Wellington Phoenix Men

WPM R15 vs Melbourne City FC | Fri 30th Jan | 7:00pm | RoF / SS2 - Game 500

219 replies · 7,368 views
about 2 months ago
Fudgeing dire.
about 2 months ago
reg22
i can't comprehend how we can have najarine, retre, sheridan as 10s.

i grew up watching valeron, riquelme, kaka, seedorf, raul etc. 

we play DMs as 10s and defenders as DMs

LKH on as sub when we should be chasing a home game is a joke
Yep that LBS, who provided a great run and assist just a few weeks ago is not given a chance before Sheridan, LKH and Meluesnic annoys the bejesus out of me.

They give us a goal, we gift them two from two of our most experienced players.
about 2 months ago
Buffon II
reg22
i can't comprehend how we can have najarine, retre, sheridan as 10s.

i grew up watching valeron, riquelme, kaka, seedorf, raul etc. 

we play DMs as 10s and defenders as DMs

LKH on as sub when we should be chasing a home game is a joke


Brother you are comparing some of the most elite playmakers of a generation with A-League players.

Barely even the same sport.
 
as i'm sure you know, I'm comparing my idea of what a 10 looks like with what we use

If it helps, there would be NZ based 10s who weren't even regular all whites like david kirk, chris turner, neal cave who would be laughing in their lounges right now

360footballnews.com

about 2 months ago
Number 8. Chiefy is obese. And your 3000 messages on this forum don't mean a lot to me and don'take you right . Ego.
about 2 months ago
What a frustrating end to the game.

We were playing desperate at the end, but instead of peppering the keeper with shots, we were peppering the box with nobody there to recieve them.

Really feels like Piper should have been brought into Ezes position to have someone bloody everywhere instead of waiting out on the wing.
about 2 months ago
We threw that away. Good first half and good until the City subs. The defensive errors and missed pen were poor.
about 2 months ago
We should have tried to put that away in the first half. 

Tuiloma made two potentially fatal mistakes. 

Think McCarron should have been left in. He’s been the incumbent and consistent. 

Eck. 

At least if we are going to to play hoofball, it’s to Eze, not Kosta!!


about 2 months ago
Wow, we really took the foot off the gas after being 2:0 up. Got really comfortable and then gifted them 2 soft goals. Weird subs by Chief too. Why take Eze off? He scored a goal and still looked good. This team is hard to watch... I still want Chiefy gone please. There's no real improvements I can see
about 2 months ago
I think what's most frustrating about this team is how unbelievably inconsistant we are. Some days we'll turn up and batter #3 Brisbane and Sydney, other days we'll get battered by #11 Vuck. We'll go from Eze scoring a double to conceding twice in the span of a few minutes. We should be firmly in the top 6, but we're too damn inconsistant to reach that point
about 2 months ago · edited about 2 months ago · History
500 games of suffering. Bring on 500 more!
about 2 months ago
thegaffa
Can't blame Chiefy for mistakes here. Individual mistakes. But Is it right for a manager to be  overweight or fat. And demand respect from his players and do what he's not doing. When I think of managers I can't think of many who are as big as he is .


Looks like your collecting an awful lot of the man there and not a lot of the ball... 
about 2 months ago
Rock Hopper
500 games of suffering. Bring on 500 more!

ha ha, yeah bring it on

i know he screwed up today, but bill could make me fall in love with the nix again. and there are some other good potential characters in the team.

360footballnews.com

about 2 months ago
InsulinMachine
Wow, we really took the foot off the gas after being 2:0 up. Got really comfortable and then gifted them 2 soft goals. Weird subs by Chief too. Why take Eze off? He scored a goal and still looked good. This team is hard to watch... I still want Chiefy gone please. There's no real improvements I can see

He was down for a bit cramping up.   He may have needed to come off.

But it really felt like we just didnt put someone in his spot when we came off.  If the game plan is cross the ball to the guy in the middle, we need someone in the bloody middle.
about 2 months ago
Bananas
InsulinMachine
Wow, we really took the foot off the gas after being 2:0 up. Got really comfortable and then gifted them 2 soft goals. Weird subs by Chief too. Why take Eze off? He scored a goal and still looked good. This team is hard to watch... I still want Chiefy gone please. There's no real improvements I can see

He was down for a bit cramping up.   He may have needed to come off.

