Bobo in class all his own
AMID the welter of statistics surrounding Sydney FC’s domination of the A-League, here is one that illustrates why they could stretch their lead at the top to 11 points tonight.
Victory over Newcastle at Allianz Stadium would swat aside Sydney’s closest challengers, and few would bet against Bobo scoring in that instance.
Six goals in his last two games have crystallised the impression of a man in superlative form, and the figures back that up.
In 42 A-League games now in Sky Blue, the Brazilian is averaging 0.667 goals every game, a ratio that is climbing the longer he is at Sydney.
It puts him on an almost identical level to the competition’s greatest goalscorer, Besart Berisha, and behind only Melbourne City’s Bruno For- naroli among players who have been at their clubs for a season or more.
By some distance Bobo is this season’s overall leading ALeague scorer, with more records in his sights: Marc Janko’s achievement of 16 goals for Sydney in an ALeague season, and possibly Fornaroli’s record of 25 goals in a single campaign.
For Sydney coach Graham Arnold, the jigsaw of which Bobo is part is the reason for his success so far this season.
“You’re not leading goalscorer at Besiktas in the history of the club if you’re not a finisher – it’s about the people around him,” Arnold said.
“We get our fullbacks in areas to give the final assist, and he’s got players around him in David Carney, Milos Ninkovic, Alex Brosque and Mierzejewski that provide service.”