Josh Brillante is challenging his Western Sydney Wanderers teammates to put their run of erratic form behind them as they seek to keep pace at the top of the A-League Men table.
The Wanderers sit in third spot after 14 rounds and while most clubs would be satisfied with that return, their yo-yoing run of results has left them adrift of pace-setters Melbourne Victory and Wellington Phoenix.
Over the last seven weeks the Wanderers have alternated between a win and a loss.
Last week’s 2-1 defeat to Perth - described by coach Marko Rudan as their worst display of the year - came off the back of a mature and assured 1-0 victory over reigning premiers Melbourne City.
Brillante said that gulf in performance emphasised where the Wanderers need to improve ahead of Saturday’s trip to Hobart to face bottom-placed Western United.
“The last month or so has been win, loss, win, loss. We have to try to find that consistency and keep it win, win, win,” Brillante told AAP.
“If we knew exactly what it was it would be easy to fix, but that’s what we’re trying to figure out.
“It’s probably a mindset going into each game, we play well against City and then against Perth we drop off.
“You drop five per cent in your performance and you get caught out.”
Pending the fitness of Dutch import Jorrit Hendrix, Brillante will likely start in the midfield alongside Oscar Priestman against Western United.
Priestman is another player the Wanderers lured away from Sydney FC and Brillante has been impressed by the 20-year-old’s rapid ascent to regular first-team football.
“He’s great and for someone of his age he has a big engine,” Brillante said.
“He has some great qualities on the ball and is creating chances to score goals.
“That maturity and execution will come, but I’ve really enjoyed working with him and he’s developing nicely.”
