R13 vs CCM | Sat 4th Jan | 7:00pm | RoF/SS7 | Kids Go Free

We should have beaten Sydney too so need to steal another two points in a game we should have lost.

To me winning ugly is when you win after having less possession, having less shots, a low shooting accuracy, having less chances, having a lower passing success rate, having a lower duel success rate, having a lower tackle success rate. Except the Nix were better in all those areas than CCM, it wasn't pretty but it certainly wasn't ugly.

Are we seeing the same stats? We were NOT all over them like we were against the Victory and Sydney and the Mariners easily shaded the second half.

What was the possession stats in the 2nd half? Probably something like 75%+ to the Salties, because we gave the ball away all the time. And in a just world, one of Oar or Gallifuoco's shots would have gone in.

I don't know, what stats are you reading?

5% higher possession

4% higher duel success

60 more passses

3% better passing accuracy

10% better acccuracy in opposition half

14% better crossing accuracy

3 more shots on target

4 more shots inside the box

18% higher tackle success rate

We literally bettered or equalled CCM in every single positive statistical category.

CCM unlucky not to win that game. Nix were crap in the 2nd half I feel ashamed at winning that.

To me winning ugly is what happened tonight. They were horrible in the second half and it's lucky two of CCM shots hit the woodwork. First half was good, but the wheels well and truly came off in the second. 

I thought the second half was quite poor, Mariners pressing worked and disrupted the normal passing game. Happy to see Taylor, Hooper and Devlin say they were disappointed with the performance and that it was not good enough. That is a sign of a confident team that wants to dominate every game and not have to win ugly like that. Lets hope they take that on board and really put WSW to the sword next weekend.

miserable lot.

I'm happy we won, albeit ugly. Good teams have bad days/halves.

Stensness was v good IMO and what was the crowd number?

CCM were lucky to have two of their shots hit the woodwork, a shot is far more likely to miss than to go in, the goal is tiny compared to the space around it.

Certainly wasn't good enough, agreed. The people who are saying we didnt deserve to win, do my head in though.

8201

rubbish to say they didn’t deserved to win. First half they played some sublime football. Ball going off made the difference in second half.

Old nix would not have hung on to the three points, you all shoud be happy.

Royz you should write for Stuff and the Dompost!

This is such a random conversation. Ok, CCM were lucky two of their shots hit the woodwork and the Nix completely dominated them in all areas. Clearly Taylor who was playing the game backs you up as well judging by his post match interview... 

HIGHLIGHTS - Ball was fantastic in his 50 mins. 

Davila is nice to watch

Lowlights - hooper doesn't warrant another contract unless he ups his game and fitness fast

Payne - really dissapointed with his touch

absolute rubbish. First half was excellent. Would hate to be in your head mate.

Steinmann suspended for the next game

Interesting our mentality has slowly changed - in the past we would've just been happy to get the win; now we're all disappointed about the performance first and foremost.

Steinmann and Ball out for next game may be a tough watch.

I'm super happy to win another game! What great times to be a Nix fan, to go into nearly every game and seriously playing for 3 points. Let's hope Ball is not badly injured and back next week. We can't afford to be without Ball and Hooper on the pitch. Badly missing Piscopo. Sotirio looked like an amateur again. How he scored a contract extension is beyond me, makes wrong decisions, can't hold on to the ball and can't even get his shots on target. Another one or 2 good signings and we're the real deal 

yeah damn those strikers who are always in the right position to score goals. not good enough.

Marinovic

Cacace Devere Taylor Payne

Devlin Rufer

Sotirio Davila McCowatt

Hooper 

Could be the starting 11 next week without Ball and Steinmann

I really don't like it when we park the bus.  I don't think we defend in our half well enough to let the opposition have that much possession. 

In previous games I feel our best defence has been starving oppositions of ball by attacking to the end. 

Still happy for win.  8 games undefeated, long live the streak!!! 

Crikey some miserable people on here....will take an ugly win.

still have questions over Hooper tho. Seems to be taking a long time to be getting fit.....anyone see the post match interview? Harry asked him how he was liking Wellington and he said “windy”. Wonder if he’s not loving it here

'we won. good to get the game out of the way so I can get back to arguing on the forums' 
Sorry that doesnt help :P

My thoughts on the game:

- Hooper is 15mins of usefulness and not much after that. that is very concerning. I know there is no substitute for match fitness, but surely team practice and individual training gets your fitter than what we saw today. 

- Ball is the heart of what we do well. High energy, lots of movements and offers lots of support. Concerning if he is out for a while.

- Talay doesnt know how to play Ball, Hoops and Uli in the same formation yet. This will come as they spend time together. But whatever he does, its clear that Uli out wide isnt the answer. 

- Mixed games from Payne, Devlin and Matti. They were where they needed to be and stopped play well. But they gave away possession through poor touches or poor choice taking. 

- TAWH was a bit lost when he first came on, but so was everyone else as the formation switched. He did grow into the game well. 

- is Libby running with the ball a tactical move that Talay pulls later in games against tired defenders? Or is it just libby getting tired and having his head down? Either way, its great I love it. Now if he could finish....

