JTM's blog

Lucas Pantelis’ swollen knee is hopefully nothing more than that and will only sideline him for a couple of weeks, but his absence could be crucial in helping resuscitate Adelaide United’s season.

Numerous well-credentialed A-League observers have critiqued his season along the lines of ‘could do better ‘, and while Pantelis is currently United’s top scorer this season (three paltry goals), more often than not, that level of impact has not been maintained across the full 90 minutes.

So now someone else gets a chance, and that someone is Fabian Barbiero, who along with Paul Reid is a BIG reason why Adelaide has been underperforming this season.

Fit again after a bout of osteitis pubis and a busted calf, Barbiero is United’s only real box-to-box midfielder, with apologies to Adam Hughes, who is meant to be one and still may be one day when he rediscovers his confidence and figures out his role in the side.

Paul Reid also gets about but doesn’t possess the goal scoring threat Barbiero does, remember Newcastle last season.

So given Aurelio Vidmar is seemingly determined to stick with his one upfront 4-2-3-1/4-5-1 system, then arguably Barbiero is Adelaide United’s most important player.

Put simply he can do something that no one else can consistently do, link the defence and midfield.

Travis Dodd can do it, as he showed against Newcastle when he was switched into the middle with 20 minutes left.

Travis Dodd can do it, but is mostly deployed out wide.

Travis Dodd can do but as his typical of him in a game, he can’t maintain the intensity for 90 minutes.

Maybe that’s a physical impossibility given the often explosive nature of his runs past opposition players.

In fact some observers suggested that was the reason he missed the penalty against the Jets because he was still recovering from the run that led to the foul on Pantelis.

But whatever the reason, judging by the performances throughout his career, it’s obvious that Dodd can’t be the type of player that Barbiero is.

Hopefully, Barbiro will get a start against Perth, but it’s going to take some time for him to recover full match fitness, so to expect too much straight away might be unwise.

At the very least it should help Adelaide to have some more composure in midfield, enabling them to keep the ball a little more and use it a lot more wisely.

In turn this should bring in Lloyd Owusu into the play.

Service and support are what he has been lacking, and it’s visibly draining Owusu’s confidence.

Barbiero is the man who can help on both fronts.

Flanking Barbiero, Cassio and Dodd can also benefit as the three of them can provide the pace and skill with structure that Vidmar says can be successful again, simply because it was last season.

Behind Barbiero, Sarkies and Hughes will try to shield the back four, at least until Reid is fit and one of them is sent to the bench.

Then all Vidmar has to do is decide how he uses Mullen, Alemao, Marrone and the two defenders who look likely to fight for a place alongside Mark Rudan, namely Fyfe and Cornthwaite.

It will be some dilemma should everyone be fit for selection, but I digress.

The biggest question though is whether Adelaide can get a result in Perth after a five day turnaround?

United showed in the ACL the ability to deal with a heavy schedule, but the team was playing with confidence and now essentially it isn’t.

Both teams do have good defences and United has played reasonably well on the road where Vidmar’s preferred formation is infinitely more suited.

Glory coach David Mitchell says his players are dirty on themselves after failing to beat the Fury last week despite playing the second half against 10 men.

Playing Adelaide is therefore a chance for redemption.

Aurelio Vidmar says his side is going to Perth to win and not just to not lose.

Those words seem to suggest an open game and therefore goals.

But Adelaide has not at any time shown it can play a shootout style of football, and if they fall behind, they are even less likely to.

In fact United hasn’t come from behind to win for almost a year.

To be precise it was Round 9 last season, at Hindmarsh, against Perth with Alemao and then Dodd’s penalty sealing the three points after Rukavytsya’s 55^th minute opener.

That may or may not be an omen for this week’s clash, but if I were a betting man and notwithstanding some heroics from the returning Barbiero, I’d say the first team to score will not lose, and will most probably win.