R1 vs Melbourne City | Sat 8 Oct | 7.35pm | Westpac Stadium

From pitchside that number looked genuine.  More on the camera side than usual, and higher up due to the rain

Frustrating loss... at least it was against a strong opposition, while we had 5 players out. Room for both optimism and pessimism. I just hope this result doesnt have too much of a negative impact on the attendance for the next home game. 

I agree with this, I see plenty of home games on the television and though I was at work, at first glimpse when coverage begun, when the camera panned one side of the stadium I felt pretty good about the attendance 

I was able to watch the game and I agree that Doyle will make a huge difference. He may have had a decent pre-season but Parkhouse had a debut to forget. Many of the most promising attacks broke down on his side, you'd expect an experienced Doyle to perform better. Watson isn't a wide player and his natural positioning contributed to a lack of width in the first half.

With all that said, the level of angst here is crazy. First game, players missing, the defense looking decidedly better and a City team that played some of the worst (or best?) anti-football you'll see when down to 10 men. I think that was a solid top-6 effort against a very good team. What I want to see is consistency throughout the season and an improved defensive record, based on the performance I don't see any reason to throw my season pass out of the cot after the first game of the season.

Honestly I'm not quite sure what you are getting at here... but having both fullbacks making their debuts for the team, never having played at such a high level before 'means nothing' ? Really? 

If we were up against a team in the same position I'd expect the Nix to tear shark up.

Well at least 10k was a good result. More like a great result

Watching some of the other games we have a lot more work to do than just relying on a couple of players coming back.

We'll see what happens next week away to Perth Glory and the following when we host SFC.

Getting paid for something is no proof of quality or expertise.

You know a comments section is for opinions, and I didn't read any rules that says everyone has to have the same opinion either.

Instead of  being so defensive, why not ask how Steve-O came to that conclusion? It's call a discussion.

No one has existed, exists or will exist that knows everything. 

Frustrating to say the least. I knew once Krishna didn't pass it to Rogerson when he was one-on-one with Bouzanis that we would lose it. We didn't really deserve it after our first half, but nonetheless fair play to City. 

*sigh* Onto the Distance Derby, where hopefully Perth capitulate against us..

i think the crowd becomes deceptive to guess when it's scattered out like last night as you see a lot of big gaps but there were people a fair distance around the ground.

Still for only 1 person to turn up is a bit of a let down.

Love this post. The first sentence has a go at everyone for doom and gloom and the second and third question the honesty of the Nix.

A Rods passing stats may be high but when the ball gets shuffled to you and you just pass it on that's what is counted.  Many were not effective or sparking anything.  I sort of missed Wee Mac as a playmaker even tho Finkler is supposed to be better.  Doyle and Dura back will definitely help.  Rogerson deserved Roy to have passed to him for simple tap in.

i miss the off season....

expectations are a wonderful thing ;>)....by week 4 we should have a better idea.

The Delliotes and Phoenix lounges were chocka.

You don't see them outside

Was always a get through game without our best NZ players. Melbourne City are a really good side, and likely to be the highflyers, along with Sydney. At least 2 goals difference on paper between those 2 lineups last night, and City did it well, often within themselves.   

Ernie setup the side to suit last nights circumstances, but have no doubt our shape will be different when McGlinchy, Barbarouses, Fenton and the injured Doyle come back in. Hate in when we play so narrow in the front third. 

Yet we could've grabbed a point  Krishna would've scored in the send-off play, and marred an otherwise good performance by ignoring Rogerson for a virtual tap-in. Rogerson looks promising.

Bloody hell not sure why some of you bother we are one game in.Some of you should be thankful you dont support Perth or Western Sydney after last nites games.Im comfortable where we are yes could have should have been better but the signs are good. How good is actually waiting for a set piece play to start and thinking something could happen here.

Frustrating loss and we had enough of the ball and enough opportunities once they went down to 10 men. Would have loved to see the red card incident again but for some reason they never showed the replay at the stadium. Too early for doom and gloom though given it's the first game and there were a number of key starting player missing.

Was a bit skeptical of the 10,000 crowd figure from where I was sitting, but it definitely took a lot longer to get through the bag check and turnstiles than it usually does so felt like it was a good turnout from that.

Yeah loud boos from where I was sitting which was a bit surprising. I get that he left and was playing for the opposition and all that, but he played for the Phoenix for a long time and is probably considered a club "legend" so expected a bit more respectful applause when he came on. Not talking chanting his name or anything.

You can't tell a thing about his performance from those stats.  I'm still waiting for him to take a game by the scruff of the neck.  

Really JD you could ask the same about Finkler why he didnt stamp his authority or when was the the last time Roly took a game by the scruff of the neck. Seems A-Rod cops more than his fair share from some of you and you seem pretty selective in your condemnation of him.Yeah stats dont mean everything but they do show he was working which is not what some of you have him doing.Why is there this need to pin the blame on the one person.

Credit to City. They had us figured out. Their formation allowed them to press our back four while still keep parity in midfield. Don't know who gets dropped for Cashill to come in. When they went a man down they lost that ability to do that and hence why we were suddenly able to maintain possession.

