When Sydney FC announced a one-year extension for Ufuk Talay in May -- just two weeks after a 5-1 humiliation against Melbourne City that cost them an A-League Men finals place -- the club admitted the season had been "disappointing."
The statement praised Talay's attacking philosophy and commitment to youth, but the short contract and the reminder that "winning trophies is a must" made the message clear: this was now or never for the coach.
So, when Sydney opened the season with an uninspiring 2-1 loss to Adelaide United, the pressure intensified. A coach already under scrutiny appeared to be a few more slips away from a crisis.
Four weeks later, the narrative has flipped.
Saturday night's 3-0 demolition of Melbourne Victory was Sydney's fourth straight win.
Joe Lolley, restored to his natural right-wing role after Douglas Costa's exit, scored twice and now leads the league in goals (4) and chances created (21). The youth project is working too. Paul Okon Engstler and Rhys Youlley, both 20, are forming a strong midfield pairing, while Al Hassan Toure earned a Socceroos call-up.
And at the back, Alex Grant and Marcel Tisserand have turned a leaky defense into the league's tightest.
Top of the table, the narrative surrounding Talay has flipped. Can he deliver Sydney's first Championship since 2020?
Adelaide United
Stocks Up: Down to 10 men from the 36th minute, Adelaide produced one of their most memorable wins in recent history. With Craig Goodwin only just back from Socceroos duty and unavailable, the club's young guns rose to the moment. Ethan Alagich, 21, set the tone with a composed opener before Luka Jovanović, 20, continued his breakout run with a third goal in as many games. But it was the response after Dylan Pierias' red card that defined the night: instead of folding, the Reds defended with grit, and punished City twice on the counter in the second half to seal a famous 4-1 win.
Stocks Down: Although Pierias' dismissal was borderline, and perhaps harsh, he did appear to kick out at Andreas Kuen, and gave the referee Shaun Evans and the VAR a decision to make. Pierias has been one of Adelaide's standout players this season, and he will be missed next week when the team travel to Wellington. And star Spanish signing, winger Juan Muñiz -- who is yet to find his feet this season -- would have been disappointed to be hooked at half-time.
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Auckland FC
Stocks Up: Lachlan Brook's opening goal for Auckland in their 1-1 draw with Brisbane was another moment to savour for The Black Knights faithful. While Steve Corica's team were second best, they were also missing key starters -- Hiroki Sakai, Jake Brimmer and Dan Hall -- and still nearly stole all three points in stoppage time when Francis de Vries rattled the crossbar with the last kick of the game. Still unbeaten, Auckland will be hungry to bounce back against Newcastle next week.
Stocks Down: For a team which has built its success on a rock-solid defensive platform, Auckland was uncharacteristically sloppy in defense, giving up a string of clear chances that Brisbane really should have punished. Corica didn't hold back afterwards, saying his team were "bullied" and labelling it "one of the worst performances" he's overseen at the club. It would be remiss to not acknowledge that the loss of Hall, Brimmer and Sakai played a major part, but for last year's Premiers, the standards are high.
Brisbane Roar
Stocks Up: For all the talk about Michael Valkanis' gritty, defence-first approach, Brisbane are quietly adding real attacking punch. Fresh off a 3-0 win over Newcastle, the Roar controlled long stretches in Auckland with 57% possession and the better chances in the 1-1 draw. Michael Ruhs was electric and unlucky not to score when he smashed the crossbar in the first half. His reward came just before half-time when he slipped a sublime ball through for Justin Vidic, who fired in his second of the season. With eight points from five games, Brisbane is shaping as one of the early-season surprises.
Stocks Down: Despite their improved attacking intent, Brisbane will be frustrated they couldn't turn dominance into a statement away win. Sixteen shots and three clear first-half chances from Ruhs, James McGarry and Lucas Herrington, should have produced more than a single goal. At the other end, Brook's free kick was well struck for Auckland's opener, but Dean Bouzanis may be disappointed to be beaten at his near post.
Central Coast Mariners
Stocks Up: For a team that lost its manager on the eve of the season and several key starters in the offseason -- and was written off by most -- the Mariners continue to impress, even in a 3-2 defeat to the Wanderers. Against a far more experienced Western Sydney lineup, the young Central Coast squad never looked overawed and nearly snatched a late equalizer when Nathan Paull's long-range strike forced a superb save from Lawrence Thomas. Still inside the top six, interim coach Warren Moon has clearly galvanized the group.
Stocks Down: Although the Mariners have started the season strongly and surprised many, much of their early form has been driven by goalkeeper Andrew Redmayne's heroics. Week after week he has bailed out defensive lapses with penalty saves or point-blank stops, but that luck was always going to level out. It did here, with Kosta Barbarouses finessing an unstoppable penalty past him. Aside from that moment, Mariners' defending was sloppy, with routine giveaways proving costly. Conceding inside the first minute left them chasing the match, with the side never fully recovering.
