Phoenix vs Heart Wed 24th 7:00pm

420 replies · 2,935 views

over 15 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

I'm sorry, but there's no evidence of either of these things that I've seen.

I think maybe the game back against victory in melbourne, I remember him getting a handful of chances. He got into some really good positions that day and showed some promise. I think it was that game...

I do see your point, just not sure I would rather have DMac. But at the end of the day either of the two have to start next to greeny. I see it as the only way forward

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over 15 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

liverpoolfan1 wrote:

Good points you all make lads....I hope he gets a hatful of goals and proves me wrong.

Fair play to you as well LF1, I was trying to think of specific things he's done and got a list of, he ran down some long balls and gave a few defenders a bit of grief, and he ran around someone once.

I think maybe just this run of poor play, Ricki's conservatism and the fact that Kosta is now doing so well is dwelling a bit on our minds.

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over 15 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

i would like to see....

vukovic

north siggy dura hearfield

muscat

ifill brown elliot bertos

greenacre

paston

pavlovich

daniel

rojas/ward

this is hardout different, but we need change. hearfield can play any of the wing back roles, so put him left back and move muscat up into DM, hes strong tackler, hard working and can get the team going with a run/pass. elliot further up the field so that he can influence those balls between the attackers, with brown there as our attacking midfield flair.

macallister is a waste of space, so put pavovich on bench, fast and skillful. daniels been a real influence of the bench all season, he needs to stay there. and i would like to try rojas out in a game, adelaide, gold coast, perth, sydney and heart have all had good youth players come into the starting 11 because they have been given the chance. if not him then ward for maybe second half change

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over 15 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

kad9 wrote:

]this is hardout different, but we need change. hearfield can play any of the wing back roles, so put him left back and move muscat up into DM, hes strong tackler, hard working and can get the team going with a run/pass. elliot further up the field so that he can influence those balls between the attackers, with brown there as our attacking midfield flair.

I enjoyed this bit. No offence but I can't see Crown adding any flair. You may get that from Ward, but not from Brown.
He will dissapear for the whole game, pop up every now and again to commit fouls and get yellow cards, and if we are lucky, he may steal a goal for us

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over 15 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

To be fair he's the only midfielder that looks like scoring and has got a couple of crackers this season

a.haak

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over 15 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

Ward's goal is evidence that he can do it

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over 15 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

what we need is CONSISTENCY not a player who will do one good thing and then play like s*** for ages. we need a player whos top notch every week

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over 15 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

kad9 wrote:

what we need is CONSISTENCY not a player who will do one good thing and then play like s*** for ages. we need a player whos top notch every week

Very good point. Let's sign Messi.

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over 15 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

simon_hampton wrote:

kad9 wrote:

what we need is CONSISTENCY not a player who will do one good thing and then play like s*** for ages. we need a player whos top notch every week

Very good point. Let's sign Messi.

nah cause some weeks he scores hattricks whereas others he only gets assists....

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over 15 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

Thought Pavlovic was excellent in the first half against Adelaide (our best 45 min so far) but his inconsistency was glaringly obvious in the 2nd half when poor ball control meant he botched a one-on-one with Galekovic which would've put us into the lead. Ricki immediatly pulled him off and we were 3-0 down within 10 minutes.

Mcallister also had one very good game against Roar when we lost 1-0 away. Apart from that he has been really average imo.

Personally I think Pav should be persevered with. He offers more speed, imagination and ability to run into spaces. Investment now may pay off later in the season or even next season if this one goes into terminal decline.

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over 15 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

Im in the camp that thinks Pav should be given more game time..ie sytart..maybe all his running around might just create some space elsewhere. Nothing else is going to freshen things up and trotting out the same players and hoping aint going to work either.