But it really felt like we just didnt put someone in his spot when we came off.  If the game plan is cross the ball to the guy in the middle, we need someone in the bloody middle.

absolutely

like i said at the start of the game, if you select these players to play in this setyup, this is what you get

and we're set up with everyone at least 10 yards deeper than they should be either via position or intent. so the inevitable result is no one to execute a finish. we got lucky with one goal and the other was a worldy from a defensive mistake.

at the end, our furtherest forward was mileusenic, a winger, who did winger things for us (very well), and as you say, no one to finish off.

subbing payne was unecessary. we only play once a week, so it's not minute management. we lost one of our 2 wide crosser dudes. then piper played wide, why?

it should not surprise anyone that the 3 city subs were going to change the game, yet we took our foot off the pedal way too early. why?

team selection, tactics, intent, all wrong today. last week we chickened out of an open game, while we were losing and the subs came on way to late. the cheif see-saw has been a big negative for two week's in a row now, whereas i was delighted with him prior to that.

360footballnews.com

about 2 months ago
Noah4thenix
I think what's most frustrating about this team is how unbelievably inconsistant we are. Some days we'll turn up and batter #3 Brisbane and Sydney, other days we'll get battered by #11 Vuck. We'll go from Eze scoring a double to conceding twice in the span of a few minutes. We should be firmly in the top 6, but we're too damn inconsistant to reach that point

Game 1: 2-2 against a Melbourne side

Game 500: 2-2 against a Melbourne side

How much more consistency do we need?
about 2 months ago
martinb
We should have tried to put that away in the first half. 

Tuiloma made two potentially fatal mistakes. 

Think McCarron should have been left in. He’s been the incumbent and consistent. 

Eck. 

At least if we are going to to play hoofball, it’s to Eze, not Kosta!!
 Or cosgrove ...
about 2 months ago
Najarine very slow , very ,  very ...
reg22
Buffon II
reg22
i can't comprehend how we can have najarine, retre, sheridan as 10s.

i grew up watching valeron, riquelme, kaka, seedorf, raul etc. 

we play DMs as 10s and defenders as DMs

LKH on as sub when we should be chasing a home game is a joke


Brother you are comparing some of the most elite playmakers of a generation with A-League players.

Barely even the same sport.
 
as i'm sure you know, I'm comparing my idea of what a 10 looks like with what we use

If it helps, there would be NZ based 10s who weren't even regular all whites like david kirk, chris turner, neal cave who would be laughing in their lounges right now
about 2 months ago · edited about 2 months ago · History
The decision to play Eze came good for goals, but sucked for momentum and domination.
If we’ve got killer corners, let’s win some corners.

One change was kind of enforced. Edwards is injured. LKH and Sheridan haven’t been good enough at LB. Armiento to LB or LWB was potentially a lack of options. 

That meant we missed a bombadeer from than side a bit. He wasn’t getting forward much. Payne was a bit wasteful on the other side and didn’t have much to aim at. 

It’s hard for me to analyze because I was watching and doing other things, but it felt we should have dominance with a three man midfield. 

How did Retre go? I didn’t feel like we dominated possession or anything. 
That means there was no Piper starting. You can see the difference. Sure he missed a few last time out, but we played in the penalty area with him there and beating his man. We scared the opposition.

Piper v Retre v giving Eze space? 

Playing Bill had to happen considering. Sheridan had been diligent and even LKH at CB has been tidier. But he had to play and should be good. 

Abby? 

Did McCarron make mistakes? He’s not conditioned well enough? For mine he had incumbency and AKH has shouldn’t currently be ahead of him. One good punch. Should’ve done better on the first goal. 

But yeh give me heart attack ball and high line over low Xg and one up and mid or low block. We were lucky rather than making our own luck. Enough of playing like that.


about 2 months ago
reg22
Bananas
InsulinMachine
Wow, we really took the foot off the gas after being 2:0 up. Got really comfortable and then gifted them 2 soft goals. Weird subs by Chief too. Why take Eze off? He scored a goal and still looked good. This team is hard to watch... I still want Chiefy gone please. There's no real improvements I can see

He was down for a bit cramping up.   He may have needed to come off.

