When Milos Dimitrijevic made his debut for Sydney FC as a substitute against Central Coast Mariners last week, many thought the experienced midfielder would add some much needed distribution to their play. He didn't and, if anything, the Sky Blues' passing got worse.

That's not an indictment on the player himself, rather the system he walked into when he became the 51st player used by the club over the last 70 competitive games.

Changing faces: Fabio Alves on the run against the Wanderers last season. Credit:Brendan Esposito

Fluid football doesn't happen over night, it requires chemistry and collective understanding. It takes time to persist with the same squad, until they play the ball out of the back, and transitions into the final third rely on near instinctive knowledge of movement and position. It's telling that Sydney FC's poor displays coincide with the influx of more than 50 players in less than three seasons. They have played just one finals game.

Mariners coach Phil Moss may not have been talking about Sydney FC specifically, but he stressed how even a few changes can destabilise a team.