A small town in Europe........looking to bounce straight back up....well that aint going to happen

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over 15 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

did Muscat play for Malta mid-week? I know Hutchinson did. Just wondering

VUW AFC - Victoria University Football for life

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over 15 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

i think our problem is the players arnt trusting each other to do their job, seen it a bit in last nights game, while last year everyone trusted each other when we played well

Calling all fans in Japan, come down and support the mighty nix in Osaka

http://www.facebook.com/WellingtonPhoenixClubMembersSupportersGroupOsaka

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over 15 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

newzealandpower wrote:

did Muscat play for Malta mid-week? I know Hutchinson did. Just wondering

Nope. Wasn't selected, for whatever reason.

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over 15 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

StopOut wrote:

Agree with this,but given Greenacre has run into space most of the season only for the ball never to arrive not really sure what makes you think Pav is going to get it.

GET YOUR SHIRTS OFF FOR THE BOYS

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over 15 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

How's my driving? - Whine here

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over 15 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

Gotta be healthier than doughnouts...

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over 15 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

CboZ wrote:

yus, I'm actually pretty down on the fact we are sucking right now, I have no idea why but Its more than hating on the team now, Its annoying me. Get all your friends to this game and if they hate the Phoenix get them there who cares, we're screwed otherwise.

Yo Clarke, make the big game the one on saturday. Pull the massive crowd there. You will get more people willing to on a saturday night. I cant do wednesday which sucks but will keep in contact with you about sat ok?

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over 15 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

liverpoolfan1 wrote:

GenericFan wrote:

liverpoolfan1 wrote:

With North and Brown back, there's one definite candidate for me to drop out of the match-day 15 and that's Pavlovich. All these people who are saying he should be starting are clearly watching a different game from me. He didn't do a single productive thing in the 30 minutes or so he was on last night, but there are people on here who see him as the saviour of our season. I try not to be negative about players but I honestly can't see what he adds.

imo an energy and passion that has been sorely lacking from the team, he really puts himself about with an aggression that troubles the defense in a way that greenacre can't.

He also plays a decent target man, and is strong and can take the ball down on his chest, which he did several times last night. I for one would like to see Elliott 'rested' (because there's no way we're going to straight up drop him) for the mid week game and have us play 442 with greenacre and pav playing together, I feel their mobility could help them play really well together.

And at this point, he's the 'saviour of the season' because he seems like he has some talent but we haven't seen much of it, which hints at a potential that out-strips what we have seen so far from our players, haha!

I'm sorry, but there's no evidence of either of these things that I've seen.

Likewise.... in my opinion he has had a fair amount of time on the park and I struggle to recall much from him other than lots of running and looking very angry

. His touch is not great and despite looking like action man when running, he does not have exceptional pace.

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over 15 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

hepatitis wrote:

I thought that apart from the slip on the turf, when they got their goal, that Hearfield had an ok game and was reasonable on attack. Might get flamed for that but that is the way I saw it.

No I agree, if anyone should get flamed for that goal, maybe it should be Siggy for jogging back behind their goalscorer, leaving Hearfiled to cover his own AND Siggy's position. And then he had the cheek to stand over Hearfield and question him. LOL.

This is when the team NEEDS to pull together, not start biting at each others necks. We start doing that, we'll find it VERY hard to break the drought.

Yellow Whever Whanganui

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over 15 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

Im not sure what the team should be, and i know it doesnt matter cause Ricki will likely play whatever he damn well feels like.

All i hope for is that the team plays with the desire to win for 90+ minutes.

Desperation should not be confused with desire.

Yellow Whever Whanganui

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over 15 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

yeah I agree, I actually don't care who plays on weds, just as long as they play as a team, I want last years passion and pride, you know the stuff those posters on the store talk about.....where is it? the lads just don't seem to want to play for each other....

Queenslander 3x a year.

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over 15 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

One thing i havent seen in defence was the absolute commitment to stop the ball. Who else remembers our defender literally throwing their bodies in he way of shots?

For me it was the highlight, and i always remember the commentators mentioning that this was the thing about the Phoenix's defence, that everything is given.

I miss that, i want it back. Please.

