Jets fans may be wondering how the team can go from the highs of a 4-0 victory to losing from 1-0 up against 10 men seven days later?

The short answer is, it's not hard. Different opposition and circumstances, momentum snowballing or halted when chances are converted or spurned, concentration lapses, and expectation that numerical advantage and patience will suffice.

Certainly it is disappointing to lose from the position the Jets were in, but it happens. And Macarthur's record - unbeaten after five games and only two goals conceded - suggests they are just the sort of opponents who can overcome the opposition having an extra man.

Unpalatable, no doubt, but credit the league leaders' discipline and application. They were going to have to defend well, ride their luck, convert from a limited number of chances, as well as hope the Jets didn't convert their opportunities, to extract anything from the game. Everything fell into place.

A goal just after halftime was great for that plan but poor from a Jets perspective because they had the numbers to apply better pressure to both cross and volley. Macarthur started to believe.

That said, the Jets still got in behind several times, created two or three very presentable chances but didn't crush the revival, and they paid the price late. It happens, and at the highest level. Remember Chelsea at Barcelona in the semi-final of the Champions League, when John Terry was sent-off in the first half and Barca were at the peak of their powers?

I certainly didn't see too much wrong with the Jets structure or intent. The referee might have allowed play to go on for a split second, awarded a goal and given Macarthur keeper Filip Kurto a yellow card instead of sending him off, but we will never know if that would have changed the result. It might have encouraged a different colour of card for two very poor fouls late in each half by Macarthur players.

The Jets still got Valentino Yuel and Olivier Boumal the ball early and encouraged them to take on fullbacks, Beqa Mikeltadze linked things up as he does and Daniel Penha threatened with his vision, energy and penetrative passing range. Macarthur simply defended it better than Wellington.

Those components are important moving forward to a couple of crucial festive fixtures at McDonald Jones Stadium. The Wanderers on Boxing Day and Melbourne City on New Year's Day are very attractive matches for possibly different reasons, but the points on offer usurp any other pressures or benchmark comparisons.

The Wanderers clash should be an interesting tactical battle, with both coaches having a chance to review their recent game at Parramatta and adjust accordingly. It's hard not to notice both sides have five points, are coming off last-start losses, and yet one coach has drawn largely praise while the other media heat and speculation about his job. Funny game football. Have I ever mentioned it's about opinion and perception?

It's an important game for a host of reasons, not the least of which is the mini gap between the top five sides and the Jets, Wanderers and Sydney FC on five points.

I would be surprised if the Jets don't dominate possession and territory, but Wanderers will fancy their chances of testing Newcastle with early forward passes in transition. How the Steve Ugarkovic v Penha midfield battle plays out will have a big influence on the result.

The other influence is the potential heat factor that the early kick off brings to the equation. Yes, it's the same for both teams, but compare the energy of the Melbourne derby last Saturday night to the hot and humid Sunday afternoon the Jets played in at Campbelltown.

With only one game live on the free-to-air network, why are we still subjecting our players and the product to extreme conditions?

Merry Christmas all, mask up, and stay safe.

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