A-Leagues 25/26 - The Other Matches Thread

imanixsupporter

The sympathy for AFC on this forum honestly makes me sick to my stomach.

Anyway so far so good tonight. 2 of our top 6 rivals have dropped points and if neither of Brisbane & Perth get a second half winner, then that'll be 4. 

if we are not gonna win another NZ team do it (and I am not the only one).  

The delusion of our fans makes me sick too, we are not a top 6 team. 

Half the squad are injured/off contract at the end of season, our captain is apparently off at the end of the season and players like Eze most likely have 2-3 offers from other A-League teams. We don't even know who the coach will be next season. We have a loser mentality that goes to blame AFC for our failings, yet have been in the league for nearly 20 years to accomplish nothing.

Anything else I can fault our mens team. We should look at how Auckland operate e.g. pay more to get a reputable coach that has won stuff. Merrick does not count FYI and go from there.

One more trophy from AFC and they are going nowhere/you got to question the appeal of signing for us (most of our signings are players that are a. unknown or b. can't get an a-league gig). 

observerfromuh

imanixsupporter

The sympathy for AFC on this forum honestly makes me sick to my stomach.

Anyway so far so good tonight. 2 of our top 6 rivals have dropped points and if neither of Brisbane & Perth get a second half winner, then that'll be 4. 

if we are not gonna win another NZ team do it (and I am not the only one).  

The delusion of our fans makes me sick too, we are not a top 6 team. 

Half the squad are injured/off contract at the end of season, our captain is apparently off at the end of the season and players like Eze most likely have 2-3 offers from other A-League teams. We don't even know who the coach will be next season. We have a loser mentality that goes to blame AFC for our failings, yet have been in the league for nearly 20 years to accomplish nothing.

Anything else I can fault our mens team. We should look at how Auckland operate e.g. pay more to get a reputable coach that has won stuff. Merrick does not count FYI and go from there.

One more trophy from AFC and they are going nowhere/you got to question the appeal of signing for us (most of our signings are players that are a. unknown or b. can't get an a-league gig). 

Nah fudge that. If it ain’t us, I sure as hell don’t want it to be that. Fudge them.

WanderingSheep

observerfromuh

imanixsupporter

The sympathy for AFC on this forum honestly makes me sick to my stomach.

Anyway so far so good tonight. 2 of our top 6 rivals have dropped points and if neither of Brisbane & Perth get a second half winner, then that'll be 4. 

if we are not gonna win another NZ team do it (and I am not the only one).  

The delusion of our fans makes me sick too, we are not a top 6 team. 

Half the squad are injured/off contract at the end of season, our captain is apparently off at the end of the season and players like Eze most likely have 2-3 offers from other A-League teams. We don't even know who the coach will be next season. We have a loser mentality that goes to blame AFC for our failings, yet have been in the league for nearly 20 years to accomplish nothing.

Anything else I can fault our mens team. We should look at how Auckland operate e.g. pay more to get a reputable coach that has won stuff. Merrick does not count FYI and go from there.

One more trophy from AFC and they are going nowhere/you got to question the appeal of signing for us (most of our signings are players that are a. unknown or b. can't get an a-league gig). 

Nah fudge that. If it ain’t us, I sure as hell don’t want it to be that. Fudge them.

 I get your sentiment, and I want football to thrive in NZ, but I think it would be different had it got to 2030 without any NZ team winning silverware.

Do you ever watch the A-League, observerfromuh? There are so many mediocre teams. With competent coaching, thinking the Nix can still make the 6 is not delusional. We are not favourites but it is absolutely possible. 

imanixsupporter

Do you ever watch the A-League, observerfromuh? There are so many mediocre teams. With competent coaching, thinking the Nix can still make the 6 is not delusional. We are not favourites but it is absolutely possible. 

I do, i just think the teams above us will take enough points to counteract what we get. people think that the nix are going to go on a carrick like run under Greenie.

The season has been bang average and if we were as good as Chiefys first season we would be 5-10 points clear. AFC from last season would be 10 points too.

My point is so much has gone wrong for the Mens team this season, and it's an indictment on the league that we still can make an unlikely push to the top six.

