At the halfway point of the Liberty A-League 2021/22 season, Adrian Stenta says he is content with Adelaide United’s progress though stressed they have plenty of room for improvement.
The Reds lie in fourth place with four wins and three losses after seven matches.
Stenta admitted he is hoping his side can be more consistent in the second half of the campaign after being asked to assess his squad’s current position.
“I’m reasonably happy,” Stenta said in an interview at Marden.
“I think we’ve been a bit inconsistent this season and found it difficult to string 90 minutes together and then performances together back to back.
“So there’s been some real positives, but there’s also a lot of work to do and a lot of improvement still in this team.
“So to be sitting in the position we are and still know that we’ve got a lot more growth and improvement in us, feels me with some hope moving forward.”
Adelaide faces Western Sydney Wanderers on Friday at Marconi Stadium.
United has never secured an away victory against them since entering the league and Stenta is expecting a tightly contested game with the Wanderers boasting the second stingiest defence, despite their attacking shortcomings.
“It’s always tough to win away games in this league,” he said.
“We’ve got a pretty good record at home ourselves.
“I think it’s going to be a really tight game. Western Sydney have had some trouble scoring goals, but they haven’t conceded many.
“So it’s probably going to be a game of few chances, so quality in that final third is going to be really important.”
Stenta said he wanted to see a more patient display from his players when in possession to unlock a sturdy defensive outfit and avoid forcing the issue.
“I think they’re a well set-up team and defensively very sound,” he continued.
“So it is going to be about keeping patient and try and circulate the ball if we can.
“But like most matches, it’s probably going to come down to a few key moments so we just need to be aware of those and make the most of them when they present.”
