Slater's mid-season Report Card

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MISSING marquees has been the story of the A-League season so far - and it's one of the reasons the championship and premiers plate remain wide open.

Alessandro Del Piero, Emile Heskey, Shinji Ono, Youssouf Hersi and Harry Kewell seemingly have spent as much time in physio rooms as they have on the park this season.

Sydney FC and the Wanderers are both brilliantly positioned to make a dash at Brisbane Roar in the back half of the season.

The two clubs reflect the part of Sydney they call home. FC have the flair of Del Piero and goalscoring potential to be in any game. If you score goals, you win more than you lose. The Wanderers play with work boots. They are so hard to crack that it just takes one flash of inspiration to win a game.

With CentralCoast and Melbourne Victory also lurking, the season is set up for an epic finish.

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SYDNEY FC

TO be brutally honest, they haven't played to their potential yet they are winning. That's what having goalscorers, or game-breakers, will do for you. Second best for most of the game against Melbourne Heart, a moment of magic from Alessandro Del Piero and another goal from Rank Despotovic changed everything.

Winning becomes a habit and the Sky Blues should be enjoying the ride after a tough couple of seasons.

Enjoy it while it lasts, Sydney FC. Source: Getty Images

At some point, they will have to address the elephant in the room - the probable departure of ADP at the end of the season.

The Cove should enjoy it while it lasts.

Grade: 7 out of 10

WESTERN SYDNEY

TO highlight how far the Wanderers have come, they went three games without a win and suddenly there were whispers of a slump.

Not much can go wrong, because this is a professional football club built on solid ground. Tony Popovic's team can grind out wins better than anybody and they have battled on without Youssouf Hersi for much of the season and only fleeting appearances from Shinji Ono.

Once their X-factor players return, combined with their hard-nosed approach to winning, and the Wanderers will be there when it counts.

Grade: 8

ADELAIDE

There has been more action off the park than on it as the first half of the season has devolved into Spanish soap opera. It's always a concern when the biggest story at a club becomes the coach, with Josep Gambau a target for fans and having confrontations with the local media.

Adelaide's main problem is a coach forcing his tika-taka style on a team without playing to the Reds' strengths, which is very much the front third.

To make a significant impact in the second half of the season, they must get the ball up to the likes of Marcelo Carrusca, Jeronimo Neumann, Bruce Djite and the likes rather than fiddling around at the back.

Grade: 5

There's been a lot of focus on Josep Gombau. Source: Getty Images

BRISBANE

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TOP of the class. The Roar are a clear standout and easily the team to beat for the title. They have the best striker in the league with Besart Berisha - he's combative, irritating and has a great nose for goal. Mike Mulvey has done a great job, but this is an ageing team coming towards their end of their cycle, so they need to cash in.

They play slightly more direct than they did during the glory years under Ange Postecoglou, yet the basic principles remain the same. They control position and tempo of games before unleashing the likes of Thomas Broich and Berisha. It's been a deadly one-two punch for years.

Grade: 9

CENTRALCOAST

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SUFFERING from a pre-Christmas hangover with Graham Arnold's move to Japan. It's been like losing a family member. Still, Phil Moss is a quality football man and he will turn things around. The retirement of Patrick Zwaanswijk has also bitten hard because he was the on-field leader. This is one team I expect to rally. Firstly, Daniel McBreen is still finding his feet after starting the season late. Marcos Flores is another with more to contribute as he eases himself into the Mariners' style.

Can do better - and they will.
Grade: 6

MELBOURNE HEART

FOOTBALL can be a cruel game and it's hard not to feel for John Aloisi. Coaching, though, is results driven business and the Heart have struggled to make a dent on the A-League this season. They need Harry Kewell on the park and firing because he can offer an avenue to goal. Forget the horror penalty against Sydney, and Kewell changed the game when he came on against Sydney last week. The Heart should have won that game.

Kewell has been impressive coming off the bench, but you need more than cameos from your marquee men. Getting him fit to play 90 minutes after an injury-hit start might save Aloisi yet.

Grade: 3

John Aloisi will be hopeful of more from this main man. Source: Getty Images

MELBOURNE VICTORY

ANGE Postecoglou wasn't as entrenched at Victory in the same way Arnold was at the Mariners, still his departure has been felt and it will take time for Kevin Muscat to put his stamp on the club.

This a team full of quality with Archie Thompson and Mark Milligan and the excitement of Kostas Barbarouses and Adam Traore.

The Victory will be better in the second half of the season and will be dangerous in the finals.

Never write them off.

Grade: 7

NEWCASTLE

BEFORE the start of the season, the two coaches under most pressure were Gary van Egmond and Sydney's Frank Farina. Both have done a fantastic job.

Van Egmond will always give youth a go and he has had his reward with Adam Taggart their leading goalscorer.

Obviously, the pre-season knee injury to Emile Heskey hurt them at the start and only now are they building into their season.

The Jets are always tough to beat.

Grade: 6

There are some positive signs at Newcastle. Source: Getty Images

PERTH GLORY

THIS is a sad story - a club divided on family lines. The player revolt that led to the demise of coach Alistair Edwards was ugly, with his two sons, Ryan and Cameron, caught in the middle. Even though Alistair is gone, his boys are still there which could cause a volatile environment.

I think, in the cool light of day, Alistair might realise he made a mistake signing his two boys because sometimes players need to be free from the shadow of the coach and that can be difficult when his sons are in the dressing room.

Hopefully, it will turn out all right for Ryan and Cameron.

Grade: 4

WELLINGTON

STRUGGLING for wins, horror travel schedule for the club's Kiwi internationals, talk of Carlos Hernandez being unsettled - it's been quite an introduction for Ernie Merrick.

I feel for Merrick, who is trying to open up the Phoenix game after the Ricki Herbert era. They have goals in them with Hernandez and Paul Ifill, but nothing has flowed for them yet.

Phoenix probably need to go through some pain before rising again and it's important they keep faith in Merrick, who has the goals on the board from his time at Victory.

Grade: 3

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Slater's mid-season Report Card

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