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

The number 6 who came on for the Wellington Selection team seemed to be one of the biggest people to ever pull on a football shirt. He is not just a unit - he is a lorry load of units

Think that was Schrijvers- was in the u20s.Heard hes about 6ft 4  or so.Gets around the park well for a tall lad.Hard to win a header against him! 

Why no Hernandez?

Did a new burger get released at KFC?

(Sorry, Mr Hernandez - couldn't help myself.)

Yeah Williams not Spoonley sorry. 

Wasn't suggesting Robertson be signed but I did like him. Certainly no worse than Siggy, Boxall and Adams (based on one game!). I had a quick look and he's 29.

Great day on the coast.

Fun having a chat with Ricki about the All Whites and Dura at the pub.

Nothing wrong with practicing playing with 10 men. Our history suggests it will happen at 3 times this year.

So Roberstosn is pretty handy at taking penalties your saying?

I would not be disappointed if we used our last import slot of Tobias Bertch. Really like the look of him.

Bertos was crap for me and I wouldn't be surprised if his career may be winding down. I just can't see him fitting into Ernie's plans at all.

Gulley made several errors but aside that I thought he was very tidy on the ball and probably the most agile player on the pitch. I believe he is a CM aswell and he was playing right back. He coped with Abba pretty well (who I thought was one of their best players in the first half. Great skill and flair). 

Rufer was also very good.

50/50 on that really

Yeah there were some good kids out there. Hard to believe Rufer's just turned 17 - looked like he'd been playing deep midfield at this level for yonks. Hopefully Ernie get's the defensive midfield thing sorted. It's not Muscat and Lia in a million years. Muscat just isn't technically good enough at dm. Not questioning his commitment, tracking etc. But fact is, right now, it'll be the same old problem away from home. Not able to transition from the back along the ground, and being forced to play hoofball,. and that won't be good enough to make playoffs. Felt quite pumped rocking up to the Coast yesterday for the game, but came away flat as a pancake after watching Muscat in that dm role, then the "scrap", then thinking how much of a liability Sigmund is becoming. Time to see the A Team I think.  

Not sure if this has been mentioned but I was in shock when I saw Hamish Watson.  He's obviously been working hard, dropped a number of kilos and moving relatively well on the park.

I thought it was good practise to play with 10...kept the workrate up as well.

I think it was posted on this forum and maybe a Nix email that there would be the family day today and also the usual one at Westpac.

Does anyone know if this is the case?

Cheers.

So probably not going to happen methinks.  Everyone is pretty up beat about the new season so wonder if this can be used to galvanise the public to come along and ride the ninky nonk with the rest of us.

Was a great day for football up the coast on saturday. game was in fact quite fast and furious. i dont get Manny at DM as his distribution is not good, gave away some sloppy balls. Bertos showed...not a lot actually and can see him being a bench warmer this season.

Went to the game expecting it to be a bit more uneven. The CL players did well considering they hadn't played or trained together before. Thought CB's Robertson and Schrivers communication was great for players not having played together. Both played well and kept Huysemens quiet.  Peverley was outstanding. Abba and the LB/LM? had plenty of pace on them to give them problems.

Phoenix- was most impressed with Bertch, (know he would take up an International spot though). Rufer looked like he could be rattled, maybe just needs more time. Watson had a quiet one, but looks a lot fitter and more mobile than when I saw him last. Muscat not a DM. Hope Siggy settles down. Hoping they are just being extra careful with Ifill. Others not bad, but could be better for a pre-season.

Was hoping to see more goals from them. Maybe they thought they would have it easier against the CL Select side.

Great Crowd. Paper says 2500?

bertos has been so misused over the years.  to my reckoning, he only has one position and that is as a right sided midfielder. 

his strong attributes are his athleticism, fitness and his ability to get a yard on the fullback and whip a cross in.  other than that, he is quite limited.  he doesn't have the skill to skin players, but is good at making space to deliver.

move him to the left, and he is inclined to head infield and lose all effectiveness.

for years i have been bemused by herbert playing him on the left.  right back was more logical, but still not an option due to his poor defensive positioning (again, not his fault). 

i'm hoping that ernie realises this and no longer plays him on the left like he did on saturday

He won't start - but perhaps Ernie was looking to see how versatile he is which he'll be thinking about when deciding his bench.

Here's hoping.

I don't see Bertos featuring in Ernie's plans much. Expecting him to struggle to find any sort of game time this season.

who do you think is better running at players? Stein or Leo?

Running at Players - Stein... when was the last time Bertos beat a player one on one. And I mean actually beat a guy and continue running with the ball. Not get half a yard and aimlessly loft it over the goal whilst trying to cross.

Bertos is well past his use by date.

I've never seen Stein run full speed with those gangly legs

I still think Leo is a solid player and might prove more useful than some on here think. It's not a foregone conclusion that Cunningham will be a good player yet.

Yeah he didnt absolutely amaze me given hype.  Quick but..

i actually think fifii was quicker and young coad ran him down (without the ball) too

Just read on the Nix website the Intrasquad training game for members is at the stadium. Thought this was still TBC?
Seems a bit unusual hope its not costing them too much $$$

Was playing well within himself last Sat. Bench screamed at him to skin someone at one stage late in his outing, and still trying to work out how he did it - was grease lightning. I have no worries about Cunningham.