Macarthur FC
Stocks Up: While Macarthur's 1-0 win away over Wellington was far from a classic, the Bulls were vastly improved from last week's dismal loss to Sydney FC and should have scored more if not for poor finishing. Harrison Sawyer, dropped for South Korea international Ji Dong-Won, delivered the perfect response. Introduced in the 76th minute, he buried the winner seven minutes later for his second goal of the season. Filip Kurto was a spectator for most of the night, but when Wellington finally threatened in stoppage time, he produced an outrageous save to deny Carlo Armiento and seal the win.
Stocks Down: With just four goals in five matches, Macarthur's attacking output remains worrying. For all the quality of Anthony Cáceres and Luke Brattan -- arguably the best midfield pairing in the league -- the Bulls' attackers aren't capitalising. Caceres put Sime Grzan clean through in a one-on-one that simply had to be scored. Ji, with nearly 100 Bundesliga appearances to his name, has just one goal this season and squandered a glorious one-on-one of his own.
Melbourne City
Stocks Up: There weren't many positives for City as their unbeaten run ended in a 4-1 drubbing at the hands of Adelaide, but Andrew Nabbout's first start in more than a year was one. The veteran winger got through 75 minutes and looked sharp in moments, a crucial boost for an injury-hit squad missing several key starters like Mathew Leckie and Nathaniel Atkinson. Takeshi Kanamori's 25-yard screamer -- an early contender for goal of the season -- was the other bright moment on an otherwise grim night for Aurelio Vidmar's team.
Stocks Down: Playing with an extra man for 50 minutes, City were largely toothless and mustered just one shot on target -- Kanamori's thunderbolt. Vidmar, back in his home city where he has a history of "honesty" in post-match pressers, didn't sugarcoat it afterward, branding his team "atrocious," "soft," and "not competitive." Conceding twice to 10 men, switching off in transition and losing duels all over the pitch, City looked miles off the pace. The mounting injury crisis -- and the strain of AFC Champions League Elite travel -- is clearly taking a toll. City also missed Kai Trewin, another Socceroos casualty.
Melbourne Victory
Stocks Up: In all honesty, there's virtually nothing positive to take away from a 3-0 loss to rivals Sydney FC. Head coach Arthur Diles described Victory's first half as "fantastic," pointing to the fact they held Sydney to no shots on target, but that felt like a stretch. They did at least create a few shots of note, with Denis Genreau's low effort the closest they came before the break -- however it was comfortably dealt with by Harrison Devenish-Meares. The only genuine bright spot was Juan Mata, who started for the third straight match, got through 82 minutes, and again looked like good for Victory, with the sort of progressive ball movement you would expect from a FIFA World Cup winner.
Stocks Down: With just one win and a draw from five games, Victory have issues across the pitch. Last season's grand finalists have leaked 10 goals, with center back Lachlan Jackson -- who made 85 appearances in the K-League -- struggling. Captain Roderick Miranda's return was meant to stabilise the back line, but Victory have conceded five goals in three matches since he's come back. Up front, they've scored four goals, none from first-choice striker Nikolaos Vergos, who was benched this week. The departures of Kasey Bos, Ryan Teague and Daniel Arzani have hurt, but 11th place is unacceptable. Diles is under pressure.
Newcastle Jets
Stocks Up: Newcastle winger Xavier Bertoncello was the clear bright spark in the Jets' 2-1 loss to Perth, scoring his first A-League goal with a composed finish and coming close to a second moments later. Mark Milligan's team -- who always look to play on the front foot -- controlled the contest with 65% possession and had six shots on target to Perth's two. There were positive moments in their build-up play, and the Jets consistently found good positions in the final third. Had Lachlan Rose converted his one-on-one and doubled the lead, the game could easily have taken a different turn.
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A loose pass from the free-kick and Xavier Bertoncello makes them pay instantly
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Stocks Down: For all their dominance of the ball and attacking intent, lapses in concentration continue to hurt Milligan's team. A routine giveaway at the back gifted Perth possession and led to Tom Lawrence's equalizer, before a sloppy handball from Daniel Wilmering handed Glory the penalty that Nicholas Pennington converted for the winner. Milligan criticized his team's poor "decision-making" in key moments -- an issue that is becoming a defining trait of Newcastle's season. Having now conceded league-high 14 goals and slipping to the bottom of the ladder, the Jets are being undone by their own mistakes.
