Nix vs Sydney Sunday 9 Dec 4:30 + Tee Dubs vs Otago 1:45

here in body. Not in mind.

Its kind of interesting to read that Ricki has ripped into his players...really?  Ive known the Nix to play worse than this and Ricki has stated that he has got positives out of the shit play...so why rip into his players now?   perhaps because the crowds are getting less, or maybe Welnix are on his back, either way I think that maybe new blood at senior levels is required.  I am in total agreement with Steve-O when he says that we have probably the most uncreative midfield in football

Never thought I'd ever say this but its time for a change at the top. Time for someone to come in with some new ideas and tactics and selections. Rickie has had six years in charge.....he's had complete control. Its his tactics and its his players. After six years the team has barely evolved.....the criticisms that are getting posted today are the same that are posted every year......poor laboured passing, hoof balls, poor crossing, poor player movement etc.

As someone pointed out in 442 the Nix are a two trick pony. Rugged defense and Paul Ifills creativity....thats what has papered over the cracks for the last few years. Well they are now conceding goals and Ifill is a shadow of his former self. Too many journeyman players, no creativity no clues.

 I am bitterly disappointed by this season....this was meant to be the year we meant to be challenging for the top two. Every other year we cut the team lots of slack because of the multitude of excuses....."we are a new team or we have money problems or we have ownership issues etc".  There are no excuses this year, Rickie got his European striker, he got the team he wanted, he has got his Academy, he has got the backup staff he wanted, the back office is stable, the ownership is stable, there are no money worries.....so whats up?

He won't get sacked midseason so we have to try and look at the positives for the rest of the season. We will probably grind out enough results to not finish bottom 4. Maybe Sanchez into AM might help....or even try Fenton there...but we are grasping at straws here....the top eleven played against Sydney. It will be a miracle if we make the Grand Final.

You are suggesting we have a marketing plan? I think a few people would question that. Clemenger might be our most disappointing off season signing.

If the Club is targeting families, they need to focus on that. Let the Fever 'sell' the Fever Zone experience to the public.

 ...still feel miserable.... 

Have to agree I'm sad to say. I was hoping the Phoenix would turn on some attacking football but frankly I don't think this team has the creativity in midfield. Balls have to be played to Huysegems feet, just hoofing them into the box irrespective if anyones in position is not going to work. Can someone please kick Brockie up the bum and tell him football's a 90 minute game.

Why don't the Phoenix swoop in Ian Hogg, he's a fast wing back who could lend some bite and is available (I gather)?

I think it's Ricki who needs to be shaken from his comfort zone as much as the players. He doesn't seem to have any ideas. When you're down why bring off your best attacker for Fenton (who I'd like to see get more game time)?

I'm also very disappointed in ACFC's toothless display the Club World Cup too if that's any consolation. They went into it not to conceed rather than trying to score goals. Bad week all round for Kiwi football.

I got my "Smash My Boxall" tee signed by the man himself last night.  Highlight of the day.

Yesterday was painful, I think we hit rock-bottom in terms of a 90 minute performance.

However, on this one occasion I don't think the blame need extend any further than the starting eleven. That was such a shocking, appalling, miserable display by eleven guys who just didn't bother to show up that any other possible contributing factors are completely irrelevant.

Even debate about the squad's inherent limitations shouldn't feature in the post-mortem of that performance. Yes, Muscat, Lia and Smith are not a very creative midfield but yesterday was appalling even by their own limited standards. They were not even close to playing their best.

So I say don't write off the season yet. We are still top six and this is actually our equal best-ever start to the season. We have been here before and got through it. We cannot possibly play worse than yesterday again and the league is so tight that even a small run of form will see us move up the ladder.

I am much more concerned about what yesterday's pathetic display will do to the crowds. Welnix need to get the message through to Herbert and the players that they will not accept another performance like that. Either win or entertain, preferably both.

I'm sorry but if you look at our starting 11 we have 3 attacking players...

The only one in form is Brockie.

And another thought about the subs, why did Ricki bring Ifill off for Totori ? Keep him on and take off Lia or manny. Otherwise it's like for like when it clearly wasn't working. 2 nill down, We should have thrown everything at it.

Ifill was playing very poorly. It's strange, I seem to be the only one who didn't have a problem with the substitutions yesterday? 

yeah feel stein has been treated a little harshly with his substitutions. would have pulled smith and Ifill. Smith was obviously struggling. 

From now on, we simply cannot have Ifill and Huysegems starting together. Both of them lack in pace and movement which leaves no options from our defense of midfield to release the ball.

They both have good feet and can pass the ball well themselves, but having two statues in our attacking third is simply too easy for the opposition to cover.

Was getting sick of watching us hold on to the ball for far too long in the midfield trying to search for someone to play the ball to.

 Think Ifill should start off the bench and one or both of Louis or Totori should start. Don't think Boyd has offered enough to warrant his place on the bench. He hasn't done much more than Pav did...perhaps it's time to call for Cameron Lindsay or Boxall to the bench?

Back to 442?

 That really hurt. We went to the game feeling that we would get a good win- everything seemed to be in our favour (except the "let's promote the other-team" marketing balls up- what the hell were they thinking about? I didn't go to see El Petrol, and no non-football fan would even know who he is- he's not farkin Best or Pele!).

We've done much bettter in previous seasons before we got this year's signings, who show great promise as individuals. There's plenty of talent in the Nix. What seemed to be missing was motivation (although pro footballers should find this in themselves, of course).

