Sydney coach Vitezslav Lavicka has vowed to ring the changes for Sunday’s match with table-topping Central Coast Mariners after watching his team slump to a 4-2 defeat to Wellington Phoenix.
Sydney coach Vitezslav Lavicka has vowed to ring the changes for Sunday’s match with table-topping Central Coast Mariners after watching his team slump to a 4-2 defeat to Wellington Phoenix.
The result saw the Sky Blues drop down to fifth on the ladder but more worryingly for Lavicka they have now conceded 10 goals in their past three matches.
Sydney took the lead at Westpac Stadium through a Brett Emerton penalty before Daniel converted from the spot and Dani Sanchez fired home a second for the home side to give them the lead at the break.
Bruno Cazarine equalised midway through the second half for the visitors but Ben Sigmund headed home from a Leo Bertos corner and Paul Ifill, on his return from a groin injury, coolly slotted a fourth past former team-mate Liam Reddy deep into stoppage time to rub salt into Sydney’s wound.
“Silly, silly mistakes in our defence cost us points and it’s not only a problem today but the last two or three games,” said a frustrated Lavicka.
“Defensive work is not only about defenders. We have to improve defensively as a team, everybody together as a unit.”
Sydney were also wasteful in front of goal too with Michael Bridge denied by a good save from Tony Warner and Cazarine seeing two efforts hit the woodwork and another flash wide.
“Another problem is that we created chances but we didn’t finish them,” lamented the coach.
“Today we scored two. It’s not good but it’s not bad but we conceded four and that is a bad result for us.”
“We know what we need to improve and I’m waiting to see how the players react after that loss.”
“We are going to make some changes to the squad for the upcoming game but we still have 12 games to go so there is still time to improve but we need to show some improvement straight away.”
Captain Terry McFlynn said the players had to take collective responsibility.
“The performances in the last three games haven’t been anywhere near good enough,” he declared.
“We’ve got one point from a possible nine.”
“It’s easy to turn around and say you’ve copped eight goals in two games and blame the back four. But that is not what we’re about at this club. We take collective responsibility.”
“We know as a group of players the last three performances haven’t been good enough. Collectively we’ve not been good enough defensively or attacking. We are creating chances but we are not being clinical enough in the right areas or situations to punish teams.”
“We got our noses in front today but couldn’t go on with it. It’s time to get back to the drawing board and keep working hard because that’s the only way we can turn it around.”