Be good if Macarthur could win.  Currenlty they are down 0-1 to WSW 

A professional and desperate defensive performance from Perth. The sort of showing I havent seen from the Nix in a very, very long time. Good to see them and the Roar dropping points.

Macarthur dropping points too, even if the cost of that is us dropping to the bottom for the minute. 

Dammit Kraev scores.

if we are worried about WSW, it is over. I would much rather Macarthur drop points 

Procrastinixing

Be good if Macarthur could win.  Currenlty they are down 0-1 to WSW 

But quite a few things have gone right. 

If half the things that have gone wrong hadn’t- missed pen, Tuiloma slips, Hughes oggie(?), VAR and the refs confused about fouls and pens, injured playmakers, etc etc we’d be in the top 4 with Chief still coaching. It’s been a close league and only the Jets have consistently hammered us and we’ve been in those games. 

I don’t think we’ve been shockingly bad, but we’ve rather only been inconsistently good and fortunate! 

martinb

But quite a few things have gone right. 

If half the things that have gone wrong hadn’t- missed pen, Tuiloma slips, Hughes oggie(?), VAR and the refs confused about fouls and pens, injured playmakers, etc etc we’d be in the top 4 with Chief still coaching. It’s been a close league and only the Jets have consistently hammered us and we’ve been in those games. 

I don’t think we’ve been shockingly bad, but we’ve rather only been inconsistently good and fortunate! 

Auckland have consistently hammered the Phoenix.

WanderingSheep

observerfromuh

imanixsupporter

The sympathy for AFC on this forum honestly makes me sick to my stomach.

Anyway so far so good tonight. 2 of our top 6 rivals have dropped points and if neither of Brisbane & Perth get a second half winner, then that'll be 4. 

if we are not gonna win another NZ team do it (and I am not the only one).  

The delusion of our fans makes me sick too, we are not a top 6 team. 

Half the squad are injured/off contract at the end of season, our captain is apparently off at the end of the season and players like Eze most likely have 2-3 offers from other A-League teams. We don't even know who the coach will be next season. We have a loser mentality that goes to blame AFC for our failings, yet have been in the league for nearly 20 years to accomplish nothing.

Anything else I can fault our mens team. We should look at how Auckland operate e.g. pay more to get a reputable coach that has won stuff. Merrick does not count FYI and go from there.

One more trophy from AFC and they are going nowhere/you got to question the appeal of signing for us (most of our signings are players that are a. unknown or b. can't get an a-league gig). 

Nah fudge that. If it ain’t us, I sure as hell don’t want it to be that. Fudge them.

It already has been them.

It probably will be them again this season.

martinb

But quite a few things have gone right. 

If half the things that have gone wrong hadn’t- missed pen, Tuiloma slips, Hughes oggie(?), VAR and the refs confused about fouls and pens, injured playmakers, etc etc we’d be in the top 4 with Chief still coaching. It’s been a close league and only the Jets have consistently hammered us and we’ve been in those games. 

I don’t think we’ve been shockingly bad, but we’ve rather only been inconsistently good and fortunate! 

And yet another thing that annoys me with this fanbase, it seems like its excuse after excuse on why we have not won any trophies.

Also as mentioned *cough* Auckland FC *cough*.

Also also, if we lose 3 or 4-0 tomorrow, not only is it over for our top 6 hopes, Greenie will not be coach next season.

imanixsupporter

The sympathy for AFC on this forum honestly makes me sick to my stomach.

Anyway so far so good tonight. 2 of our top 6 rivals have dropped points and if neither of Brisbane & Perth get a second half winner, then that'll be 4. 

Sympathy? 

Hmmm. As we have discussed there’s a wide range of possible positions on the noisy neighbours. 

It does get up my nose that one or two of the most repetitively strident critics of the Nix also regularly attend at Go Media.  And Piney annoys me. But it’ll take good Nix performances and outcomes to change that.

I like the Kiwi players, particularly those ex-Nix and I appreciate a good game. Randall has been phenomenal. His goal wasn’t lucky any more than most, he gambled and still with a lot to do which he made look easy. 

