R16 vs Melbourne City | Mon 25 Jan | SS1 | NOW AT 10.20PM

Gulp.

According to this Manny will come into centre back, and Fenton is back but unlikely to start

Four nil.  Caceras to score.

Is this game a matter of life and death? Thought not. IBTL. 

Good for the team that they are 'upbeat'. We need a miracle. #AvoidTheSpoon

It's a matter of life or *click*

Don't you mean life or DEATH?

No, life or *click*- he hung up!

It's been our normal jumping off point since the pre-world cup game in 2010.

I'm still pissed off at Vince Grella by the way.

Grella, Bresciano, Cahill.

All made massive cods of themselves that night.

C-Diddy at his best!

Didn't realise we hadnt played them yet this season - or at least since the 5-1 thumping in the FFA Cup. 

City are playing ALOT better than back in August

I don't know who has a more optimistic nature - Hudson or Merrick

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/a-league/76158119/ernie-merrick-adamant-wellington-phoenix-will-make-aleague-finals

Go Ernie!!!!

Pfft I agree with Ernie, we can and will still win this comp.

Actually kinda scared what Melb City will/can do to us to be honest. They're about 3x the side that CCM are - but knowing the A-League that will mean a 5-0 win to us.

With no signings, I really can't see us making finals. Krishna is the last nail in the coffin unless Powell or Sarpong steps up dramatically.

No reality check with Ernie..just full on trust me. 

Merrick probably has to say that.

Team morale will be low enough, let alone if the coach came along and said, seasons over... we're not good enough etc.

From a promising start, the wheels have well and truly fallen off.

I like Ernie's attitude. Hope for the best, prepare for the worst.

Hope for the best alright, didn't Ernie say judge me after 3 seasons he's signed or resigned all these players and nothing has really changed. Are we now seeing signs why the Victory and the Mob in Hong Kong said goodbye to Ernie but as Doloras said there is always Hope

we are so much better than when we had Ricki in charge (overall).  Yes there is problems but the quality of the league has improved so much that if we put any Ricki team (apart from that one season) we would be lower than what we are now.

I really get tired of people comparing the two. It's like comparing apples and sirloin steak

fair enough - it's always hard to compare these things.  

However in response to charger1 my point was that in this A-League enviroment that Ricki would be out of his league.  So i'm comfortable in the Ernie boat - his ride hasn't been all roses either.

Alright        GameDay at last

Lets Gone Phoenix!!

we are doomed

I hope our guys have bought some lube and amyl nitrate as part of their preparation for this game because we're going to get fudged

They  should put 5 past us..at least.

Doom Doom Doom

I agree. Ernie is just more funny, harder to be angry. Results and the football we play is not flash and the turnaround is not coming. Not really excited to watch that game tonight. Still hope we start playing our best football tonight and upset those transfer cheaters.

I agree that some people are very reductive when talking about Ricki's achievements; but I also think that people are more realistic about our financial position and position in the league now. For one, most of us are just happy to still have a club. Also, we did very well last year (until we didn't..) so that has given him some leeway.

For me, it's understandable that we have faltered because our best attacking player in Burns left, Krishna is injured and Sarpong hasn't fired. Not to mention our inexperienced backline - any other team in the league would've struggled in these circumstances. Some positives have come out of it, however, specifically Dylan Fox stepping up and Danaskos/Gulley looking like they could be long term solutions to our full-back problems. (though I'm not entirely convinced by them quite yet)

This season has been a funny one too because of the license/licence issue. Our recruitment has been very poor which has led to a lot of the on field issues, but there is a question of whether we might have had issues signing the players we wanted because of the uncertainty over our future. So we can give Ernie the benefit of the doubt there. On the other hand he has persisted with a tactical approach which really isn't working and doesn't seem to have any ideas about how to change that. At the moment I give him a pass mark, but there's definitely some areas where he could improve. Next year, if the license/licence situation is resolved then he better step up. Or else maybe we give Ramon a call...

For goodness sake forget about Burns , Ernie new he was going forget about the young defence Ernie signed them the coach and the team need to front tonight or questions should be asked. This group of backers have more money than Terry ever had and need to get value from Ernie's squad.Upsets do happen.