Pre-season 2013/2014 - vs Phoenix B - Ring of Fire - Sunday

Kiwitea Street has had crowds like this before you know, particularly against Waitakere and Ba. Someone mentioned they didn't see any kids in ACFC gear, well I saw more than a few. I also didn't hear much at all from the Phoenix fans there. Perhaps they didn't have much to be enthused about.

I saw one 

I don't really mean that, I did it purely for comedy reasons

No I was genuinely surprised at how quiet the Phoenix supporters were, given there were quite a few there. And please don't say the Nix players weren't up for it and the scoreline doesn't matter because this was a much anticipated match-up that has been on the cards for a long time. And if you want to say it's only preseason, the Nix are nine games into theirs, while this was only City's second real preseason game.

There are only ever a handful of noisy City fans who sing, but they make up for lack of numbers with enthusiasm if nothing else. Needless to say they enjoyed themselves. It's tough at the coalface you know.

Went to the game.

A few thoughts - Vinnie Lia gave the ball away in really pivotal positions on a handful of occasions today. I know we have persisted with him for so many years and he does routinely do a few exquisite cross-field balls every so often but that's really it.

LIAbility. (Terrible pun)

With the strength of the A League now, he's really going to be our weak point. Thought Tobias Bertsch provided a lot better positioning and would happily have him in for Vinnie but i'm starting to get worried that Ernie's really shut the door on the DM Import - we need it. 

Would've liked to have seen more of Alex Rufer, was impressed with Gulley at right back - he made positive overlaps too. 

Caira has a bit of attitude on him and had a spray at one of the spectators next to me and whilst looked athletic enough, really didn't seem too interested. Jury's still out until we see him in round 1 i guess....

Boxall looked strong, still not quite a RB though. Dura and Siggie still definitely the most organised central pairing.

Oh and for someone trying to say Moss could've saved that scorcher is ridiculous - left the boot way too sweet. It was just a top-class screamer. 

I think the whole play will change with Hernandez putting people in, and Ifill bamboozling a few defenders but that midfield needs a whole lot of work.

I think it was only much anticipated by some city supporters. To me, it was just a preseason game (I would have thought this win or lose), 

Well played AC. Also a pat on the back for Ramon. I really like the stuff he has done coaching in NZ. AC now add the Nix to the their win over CCM. Maybe one day in a different galaxy Auckland City would be a A-League side.....but maybe it will take a decade or more. 

Interested in Ernies comments about recruiting. The mythical DM seems to have slipped off the radar and it will be kids all the way. Maybe Ernie needs to talk to Ramon. He seems to have much better contacts in Europe for scouting players. 

One thing that this game showed....and has been evident all preseason IMO is that despite their huge potential if we have to field too many youngsters in the A-League season we will struggle. Apart from Fenton and Boyd all these kids are very very inexperianced. I keep saying it but we are short of at least two senior players.....we are very very thin in central midfield.

I think Ernie is going put huge emphasis on getting his senior first eleven to do the business this season. Which is fine, but we all know it is squads that win championships. The other flaw in Ernies strategy IMO is he has set his tactics to playing through midfield along the ground and Carlos creating at the business end for our array of good attacking players. Which is great if you have the players but I don't think Lia and Muscat are capable of playing that game effectively. The failure to recruit quality in that area could come back and hurt us.

Finally what a great idea to take the Nix and get them playing good ASB sides like AC. The Nix get a good strong game, the public obviously get into it....it is a win win for everyone. Maybe there is scope for the Nix to be involved in a annual preseason tournement against say the top 3 ASB side home and away. Meaningfull games and really something that would engage the kiwi public and help the Nix fill in the long long off season. Would love to see Nix vs AC at Newtown preseason.

last season you dispatched the champions, this time you snuck past the wooden spooners against the run of play...

Or you could find a few  rich types (prob down at the viaduct) and get them to fund you in the A-League...

!

out of interest (sorry) but if Ak were going by A League rules, how does their team/squad stack up in terms of imports etc? Not a put down, but just thinking about possibilities. we should have a new thread seriously discussing player options etc if NZ had a 2nd team.

Just another preseason game,so what we lost if it means another step forward to a better A league campaign than last season i couldnt give a stuff.

Despite all the warm fluffy feelings being expressed about the coming season,im still a little concerned that we havnt really seemed to have strengthened our defense much on last season.If we are going to rely on all the young guys then this season could be a bit more painful  than what we want.Its going to be a big ask on some of these guys if god forbid we get hit with injuries and suspensions with our senior guys.

I must admit Bluemagic has a point. I was kind of hoping that the little knot of Nix fans I was with would start chanting, but when I started no-one joined in so I gave up.

Have to agree with you, I was disappointed in the Phoenix midfield, definitely think it needs strengthening. I thought I would see more fast possession football by the Nix. They certainly lacked a creative spark yesterday. I think it would be a grand idea for more games between the Nix and the best of the ASBP teams, this game showed the gap isn't so big that they wouldn't be entertaining. The ACFC fans obviously loved this and I thought it was a good game to watch. Would have liked to see Ifill and Hernandez play.

I certainly think there should be a home and away every season between the Phoenix and the ASBP champions. Crowd interest is definitely there and if it was say TW or Canterbury, then I'm sure the same would hold true.

Anyway full credit to Ernie for finally taking up ACFC's challenge, which Herbert avoided. I really wish the Phoenix the best for the coming A League season, I'd love to see you make the playoffs again.

Now bring on the Moroccan champions in the Club World Cup in December.

Agree our midfield is a worry, but more manny (though I hear he played well?) and lia. Not too bothered about a lack of creative spark in that game as we were missing ifill, Carlos And Cunningham, so am fairly hopeful that'll won't be a problem come the start of the season. 

A game against ASBP champs every year is a cool idea, generates a bit of hype (or at least exposure or interest) in both team upcoming seasons. It'd probably have to be arranged year by year though, so the game fits in with both sides preseason plans - if it does at all. 

Our number four is former Croatian age group international defender Mario Billens (who I certainly think is of A League standard) and number 20 is Argentine Emilliano Tade, who City got from Team Wellington three years ago. I certainly think there are a number of City players who match anything I saw in yellow - Vicelich, Billen, Bale, Riera and Tade come to mind. Burfoot looks a young Kiwi talent and Krishna made Stein look ponderous. Certainly think Spoonley should be your number one, he was immense. Liked what I saw of Rufer but don't think Lia would get into the City first team. Was this typical Brockie, at times he seemed to just switch off? I was expecting him to be much more of a handful for our defenders. Liked what I saw of Bertsch but disappointed in Bertos, where was his pace?

I know this post says I'm not coming in here but my eyes are closed and I'm not reading!! ;-)

Here's my take on the game and photos from yesterday for those of you who might be interested...

http://in-the-back-of-the.net/2013/09/29/ouch/

I get the feeling that Kim Dotcom wants to stay over here for at least half his life as well.

Soz, Mr Immigration QC.

From behind and directly in line with the flight of the ball the shot was savable .  It looked at first it was going over the bar then dipped. You could see Moses hands come up but the ball was either past or got through as his hand came to vertical (IMO) Would love to see the TV camera shot of it,

Was I right that Burfoot is 17... is he in the u17 squad, was he considered??

So is now a good time to repaste this from August? Did the forms go out? he he he