A-League soccer, 2022: Wanderers next as Jets focus on pre-world cup block

In a slice of club history, the Jets beat Perth 2-1 to open the campaign and backed it up with a 3-1 triumph over Wellington Phoenix.

Next are fellow unbeaten outfit Western Sydney at Comm Bank Stadium on Friday night.

Encouraged by the start, defender Carl Jenkinson said the Jets had pinpointed the opening quarter of the season as crucial.

The A-League breaks for four weeks after round six to provide free air for the group stage of the World Cup.

The Jets' season opener against Central Coast was washed out, leaving five games to lay the foundations.

'It has been a real focus of the group and the boss. These five games are like a section in itself," Jenkinson said. "Playing as well as we can and wining as many games as you can during that period, tees you up for the rest of the season.

"It builds confidence. It builds a lot of things if you are doing well.

"It is a little block of games before you get a break and we want to do well in it."

After Wanderers, the Jets take on Melbourne Victory at AAMI park before hosting Melbourne City in round six.

City lead the league on nine points ahead of Wanderers on seven.

The Jets are third on six points, with a game in hand against the Mariners which will be played in Gosford on December 21.

The Jets' previous best haul from two games was four points. The last time they achieved that was in season 2017-18. After five games they were on 11 points and went on finish second with 54 points.

"It is obviously good to win a couple of games but it is two games," said Jenkinson, who was part of the premiers-plate winning Melbourne City side last season.

"We have a lot of things to improve on. You always have in football. No-one plays a perfect game. We are doing some good stuff but we need to do more of it and more consistently."

The Jets played the final 20 minutes with 10 men in the win over Perth after Jordan Elsey was given a red card.

Elsey (suspended) and last season's golden boot Beka Mikeltadze (injured) missed the 3-1 rout of Wellington.

Matt Jurman came in and Reno Piscopo played as a false No.9 in a rejigged attack.

"When you look at it, Beka is a big player for us," Jenkinson said. "Other people have stepped up playing in different positions, played a little bit differently, and we have still played well and played the way we want to play.

"It is a good sign because not everyone is going to be fit all season and play every game. It is about the group and the boys who come in when these things happen, and not miss a beat."

Mikeltadze trained Monday and is on track to return against Wanderers.

The Jets fought out a scoreless draw with Wanderers in the preseason.

"You can't read too much into preseason games because all the players are in different places in terms of getting fit," Jenkinson said. "Managers are trying different tactics. I don't really know what to expect from them.

"We just play our football. Play the way we want to play, and who we are playing doesn't make too much of a difference to how we try and play."

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