Perth Glory
Stocks Up: While interim coach Adam Griffiths has spoken about wanting Perth to play attacking football, their first win of the season -- a 2-1 victory over Newcastle -- was built on defensive resolve. Glory, now off the bottom of the table, survived long spells without the ball and punished the few chances they created. Brian Kaltak, criticized for inconsistent form, delivered his best performance for Perth with two goal-line clearances. With Perth struggling for goals, former Rangers forward Lawrence breaking his duck was another positive. With several coaching targets reportedly pulling out, the result strengthens Griffiths' case for the full-time job.
Stocks Down: Despite the victory -- Perth's first in Newcastle since 2018 -- Glory's attacking issues remain obvious. Glory were clinical when chances arrived, but they produced only two shots on target, both of which happened to go in. For long stretches they struggled to keep the ball, with Newcastle controlling almost 65% possession and creating the more consistent chances. Without Kaltak's two goal-saving clearances, the result could have looked very different. Perth showed a new-found resilience, but their chance creation and ability to sustain pressure remain a concern.
Sydney FC
Stocks Up: Lolley was again the man for the big occasion in Sydney FC's 3-0 demolition of Melbourne Victory, delivering two stunning strikes from outside the box. The first, a first-time finish to break the deadlock; the second, a 60-metre solo run in which he weaved through defenders before picking out the bottom corner. With four goals, two assists and 21 chances created in five games, any concerns about Costa's exit already feel like an afterthought.
Stocks Down: While it's hard to criticize 3-0 Big Blue win, Melbourne arguably had the better chances in the first half, having 10 shots to Sydney's four. Piero Quispe -- the marquee off-season arrival and a Peru international -- continues to underwhelm. For a player who won Peruvian Liga 1's Player of the Year in 2023, Quispe is yet to hit the level expected and missed a golden chance to open his account after the break. While Sydney is flying, the attack is heavily leaning on Lolley to produce moments. An injury to the Englishman would be a nightmare for Talay.
Wellington Phoenix
Stocks Up: Armiento was the one clear positive in a disappointing 1-0 home loss to Macarthur, nearly rescuing a point with a thunderous stoppage-time strike that Kurto somehow kept out. Nigerian forward Ifeanyi Eze played well again, and even without a goal, his work rate was outstanding. Despite the defensive chaos in front of him, goalkeeper Josh Oluwayemi -- arguably Wellington's best player on the day -- produced several strong saves to keep the score at one.
Stocks Down: Wellington's attack was flat, creating almost nothing of substance until Armiento's 93rd minute attempt -- their first shot on target. But the bigger concern is the defense. Still without a clean sheet this season, the Nix -- whose high line was repeatedly exposed in last week's loss to Auckland -- were carved open again. The moment Caceres slipped Gržan clean through was absurd: a disjointed line, bodies pushed forward, and no cover behind. It was under-10s defending, and they were lucky not to concede more. With one win in five, head coach Giancarlo Italiano is under growing pressure.
Western Sydney Wanderers
Stocks Up: Barbarouses delivered two crucial goals for the Wanderers -- the first a sharp, instinctive finish -- in a much-needed 3-2 win over Central Coast, their first victory of the season. Bulgarian forward Bozhidar Kraev, criticized for wasting chances against Adelaide last week, opened his account with a goal inside the first minute. With three of Wanderers' five goals this season coming in this match, there are signs their attack is finally starting to click. The result also eases pressure on Alen Stajcic ahead of the Sydney Derby next weekend.
Stocks Down: Conceding twice against an inexperienced Mariners team is a concern. Lucas Mauragis was given far too much space for Central Coast's opener, while Alex Gersbach's handball was sloppy for a player of his pedigree. The Wanderers were hanging on in the final minutes and might have conceded an equalizer without goalkeeper Thomas' late heroics. With free-scoring Sydney FC up next, Western Sydney will need to be far more secure defensively to compete.
Socceroos World Cup bolter watch
Stocks Up: In a round missing most of the A-League-based Socceroos, Sydney FC defender Alex Grant took full advantage. Included in Tony Popovic's March squad but still uncapped, Grant has spoken about his dream to represent Australia -- and performances like this keep that door wide open. He scored a towering header in the win over Victory and helped Sydney secure a third clean sheet of the season. At 6-foot-3, dominant in the air and aggressive in the duels, he fits the exact profile Popovic tends to favour. Grant's teammate Paul Okon-Engstler returned from national team duty and was classy in midfield.
Stocks Down: Fresh off a strong debut for Australia against Venezuela, Melbourne City goalkeeper Patrick Beach had a far tougher outing over the weekend. Although he was hindered by a dreadful back-pass from teammate Zane Schreiber, Beach still played a part in Adelaide's opener -- rushing out to intercept a loose ball but ending up stranded, allowing Alagich to slot into an empty net. Adelaide's Dylan Pierias, still uncapped, has started the season well and could be on Popovic's radar. But his red card -- and looming suspension -- shrinks his window to impress and push for the World Cup squad he has openly targeted.
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