Only watched the replay this morning after missing the game yesterday. My overarching thoughts
• We need some quality in that final ⅓! Thankfully it sounds like we might see a signing or two before our next match on Waitangi Day. • Better chances created yesterday, but that shouldn't have been too much of an ask given the base we've been working from these past 3-4 weeks. Just missing the final piece/s of the puzzle. • Defensively we were hardly tested, but also nice to pick up another clean sheet. Conversely, CCM have hardly been a goal threat this season as well, so you could look at it from that side of the coin too. • Penalty shouts - 2nd one was clear for mine, 1st was maybe a 50/50 call either way at best. • Would like to have seen LBS for the last 15-20 minutes for something a bit different and him running at tired defenders. But again, that just shows how light we were on the bench if we're looking to a 16 year old to break open a game.
Not sure either team deserved to win, chances created were prety few and far between. CCM are very lucky both pen calls were not given by the ref. As seems to be the case the bar to get a decision reversed is high. So if the ref had blown pen for either VAR wouldnt have reversed it. Second one on Nagaswas was a clear pen all day every dat, Kaltak has left his trailing leg out with the intent on blocking/catching the player.
I mean what’s the value to a coach questioning things in public? You can try to create a Rudan-esque them against us mentality, like Veart did after A FC. This works for some- Roy Keane seemed always pissed off, Michael Jordan created or exaggerated feuds to motivate himself- but perhaps not others and perhaps less if it’s true!
Or your message can be to just control the things you can control and focus on doing your role the best you can. This seems like a more useful narrative for a coach developing a side.
I think this was worse for fans coming after a variety of calls and the non-acknowledged foul the VAR saw against A FC.
Anyway, acceptance, serenity now, as long as we get one more shot at the title in the next 17 years…
Had typed out a post this morning but seems like it didn’t post (probably a phone thing). Had to miss the game last night so watched the sky highlights this morning. Thought we looked much better (despite playing the away kit at home, again, I mean come on?) and appeared to be continuing our improvement in form. We all know we need that visa no.10, as the final third is seriously missing.
I will disagree with harry though, Nagasawa has had this third good game, he was good against Sydney, it was the academy players that were not. But anyway, I don’t think it’s any coincidence that the teams form has picked up at the same time. Hopefully it continues on that trajectory. The second penalty claim is clear as day though, I’m not sure how the hell the ref can not give that? As someone else said, more of a pen than the Kosta one earlier in the week!
All that said though, we really need to pick up some wins or any top 6 ambitions are long gone.
Final words, shirts off to chch, that was an impressive crowd and it sounded nice and loud on tv.
You'd make a great footballing Ambassador. Thanks for sharing these neat stories.
Big Pete 65
Although the game wasn't great, I enjoyed other aspects of attending. Public transport is definitely the best way to get to a game - met a lot of supporters on the bus from Linwood, a thirty minute trip. A real mix of supporters from different backgrounds, all up for a chat about the Phoenix and football in NZ in general and glad to connect with other people with a shared passion, breaking the isolation of mostly living our day-to-day lives in a society where most people don't have the same level of interest. Starting where I live in Linwood, in one of the poorer parts of town, a Maori bloke got on wearing a Phoenix shirt and told me he was taking his teenage son to his first ever game of football. A happy group of African teenagers got on wearing EPL and European football shirts. A large middle class family got on the bus in more upmarket Cashmere (mum, dad, three teenage sons) all wearing Phoenix scarves. A family from Finland (mum, dad and two young kids) got on and sat behind me. They weren't going to the game and had arrived in Christchurch the day before, mum a doctor, dad in IT, trying out NZ for a year as a possible immigration destination ("everybody back home is worried about the threat of Russia at the moment"). They were fascinated to learn about the local football scene and the A-League. Cashmere Technical has just gained two new junior players (their football-mad son and daughter) - on my advice the parents will contact the club. In Spreydon, a well-informed dedicated fan of similar middle age vintage to me wearing his Phoenix hoodie got on and we engaged in chat about the Phoenix's form this season etc. We're lucky here to benefit from definitely the best and (for the time being) most affordable bus service in NZ - $2 full fare for unlimited two hours travel ($1 Community Services and kids) with a MetroCard. ____________________________________________ Great to be seated in a stadium with 14,000 other fans too. When the A-League authorities and NZ Football see such numbers, it can only help start some momentum towards a Christchurch A-League franchise. We all enjoyed the noise and (often joined in with) the chants started by the section of Yellow Fever supporters. Two more years of the three year deal for the Nix to play in Chch - no doubt they'll play better next time.
Great to see the positivity of the experience from some of us!
Would love to do a summer tour in Christchurch one day like I did in Welly a few years back.
Flew in to Welly. Had a big eggs bene a Flight coffee and a Parrott Dog for breakfast, went to two sessions at the Basin, went to the Nix, got some decent Brockie chants in, went to the post game, got to meet Paul Ifill and Jeetan Patel and then got a taxi to the airport and straight home!
A couple of test cricket sessions at Hagley followed by a Nix game seems like a decent plan some day…
About 6-7 of us flew to Wellington and went to Day 2 of a Blackcaps test and then with a right glow on left about 4ish for a 5pm kick off at the Stadium, sadly it was the day where we wore the surf life saving kit and got hammered 5-0. Terrific day and has been something I've messaged the club about when putting together their season, look for a test match so out of towners can make the most of it. I look most year and I don't think there's been the same option since .
"You can never get a bloody tradesman at Easter, it's a wonder Jesus got crucified" - Karl Pilkington
They’ve missed that all and anyone in NZ football with grey hair had to be a kind of British! There wouldn’t be two know nothing locals on a football broadcast…