But it really felt like we just didnt put someone in his spot when we came off.  If the game plan is cross the ball to the guy in the middle, we need someone in the bloody middle.

absolutely

like i said at the start of the game, if you select these players to play in this setyup, this is what you get

and we're set up with everyone at least 10 yards deeper than they should be either via position or intent. so the inevitable result is no one to execute a finish. we got lucky with one goal and the other was a worldy from a defensive mistake.

at the end, our furtherest forward was mileusenic, a winger, who did winger things for us (very well), and as you say, no one to finish off.

subbing payne was unecessary. we only play once a week, so it's not minute management. we lost one of our 2 wide crosser dudes. then piper played wide, why?

it should not surprise anyone that the 3 city subs were going to change the game, yet we took our foot off the pedal way too early. why?

team selection, tactics, intent, all wrong today. last week we chickened out of an open game, while we were losing and the subs came on way to late. the cheif see-saw has been a big negative for two week's in a row now, whereas i was delighted with him prior to that.


"team selection, tactics, intent, all wrong"

Alleluia to that.
about 2 months ago · edited about 2 months ago · History
FU BLU
Najarine very slow , very ,  very ...
reg22
Buffon II
reg22
i can't comprehend how we can have najarine, retre, sheridan as 10s.

i grew up watching valeron, riquelme, kaka, seedorf, raul etc. 

we play DMs as 10s and defenders as DMs

LKH on as sub when we should be chasing a home game is a joke


Brother you are comparing some of the most elite playmakers of a generation with A-League players.

Barely even the same sport.
 
as i'm sure you know, I'm comparing my idea of what a 10 looks like with what we use

If it helps, there would be NZ based 10s who weren't even regular all whites like david kirk, chris turner, neal cave who would be laughing in their lounges right now
 
Yeh I wondered about him. 

He seemed slow to be a forward and they didn’t seem worried by him. But he got through a power of work. 

Is he…good? Okay? 

Sandar do anything second hit out?


about 2 months ago
Wonder if Eze said to Chief he didn’t want to play two up front?


about 2 months ago
Why isn’t Armiento on pens? Hes definitely got the best foot in the team
about 2 months ago · edited about 2 months ago · History
When the penalty was given, our defence had just gifted them 2 goals. Why then give the penalty to a defender??!!
In James’ defence, he did take one for the team when he cleared that shot off the line with his head vs Sydney. 
about 2 months ago
Completely disagree with all you saying team selection and tactics were wrong. At what point do you lot actually blame the players???

We were 2-0 up and comfortable. About as comfortable as ive seen. Two terrible decisions and errors from players and that all goes out the window.

No idea how anyone can blame Chief for that. Sure, blame him for other games, blame him for last season but this was not his fault today. Crazy stuff.
about 2 months ago
That just plain sucked felt like a loss. Why the FK was it only the last 15 we looked like we had any urgency and wanted a win. WTF LKH on and LBS left on the bench when we should have been chasing for the win. 

Got asked yet again why the zone is so friggen negative these days, pathetic. Whats with chanting about an AFC player when they arnt here for another 4 weeks, who is in whose heads.
Then you have the muppet in an Arsenal shirt abusing the shark out of James and telling him to get the Fk out of his club. Clueless.

Some are lucky they wernt here in the early days when we were winning wooden spoons.

GET YOUR SHIRTS OFF FOR THE BOYS

about 2 months ago
anaveragestem
Completely disagree with all you saying team selection and tactics were wrong. At what point do you lot actually blame the players???

We were 2-0 up and comfortable. About as comfortable as ive seen. Two terrible decisions and errors from players and that all goes out the window.

No idea how anyone can blame Chief for that. Sure, blame him for other games, blame him for last season but this was not his fault today. Crazy stuff.

Honestly my biggest issue was where he stuck Piper.  If Piper was pressuring their defense and keeping the ball down their end I reckon we could have kept it going,  potentially scored more, or at least kept more game being played away from our goal.   

