Have I mentioned weather or momentum in the past couple of columns? You know it, and after last week's home win against Victory, you can decide whether it's how or how many, and I can almost certainly put my weather watch in the bin.
Last week I got the heat right, had no idea the 50-kilometre wind straight up the pitch would arrive. And, I would say that Victory missed that fact also and failed to attack central areas quickly when scores were level and the leagues best free kick exponent was on the pitch.
Surely a few early balls and contested possession in key areas might have paid dividends?
Instead they continued to play in their favoured way, allowing the Jets to recover when they did find semi overloads in wide areas, and seldom testing central defensive areas and pressing the Jets in against a hurricane.
Horses for courses anyone?
To be fair, Victory could well have won as coach Popovic asserted. That they didn't highlighted the current differences between the two sides.
Victory gave away two horrendous goals and spurned numerous chances against stats that would suggest they gave away few opportunities. For me they are a little rigid, and prone to profound individual error on occasions.
Who cares about Victory you might well ask? I do to compare the form of the Jets, unbeaten in their past five matches, a tad less gung-ho in approach, definitely more frugal in the error department, and building confidence and momentum.
Coach Arthur Papas has confidence in their ability to handle the heat and, believe me if it's 32 degrees in Sydney and Newcastle today, conditions at Campbelltown won't be pleasant, but the same dynamic appears.
Level on points with opponents (formerly Dwight Yorke's pub team) Macarthur, both sides face the challenge of maintaining their run towards the top six.
Newcastle have been more consistent of late, but the hosts have shown a little more in recent weeks.
Three missed penalties in their fixture against Wellington last week make the form harder to confirm, but any team with D'Avila and Arzani, among others in their line-up, can be dangerous.
In seasons gone by I would have this game marked as a real potential for banana skinitis, for the Jets minus Reno Piscopo and given the expected conditions, and I still do a little bit.
Confidence and belief are strong points though, and I imagine some serious banter as new signing 'Mesut' Grozos will have discovered this week.
There are a host of teams in a similar position to the Jets playing important games for very valuable points this week. Wellington on the same points travelled to Launceston last night to face an increasingly desperate Western United.
Sydney FC, after three consecutive wins, play at 5pm today with more chance of a sea breeze than the Jets against a struggling Brisbane. And Perth Glory v Mariners promises to be a tight and torrid encounter.
You'd imagine City should beat Victory in the derby and, the toughest match of the round, Adelaide at home to the Wanderers.
Marko Rudan has gone from barbecues to almost boxing gloves in the space of a week and he finds his "favourite" 3pm time slot in a difficult location to turn things around.
An interesting and important round.
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