WPM R12 vs Melbourne Victory | Wed 9th February | 9:05pm | SS7

Fingers crossed the Victory are all still hungover from their FFA Cup win.

and fingers crossed Uffie has a good game plan using the latest info from our game against them recently

Now being played behind closed doors as club couldn't get a local sponsor :( Not great, but obviously this was supposed to be at home, home

Yeah, not surprising with an out of state away team and a mid week fixture, also probably the reason why we played our home game at Macarthurs stadium.

I'm wondering if more of our NSW home games will be played at the other teams home stadium.

Still, traveling Victory fans are fuming.

Four games coming up in ten days: that's a challenge by any standard. Especially if there is no Hooper, Wootton and possibly Sandoval, if his heavily iced knee after coming off the other day is anything to go by. 

Maybe not season defining but a very tough period ahead.

WanderingSheep

Now being played behind closed doors as club couldn't get a local sponsor :( Not great, but obviously this was supposed to be at home, home

club saving $$ where they can, 'gong corps not that interested in financing a "home" game for us.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/a-league/127710988/playing-game-in-wollongong-behind-closed-doors-will-save-wellington-phoenix-money 

It's a bad look for the club and the league. Surely the cost to open the stadium is proportionally smaller as the crowd goes down? If you are only expecting 200 people you can get away with opening one toilet block, one food stand, very few security and ticket people, etc. 

It's not great to lose money sure, but surely the costs of opening for a tiny crowd are very small relative to other expenses, wage bills, etc. A lot of good will towards the Nix doing it hard will turn to Nix out again. 

siac

It's a bad look for the club and the league. Surely the cost to open the stadium is proportionally smaller as the crowd goes down? If you are only expecting 200 people you can get away with opening one toilet block, one food stand, very few security and ticket people, etc. 

It's not great to lose money sure, but surely the costs of opening for a tiny crowd are very small relative to other expenses, wage bills, etc. A lot of good will towards the Nix doing it hard will turn to Nix out again. 

Seriously doubt one game closed doors (mid week, against a non NSW team), will see a return of 'Nix Out'. Likely just more sympathy for their sharkty position stuck in Aus.

Nix can always throw last season's two crowds of 20,000 plus at ROF & Eden Park, in the face of any detractors.

And who knows what the ground hire fees are like in the Gong. Clive Palmer certainly didn't like the ground fee charges with GC United at Robina. Now that was a true bad look for the A League.

I take it every home/gong game now will be played behind closed doors. I mean why open the gates if your gonna get crowds of 200 people?.

Royz

I take it every home/gong game now will be played behind closed doors. I mean why open the gates if your gonna get crowds of 200 people?.

Sounds like 'home' games against NSW teams they will take to the other's team home ground. As they can just drive there.

But for home games against interstate teams they will be at The Gong, likely behind closed doors, as they don't want to fly interstate more than they need to with such a heavy schedule.

Maybe if Nix Women are playing as earlier game at the Gong on a weekend they open the gates, hoping for a crowd. Maybe they arrange to play some games at Campbelltown (since they are based that way) as part of a double header, with Macarthur playing the 2nd game. Who knows, but you can't blame Welnix for trying to reduce costs in a sharkty situation.

siac

It's a bad look for the club and the league. Surely the cost to open the stadium is proportionally smaller as the crowd goes down? If you are only expecting 200 people you can get away with opening one toilet block, one food stand, very few security and ticket people, etc. 

It's not great to lose money sure, but surely the costs of opening for a tiny crowd are very small relative to other expenses, wage bills, etc. A lot of good will towards the Nix doing it hard will turn to Nix out again. 

Overwhelming sentiment from Australians seems to be that the APL should support the Nix on this rather than it being the Nix's fault. Also, I've seen a few Ausies saying they'll buy Australian memberships to help the Nix out.

Think the whole NixOut thing is well and truly behind us.

What ever works out best for the club I'll be happy with. However i do feel the APL should help the Nix out anyway possible. Being the only club bar Victory never needing a handout we should be getting help. I did notice the club has been very quiet.

There really should be some kind of grant paid to the club by the League and/or other clubs. To compensate for the increased costs and decreased revenue with the enforced relocation to Oz 

Dear Mr Sage,

Please peruse this video:

Royz

I take it every home/gong game now will be played behind closed doors. I mean why open the gates if your gonna get crowds of 200 people?.

This is a midweek game, scheduled late & originally had a 5pm (local) KO. I don't think we can use it to predict what will happen to weekend games, that are scheduled well in advance.

Napier Phoenix

There really should be some kind of grant paid to the club by the League and/or other clubs. To compensate for the increased costs and decreased revenue with the enforced relocation to Oz 

While I agree with this sentiment, it should be NZ Inc. (ie govt.) picking up the tab as they are the ones who have made it impossible for the Nix, Warriors and Breakers to play at home, not 'Straya.