That leaves management in the hot seat- time for a serious ass-kicking session. As a long time season pass holder (along with all of my family) I go to football to be entertained and cheered up. We can all wear the occasional loss, it's the nature of sport, but no-one wants to spend a great deal of their hard-earned to watch a side that looked so abjectly clueless.

SOMETHING MUST BE DONE! (at least get rid of Lia, who seems to be at the heart of any/all of our negative play).

Not entirely sure what the answers are though....but if the management don't move VERY quickly I think the Nix will go down the gurgler in short order- there are already major gaps in the Fever Zone, and if the management can't even keep this group of fanatical nutters happy they/we are in deep shite.

 Oh, and Smith played his guts out again, even after he got the Glasgow Kiss. And I like watching Totori- he's the Crazy Ivan of football, no-one ever knows what he's going to do next (which at least is entertaining)

I was amazed at how our back four struggled to play the ball out. It was the same old pass it along the backline but as soon as they tried to play it to the midfield, there was no option. Manny and Lia did at times make themselves available but they either didn't receive the ball or when they did, they passed it straight back to Siggy or Dura. This in turn led to the hopeful long ball.

Our three man midfield is getting crowded out by the opposition as a lot of the time yesterday, I saw Brockie Ifill and Stein all in a high line basically waiting for the ball. Do the maths, if the opposition plays a five man midfield, our guys will always be up against it to try and hold onto posession.

Funny how it was about a year ago I sat in the warm sun in the stadium and watched us give the Jets??? a good arse kicking. Sanchez and Daniel were on fire....we played with good flair and pace. Maybe thats what we are lacking now. This team is now full of runners....good solid grafters....its what Ricki seems to prefer in a player. After the Jets thrashing Rickie went all conservative and banished Sanchez to the wing and Daniel to the bench and we never played with such freedom again.

Maybe if we can get Sanchez fit and get someone like Fenton providing a spark down the flank then not all is lost. Certainly when the youngsters have come on late in the last few games they have lifted the tempo. Rickie needs to have a good hard look at this team....6 of them are over 30 and some of them are playing like they are over 40.

 Two things could happen now. One Rickie will bite the bullet and tell some of the underperformers that its time up and get some fresh faces in there or two , he will circle the wagons, get conservative and try and grind out back to the wall type results with the guys he know and trusts.

I agree, despite Ricky showing his displeasure with the early subs I think it were a knee jerk reaction & Stein was badly done by. As for Smith, he is one of the best players on the park each week but yesterday he got knackered in the face & it seemed to bother him from there on. Smithy seems to me to be a great utility player, the sort of player who can fit in up front or midfield AND, wait for it....centre back. To play three at the back they all need to be class centre backs & I feel Smith could easily fill that role.

Paston



Sigmund
Durante
Smith

Bertos

Muscat

Lockhead



Sanchez


Fenton

Hysegems



Brockie

Ifill could come in for Stein but really, right now we are getting more from Stein. Just a thought.

                                                                                                                                                                                              

that game was indeed probably one of the best we have played in terms of style of footy.

Interestingly, I believe Ifill wasn't playing that day, and Muscat was at LB?? 

Manny doesnt seem to often try and pick up the ball from the back 4, it seems he is more often dropping back and sits between the two CBs so that Lochy & and Leo can press forward even more.. which is a great tactic. However whre it all falls apart is that the other midfielders and strikers stay pushed up and we have to long ball it

Correct, and it will be the latter. Whatever, the Phoenix need to get it sorted real quick. That was the last straw for thousands of fans with another crap home display. Fever zone's becoming more spacious and this forum (up until venting post this game) has been really quiet.  Welnix and Herbert are thick as thieves, so no pressure will be going on there. And that maybe their undoing.        

Subbing at 54 and not 60 min what was Ricki thinking ??

Just wish the club would tell us what's up with the players. Like they weren't even interested. What the hell is going on. Didn't they get paid last week. No passion, not guts. Just like that time when Serepisos had to meet the players to find out what the problem was. Saw a couple of players bounce out of their Courtney Place pub later on happy as larry, so obviously being mediocre's acceptable for them. How does wooden spoon sound.

What would you rather they do? Go home and collectively cut themselves?

It was a poor result, but that doesn't really have anything to do with how they spend their downtime.

Probably the same guy who had a go at Jesse Ryder for having a drink after a loss. 

One of the great things about NZ sport is that the media and the supporters don't care about what the players do in their personal time anywhere near as much as what happens overseas, and it should stay that way. I don't care what they do in their own time, I just care about them putting in 100% effort during their 'work hours' which we are all helping to finance.

Also, the Nix players are having their Christmas function today. Anyone want to complain about that?

2 disturbing factors from the game for me.

With Nick Tansley not present I thought the chicken looked all lost at sea and a shadow of it's former self.

Sad state of affairs when I said I'd go and get the chips with 6 to go til half time - not because there'd be a queue but because at that point I was more worried about missing the half time entertainment than part of the game. It only took me 2.45 to get back, enough time to see Sidknee score.

and another point - I know he was terribly expensive so had to go, but what a difference Daniel would have made in the past few efforts if he came on with 20 to go. God forbid having a player who could create something in the right direction.

Christmas is for winners! Sack Santa! ANGST!

Someone suggested Ramon Tribuliex (not sure about spelling) and got a few likes.

 Ha!  Even some City fans are calling for him to go and to bring back Posa.