Pre-Season 2018/19 - vs Victory

Might have been fine for the Sahara or a favela but certainly not for a football club. That being said it's hard to beat North Harbour

you sure it wasn't that type of grass that Auckland City used last season, the stuff that looks brown as but is actually ok

Admittedly there have been some awful A-League pitches but the one last night didn't look flat at all.

the ref was wearing indoor footy shoes = hard as fk

Zilch

I was at the game, little kids were kicking around on it with no problems. It looked fine to me. Not as good as Westpac, but not terrible.

Any comments from Rudan after the game?

Bentleigh Greens are a good team

Post match here

So Fox is the better DM? Ffs, maybe just a case of shark fans shark team 

Bentleigh have been drawn against Broadmeadow Magic from the Northern New South Wales Premier League in the round of 16, one of the three weakest of the National Premier Leagues along with the Capital Territory and Tasmanian leagues.

So the next FFA Cup game wouldn't have been as strong opposition as the Phoenix could organize themselves against a stronger NPL or an A-League team. In fact Rudan has said that they already have another trip to OZ for friendlies planned anyway.

Losing to Bentleigh Greens to me seems comparable to an English Premier League side losing to a good Championship side if they played them in mid-June, very early in their pre-season preparation, two months before the EPL season begins - and in a hypothetical world where that Championship side was midway through their own season.

 Fox is not a DM. Ridenton is a work in progress with lots of work ons.

Latest comments from Rudan uploaded on the Stuff website two hours ago:

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/a-league/10...

Would seem logical then he would do a better job at DM than Fox, so be an improvement. Ffs, Tim Brown and Lia bs almost over again. Not the greatest players, but did a job for us.

The boys are extremely tired, it was a really hard 10 days on the Gold Coast and I wanted to test them under fatigue...We're certainly nowhere near where we need to be at this stage of the season."

Do you think he means "we're certainly nowhere near where we need to be at this stage of the season", or "we're certainly nowhere near where we need to be, at this stage of the season"?  To me, the first version means "shark, we should have been much better last night", and the second means "relax, we know we've got work to do but we'll be ready."

Burns was horrific. End of.

Would seem logical then he would do a better job at DM than Fox, so be an improvement. Ffs, Tim Brown and Lia bs almost over again. Not the greatest players, but did a job for us.

[/quote

You asked the question knowing that players like Ridenton and Lia create divided opinions and now you do not like the answer.

Ridenton has gone so move on. 

Nope. You tell me you are happy with Fox at DM and our midfield. I don't mind if that is what you genuinely believe. I'd say you're quite wrong but.

It's a comment based on our current midfield resources, not some hypothetical signings

Sack the pitch!

Really early days - big signing to come !

Rudan said the team is heading back to Australia to play some more trial games, anyone heard where or who against?

Would presume it would be a mix of A-League and NPL teams so presume Sydney or Melbourne?

Tonya -Really early days - big signing to come !

Perhaps Eto'o ? -now off contract.

We seemed to play a 4-2-4

With Krishna, Burns, Nichols and Singh up front they were almost tripping over each other.

And why have Fox in midfield?

Should have had him at right back and Doyle at left back - perhaps Cacacce in midfield.

We could have tried some different tactics later in the game - even boot it off their legs for a corner.

We have strength in the air ...

It's the hope that kills you

https://www.yellowfever.co.nz/categories/wellingto...

Look how hopeful we were at the start of last season. Hard to believe it went downhil so quickly.

I'm good if this is as worried as we get

I managed to see the second half of a replay tonight. It looked to me as if the Nix played to the level of Bentleigh Greens - who played well considering there were just 10 of them (and briefly nine) in that second half.  Bentleigh defence managed well with anything we produced, but were equally inept in front of our goal. I liked their cohesion - they held possession well while we simply looked undercooked.

 I wonder if the short corners were a tactical decision on part of Rudan to get some creative play going, but it did not work against a spirited defending of BG.  They (BG) had more motivation, I think, and we'll need some more good friendlies before the season starts to get ourselves sorted.  

Contrary to what other said, I do not think another striker is a solution to everything. Instead, I think we'll benefit from someone actually "directing" our attack; I did not see anyone taking on that role last night.  Nicholls looked badly out of shape and Burns looked uninspiring, going through the motions. I hope Rudan has the right man management skills to get the best out of them, and Williams, to give us a fighting chance this coming season.

Singh and Nichols were literally running into each other; Burns as well. Doesn't help!

Ouch.

Positives

Nichols - lots of running, effective and got involved in a few moves. Good attitude, and looked ok. Best of the new signings this game, for me.

Singh - skilled, able to make things happen - though he made a few dud passes.

Lowry didn't do much wrong. Actually found a lot of space on the right, called for the ball but mostly ignored. Competent if not exactly threatening on attack. Like the last time he was sighted, he looked OK - no real errors but not really challenged. Thought Rudan might sub him for Fenton to give a more attacking option - but I guess he preferred to use the sub give Kopa a message.

Kopa - bit unimaginative, didn't boss the game, but again didn't do much wrong. Involved in a nice one-two down the left. Looked competent. Rudan evidently wants more out of him.

Waine - not on for long but looks strong for a 17 year old. Youth scholarship?

Rehearsed free kick in H1, nearly led to a goal.

OK, some of those were more 'neutral' than positive.

Negatives

Burns. A couple of nice touches but gave the ball away at least 12 times. Many attacks broke down with him. Still looks off form; no better than last season.

The coverage stopping to show other games - could do this during stoppages.

Mixed

Cacace - linked up nicely with Singh and Krishna late in H1, and looked dangerous at times. Gave the ball away cheaply at others.

Hmmm

Taylor looked good in the air and on the ground (well timed slide tackles). Touch about average for a CB. One nice through ball. Lots of smiles, shared a joke with the opposition. Could have given an unwanted message to his team. Contrast to Nichols and Lowry, for example, who looked pretty fired up.

Overall - not many good chances for either side. Attacking moves ineffective, kept breaking down, have to fix this.

Bentleigh looked OK, defended very well. Liked their RB Xydias; new signing for them, 20.

Interesting in paper today said that the FFA pay for our travel costs?

For 21 people, which at a guess, wouldn't cover a normal travelling squad. We also can't use trialists in those games. And if you can't organise another game over there to have a camp, you lose a couple of training days either side with the travel/recovery.

That alone should have incentivised a win

I like this. 

I must say, even though we lost, I am still hopefuly and excited. 

Still something to chew someone’s arm off for

Actually thought we looked pretty fit for this stage of a preseason. Didn’t think it was necessarily a work rate issue, more a general link up and who is where on the pitch type thing which is fine for this time of the year. I don’t bleed any sleep over being beaten by non aleague teams. In reality giving up 1 goal in the way we did means little. Perhaps if we had conceded 3 like Wanderers to Darwin, and almost a couple of more I’d be having a close look but I don’t think it’s a sky is falling situation. Finally, we still have Williams to integrate when fit etc..  .