Really hope Rogerson starts next week if Kosta doesn't. He actually took players on and tried to make something happen

Yeah, you are right he was playing higher up. The thing is we really need A-Rod to do Lia's role and to have Lia on the bench. I just don't have faith in Lia. I hope A-Rod slots in there and makes that his own.

Rogerson looked close to offside to me

I was mostly disappointed with how we played. We seemed to be playing the same way as last season (too narrow). Obviously, you are right about some of the reasons for that (in regards to Watson). I just would have hoped that Ernie would have the team set up a bit differently.

Agreed. it was Lia's fault anyway.

The first half was not helped by playing into a very heavy wind....

A-Rod I thought was ok... generally looked to shift the ball and keep possession. And unlike Roly, he doesn't get caught in possession all the time!

I'm ok with the result, Mel City is a stacked side and we were missing 3 starters... it makes a big difference.

We lost three defensive terriers Siggie, Manny and Albert. The only two players who showed defensive bite I thought were Roy and Rossi. Finkler constantly lost the ball or was too slow to keep a counter attack going. A-Rod was good with the ball, buzzing around trying to get our tempo up, but lacked at times on defence. Was waiting for something special from Roly, Fink or Roy.

Wish Roy had squared that ball! 

Hated the time wasting from the red card on. Absolutely furious with it. They should have picked up more red cards or at least yellows. And for Rufer to get a yellow was a joke.

EDIT: and I'd completely forgotten about Lia. Far too slow to play effectively in that position at this level.

Personally, even if he was, I still would have passed it, but l I thought he was on.

I would have been ok with it at kick off, but from the game we played I thought a draw was realistic and a stolen win an outside possibility.

City looked slick, 0-1 against them may not look too bad in a few weeks, especially missing AWs. And if Krishna had passed we'd have pinched the draw.

City were very fast to get around the ball and cut off lines to Finkler, especially from Roly, and particularly in the first half.  And with Krishna and Watson playing high and the FBs a bit tentative getting forward there weren't too many other options. Rodriguez, Lia and Roly were all operating in close quarters and were all caught up in the press.  We looked a mess in that part of the field for the first half. 

Second half I thought we improved.  Shifted much better away from congestion into space, FBs, particularly Parkhouse got forward better and created width and the option.  A bit hard to judge, because the wind also helped in the second half, and playing v 10 for 30minutes, but we definitely created more while still not looking as sharp, accurate and pacy as the starting City midfield were.

Barbarouses will sharpen up the attack.  Dura will hopefullly add some organisation, vision and communication to help direct the midfield.  Maybe. 

If we can see more of that second half play and with Barbarouses up front, I think we may have enough to be in the top half/playoffs for  the League. If Roly and Finkler can produce better consistently and if the middle three can lift consistently overall, we are a chance of top four. But there are a few ifs and no injuries in there.  Will be interesting to see how we go with McG, Roly and one of ARod/Lia/Rufer versus this line up in the middle.

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Tratt has some wheels and was reasonably sound defensively.  And adds some height.  I don't think he is outstanding but he does seem a bit of an upgrade overall on Fenton, on what I've seen so far (Nelson and y'day).  Up to Fenton now to respond (and I found it slightly interesting that Fenton is listed as a defender on the team web page). 

Parkhouse adds some pretty useful left sided squad depth, I thought he showed enough to say he will definitely add something to the match day squad.   

And after watching Rossi in three games he just does his job without any issues and can pick out the odd great outlet pass.  Has pace, has presence and has good decision making.  A real calming and safe influence at the back.  Will be interesting jhow much he can help to organise the mids as his English improves.  I was amused with him being introduced to Westpac wind for the first time. 

Rufer and Rogerson as subs didn't look out of place and the two of them plus Ridenton are evidence the youth development is producing players both for NZ and the Nix, who are ready enough to step into the playing squad.

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I think the 10k was legit. Quite a lot on the far side of teh ground - which may have had something to do with a lot of new attendees with the free football kids tickets.  Around us in aisle 23/24 the seats were full - very few of the yellow seat gaps that you get with a 6-7k crowd. 

I think the football kids tickets has been a brilliant bit of Nix marketing, but a pity it wasn't a nicer day and we came up against one of the best sides in the league a bit down on our own strength. Hopefully a lot of the extra 3k or so will come back.

Because having a moan is fun.

BTW: can I have sauce for "attendance figures have been fudged before"?

We know last season some of the attendences didn't match but ladt night, that was about right. I texted 9k to my nephew about 5 mins before the official tally came up. Was good to see considering the conditions. I really hope they all come back for Sydney City.

How do you know that?

We know the Lions got caught reporting inflated attendances a couple of years ago, but I haven't heard anything about the Phoenix.

Towards the end of last season we were lucky to be drawing 6k crowds but the "official," attendence was way much higher. I was there to see the emptiness.

But as a positive, it was great to see the new banners and flags etc by the fever yesterday.