On Saturday night, Anthony Caceres played one of his best games under Ufuk Talay, scoring one and assisting two in a 3-1 win for his side against the Mariners.
Since Talay has come into the club, the Sky Blues have been transformed into a fluent and energetic attacking side that press teams and create chances home and away.
Caceres, who has played over 160 matches for Sydney FC has really enjoyed the new style that Ufuk Talay is implementing and even the seasoned pro is embracing the change.
“He [Ufuk Talay] has provoked a lot of thought into the team, bringing new ideas and a new way of playing.
“It’s something that we need to buy into because it’s a very demanding style of play, one where we aim to dictate and be the protagonist,” Caceres said.
“That will provoke the best performances in us and if we buy in then we’ve got a lot of growth left in us.
“We are really staring to grasp the ideas now but I think our attribution and consistency can be a lot better and that will give us a good chance to see the season out in a good position.”
This season, Caceres has now found the net twice this Isuzu UTE A-League season and is one of the best utility players that the club have.
He is capable of playing up front, on the wing and in the heart of midfield and on the weekend was dispatched on the left with Pat Wood and Fabio Gomes playing up front together.
The 4-4-2 system allowed Caceres to get into great positions and ultimately, reap the rewards.
“Fabio and Woody are both a handful up top really, Fabio the physical presence and we can go direct and Woody has energy and enthusiasm which is tough to deal with.
“This allows players like Joe [Lolley] and myself to come into the pockets and move into space.
“As I said, we want to be the protagonist and by setting up the way that we did, it allowed us to get on the ball, dictate the pace of the game and dictate terms,” he said.
“We are getting an identity now and we are buying into the new ideas. It’s about building as I still think we’ve got improvement left in us.”
The next challenge for Caceres is Adelaide United who visit Allianz Stadium on Saturday afternoon, kicking off at the family friendly time of 6:00pm AEDT.
Match Details
Sydney FC v Adelaide United
Isuzu UTE A-League Round 17
Saturday 17th February 2024
Allianz Stadium, Sydney, NSW
Kick Off: 6:00pm AEDT
Gates Open: 5:00pm AEDT
Broadcast Live: Paramount+
Tickets: Click Here