Defender Jordan Elsey highlighted the extent of the pressure the players have gladly been putting themselves under at the urging of coach Guillermo Amor and which they will do again when they play Brisbane Roar at Coopers Stadium on Saturday night.
"This game's no different to any of the others, it's like a final," Elsey said. "That's how we talk, we treat every game like a final. It's going to be massive and Brisbane, coming off a big loss last week, they're definitely going to be up for it."
Adelaide entered this round in third place, with the chance to go to at least second. A win over second-placed Brisbane would do that.
Both teams were waiting to see whether Perth Glory could win or draw against league leaders Western Sydney Wanderers at Pirtek Stadium on Friday night, to open up first place.
After collecting just three points from a possible 24 in their first eight games, Adelaide have picked up 30 from a possible 36 in their last 12. Their unbeaten run during that time has seen them win nine games and draw three.
Some players say they don't like to look at the competition table no matter how well they're team might be going, but Elsey has no such superstitions.
"I don't think there's anything wrong with looking at it," he said. "I think it helps to know where you are and who's playing who and how it might affect things on the table.
"I look at it, but it doesn't affect how I play or how the team plays. We still try to play the same no matter who we're playing or where we are on the table.
"I watch most of the other games as well, not so much to see the results but to see how teams are playing and what they're doing.
"There are only 10 teams in the league and you play each other pretty often, so it's good to know if teams are doing anything differently to the last time you played them. I like to keep familiar with the other teams."
Elsey said it was a huge buzz to be a part of the run Adelaide were on and that the players feel like the sky is the limit for them this season.
"I feel that if we keep playing the way we're playing and take each game as it comes and treat each game like a final, which is how the coach likes us to approach it, then, definitely, the sky's the limit," he said.
"We're not getting carried away or arrogant or anything like that, our coaching staff would never let us. They always make sure our heads are screwed on right and we know there's a lot of work to be done yet.
"But we're very confident in the way we're playing right now and the way the coach wants us to play. We've got a lot of belief in the coach and it's a good time to be a Red at the moment.
"The boys know this game against Brisbane could take us even further up the table. Top spot is where we want to be eventually, it's where we've wanted to be all season."
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