I wouldn't be gutted with a point. We'd be closer to the 6 than we were before the weekend, we wouldn't be last, and it'd be a start for Greenie. A win would be absolutely huge.
Results from the past 5 games have seen no team in 7th-11th placing (currently) having registered a win. In the meantime Central Coast have gone from 12th to 6th place with 4 wins and a draw, with a game in hand and goal difference edge.
The remaining Phoenix schedule is against the other 5 teams in the bottom half + 5th placed Victory. 35-37 points looks to be the cutoff mark for 6th place and the playoffs so the slim Phoenix hopes remain needing 14-16 points from those 6 games (so that's a 4-2-0, 5-0-1, 5-1-0 or 6-0-0 finish).
Perth do us a favour, getting a fairly deserved late goal and the 1-1 draw with City.
Puts City 9th, behind us by one point, Mariners on the same points as us, in 7th, and Macarthur a point in front holding onto the top 6 spot. City and Mariners each with a game in hand though.
Stranger things have happened. But it'd be special.
It's nice to be mathematically still in with a chance of making the play-offs. But will take something pretty special. Melbourne away has always been a graveyard for us, doesn't help Victory are undefeated in 7 games. City away will also be tough, though they are in some pretty patchy form, though they don't have to worry about Champions League anymore. Macarthur just did what we can't seem to do and beat Auckland FC so could be a turn of their bad fortunes, and well, we should be beating WSW basement dwellers.
I think we would need 9-10 points out of our last 4 to have any chance of sneaking the playoffs, and even then we would need results to go our way. It looks like City has the most favourable run to the finish line, still with a game in hand and their highest ranked opposition is Adelaide in 4th.
Stranger things has happened though! And it would help our fortunes if we can at least beat the teams around us in the coming games.
Macarthur winning against Auckland did not help us. But Auckland clearly had a day off in the office and brought this loss upon themselves. At least now they have learned the taste of "playing underperforming opposition teams back into form".
Macarthur 3 Jets 2 Brisbane 0 Sydney 0image.png119.87 KBWith these results, Sydney cannot win the premiers plate. And we're now 4 points from the play offs. If Macarthur keep winning we can kiss any hopes goodbye. Plus CCM and Mel C still have games in hand.
Procrastinixing wrote: Macarthur 3 Jets 2 Brisbane 0 Sydney 0image.png119.87 KBWith these results, Sydney cannot win the premiers plate. And we're now 4 points from the play offs. If Macarthur keep winning we can kiss any hopes goodbye. Plus CCM and Mel C still have games in hand.
I don't know how Macarthur has gotten these results against the top two in the past two rounds. Prior to this they last won a game in Jan (in all comps incl. Asia) and only had two wins in 2026 until AFC. If they do keep winning we need to as well, and we do play them last. Would be epic last game if it comes down to that.
One more point and we will have avoided the spoon. 6 points away from Adelaide too. Would have been good of LBS shot had gone in, then we'd have goal difference of -6. Could all come down to goal differenceimage.png120.09 KB
Interesting Factoid .... in games against other A-League teams, Auckland has secured 31 points, we have secured 30. About the same. So, from an Aussie club perspective, we are pretty much equally fearsome. It is the 9-point derby debacle that separates us. This highlights that maybe there is a mental thing at play in the derby. Not just players, but coaching staff, and maybe even supporters too. It may also offer hope that the gap is not that great (I feel Tad Lasso coming on ... 'believe' etc).
Not quite LG. City and CCM play tomorrow. Regardless of that result we will be 8th. If CCM win, they'll go to 31, City win they go to 32. If it is a draw, then City will be on 30 points like us but ahead since they have a better goal difference. I think I would prefer a draw or CCM to win.
SYD 34 pts - @ WSW / vs PER / vs AKL MAC 31 pts - @ PER / @ ADL / vs WEL WEL 30 pts - @ MCY / vs WSW / @ MAC MCY 29 pts - vs CCM / vs WEL / @ BRI / vs ADL CCM 28 pts - @ MCY / vs BRI / @ AKL / @ NEW
SYD should beat PER, that should lock them into the Top 6. MAC have a 6 pointer vs us in the last Round WEL probably the weakest last 3 opponents MCY might be the faves to sneak into the Top 6? CCM really hard finish to the season. Could end up having to their rivals the guard of honour in the last Rnd. Ouch
AucklandPhoenix wrote: Time for everyone to get on the AFC train as important that they win all their remaining games to give the Nix the best chance of making the finals!!
AucklandPhoenix wrote: Time for everyone to get on the AFC train as important that they win all their remaining games to give the Nix the best chance of making the finals!!
City beat CCM 2-1. I think thats CCM out of the 6 race can't see them getting max points in the last two games. Unfortunately that means the game against City is now more in must win territory. A draw wouldn't be the end of the world but then we'd need City to lose one of their last two games.
At least our destiny is now in our hands, before tonight there was nothing we could have done if the Mariners won out. But yes, this weekend is essentially must win, certainly a loss would end our hopes, and I think we likely need to win all 3 of our remaining games to get there.
Yep, Destiny is in our hands. Next weekend vs City is our cup final. Win that and we go sixth. From then on we just need to match the points of our rivals each round and we are in the playoffs. Nobody would have given us the smallest chance after the last Derby fiasco.
theprof wrote: gotta beat City this weekend! that will be a tough ask
Having not won in Melbourne for 9 years, asking for b2b wins would be a massive ask 😂 if we can avoid defeat, I’d be happy enough but obviously a win is what is really needed to be in control of our destiny.
+2