I’m the same with Kiwis playing at the Roar, Kiwis and ex-Nix at Perth and West Sydney, and I’m happy Kurto wasn’t playing so I didn’t have to appreciate any part of MacArthur tonight. Has Jelacic completely turned the AWs down? 

The Jets I just appreciate the way their style has broken the monopoly of the ding dong midfield and pressing teams. And great they’ve got Kiwis too. I like the South Americans at AFC and respect Verstraete in a way I wouldn’t if he did all the same things but was an Aussie.

As well Auckland giving the once and future champs a dusting, seemingly without getting much beyond 3rd gear, puts our derby loss in a more generous light which helps rationalise what we got served up, just on a personal hurt level! 

I have a ranking of teams I dislike, but Sydney is usually up there based on Brosque’s dives, McFlynn’s fouls, Corica’s whining, Michael Clarke being a knob, the hand ball goal against us and the way we were their hoodoo team briefly. No other team is constantly up the top of the disliked list.

I do find myself hoping Uffie’s Sydney beats Corica’s Auckland, but that we beat both. 

And usually a game is more interesting with a connection to it. 

Buffon II

martinb

But quite a few things have gone right. 

If half the things that have gone wrong hadn’t- missed pen, Tuiloma slips, Hughes oggie(?), VAR and the refs confused about fouls and pens, injured playmakers, etc etc we’d be in the top 4 with Chief still coaching. It’s been a close league and only the Jets have consistently hammered us and we’ve been in those games. 

I don’t think we’ve been shockingly bad, but we’ve rather only been inconsistently good and fortunate! 

Auckland have consistently hammered the Phoenix.

Sorry out of context. 

But there was an opinion above that it was an indictment on the league that the Nix could make the finals. 

Edit : Ahh gotitit @Buffy the first derby this season was not a hammering bud. It was a limping escape which cost Auckland points in their next two fixtures.

We’ve beaten Adelaide, Sydney, Brisbane twice, the Coasties, and should’ve beaten City. And we’ve had a couple of good draws. 

All of these were hard earned points from good games of football. And we’re in a salary capped league. 

Some of the criticism has been inane and excessively negative.

And f- off if we’re not allowed to notice the good things we’re doing and have done. That is particularly the point of being fans right? It’s not just about being irritated by Auckland.

Gtfo the forum and into some club management or some public facing role where your work can face criticism please. Cos you’re all mostly sub-standard posters and you would struggle to motivate a team or a workforce with your empathy and rhetoric. 

observerfromuh

martinb

But quite a few things have gone right. 

If half the things that have gone wrong hadn’t- missed pen, Tuiloma slips, Hughes oggie(?), VAR and the refs confused about fouls and pens, injured playmakers, etc etc we’d be in the top 4 with Chief still coaching. It’s been a close league and only the Jets have consistently hammered us and we’ve been in those games. 

I don’t think we’ve been shockingly bad, but we’ve rather only been inconsistently good and fortunate! 

And yet another thing that annoys me with this fanbase, it seems like its excuse after excuse on why we have not won any trophies.

Also as mentioned *cough* Auckland FC *cough*.

Also also, if we lose 3 or 4-0 tomorrow, not only is it over for our top 6 hopes, Greenie will not be coach next season.

On the basis of one game and maybe 3/4 training sessions. Think some of us are happy to give Greenie a bit more time than that what so wrong with getting behind the new coach. Maybe its excuse after excuse because some of them are pretty solid excuses. Just like what annoys me is the same people bashing the Phoenix time after time while claiming to be fans.

AFC at the Jets in 2 weeks March 14th, is going to be a blockbuster.
Could decide the Premiership.

Shades of the Nix away at CCM, season 23/24. Doka's late match killer.

martinb

Buffon II

martinb

But quite a few things have gone right. 

If half the things that have gone wrong hadn’t- missed pen, Tuiloma slips, Hughes oggie(?), VAR and the refs confused about fouls and pens, injured playmakers, etc etc we’d be in the top 4 with Chief still coaching. It’s been a close league and only the Jets have consistently hammered us and we’ve been in those games. 

I don’t think we’ve been shockingly bad, but we’ve rather only been inconsistently good and fortunate! 

