Phoenix v West Ham | Wed 23rd | Eden Park | 7:30pm | Faltering Fullback

You can get pills for that, if he has any trouble with it.

So we are the only team playing in the A-League to beat an EPL side.

Biggest thing I reckon was our boy's calmness and unflappable faith in ernie's plan and approach to the game.  Solid.

Great result but how were there less than 20k there to watch it? Auckland, hang your head in shame.

Not sure why people are shocked at Aucklands poor turn out very single year.... They're just useless I guess.

Not all Aucklanders are useless. I am sure the few on here and not just a few others are quite passionate about their football. Probably even show up to the Nix games up there but for a city that must have around 100,000 people involved in football at some level or other involvement, they never seem to be arsed when it comes to turning up when needed. Is that just a typical Auckland attitude or a very sad indication of the football community up there?

well yeah not all are, but for a massive city with the largest player base, what's their excuse? I just can't think of one.

Fixed up my spelling. It is kinda sad, last nights game deserved at lot kore than showed up even for a Wednesday game. How rare is it to get an EPL team there? 

Fair point I guess.

Like the Beckham game? I keep on hearing about Kiwitea Street and the crowds. I sincerely hope they all showed up last night. 

Why ?

The more the merrier at the games, thats why.

I thought that was very interesting actually

I watched the full game last night.  Not sure it gives us too many clues - I thought we defended brilliantly.  Siggie was super cool and the lock of a back 4 plus Riera looked really tight.  Noticeable our full backs were much deeper than last year and that helped a lot.

I still think we have a long way to go in attack.  Brockie's runs were all over the place again and nothing stuck up front.  It all looks very ad hoc when we get into the final third (not just judging on last night, that was a problem last year as well).  We keep the ball well, get into the final third and then no-one seems to know where anyone else is running.  Plenty of time to work on that before the season starts

The only real excuse is that it was on a Wednesday night, Where as if it was a Saturday we would have pulled in 30k. What do you think Wellington would get on a Wednesday night? I reckon only about 15-16k? which is still good considering the population differences between Auckland and Wellington

Is it wrong to think that every team West Ham beats this season, we are better than them too?

Or is it wrong to think that west ham will win a game this season?

A lot of people on the Burgess article in the Herald explaining why they didn't go.  Reasons seem to be:

- cost, a lot saying it was over priced

- Eden Park as a venue

I understand why Welnix set prices where they did, the Phoenix really couldn't afford to take a bath on this thing.  I also don't think a lot of people are really thinking about what they are paying for, if you want to watch West Ham in NZ your ticket includes the cost of flying them 20,000 miles!  

But, I do have some sympathy for the argument that it wasn't amazing value when some parts of that stadium are really crap places to watch sport from.

Also a lot of comments saying it's West Ham vs a Wellington team, where's the Auckland link?  I can also understand that argument

Good point. It's a catch-22: the Nix are a WELLINGTON team, not an NZ team, and Aucklander scum can't have any part of them! And Aucklanders suck because they don't go to support the Nix!

The biggest crowd the Nix got last A League season was in - wait for it - Auckland, was it not? Makes your above comment look pretty stupid doesn't it. But why let facts get in the road of a good ol' bit of Auckland bashing Doloras. Do you also hate the rest of the country outside of Wellington or is it just the big 'un up north?

Doyle Riera Siggy Ridderton (Heineken Spelling - have ACFC (only F/B club in NZ) Auckland  links 

I think you've badly missed the point here

doloras is from Auckland. 

I can. I'm an ACFC fan - and yellowfeverite - who would have been at the game for sure. But as I'm presently in France I wasn't able. I suspect I'm not the only one not physically able to make it. We move about a bit, us dorklander scum.

PS If West Ham put in a 10 mill bid for Riera, will Kiwitea St see any of that?

Yes ,and a huge ACFC fan .... apparently ,

Yes, the brave Bluemagic totally missed the point that I was being sarcastic, parodying Auckland-phobic attitudes.

(As a Maori person might say, I'm from Wellington, but I stay in Auckland. I love both cities,even though Wellington's too cold and not ethnically diverse enough, and Auckland has crap public transport and is packed with rich NIMBYs who like to ruin things for the rest of us.)

Only if he buys a steak sandwhich at the club on his farewell drinkies!

Whoosh.

The pride of MAP.

I have bruises from Wednesday night.

I think they're more slightly bemused and wary of me than proud, but whatevs, I like being #1 goalkeeper. :)

The thing about the prices is how many times did they offer them on grab one or had put out more cheap tickets? Yeah they weren't good seats but its not like the stadium sold out, So you could just walk around and sit wherever