A-Leagues 23/24, The Other Matches Thread

Come on, put one of the these chances in and make it a fun night.

InsulinMachine

Np

Welp. What could have been. Though unlikely, I am holding on to hope that this CCM team fatigues rapidly in the wet weather due to their schedule and Adelaide bounce back after the break to take it 3 - 1 and give Nix their I augural prem. 

We lost the trophy ourselves a few weeks back in Gosford

Honestly, I think we truly lost it against the Jets with the missed penalty. CCM loss was one of those freak moments last minute screamer and against arguably the best team in the league. Let's see how it goes tonight, it's not over until it's over.

InsulinMachine

Np

Welp. What could have been. Though unlikely, I am holding on to hope that this CCM team fatigues rapidly in the wet weather due to their schedule and Adelaide bounce back after the break to take it 3 - 1 and give Nix their I augural prem. 

We lost the trophy ourselves a few weeks back in Gosford

Gah! I've been repressing that horrible memory for weeks and you've gone and put it back in my head!

loyalgunner

Man Adelaide are trash. Slowly played out of a safe attacking position to give a dodgy looped back pass to their shaky keeper. Wow.

Only ourselves to blame if we don't win the premiership. Adelaide has played better than I'd expect considering they have nothing to play for.

Extremely poor from Isaias there

Why is it when we least need them to, the opposing goalies have the game of their lives

Vuko fkg vich.

I think Vukovic might be cementing the A League keeper of the season gong here.

Again an amazing save from Vukovic

Danny, give us a goal 
Danny Danny give us a goal
Danny, give us a goal 
Danny Danny give us a goal

theaucklandphoenixfan

Danny, give us a goal 
Danny Danny give us a goal
Danny, give us a goal 
Danny Danny give us a goal

 
Better make it two…

Why is that a yellow?

Poor from Adelaide

Unbelievable.

Dumb stuff

See you all on the semi finals. Good night 💤 

Wow Adelaide are shark

And that is why CCM deserve to be premiership winners. Unlike the others (Nix included) they are clinical.

Grmmpf! Stupid, again.

Just dreadful.  You could see that happening a mile away…

I mean you can't argue that the nix deserved it more than ccm. CCM are leaps and bounds the best team in the league.. hopefully they get dusted in the semis for us.

Good night people, off to the KO we go. Nix have had their best ever season and if not for the finest of margins we may have even had the first league win trophy. CCM have been an incredibly well run and consistent team and deserve it as much as we do. It's going to be hard to match this season so let's enjoy it.

Disappointed but I can't even be mad really. With the start they had and their hectic schedule, Mariners have absolutely monstered a title out of what was looking like nothing. They without question deserve it.
We can look back and be annoyed about stuff like the Brisbane draw with the most blatant foul of all time being ignored...
But HOLY SHIT we finished second!!! Who wouldn't have taken that at the start of the season! Our best season of all time and it's not even over yet! We still have play offs and I believe in the lads to the end!

With a severely cutback squad, strings of injuries, and a brand new coach we're sitting in contention to still win the whole damn thing! Imagine what we'll do next year! On to the play offs COYN!!!

Would have been nice if Adelaide had given it a good crack. Man they were unimpressive.

All that said, CCM definitely deserve it. Hope they can win in Asia too.

Onwards and upwards for the Nix.

We beat 5th 3-0 and CCM only beat 8th 2-0.

We have a final series to win!

I mean it's kind of amazing that the mariners have done it with an slimmer budget than ours. This is a shame though, I don't know if we can count on the bigger clubs to underperform next ssason.

I know I should be stoked with top two but I can't help feel the great words "if you ain't first you're last". The reality is no one cares who got the silver medal.

We better win that fudgeing final.

In regards to my earlier post about the pink kit being a strange choice for their cepebration photos - I see they have changed into their home kit for the trophy lift

Only got ourselves to blame. We lost in Gosford...

The 2 goals conceded were so poorly defended I thought a Bookie might have been involved. 63% possession and the Reds could score?? I don't begrudge CCM the title but really? The Jets folded after showing good form of late, now the Reds do the same. "Amazing". Against a side that is travel worn.

 I noted too, the huge crowd there to witness it. OK, it was raining, but as Nix fans, we know what it is like to show up in a Cold Southerly pissing down on a Tuesday night. 

The better team won on the night, CCM have been unbelievably good since their 4 loss start to the season. It's interesting to note that two brand new coaches have finished 1 and 2 this season. Both with young, well organised squads. 
Two best defensive teams top the table, which simply proves, as I've been saying all season, defence wins titles. Adelaide and Sydney each scored more goals than CCM and finished 4th and 8th. 
All we can do is celebrate 2nd, proving the naysayers wrong and go on to fight for the finals series win!!

Agree defence wins titles. Vikovic was huge for CCM and as good as Paulsen has been. Vikovic best A league GK this season. And Kaltak also a big reason they stayed in games like last night. The fact he struggled to get a contract out of NZ domestic season for so long is crazy now in hindsite.

Ranix

Agree defence wins titles. Vikovic was huge for CCM and as good as Paulsen has been. Vikovic best A league GK this season. And Kaltak also a big reason they stayed in games like last night. The fact he struggled to get a contract out of NZ domestic season for so long is crazy now in hindsite.

Hard to look good in lower leagues because so much also depends on players around you. This is a prime example of just not having the scouting talent to keep tabs on domestic prodigies. Glad to see him doing well. I remember how long Krishna was lighting it up in domestic before he joined us.

Be interesting to see who Auckland sign from the domestic leagues. Sounds like Corica & McFlynn are Northern league regular viewers at the moment.

I mean unlike any previous or current Nix coach - busy either in season like now, having a short off season holiday, or busy into pre season - the Auckland FC coaches actually have plenty of free time at the moment, to have a proper good hard look at the local scene.

You get the feeling that the likes of say Rudan, Talay & Italiano would have watched Weenix games and not much else. Just not having the time to do much more than that. Relying on Gill, Greeny and others to give them some intel on any locals outside the Academy. Plus the odd pre season trial invite, which wouldn't suit all domestic players juggling a job, their existing club or whatever.

Well this was disappointing news to wake up to, though not unexpected I suppose.  No obstacles seem to faze CCM at all, I saw the stats, they had way less possession and still won.   I still hope they trip up somewhere soon.  Dam them to infinity and beyond.
 
I hope our team can use this disappointment to fire up. 

Ranix

Agree defence wins titles. Vikovic was huge for CCM and as good as Paulsen has been. Vikovic best A league GK this season. And Kaltak also a big reason they stayed in games like last night. The fact he struggled to get a contract out of NZ domestic season for so long is crazy now in hindsite.

Agree on Kaitak, and on Vukovic.  His confidence gives the team a lot of uplift.

On another topic, I would not tempt the Spelling Referee with two name errors for Vukovic in one post.  There is nothing worse than two yellow cards in a quick succession.

The irony of calling out Ranix for a spelling mistake whilst in the same post mis-spelling the player's name he correctly spelt! ;)

Auto correct has a lot to answer for imo.

I think I'm cheering on Sydney tonight, it just feels the safer option.

Anyone else watching the Womens GF? Who are ya supporting? I'm hoping Melbourne City for Rebekah Stott

Sydney FC win the women's Grand final 1-0. Shea Connors scored her first goal for Sydney to win it