Marto

Napier Phoenix

There really should be some kind of grant paid to the club by the League and/or other clubs. To compensate for the increased costs and decreased revenue with the enforced relocation to Oz 

While I agree with this sentiment, it should be NZ Inc. (ie govt.) picking up the tab as they are the ones who have made it impossible for the Nix, Warriors and Breakers to play at home, not 'Straya.

Nothing to do with the virus then? Nor saving lives?
And it's not the "government" who pays, it's the taxpayers.
Anyway the club have received $900,000 courtesy of aforementioned taxpayers, and several hundreds of thousands more in wage subsidies.

Yet another tough season financially for the club, this one.  
Fingers crossed for an epidemiologically quiet & uneventful next season ahead!

I have some involvement in English and Italian youth football (have had). If Surman was in England he'd play for the 23's, in Italy he'd be in the primavera. In my view he's got a way to go before he's ready for full senior pro. Having said that, the experience he's getting will be invaluable. 

Days off for this one, so looking forward to an unhindered viewing experience.

Changes for this one. Payne for Surman at CB and Fenton to start at RB/RWB, purely because Victree have too much across the board for an 18 y/o to be expected to handle. Hopefully Hooper has recovered from his niggle and starts up top. Although based on Sotirio's second half performance against Macarthur, I wouldn't be surprised if he starts and Hoops comes off the bench from the hour mark - game and player management heading into this busy period and what not.

Honestly, would be happy with a draw from this one, but hopefully Victree are still hungover from their cup win last week, and we can get at them early and put some pressure on.

COYN 🟡⚫🦅

Yes, expecting some rotation for this game. Wouldn't surprised if the likes of Sandaval and Piscopo get limited minutes. Imagine Pennington will get a longer run in DM. 
Not expecting to see Hopper play.
Payne probably back to CB with Fenton starting after his rest last game and Surman or Wotton coming on later in the 2nd half.
Should see some more minutes for Old and Waine. Van hattam off the bench later.
Next game is Adelaide, which is probably more Win-able than this one.
Expect we will see some rotation from Vic as well. But with the squad depth they have, they will surely again bring on some big guns with 20 to go.
Last game out thought we were solid and much more cohesive. Really hope we can continue in that vein.
COYN.

I would think the cup semifinal game showed us how the team fares without Payne and Lewis against a competitive team with good depth like Victory. 
Wootton probably will wait till the weekend and Payne will play tonight to give us a good chance in both games. Possibly the same reason we did not see Waine on the park against the Bulls. Would expect him to have more time on the park tonight.

deleted*

From Uffies interview on the Nix Facebook page it sounds like Hoops is out of this one, but we may get to see Wootton.

Always comes across very intelligent and we'll articulated in his press conferences and communications with the media. Hopefully next season he'll get to do that back here, as he also alluded to the fact that playing in the Gong is nothing like a home game. Which is bloody damn well true if you look at the crowds we pulled in our couple of games here last season...

3-1 Victory, Rojas with a brace and a own goal by Laws, Sotirio with a screamer but to no avail we lose to the bigger clubs once again.
COYN!  

You could play a a drinking game every time he says "at the end of the day"   though. 

Certain drunkeness, except for the practiced and biologically adept. 

Hooper out is a big loss tonight. I'd like to see Old and Oscar Van Hattum get some decent minutes  on the pitch.

It hasn't been an easy start for Surman, but I like the way the lad kept his head high and kept trying after his error last week. It shows the level of faith Uffy has in the young blokes.

Seems like Wootton set to make a start or at least on the bench

https://twitter.com/WgtnPhoenixFC/status/1491305899750658050

Tonight’s starting XI is in! We’ve made a few rotations given the short turnaround of games.

📺 Paramount+ coverage starts at 6:45pm AEDT. pic.twitter.com/lCcNDOl314

— Melbourne Victory (@gomvfc) February 9, 2022

They've rotated out, but still got a quality bench. Apart from Hoops out, possibly our strongest lineup?
Need to make it count in that first hour or so. All said and done though, will be a good challenge.

COYN! 🟡⚫🦅

Gahh, can't upload images it seems at the minute 🥴

Victory team is a lot weaker than we last played them, gotta punish them early on and have a lead of more than 1 so we don't get run over in the second half.

is McGarry injured?

I think we're more than capable of getting something out of this.
Solid performances last couple of games and hopefully a bit of extra experience at the back will help steady us 

Ahh piss it off, won't let me do the Nix embed for teamsheet.

Watching the 10min highlights of the Macarthur game 6-3 would have been fair lols. 

For tonight's game, as some-one often said, I hope we win. 

Hey all, if anyone has a decent stream please let me know. 

Good passing so far, just need to be a bit quicker with it 

Without the crowds, all I can hear is Wootton.

Games settled down a bit now. Bit in it for both sides, although no clearcut chances as yet.

Good passing by the lads though, just need to build on that in the final third.

how is winning percentage calculated? odd that we are almost 50% on to do this....