Yellow Whever Whanganui

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over 15 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

Pre-game Ricki should give everyone a good luck Liverpool kiss. That way 11 lucky bandages will be on the field.

Top 6 will be a cinch.

Junior822010-11-22 12:21:08

"Phoenix till they lose"

Posting 97% bollox, 8% lies and 3.658% genuine opinion.

Genuine opinion: FTFFA

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over 15 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

Of course I want them to win, but i'd like to actually enjoy watching them play too, their football at the moment is dire, compeltely devoid of movement, passing etc, and seemingly limited to hoofing it, and/or trying to get it to Ifill who then immediately seems to trip over himself (or a defender) and lose the ball.

Just terrible to watch...

I guess a win and playing well is too much to ask for, so given then dire state of the results, a horrible 1-0 win will do fine.

"You can never get a bloody tradesman at Easter, it's a wonder Jesus got crucified" - Karl Pilkington

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over 15 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

I'd take the filthiest 1-0 win with us playing a 10-0-1 formation against the Heart to be honest. The thing we need the most right now is confidence.

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over 15 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

it's a nice little circle that, winning will breed confidence, which will in turn create more winning.

Queenslander 3x a year.

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over 15 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

ScoobyD wrote:

I'd take the filthiest 1-0 win with us playing a 10-0-1 formation against the Heart to be honest. The thing we need the most right now is confidence.

I do't think the confidence we need will come from a cheeky win using a 10-0-1 formation at home.

I mean we bet Perth, at Perth... and that still wasn't enough.

Yellow Whever Whanganui

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over 15 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

Junior82 wrote:

Pre-game Ricki should give everyone a good luck Liverpool kiss.ï¿½ That wayï¿½11 lucky bandages will be on the field.

Top 6 will be a cinch.

ï¿½

Agreed. The lack of lucky headbandages has been most concerning.

Ifill to be the first to don it.

Yellow Whever Whanganui

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over 15 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

To be honest im the opposite. I don't want to go to a game for 30 seconds of jubilation when we score a fluke goal. That means i have 90 mins + extra time - 30 seconds of agonisingly painless crap on display.

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over 15 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

It is quite obvious we can't match most/many of the other A-League sides who seemed to have stepped up a level since last year.

A big factor in this is the lack of a proper reserve Nix side playing in the A-League reserve competition.(I know and appreciate why we are not in this comp)

Nearly every other side this season has been able to bring in match hardened players when they need to. Sides like the Jets who were in a slump have bought in some of their youth players to freshen things up. The Nix just can't do this....there is just no way you can throw our youngsters straight into the A-League. In addition we have not had the luxury of regular game time for senior players who don't make the first team squad.

That is one reason we can't seem to get out of our slump. We can't realistically mix thinks up by bringing in match hardened youth players and our senior players who have not had regular game time have to come in cold and try and reestablish some sort of form in critical A-league matches.

Its just asking too much of these players....thus you get guys like Ward who has had SFA game time recently to come straight back in and play to the peak of his ability. So Rickie is trapped....we have to get out of this rut with the core players we have.

The new Phoenix challenge will be of some help. But the season is half over already. Guys like Pav would be completely different propositions if they had already played 15 full tough games this season.

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over 15 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

Still got 45 points up for grabs though eh some of the teams above are yet to dip in form and we're not that far back we just need a run to go on we can still catch them maybe not the top two but top 4/5 is still on i reckon easy

We're not paid to sort it out but,Maybe they need to freshen up the back room not get rid of ricki maybe get another trainer in or something or maybe don't train for three days next week maybe our methods have gone stale have a break from it.
I just think sometimes the harder you try the worse it gets then it messes with your head and your defeating the purpose altogether take a break walk away come back try again different mindset different head space

COYN

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over 15 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

My 2 cents, give daniel a start, Ifill and Leo are to similar so put the other on the bench. Pav shows so much promise and greenie just needs some help up front. Put your top goalie in between the posts (what is with your blind loyalty to the NZ players, you are the coach of the phoenix atm). Encourage your team to pass the ball and not lump it aimlessly, we have seen elliott dominate midfields, so let him.

