FanPost

Know Your Opponent: Sydney FC

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Editor's note: very good info on a team most of us know very little about. Fronted.

Tomorrow, Tottenham Hotspur play Sydney FC at ANZ Stadium, Sydney, in a highly anticipated contest. I'm here to give you a preview of what to expect from Spurs' poucher opponents. Let's start off with a predicted lineup.

Sydney's Key Players

Vedran Janjetovic

27-year-old Janjetovic is one of the best keepers in the A-League when on form, but can resemble Heurelho Gomes for his complete lack of consistency. However, the inconsistent keeper may make way for the far more consistent Ivan Necevski, who will likely start due to his impending retirement.

Terry Antonis

Antonis is Sydney's midfield dynamo; essentially a homeless person's mix between Ryan Mason and Thomas Carroll. The 21-year-old had a trial with Utrecht and agreed terms with Parma before the deal went south and failed to go through, and since, he's become a key cog in Sydney's effective counter-attacking machine.

Marc Janko

Yet another key player who likely won't appear, the Austrian captain scored an A-League high 16 goals, but contractual disputes regarding international appearances (seriously, the club was upset that he'd be missing four matches) led the club to withdraw an offer to the player. As such, his contract expires Sunday, and he left the country last week to get married, however neither club nor player have ruled out his appearance as a farewell match.

Key Battles

The Midfield Duel

Sydney's midfield is among the best in Australia, and if the first choice duo of Antonis (#17) and Dimitrijevic (#8) start, they'll be able to go toe to toe with most midfield combinations Spurs put out that don't include Nabil Bentaleb. If Tottenham don't show up with a midfield willing to fight for a result, the match could be won and lost here.

Shane Smeltz and Alex Brosque vs Tottenham's Central Defenders

While not as effective as the brilliant Marc Janko, Shane Smeltz (#9) is still the A-League's all-time top goalscorer and could cause problems if Spurs are sloppy in defence. Another effective attacking tool for Sydney could be club captain Alex Brosque (#14), who specialises in rushing into the box late to cause problems. If he's not shackled properly, he could end up scoring something along the lines of the backheel he scored against Adelaide last month.

The Cove vs Park Lane

The Cove are one of the most vocal and dedicated supporters' groups in the A-League, and are often effective at spurring Sydney on to victory. It's not a surprise that Sydney's biggest defeats, including the 3-0 loss to Melbourne Victory in the A-League final, come when the Cove is quiet or outnumbered by the opposition fan groups. Despite being expanded multiple times, it is unsure whether Tottenham's Park Lane end will match the Cove during the match.

Other Factors

Sydney's Crossing from Deep

Both of Sydney's first choice fullbacks, Sebastian Ryall (#2) and Nikola Petkovic (#6), are effective at crossing from deep, and could cause problems in the air for Tottenham's centre of defence.

Bernie Ibini's Consistency

Bernie Ibini (#11) has long been one of the brightest Australian prospects, but has always been hampered by inconsistency. If he shows up to play like he did through much of the second half of the A-League season, he could cause problems for Danny Rose. However, if he plays like he did at the very start of the season, or in the A-League final, Rose will never have an easier match in his life.

The Senegalese Cousins

Cousins Jacques Faty (#26) and Mickael Tavares (#27) were injury signings for the club in January, and while Faty proved his ability and became first choice almost immediately, Tavares only remained part of the starting XI due to fitness concerns over Terry Antonis. Faty appears to have shrugged off an injury he picked up in the A-League final and should start. Meanwhile, if Antonis is not deemed to start and Tavares takes his place, Sydney will lack an edge going forward, but will have some bite in defence.

Prediction: Sydney FC 2 (Antonis, Brosque) - Tottenham Hotspur 3 (Kane x2, Chadli)

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