceroos his first goal against Ecuador. I know we’ve seen Oskar Zawada doing well in his first season in Wellington, but in terms of signings of the season, he has to be up there so, surely he is the signing of the season.”
KEEPUP’s Matt Comito agreed, but said his output stretches well beyond his statistical output, which is right up there among the best in the competition.
“I agree… and playing a sort of reinvented role and you can just see it’s not just statistics,” Comito responded.
“When he gets near the ball, he’s so bright, and his attitude and his body movement and his inventive streak. It just like every time he touches the ball, he wants to do something exciting.
“He’s just a man flying in form and back in the Socceroos as a reward and I think you’re right Sacha.
“(Craig) Goodwin I think has set the bar at a ridiculous height this season, but Borrello is maybe just below him with a couple of others around the league who have just absolutely set the league alight this season and have just been so fun to watch as well.”
Beyond his on-field exploits, Borrello has also enamoured himself to the Wanderers fanbase with his personality, which Pisani thinks has been a great “foil” to coach Marko Rudan.
“It seems that it worked well with Marko Rudan as well. I just feel like he’s got that sort of spice about him,” Pisani said.
“He’s a perfect foil to Marko Rudan on the pitch; you’ve got Marko on the sidelines, plenty of character but you got Brandon there as well, he can do the same on the pitch.
“It’s also great to see him playing with a smile on his face again. He’s spoken about a difficult off-season and Marko called him and they just clicked straight away. So it’s good to see him really enjoying his football again for fans to enjoy as well.”
READ: Borrello hits double figures in relentless homecoming: ‘It’s only the start’
The team best placed to break into the top six?
We are set for a thrilling conclusion to the Isuzu UTE A-League season.
With three rounds to go, only four points separate sixth-placed Sydney FC and bottom-placed Melbourne Victory, while Wellington Phoenix – who are in fifth – are only two points further clear of the Sky Blues.
However, this weekend is set to have a major say in how things play out in the final fortnight, as Sydney host seventh-placed Perth Glory on Sunday afternoon at Allianz Stadium.
Glory stayed right in the hunt in a controversial 0-0 draw away to Melbourne Victory on Easter Sunday, extending their unbeaten run to four consecutive games (two wins, two draws).
Meanwhile, Sydney hasn’t won in any of their last four, but salvaged a point at the death against the red-hot Adelaide United on Good Friday.
Given how the teams have performed in and around Perth as of late – plus their own form – Comito believes Ruben Zadkovich’s side are best placed to pinch a spot inside the six.
“Each team is within a win of Sydney FC in sixth, from seventh to 11th and to me Perth look like the only team who have had the consistency to potentially breach that top six out of those teams,” he said.
“Especially if they get a good result against Sydney FC… I think that Perth, out of those challengers, are best placed at the moment to come home with a wet sail and sneak into those final spots.”
Will Brisbane sign Nick Green permanently?
Another of the team’s right in the hunt for a finals berth is Brisbane Roar, who kept within touching distance after a 3-0 win over Newcastle Jets on Saturday.
Since interim coach Nick Green took over, Brisbane have been much improved for the most part, particularly at home where they are still perfect during his tenure. As a result, Brisbane are now three points behind Sydney FC and face an out of sorts fifth-place Wellington Phoenix on Sunday in Auckland.
“You have to give credit to Nick Green. I know there was a few eyebrows raised when they turned to him,” Pisani said.
“He previously worked in NPL Queensland but on the weekend, slice of history becoming the only the second ever coach to win their first three home games in Roar history after John Aloisi
“There’s definitely been sizeable improvement. We knew that there was issues scoring goals under Warren Moon and they’ll quite solid defensively but issues up front but they seem to be scoring a lot more easily now.
“I know he’s only the interim boss, but is he someone that should be in the mix to take the permanent ranks?”
“He will be in the mix but I assume as any club, would do their due diligence in the off-season and try and find the best candidate and make a sweeping search and I’m sure that the Roar fans would want them to do that,” Comito responded.
“An uplift in form late in the season under a new boss that can come down to the brilliance of a manager but can also come down to a number of things, (like) newfound momentum, players getting a kick up the backside when a new man comes in wanting to wanting to impress.
“So I think that we need to see a bigger body of work under Nick Green to make some more sort of conclusions and I think that we’ll get a better picture by the end of the season where they’re standing.”
One of the players who has really thrived in Green’s more attacking system is Jay O’Shea, who has scored in five consecutive games and been able to impact games more often by playing further up the ground.
“His arrival has coincided with Jay O’Shea finally coming through with the consistent sort of goals that we know and have seen that he’s had the potential to produce over his few years here now,” Comito continued.
“It’s been quite frustrating watching him sometimes over the last few years as the player who creates the most chances of anyone in the league and always getting into dangerous areas. He’s got a venomous free kick but those balls just weren’t supplying assists or hitting the back of the net – but now he’s flying, five goals in five.
“One goal off equaling Besart Berisha’s club record of six games straight with goals which we’ll want to keep an eye on this weekend.”