Actually think a rotation in the wide midfield of Leo/Ifill/Daniel/Rojas would be good

And maybe the same with Greenie/Pav/D Mac up front, keep the players fresh mix things up for opposition, while giving our guys a chance to compete for spots.

We need to find a Right back who is solid on defence and isnï¿½t afraid to venture into the opposite half to join in an attack, maybe give Lia a shot, he was going to do that before he broke his leg the other year. If he suspended then coin toss between hearfield and siggy

My team for this week

Vokovic

(Right Back) North Durante Muscat

Lia/Hearfield/Siggy

Ifill Ward Elliot Daniel

Greenie Pav

Pasty (sorry mate, i just don't like you in our goal, too much flapping and punching, not enough catching, despite your ability to make spectacular saves)

Siggy (You are prob deserve a spot, but just can't compete against North and Durante who need to be given a real chance together, heck North a socceroo and durante our captain) / Hearfield / Lia

Brown (you run around with your head up your ass too much trying to score a goal, need to play more football and maybe some bench time will help you realise what we are missing)

Leo/Rojas (leo needs some time off has a massive world cup hangover still / Rojas looks positive and could provide some spark off the bench)

Yeah i realise the bench is full of NZ players

Tactic - Short passes

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over 15 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

yes, although I don't neccessarily like it, I think we should give Lia a shot at right back. He may suprise?

The thing that I am interested in, is the way Ricki is approaching the rotation. Its a mid week game, and we just lost again, so surely RH is going to have to shuffle players around.

2 strikers for me, north back in as he is fresh.
Even consider a back three again???
Although that was against Heart last time also... hmmm?

Maybe:

                           Vukovich
               North Sigmund Durante
Hearfield             Muscat              Bertos
                    Elliot           Ward
                  Pavlovich Greenacre

Rest Ifill, or bench.

Daniel does deserve another shot, this midweek could be a chance, just not sure he would fit my back three haha

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over 15 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

goldienz wrote:

Junior82 wrote:

Pre-game Ricki should give everyone a good luck Liverpool kiss. That way 11 lucky bandages will be on the field.

Top 6 will be a cinch.

Agreed. The lack of lucky headbandages has been most concerning.

Ifill to be the first to don it.

Oh how we NEED the lucky bandages. the power of the mo's hasn't quite been doing its job lately..

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over 15 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

HELP wrote:

Stay at home then

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over 15 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

ChopperHarris wrote:

HELP wrote:

To be honest I'm the opposite. I don't want to go to a game for 30 seconds of jubilation when we score a fluke goal. That means i have 90 mins + extra time - 30 seconds of agonisingly painless crap on display.

Stay at home then

We're not short of people who will be staying home.

I'll take a win no matter how it comes - but I'm desperately hoping for some indication that we can still play a bit as well.

He dribbles a lot and the opposition dont like it - you can see it all over their faces. (Ron Atkinson)

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over 15 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

We only have to win by 1 get it when ever they like but just get one

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over 15 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

I will take a win with a 1st minute ugly goal and hanging on for 90mins every week if that is what it takes.

It would be better if we played attractive football, but you live with what you have got and you take what you can get.

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over 15 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

More than anything else, we have to play Pav up front. I aint been that impressed with him to be honest, but we need someone up there and hes gonna have to learn. No point playing with Greenie up there on his own- total waste of time, especially at home.

I just wish we had some bloody fullbacks in the squad to put in - how could our squad get so short in one position?

So Hearfield has to play unless we try Lia at RB. Can North tie down LB? Surely at home he can.

I want to move Manny to central MF but who will play LB?

I think we have got worse since Elliott came so Im not bothered about playing him.

So that leaves

Paston

Hearfield/Lia Sigmund Durante North

Bertos Brown Muscat Ifill

Greenacre Pav

Subs:

Daniel

Elliott

Ward

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