Sydney FC must find ruthless streak: coach

Nov 30, 2017 - 2:57 AM Coach Graham Arnold has challenged his Sydney FC players to find their ruthless streak, reckoning the A-League champs are running at less than half of their potential.

The Sky Blues enter Friday night's away clash with Adelaide United in top spot and having also claimed the FFA Cup.

But Arnold is far from satisfied with his players' output.

"The holiday is finished," Arnold told reporters in Sydney on Thursday.

"It's time now, round nine, that we become ruthless and when we get chances to bury teams, we need to bury them."

Arnold believed Sydney were operating at 40 per cent of their capacity.

"We have started the season quite well but nowhere near good enough," he said.

"I expect a lot more improvement and a step up by every player and staff to be better than what we have been."

Sydney travel to Adelaide for Friday night's fixture less than two weeks after downing the Reds in an FFA Cup final which boiled over.

Adelaide defender Michael Marrone remains suspended for tangling with a ball boy, which sparked an all-in melee in extra-time of Sydney's 2-1 triumph.

But United coach Marco Kurz doesn't expect the friction to add extra spice on Friday night.

"No, it's different," Kurz told reporters in Adelaide on Thursday.

"The FFA Cup, we lost the game. And now it's a game in the league and that is different.

"It's not a replay, it's a new competition. But we know from the FFA Cup that we have a chance against Sydney FC and that is very important."

Adelaide sit in fourth spot after consecutive league wins but Kurz was wary of Sydney, rating them as the benchmark.

"The quality from Sydney is so big," Kurz said.

"That is the best squad in the league, the champions from last season, that is the cup winner from this season.

"It's the top team. But we are not scared. We are hungry for a good game, for a good result."

Source: AAP