When Piper was on the bench i was excited about a last 20 mins where he would be running at tired legs.  The moment I saw he was on the wing I was concerned.  
about 2 months ago
ballane
That just plain sucked felt like a loss. Why the FK was it only the last 15 we looked like we had any urgency and wanted a win. WTF LKH on and LBS left on the bench when we should have been chasing for the win. 

Got asked yet again why the zone is so friggen negative these days, pathetic. Whats with chanting about an AFC player when they arnt here for another 4 weeks, who is in whose heads.
Then you have the muppet in an Arsenal shirt abusing the shark out of James and telling him to get the Fk out of his club. Clueless.

Some are lucky they wernt here in the early days when we were winning wooden spoons.

What was the AFC player chant?  

Today was my first time in the Zone in a looooong time.

I do miss the days of the Zone being a blast to be in when we were absolutely dogshark.  It didnt matter if the football sucked, I was always gonna have fun in the Zone.

Always look on the bright side of life, the conga to the away bay.  Many fun times watching some rough football.
about 2 months ago · edited about 2 months ago · History
I’m willing to put my reputation on the line

Sam Cosgrove?

Still in their heads?



Auckland will rise once more

about 2 months ago
The first half we tactically drew City forward (and played pretty comfortably at the back and with our wingbacks and DMs doing that) and then used our midfield advantage to spring forward or alternatively long balled it to Eze and the space behind. It worked.

After the half City improved their press. And we got mentally fudging lazy at the back. And were insipid sitting on a lead. I suspect neither of those were Chiefs intent. Some bloody mongrel and a desire to tear an opposition apart is needed. This is a limp dressing room with a few exceptions.  I'd like to have a word.  It would not be pleasant.

But the subs were not smart. Between dumb errors, complacency, lack of any sort of killer belief and attitude, and poor tactical subs we threw away a game we should have comfortably won.  I'm annoyed.  
about 2 months ago
Which coach tolerates them passing it back all day, and pissing around in the box, being negative?

Chiefs does.

We score when we are positive, we put teams under pressure, they make mistakes. 

The whole approach is the most negative dross I've seen.

In the first half, it was hard for the neutral to know which team was playing which way. 
about 2 months ago
The starting XI was an improvement on recent weeks, but I would take out Najjarine & Retre and put in any two of Piper/Mileusnic/Kartum/LBS.

Hope Tuiloma's confidence isn't completely shot after that second half disasterclass. 
about 2 months ago
anaveragestem
Completely disagree with all you saying team selection and tactics were wrong. At what point do you lot actually blame the players???

We were 2-0 up and comfortable. About as comfortable as ive seen. Two terrible decisions and errors from players and that all goes out the window.

No idea how anyone can blame Chief for that. Sure, blame him for other games, blame him for last season but this was not his fault today. Crazy stuff.
 
The goals we scored where not exactly two wonderful tactically played out masterpieces.
about 2 months ago
Tonight was my first time at the stadium in a cupla years, probably only my 5th or 6th game in the last 8 or 9 years. Went to pretty much every home game from game 1 until about 2015 (kids and moving further away got in the way).
I realise we most definitely should've won that, it was very disappointing not to, but just wanted to post and say I had a bloody great time, and it really reminded me of the early days. Patchy performance but really entertaining, and despite the smaller crowd than I was used to from years ago, I thought yellow fever were fantastic, kept the atmosphere cranking, great chanting, and overall I had a blast. 
Read back in this thread a bit and all the teeth gnashing also bought the memories back LOL. It is definitely justified, when you guys are this deep in it, that would've had you absolutely seething, I get it. Corban on the wing? Why was Eze bought off? Goals from terrible errors. Awful penalty. Phoenix cruised for 70 minutes and only really got their heads in at 2-2. So many bad aspects. 
But despite all that, I loved every second, and wasn't even that miffed at not winning in the end. It was just football. Great fun, highs and lows, awesome fans.
Wouldn't change a thing in the end. 
Really enjoyed regaling my daughters at the game with tales of the old days. Told them all about "we want 7", Dadi's bicycle kick, Tim Brown's half way banger, Smeltzy's glory days, Fenton jumping the hoarding and running over just like Eze did tonight, Vukovic scoring a penalty, Iffy running the length after banging in the playoff winner, and so many more. 
"Look there's paul ifill and ben sigmund, boy I loved those guys".
"That chant used to be ricki herberts yellow army and then ernie merricks yellow army".
"We used to have these t-shirts called retro rickis". 
"I remember the first time we chanted seagull"
Great night, very nostalgic for me. Had no idea it was game 500 until I got there. 
Thanks Yellow Fever. 
about 2 months ago
I just watched the Adelaide goal, this is football! The go forward, joyful play with the ball, quick precise passing they look they have fun.
about 2 months ago
number8
anaveragestem
Completely disagree with all you saying team selection and tactics were wrong. At what point do you lot actually blame the players???

