Match 17 vs Perth Glory | Sun 18th Apr | 10:15pm | SS7

Distance Derby!

probably the shortest distance either team has had to travel top play this game.

Perth were pretty poor against the Jets last night but they are playing at home and we always struggle there. Good news: no Castro. They do have Ikonimidis and Chianese back though.

Two decent attacks and two dodgy defences so maybe another 3-2 type game?

Perth wont do us any favours and we are pants away from home 3-3 draw.

Here is hoping Taylor might be ready to slot into defence and give us some options. Not leaking goals seems to me the best strategy forward.....

theprof

probably the shortest distance either team has had to travel top play this game.

Glory played in Coffs Harbour last night, so they have further to travel for this game in Perth than we do. Strange times we live in.

Royz

Perth wont do us any favours and we are pants away from home 3-3 draw.

 A 3 all draw? That's unusually positive for you mate!

RR

theprof

probably the shortest distance either team has had to travel top play this game.

Glory played in Coffs Harbour last night, so they have further to travel for this game in Perth than we do. Strange times we live in.

When we played Perth last season is the post-covid bubble and in the playoffs, weren't Perth based in Sydney as well? So both teams were in Sydney and travelled across town to play

TAYLS PLEASE START!

I can't watch defensive corners anymore, as it always feels like we are going to concede. Probably because we do!

Taylor will help with this, and will also maybe create something on the offensive side of things. It would be good to see Hemed and Taylor up for corners as then we might actually look like getting one.

Perth have had a tough time this season. Injures, players struggling for form and they had to quarantine like 3 or 4 times for 2 weeks this season. I think they had to do when they returned from Asia Cup, when they played in Victoria and another time so it hasn’t been easy. At home though they’re extremely hard for anyone to beat. If we can keep them for scoring and defend like we did last time we played them, we can hurt them as their defence is shaky. 

Chianese and Ikonomedis are coming back into the team at the moment. Hopefully that unsettles their established front line and we can break up their rhythm easy enough.

I hope flying to Perth from Sydney rather than Wellington will be easier on the lads from the perspective of jetlag and tiredness. So hopefully we'll be at a slight advantage at least on this front.

Don't know what to say about this game. Perth at home are always strong, while we've had mixed performances. Just hoping for the best.

We really need to "ride the wave" as far as I'm concerned. We've had a bunch of worthy performances that, for one reason or another, yielded no points.
Last week wasn't pretty - but it was effective. If we can keep scoring goals - and defend a bit better (bring in Stevey T if fit), we can definitely get a point, if not 3.

I'd keep the same starting XI as last week. Maybe look at bringing McGarry on in the second half, either for Sutton or further up the pitch as he's very good going forward. Hemed also to come on if he's recovered. 

newzealandpower

We really need to "ride the wave" as far as I'm concerned. We've had a bunch of worthy performances that, for one reason or another, yielded no points.
Last week wasn't pretty - but it was effective. If we can keep scoring goals - and defend a bit better (bring in Stevey T if fit), we can definitely get a point, if not 3.

I'd keep the same starting XI as last week. Maybe look at bringing McGarry on in the second half, either for Sutton or further up the pitch as he's very good going forward. Hemed also to come on if he's recovered. 

Taylor and Hemed would make me feel a lot more confident at corners - at both ends of the pitch. 

Surely this is a win for us. Perth haven't been great lately, they've had it tougher than most I guess but they just don't seem to be clicking. 2-0 to the Nix.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/a-league/124849036/wellington-phoenix-coach-wants-to-keep-teens-grounded-after-combining-for-late-goal

After playing the Glory, who share the same amount of points as the Phoenix (18) but have a game in hand, Talay’s men will travel to Tasmania to play Western again on Thursday night, and then face a red-hot Adelaide United in Wollongong the following Sunday.

Talay said marquee striker Tomed Hemed was unlikely to be ready to face the Glory after missing the previous game with a quad strain, while veteran defender Steven Taylor was expected to start just one of the next two as the Phoenix continue to manage his work load after returning from an injury of his own.

I'd expect to see Taylor start and be given less minutes next game, Hemed maybe to come off the bench if needed but if Ball, Waine Davila and co can do the work then he may be best rested.

When was the last time we won in Perth ??
We must be due !!

With no hemed or piscopo would like to see this line up. Be interesting to see how McGarry does in a more advanced role and get rid of sotirio.

lineup.png 130.13 KB

wilbaker

With no hemed or piscopo would like to see this line up. Be interesting to see how McGarry does in a more advanced role and get rid of sotirio.

lineup.png 130.13 KB

Or McGarry at LB and Sutton at LM

wilbaker

With no hemed or piscopo would like to see this line up. Be interesting to see how McGarry does in a more advanced role and get rid of sotirio.

lineup.png 130.13 KB

Pretty narrow line up no? Payne is not the answer at RB IMO as his crossing is woeful. Worse than Fenton. Don’t have much option atm though

At the risk of sounding like an ungrateful swine, what’s happened with the Phoenix city pod? I know schedules and whatnot have been the issue, but is it ever coming back?  So weird watching a league without PC pod, I hope it comes back.

