FANS rushing for the tunnel to vent their anger and frustration at the home team. The star striker hauled off with more than half an hour to go, and the supporters cheer the change. The coach booed whenever there's a close-up of the sideline on the big screen. It could be Europe but it's not. It's the A-League and it's Sydney FC, and Christmas cheer was in short supply at the Sydney Football Stadium yesterday afternoon. The festive season, instead, will be a volatile one for the Sky Blues, who have nowhere the hide.

John Aloisi was looking for somewhere to hide after missing two blue-chip chances in the first half. Both less than a metre out, both with the goal open and at his mercy. Both times Sydney's marquee star went with his left foot when the right foot was by far the easier option. It's fair to say after squandering such gilt-edged opportunities, Aloisi can neither ask for nor expect any sympathy. When you're the highest-paid player in the league and you've done it at the highest level, there are no excuses. Aloisi has been the darling of Australia ever since he slotted that penalty against Uruguay in 2005. Getting the Socceroos to the World Cup changed the game in this country. Now he's about to find how much it's changed. Fans have become much more demanding and opinionated. And they'll be letting Aloisi know where he's gone wrong at every available opportunity.

Sydney did some things wrong but not as many as the scoreboard might suggest. Take nothing away from Perth Glory. Their first away win of the season was a worthy one and testament to the new-found confidence and commitment built by coach David Mitchell. Perhaps the Glory have left their finals run a fraction late - goal difference may ultimately be their undoing - but they'll stay in the race until the end. That's a lot more than their supporters could have hoped for a couple of months ago.

John Kosmina will simply be hoping for a change of fortune. It's difficult to ignore the obvious from this demoralising defeat. If only. If only Aloisi had taken his chances. If only Clint Bolton hadn't needlessly conceded a corner. If only Antony Golec and Robbie Middleby hadn't put the ball into their own goal. Everything that could have gone wrong for Sydney did go wrong. There were some delightful passages of play from the home team. All the stats were heavily in their favour, which reflected their moments of promise. But that's all they were. Moments. When you make the sort of mistakes Sydney did, you are usually punished. And Perth have a ruthless streak they didn't have in the early season.

Ruthlessness is what Sydney clearly lack. They could have gone as high as second place had they won this game by two goals. Instead, they find themselves outside the top four, with the Glory breathing down their neck. Given what was at stake, Kosmina had asked his senior players to stand up and be counted. But they failed to rise to the challenge.

Sydney's best was Shannon Cole, who was playing state league football before the start of the season. Brendan Gan, another player recently recruited from the second-tier, also showed glimpses of promise. This defeat almost leaves Kosmina with no choice but to hasten the promotion of the next generation. That's assuming he survives the inquisition. The real test now is for the club. Sydney has a hair-trigger when it comes to the coaching position. New owners are on the way. Will they be any different from their predecessors? Will they value stability above all else? We're about to find out.