Peak A-League: Bruno Fornaroli demands Socceroos selection, John Aloisi on Western United death row

Kieran Francis

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Peak A-League: Bruno Fornaroli demands Socceroos selection, John Aloisi on Western United death row image

With 21 goals in six A-League Men's games across the weekend, who can say the competition isn't entertaining?

Melbourne Victory star Bruno Fornaroli scored nearly 20 per cent of those goals on his own as he put his hand up for Socceroos Asian Cup selection.

While the outlook isn't as rosy for Western United boss John Aloisi with the axe looming on his coaching position once again.

And is it time for Sydney FC to move on from a calamitous veteran?

Bruno Fornaroli close to Socceroos Asian Cup spot

Many thought Bruno Fornaroli was finished as an elite force after he scored only seven goals in 22 A-League matches last season.

Despite being the wrong side of 36, the Uruguayan-born Melbourne Victory striker scored four goals in a match for the second time this season - nabbing all the Victory goals in a 4-3 win on Sunday.

This takes Fornaroli's season tally to an extraordinary 11 goals in seven A-League matches with his form demanding Socceroos selection for January's Asian Cup 2023 in Qatar.

Fornaroli's four goals against the Wanderers were all different types of strikes, with the first showing his anticipation and positioning, the second showcasing his poise and composure, the third a penalty from the spot and the fourth an excellent header from a free kick.

Being Australia's most in-form striker, it's hard to see Fornaroli miss the Asian Cup based on the other possible strikers that could be picked for the Socceroos.

Mitchell Duke and Jamie Maclaren are near-certainties to be selected based on their presence in the team over the last 18 months, but there is certainly room for another striker.

Talented centre-forward Kusini Yengi was the third striker in the recent Socceroos squad and is currently starting for League One side Portsmouth, but surely Fornaroli's experience would be invaluable during a major tournament.

Will Graham Arnold pick the in-form Fornaroli to add to his two Socceroos caps? Or will Yengi be given exposure at an important tournament?

John Aloisi on Western United death row

Eighteen months ago, John Aloisi coached Western United to the A-League championship.

In the present, you get the feeling that achievement is the only reason why he hasn't been axed yet.

After missing the finals last season, Western United are currently bottom of the A-League with one win and six losses from their first seven matches.

Five of those matches have seen Aloisi's team draw a blank in front of goal, including the most-recent 4-0 defeat against Central Coast Mariners.

In that match, the cohesion between the Western team looked woeful, with the attack only having one shot on target and the defensive unit regularly being out of shape.

It was the kind of performance from a team that isn't going to have their coach for much longer.

John Aloisi

It's been another sad decline for Aloisi, who had a similar end to his story when at Brisbane Roar through 2018-21.

The legendary Socceroo took Brisbane to consecutive top four finishes and semi-final appearances before being sacked the following season after only one win in nine matches.

If the trigger is not pulled on him imminently, Aloisi absolutely needs a positive result and performance against his old Roar team on Friday night.

Is time up for Andrew Redmayne at Sydney FC?

Andrew Redmayne has won three championships at Sydney FC but is it time for the club to move on from the veteran stopper?

Despite his Socceroos heroics at penalties which arguably secured Australia's spot at the World Cup, Redmayne's errors for Sydney FC have become much more frequent in recent seasons.

His gaffe on the weekend cost the Sky Blues any chance of winning against Macarthur as they attempt to consolidate under new coach Ufuk Talay.

While Redmayne may have been a little unlucky to cop a red card for handball, the fact he was so poorly positioned outside his penalty area in the first place speaks volumes on his decision making.

This follows a horrific clearance versus Brisbane Roar that cost Sydney FC a second goal in a 3-0 defeat in late October.

Redmayne has always been a terrific shot-stopper but a brain-fade has never been far away.

And this season his crucial mistakes are starting to pile up for the Sky Blues.

Kieran Francis

Kieran Francis Photo

Kieran Francis is a senior editor at The Sporting News based in Melbourne, Australia. He started at Sportal.com.au before being a part of the transition to Sporting News in 2015. Just prior to the 2018 World Cup, he was appointed chief editor of Goal.com in Australia. He has now returned to The Sporting News where his passions lay in football, AFL, poker and cricket - when he is not on holiday.