The South Australians are coming off losses to the Newcastle Jets and Canberra United but their struggles in front of goal fly in the face of last year's prolific season.

On average, Adelaide scored more than two goals per game during last regular season.

This campaign they have a return of just five from their opening seven games.

Only lowly Wellington have fewer goals (three) than Stenta's side, who face fellow finals hopefuls Melbourne City on Wednesday.

"Over the last two and a bit seasons we haven't lost two regular season games in a row before," Stenta told the club's website.

"We're usually pretty good at bouncing back from a loss but we're finding it difficult to score goals.

"There's still plenty of positivity in and around the group and we're one point outside the top four. Those early wins have put us in a good position."

Fifth-placed Adelaide face a City side who are coming off the back of a shock defeat to the Western Sydney Wanderers.

The victory was the Wanderers' first in nearly a whole calendar year and another defeat would give Stenta's side the chance to move level on points with them.

"We'll go in with a similar mentality and mindset to take the game on and look for the big moments that decide the game," he said.

"You usually only get one or two and you have to try and make the most of those.

"We want to continue being a team that's hard to score against, for the most part of the season we have been that but it's the last couple of games where we have started to concede goals."

Australian Associated Press