We were 2-0 up and comfortable. About as comfortable as ive seen. Two terrible decisions and errors from players and that all goes out the window.

No idea how anyone can blame Chief for that. Sure, blame him for other games, blame him for last season but this was not his fault today. Crazy stuff.
 
The goals we scored where not exactly two wonderful tactically played out masterpieces.

Exactly. 

We sat 10 in almost a low block against a team whose confidence was low and had just conceded 6. 

We were lucky Eze was in the mood. 

When we scored we just continued. We’ve blitzed and barraged teams this season. And we have more firepower than ever on the bench. 

Surely out of 
Sandar-Piper-Mileusnic-BrookeSmith one or two of them have to be pushing for a start? All 4 of them are potential game changers. 

I can’t see Piper at RB as working. Boy needs to be up front. 

They shut down Armiento. Payne was middling and didn’t have targets to hit. 

There were more than two goals out there for us, we just took too few shots. 

We took 5 fewer shots than average today. For example against Brisbane we took 21 shots. Today it was 8. 


about 2 months ago
That was so deflating.  Completely threw that game away.  Knew James would miss as soon as I saw his run up.  Overall I didn't think we played very well.  Wasn't a great watch.  Way too much faffing around at the back that put us under undue pressure and well you saw what happened. Going to need a miracle to get anything out of the game against Victory. 

oh and where was LBS? Must be wondering what he did wrong to not get on the field at all.  Great against Adelaide a few weeks back but not seen since then.  
about 2 months ago
On one hand a 2-0 lead was directly thrown away by individual mistakes, which you can't pin of Chief. But I don't think he's out of the firing line for this match at all - both of our goals were generally out of nothing/solely due to Eze, and I don't think we created much.

Team selection seemed strange, Retre playing so far forward is genuinely baffling. Eze had no support from him or Ramy, but at least Ramy puts in a shift regardless of how ineffectual he is. Then, despite stating that Piper would be played exclusively as a striker this season, he comes on as a right back, only to not even shift up top once Sheridan comes on. 

When Eze was hooked it seemed crazy to not chuck Piper at the 9, the chaos he would've brought was clearly working earlier in the match with Eze. And LKH on instead of letting Pounds loose for a few minutes at the end was tough to see. Super frustrating. I'm sure Chief had his reasons, but I have no clue why some of those choices were made.
Annual finals disappointment enthusiast.

about 2 months ago
I wore my Retro Ricky 2007 shirt tonight - felt it was appropriate for the 500th gme!
about 2 months ago
Gordinho
I wore my Retro Ricky 2007 shirt tonight - felt it was appropriate for the 500th gme!
Your lucky all my season 1,2,3,4,5 ........ gear has shrunk and know will only fit small people. 😁

GET YOUR SHIRTS OFF FOR THE BOYS

about 2 months ago
Nix deserved to win, and this despite low energy performances from Retre and Najjarine. That the Nix looked the better team probably says more about City though.
I think LBS for Najjarine in particular would've made a big difference. Najjarine lacks impact. Retre has looked good coming on late in the game but appeared to be conserving energy tonight maybe to last out the 90 if needed. Or maybe just not that motivated.
Relieved to see AKH in goal. Not a perfect game but some good saves and far be ter judgement than 'the incumbent'
Sheridan on the bench was a good call too.  He proved tonight that as well as not being a LWB, he's also not an AM. Might make an ok RDM, but not in this team.
For mine, selection errors and poor sub choices probably cost two points.
Need to get the starting 11 right.