R13 vs Adelaide | Wed 31st Dec | 9:30pm | SS1

I "watched" the game on Twitter while I did my New Year's obligation thing with family. Have stayed up, still drinking champagne, to watch the highlight reel. This is something special. The team is something special. Three points away to Adelaide! Man, these are good times. Loved Boyd's first goal - a quality finish all the way.

See you on Sunday. Can't wait. And now now, another class of champagne!

Some random observations from watching the replay:

- Lols at Siggy doing the bunny hop with ball clamped his legs, also Kenny's look of hurt surprise when no one came and celebrated with him after scoring.

- I've seen CGJ interviewed on TV and he is a nice guy but boy he is a terrible referee.

- Blaming Lia for the goal is ridiculous. It was the kind of passage of broken play we repeatedly lost possession in thoughout the game. Riera, Fenton and Muscat made far worse errors that luckily didn't cost us.

- I've never seen Siggy in better form. 

- The flying studs up challenge on Riera: many a ref would've red-carded that one. Was gobsmacked to hear our two commentating experts claim it was a perfectly fair challenge.

- Ernie needs to take lessons from Kevin Muscat on how to go berko a the 4th official. A mumbled whinge in a thick Scottish brogue just doesn't cut the mustard!

You sir hit the nail RIGHT on the head.

This is special!

I think there was confusion with Kenny's goal whether it was a goal or a penalty or what, he was even confused. I was a bit sad he didn't get the proper celebration.

Correct that Lia wasn't responsible for their goal, actually the defence who went awesome stuffed up on that one. Sure Lia had it last for us but could've been anyone. I've seen him give away a lot worse than that before! 

Ernie does great on the touch line and Kevin Muscat could learn a bit from Ernie about having a go at the officials at the right times without looking like an idiot. Not sure what you mean about Ernie 'mumbling'??? He looked like he was worked up and probably talking loudly, very much doubt he was mumbling.

I honestly think Manny was most at fault on their goal.

The ball went to Mabil and instead of a left back being in front of him, or somewhere in the vacinity of him, Manny was AWOL, horribly out of position... Mabil bombed forward into acres of space and as a result of no Manny, Durra had to come to the left to close him down... which draged Siggy to the near post, and like dominoes we were all shuffled to the left leaving the guy unmarked at the back post.

But screw who was at fault.

We've let in just 2 goals in our last 4 games - that's 6 hours of football (plus stopage times). I think we can forgive an occaisional break down/lapse and accept that our defence is rocking - especially compared to the last 2 seasons of 50 goals conceeded.

We've scored in 9 games on the trot, a club record.

We've got 25 freakin' points after 13 games.

We're 3rd at New Years FFS!

Wow.

Also we have had four wins away from home (from seven and currently equaling our most ever) which along with winning at home has been very important to why we are 3rd on the table.

Fixed the minor error, otherwise very good. We just have to take this game in context. Important win away against a tough side for us. But like the Eden Park game, quite scrappy and giving the ball away way too much. After we scored, it got worse and it was only a matter of time for them to equalize. Boyd saved our arses. It wasn't a true hand ball either. They showed it from one angle (Only once, no surprise their from the Aussie media) where hemoved his hand away and it appeared to have hit above his left shoulder/chest area.

Still, a win is a win and I will take it. The team deserved it through shear perservance. A quality that Ernie has instilled. The old team would have dropped their head when Adelaide equalized and probably conceded another. But this lot play with a bit more steely resolve. Djite didn't half look pissed off at the end of the game! LOLOL

Been lurking around here for a while, that was some crisp finishing from Boyd. Been keeping up with them while I'm in UK and pretty much the only football team I like to keep up with. Not a huge fan of rap music either but this came across me today.

Probably already said but......... I think we are now seeing the fantasy !!!!!!!!!!!!

Merrick has far more dignity than that bald thug who manages Victory !

surely one of our best ever performances? so much commitment and creativity! 

For me last night's game showed how far Ernie has taken this team in such a short time.

We play good quality football but compliment that with a determined will to win, whether at home or on the road.

I know it was a depleted Reds but I really think that win was something of a watershed for the team - we can win anywhere against anyone.

FARK who hit me in the head with a hammer,new years eve and a great PHOENIX win and a great result on the punt make one very sick puppy this morning.

This.

Although ALMOST anywhere... still need to win against the Victory in Melbourne. We CAN do that... we just haven't, YET. The Nix are coming MVC.

I believe!

Sundays game kicks off at 4am here in england but after this performance i cant miss it so i shall be getting up to watch it. 

great to see tyler and kenny step up!

Up for work at six this morning. Didn't get much sleep after that game. A win away in Adelaide- not many would have predicted that....

In a moment of modesty I will point out, however, that I said before the first kick of this season "This will be our best ever season, with the best Phoenix team ever". Right on track- thanks lads. Love you Ernie xxxx

As someone says above (plagiarising git) and as I've said for many moons-

ALWAYS remember...We are the Mighty Phoenix! We can beat Anyone!

Next?

Now you know exactly how it feels to support an english team when living in NZ!

brillant win, i hate adelaide more every game we play them. ernie merrick has turned this team into a force to be reckoned with

FFY

Though he's really something of an over excitable teddy bear. His celebrations after we missed out last time were a joke, and the antics of the Adelaide team at times are something similar- a bit of entitlement. Loved seeing the coaching benches stick it to him- a sign that he and Adelaide had lost it. 

Still- one or two players back for Adelaide and they will be a completely different prospect....

I have woken up this morning and am still buzzing from the result, what a game. To take three points of Adelaide away is a great effort and I don't care what some people where saying about a weaken team, we were weaker up front too but the goals still came. (Credit to their goalie though who I thought did well)

But for a team who has no striker, look at how we are scoring.

Burns - 10 goals

Krishna - 5 goals

McGlinchey - 4 goals

Roly and Boyd - 2 goals each. They are coming in with the formation and work Ernie has done in the team.

Yeh- I was happy we didn't tinker with the formation too much.

Has someone put the bandwagon in for a COF,we're gonna be needing it

Was gutted that I missed the game last night (too much of a liquid diet). Looks like it was an epic game! Great to see Boyd get a chance and to prove to Ernie that he is a genuine attacking option. 

Not having a go but I really struggle with what purpose is served by labeling casual supporters bandwagoners. All I see is a great opportunity to convert some casuals to regular supporters.

 Let's hope the fudgewits who thought it would be cool to sing "where were you when we were shark" last time we went through a purple patch have grown up.

I actually woke up this morning and had to watch the game again. Then pinched myself and realized we had won.

Now we are sitting in 2nd equal!!!

I don't know about you guys but what a way to bring in 2015!!! Happy new year fudgeers and remember drink responsible lol

Oh great. More LFC blankets!

(joking NGD)

;)

But Brockie didn't score.

Should Auld acquaintance be forgot, 

And never brought to mind
Should Josep Gombau be forgot,
Cause adelaide had no class. 

For auld lang syne, my dear,
For auld lang syne.
We'll take a cup o' fark-ya yet,
For auld lang syne.

Fixed.

The rhymes are improving!

Any way I can watch the game? No Sky and in no state to leave bed.

Recorded it last night, just watched it now. Not much to add to all that's been said on here. But one thing I think I will mention is I still feel like we haven't actually fired on all cylinders yet. I really get the feeling that we've only got to about 80% of what we could do...

Made my year. What a result. Loved seeing that dick Gombau's face after losing.

65 - 70%. Still coughing up too much ball.