For Perth. Castro is back in the match day squad but at there presser Garcia siad he is only 50/50. So sounds unlikely. Chianese and Ikonomidis not expected to play a full game but get extended minutes.
Should be a good game, both teams really need the win.

I was just checking the ladder, its pretty much season over if we lose or draw this match. I think the players know Talay is off to Victory next season so really they are playing for nothing more then a pay check.

Royz

I was just checking the ladder, its pretty much season over if we lose or draw this match. I think the players know Talay is off to Victory next season so really they are playing for nothing more then a pay check.

seriously? what evidence do you have for this ridiculous claim?

theprof

Royz

I was just checking the ladder, its pretty much season over if we lose or draw this match. I think the players know Talay is off to Victory next season so really they are playing for nothing more then a pay check.

seriously? what evidence do you have for this ridiculous claim?

Because it is a slow Sunday and Royz is getting restless?

WanderingSheep

wilbaker

With no hemed or piscopo would like to see this line up. Be interesting to see how McGarry does in a more advanced role and get rid of sotirio.

lineup.png 130.13 KB

Pretty narrow line up no? Payne is not the answer at RB IMO as his crossing is woeful. Worse than Fenton. Don’t have much option atm though

Paynes crossing is so much better than Fentons? He actually gets power behind the ball. Start of this season his crossing was definitely off but we saw last season that he can ping a ball in

It's not just crossing that Payne does better, looks like he plays with his head up more than Fenton and is capable of the odd forward splitting pass. Every time Louie looks to pass forward (rarely) it's invariably over or under cooked. So he resorts again to passing backwards. 

Gut feel though is he does get up & down better than Payne, who from memory earlier this season would never go the full 90 mins in that gut busting RB role.

coochiee

It's not just crossing that Payne does better, looks like he plays with his head up more than Fenton and is capable of the odd forward splitting pass. Every time Louie looks to pass forward (rarely) it's invariably over or under cooked. So he resorts again to passing backwards. 

Gut feel though is he does get up & down better than Payne, who from memory earlier this season would never go the full 90 mins in that gut busting RB role.

Payne doesn't sprint to the byline. Louis can. He keeps the ball moving more. 
If Payne's slinging early aerial crosses at Ball and Davila, somewhat less than useful. If it's Waine and Hemed then that's possibly a different story. It would tho be trying to change the way we've been playing for 2 months so would possibly need time to bed-in. 
No Hemed today anyway right?
Also a word of caution on Sutton- he played well, but WU were pants. He's added something to the team, but also necessarily an A league level starting left back yet. 

It would be really nice tonight if
1. We didn't concede from a corner
2. Or any other defensive set piece
3. Or with-in 5 minutes after we have scored a goal.
I'd also really like it if when we have an attacking set piece we don't back pass it all the way back to our CB's

Fire Up!
3 points please 

theprof

Royz

I was just checking the ladder, its pretty much season over if we lose or draw this match. I think the players know Talay is off to Victory next season so really they are playing for nothing more then a pay check.

seriously? what evidence do you have for this ridiculous claim?

Er, Talay IS likely off to MVFC next season. They're targeting him and I don 't see him wanting to stick around with us for another season if we don't make the 6. Why would any Aussie want to give up the Melbourne lifestyle and Vucktree resources unless they had a big thing going elsewhere - and by the evidence of this season, Talay hasn't managed to get the players to live up to his vision.

Doloras

theprof

Royz

I was just checking the ladder, its pretty much season over if we lose or draw this match. I think the players know Talay is off to Victory next season so really they are playing for nothing more then a pay check.

seriously? what evidence do you have for this ridiculous claim?

Er, Talay IS likely off to MVFC next season. They're targeting him and I don 't see him wanting to stick around with us for another season if we don't make the 6. Why would any Aussie want to give up the Melbourne lifestyle and Vucktree resources unless they had a big thing going elsewhere - and by the evidence of this season, Talay hasn't managed to get the players to live up to his vision.

really?, Talay has said no to the rumours several times, there is no evidence bar Victory suggesting it that Ufuk is going anywhere.

One change. Taylor in for Laws.

I hope Sotirio proves me wrong but really should just be an impact player

Ranix

It would be really nice tonight if
1. We didn't concede from a corner
2. Or any other defensive set piece
3. Or with-in 5 minutes after we have scored a goal.
I'd also really like it if when we have an attacking set piece we don't back pass it all the way back to our CB's

What would be really, really nice is if we could get the win.

But yes, all equally, frustratingly valid points made there.

Another Sunday night kickoff, and up for work at 4.45 🥱 this better be a performance worthy of it. 

COYN! 🟡⚫🟡

Is the game on MyFootball?? Doesn't appear so 

Couple of draws earlier tonight help us out a bit. 
No injuries. 
No cards. 
3 PTS. 
No worries. 
COYN