- Sotirio and Waine, both came in and did jobs. but took the wrong options and ran the wrong lines (either blocking Uli or Libby). Waines application can be down to inexperience, while Sotirio...well, we know he isnt lethal but he does give us a good outlet. But both good in defensive support though. 

- with the change in formation, our press fell apart and allowed the midfield of CCM more space and time. Couple that with our poor ball retention meant that we didnt know where our outlets were. For about 10-12mins there, there were several instances where we had 3-4 players around the ball and you could have put a blanket over all of them they were so close and we coughed it up time and time again trying to play it out. We did recover from this and I think we finished more comfortably than others think. 

- I trust in our players to create havoc/score when the game gets stretched. We have so many options on the break which means that teams cant commit too many players forward. 

- Skyrim is the best new name for the stadium. 

- Oar, Da Silva + other CCM players, were quality until the final third. Must be wondering what they have to do to score. 

- So glad Matt Simon didnt score. This is probably what I enjoyed the most about this game. But congrats on playing 250 games, you giant ginger bastard. 

Shark some of you are never happy we won an ugly game. One in the past we probably have given up a late equalizer in or worse lost it. But we won put it in the bank and move on.

If some of you cant see what Hooper brings to the team think its time you gave up watching football.

Forgot if that goal wasnt one of the best we have ever score i dont no what is that was friiggen beautiful.

Too busy having a chat with each other about irrelevant statistics, or what happened last week, or what might happen next week. So glad I go the game and don't have to listen to the rubbish commentaries.

why no steinmann? did he pick up a 5th yellow?

Didn't we just re-sign him again ? He aint good enough in my book.

Yep. Always in the right place. And scores. 

We've been Not-a-Strikers for so many years that maybe we've forgotten what an actual striker does. 

Sit up front, position well, score goals. If not scoring draw defenders. Beat up Centre Backs. 

Occasionally help out deeper. 

Honestly, my biggest issue wasn't the performance tonight, which was poor, but they stuck at it and got the three points, was, what the hell was up with the fever zone tonight?!? Absolutely quiet. It really didn't help the atmosphere, nor the players imo. Please, next home game, start singing earlier please. I get having a period of silence /applause doesn't help, but it was silent for far too much of the game. 

As for the game, bossed the first half, but christ, what the hell was said at half time. Second half was woeful. We were lucky to take the three points but don't think we deserved to lose either. I didn't think cacace or Davilla had their best games, but likewise a number of the first team. Hope it was a lapse in concentration, because this team are far better than that. 

Also, fudge off with the heading into the corners and being  defensive. It's sharke and didn't work at all. 

Nope, he should be playing next week.

Here are some highlights of the WELvCCM match.

• 13' Hooper goal https://streamable.com/c33xt
• 29' Ball goal https://streamable.com/ijvzm
• 44' McCowatt down https://streamable.com/p1nj3
• 45+1' Oggie DeVere https://streamable.com/6295z
• 51' Ball injury https://streamable.com/iewse (can see him pull up in the counter)

The ball not going out while McCowatt was down, I can actually give CCM player the benefit of the doubt. Not sure they knew it was suppose to go out for an injury, then when they have the ball, its not up to them to put it out. The hit to put the ball out, one was a weak hit and two, was close enough to be coincided a pass to another Nix player to run on to.

Sure some might say sportsmanship and they could have put it out, especially when Nix had done it earlier but it's CCM right not too.

Is on four now http://www.ultimatealeague.com/records.php?type=pb

Matti Steinmann	Central Midfielder	(Germany)	Wellington Phoenix
Liberato Cacace	Utility (Defence/Midfield)	(New Zealand)	Wellington Phoenix
David Ball	Striker	(England)	Wellington Phoenix
Cameron Devlin	Central Midfielder	(Australia)	Wellington Phoenix
Stefan Marinovic	Goalkeeper	(New Zealand)	Wellington Phoenix
Reno Piscopo	Attacking Midfielder	(Australia)	Wellington Phoenix
Alex Rufer	Central Midfielder	(New Zealand)	Wellington Phoenix
Steven Taylor	Central Defender	(England)	Wellington Phoenix
Ulises Davila	Attacking Midfielder	(Mexico)	Wellington Phoenix
Luke De Vere	Central Defender	(Australia)	Wellington Phoenix
Tim Payne	Central Midfielder	(New Zealand)	Wellington Phoenix
Jaushua Sotirio	Striker	(Australia)	Wellington Phoenix

Yes, but this was largely due to his replacement being totally ineffective. 

Yeah I know Hooper looked unfit, but I thought he made a number of sublime touches and looked class to me.

He was still being effective just before they took him off, and I would have rather seen a shagged Hooper play the last 25 mins than Sotirio or Waine . Hooper would have worked us a goal I'm sure, those two just turned over possession way too much. 

Our subs really didn't help us out, although I have to say it was the general negativity and reliance on time wasting that nearly cost us in the end.

Should have killed that game dead in the first half.

Just home from SS.  

What was all the argy bargy between the two benches at the half time walk off all about?

the perceived fouling tactics of CCM particularly on Ball. I thought referee dealt well with that using warnings and YC as needed.

I thought it was about CCM not giving us the ball back after injury stoppage and scoring instead.