Phoenix Vs Jets - Match thread

The crosses were horrible but we shouldnt have been doing them in the first place, provided Covic's aerial ability to catch them

Moss saved a penalty against Sydney last year.

i guess so

good build up play yet no one taking the responsibility of having a shot.  Thought the jets defense played extremely well considering they only had their 9 players. 

Yeah, they defended reasonably well and got men behind the ball but that's what you'd expect from a team playing with only 9 men. We played right into their hands and didn't exactly ask many questions of them.

I'd like to thank the match officials. I thought they did the game very well, even if you take out the two red cards. Matthew Breze had probably his best and fairest game involving us. The two lines men got it spot on the whole match.

Wow... That was awesome!!
At 75 minutes i was seriously wondering if we were going to win! Then we scored!, and scored again!! Then the penalty and it was saved...

What a game!

I was very annoyed at giving away the PK because of the GD and all. Our crosses were terrible all night, I'd like to know how many interceptions Covic made, he was cutting out all of them and he hardly had to move to them.

Triple post! tigers2008-11-23 22:04:41

A-league website puts us down to winning purely due to Newcastle's cards.

I can't agree, I felt us winning or atleast drawing that before they got carded.

Jets' only real chance was the penalty anyway, they had a couple of free kicks but not alot before joel got sent.

disagree- he let the game get out of hand, should've gone for yellow before red. 

although we couldn't shoot to save ourselves our build up play and linking through the mid field was pretty good even early on i thought and considering that Newcastle resorted to long balls from the keeper pretty early showed we were giving them few options going through the midfield as well

Did anyone see the ref get hit in the bollocks by the ball?

Ferrante took about 60% of our shots

Joel couldnt wait 90minutes to get back his pasta bottle.

I felt we were on top then too but they almost scored when someone played a long ball to Joel who distracted Paston enough to let it hit him on the chest but then the player following up missed the open goal.

Double Post Sorry
Torne2008-11-23 21:13:37

Just back from game.

Actually I thought we played OK, especially in the first half.  After the second red card we seemed to lose composure and they packed the defence (as much as nine men can).  We seemed to be fine until we got to their penalty area, then lost for ideas.  I'd hate to count how many crosses went straight to Covic.  Catching practice.  Through the second half we were ponderous in attack which meant facing a crowded goal mouth.  Possession must have been about 80% though so it was always a matter of time.

At times our defence was casual.  Up until we scored Jets had had the two best chances; missed open goal in the first half (Paston came for it and missed, I thought it had gone in), and right after halftime almost scored when we were asleep.  Then there was the pen.  By contrast we didn't have a really clear chance until we scored.

On the plus side I thought our passing, up until the last cross at least, was as good as I've seen with few hopeful long balls.  Surface looked in great nick which probably helped.

Individually, I thought Bertos was a standout for tireless running. Ferrante was tidy.  Fred showed glimpses, but overall nothing special and Daniel did better when he replaced him.  Siggy, Brown and Muscat sound.  Smeltz didn't seem to do much until he got the vital goal.

Good subs by RH, Daniel and Hearfield both shone and each played a part in a goal.

Looking forward to Friday.  Hoping for a decent crowd.  I'll have my boy down from Auckland so there will be at least two there.

A happy P.

Possibly Milligan too

I don't think the ref had a great game personally.  Joel Griffiths deserved a red card (he deserves one just for breathing), but the other Jet's player deserved only a yellow I felt.  I though El**ch was more deserving of a red then him, going studs up into the chest of Paston.  Dodd probably deserved to go as well.

What a good end to the game though aye.  Happy with Paston's performance.  Smeltz's goal was world class, who said we should sub him for not being loyal?  Hearfield looked absolutely delighted with his goal.  The only real worry (bar the small crowd) was how quickly we appeared to run out of ideas.

Let's hope for a third win in a row vs Melbourne next week and see what happens from there!

Hopefully get a decent turnout this Friday, this is the kind of time I want to see more often.

What about changing half time entertainment?
Making beds . YAY

And the guy missed that shot

Highlight for me http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=riPTOikgFys

That went up fast!

And look at how Joel tries to pretend dodd kicks him when he's standing over him.
God I hate that guy.

any full game highlights

Two biggest problems were the crowd and our final balls, they weren't neccessarly bad crosses but they were obviously not working, try plaing one along the deck for once boys!

tell me what you think
1) we weren't really expecting to play vs 9 men and it showed. it was weird, and i don't want this to be an excuse, but I feel as though the players didn't know what to do.
2) Joel being sent off was significant within the game. He's a twat but hey he's a threat for 90 minutes. thank God as others have pointed out he needed his jam bottle so bad.
3) We gotta cross and shoot more. It's nice to play a bit of possession, especially when you have one (or two) extra man, but hey if you don't shoot/cross the ball ain't gonna find the net by itself.

4) Fred played well but again, we need shots, and he didn't take any. Daniel is my MoM! He changed the game. Fact. Would love to see both play together.
5) well done on Ferrante, Brown and of course Boom Boom
6) Smeltz did f**k all but he's good and he got a goal at the end.
7) Paston and Muscat. They might have been seen as "reserves" at the beginning of the season but I think they both have what it takes to play in the A-League

Two biggest problems were the crowd and our final balls, they weren't neccessarly bad crosses but they were obviously not working, try plaing one along the deck for once boys!

normally if a referee is in doubt on which card to give... 9 times out of 10 its red.

snooze.