Auckland have consistently hammered the Phoenix.

Sorry out of context. 

But there was an opinion above that it was an indictment on the league that the Nix could make the finals. 

Edit : Ahh gotitit @Buffy the first derby this season was not a hammering bud. It was a limping escape which cost Auckland points in their next two fixtures.

We’ve beaten Adelaide, Sydney, Brisbane twice, the Coasties, and should’ve beaten City. And we’ve had a couple of good draws. 

All of these were hard earned points from good games of football. And we’re in a salary capped league. 

Some of the criticism has been inane and excessively negative.

And f- off if we’re not allowed to notice the good things we’re doing and have done. That is particularly the point of being fans right? It’s not just about being irritated by Auckland.

Gtfo the forum and into some club management or some public facing role where your work can face criticism please. Cos you’re all mostly sub-standard posters and you would struggle to motivate a team or a workforce with your empathy and rhetoric. 

The "derby" so far...

Auckland wins: 6
Wellington wins: 0

Auckland goals: 20
Wellington goals: 4

Emphaticaly one sided.

Stop with logic Buffy! 

However I can play that game with a weak hand. 

Game one: 
2-1 
AFC had two players suspended and one injured iirc as a result.
Following results were definitely subpar for AFC. They dropped 5 points in their next two games as a result with those players out.

AFC hung on in defense for the last 20 minutes. 

That’s not a five or four goal hammering. That’s a close derby game.

Sterjovski is a dickhead for complaining about that and Uzkok is a dirty player who should cop extra weeks for remaining on the field after his red and talking.

MacArthur. 👎

martinb

Sterjovski is a dickhead for complaining about that and Uzkok is a dirty player who should cop extra weeks for remaining on the field after his red and talking.

MacArthur. 👎

Honestly I'm more confused about VAR than ever after that game. Not defending Uskok but I've seen studs up tackles into the ankle as bad as, if not worse, even quite recently that only attracted a yellow card and were not upgraded after VAR review. 

Secondly the CCM penalty which made me angry all over again and is a reminder how officiating decisions can change a game. In short, if that was a pen then unquestionably so was ours against Sydney. VAR is supposed to ensure consistency across the league, instead it's a total dice roll.

WSW and Adelaide 2-2

4-2 now to Adelaide. lol

Kosta left us to be a bit part player in an even worse team. 🫢

Yikes.

2-0 Macarthur at the half over Auckland. 

Part of me is happy, but the other half not so much given Macarthur are scrapping with us for that 6th spot.

Auckland not at the races at all that half though. Unusually poor from them.

Corica getting schooled by Sterjovski. And Macathur physically outdoing AFC.

Ngor puts CCM 1-0 up early against MV. Victory defence all over the shop.

Ngor misses a golden opportunity to take a 2-0 lead. Saved off the line.

2-1 Victory. Mata with a bullet header to put them ahead.

A brave Mariners put to the sword late on. Gives you the shivers knowing we've got MV away next up. Mariners defence is much better than ours.

4-1 FT

Anything out of that game will be a bonus. But you never know.

Jets all over Sydney, 0-1 

Quintal levels us up. 1-1

In The Dub, City down to 10 vs WSW. 0-0 

Bah, City take the lead vs WSW in the dub, 0-1 

Ben Gibson wins it in added time!! 1-2

Cracker of a game. How about that offside trap Jets played in the last minute. Nerves of steel.

City won 1-2.

Only two teams can win The Dub now. 

Arzani scores his first for Citeh (since 2017 according to commentators) against Perth.  

Perth, 0-1 down doing everything but taking a draw off City. Several good Perth chances in the last ten minutes that City have scrambled to stop or that have just gone wide.

6mins plus extras to go.

Edit: Now 1-1 with 3 and a half mins of extra time to play.

Edit 2: Finishes 1-1, putting City a point behind us in 9th but with a game in hand. Good result for us.

6th is now almost within our grasp.

If we win all of our remaining games, only 1 side could finish ahead of us in 6th and that is the Mariners. We are within 3 points of Macarthur & City and we play them both.

Note also that Mariners & City will face each other, so at least one of them will drop points in that game too.