It’s the time of the year when clubs look towards the second half of the season and The Football Sack critiques each club’s progress so far.

Do you agree with our assessments made in the return of our mid-season report cards?

Semester Summary: Where to begin? After a dream start to the season and unbeaten in five games, Sydney FC settled into their throne atop of the Hyundai A-League ladder.

Largely this was due to a solid shape and structure implemented by veteran coach Graham Arnold.

However come Round Six, a loss to their old rivals Melbourne Victory sent the Sky Blues on a seven game winless streak marred by refereeing disputes and public criticism for boring play. Though with a confident win against the Mariners, Sydney look to have shaken their early slump and seem poised, tied at third, to return as serious contenders.

Areas of Excellence: Shape. Without question. Within 10 minutes of kick-off, the Sky Blues quickly establish a clear, solid and defined shape about them. Anchored largely on Mickael Tavares and backed by the defensive quarter of Jurman, Faty, Gersbach and Grant it’s a shape that sees Arnold’s men control majority of possession and breakdown the opposition. The best defence in the league plays testament to this (discounting penalties).

Area in need of improvement: The final third. While we see flashes of brilliance and silky link up from the attacking force of Brosque, Holosko, Ninkovic and Smeltz, the strikers have yet to settle into an attacking routine with one another in which each has a defined role. Chopping and changing too often up front seems to confuse things, as fans are left not knowing ‘who will score this week’.

Top Students: Captain Alex Brosque. The veteran striker revels in leading his team from the attacking line. Doing more than just scoring goals, the captain brings an unrelenting energy, passion and creativity to the team. Whether he’s tracking back to win the ball, skipping through defenders to set up his fellow strikers or finding the net himself, Brosque is Sydney’s talisman.

Second class honours go to Mickael Tavares. The French international brings a cool air of control the Sydney midfield. His vision and affinity for holding the ball calmly at his feet make him one of the most useful midfielders in the league. His ability to receive and distribute effortlessly, and if need be calmly leave a few defenders in his wake when embarking on a graceful attacking run earn him this special mention.

Class Clowns: Unfortunately Tavares’ counterpart Jacques Faty earns the title of class clown this season. Shambolic defending, particularly in the ‘Big Blue’ and reckless challenges resulting in multiple penalties for the opposition have cost Sydney more points than they’d hope. Here’s hoping the international can get his defensive head back in the game.

Grade: B-

Outlook: Much better. It looks as if the Sky Blues have shaken that slump and have returned to their early season success. Sitting equal third with City, the season is still very much open to them if they’re capable of rising to the challenge. Some attacking frustrations and defensive blunders do need to be worked out however the 2014/15 runner’s up have what it takes – it’s up to them.