WPM R2 vs Brisbane Roar | Sun 26th Oct | 3:00pm | RoF / SS2 | Kids Go Free

Woo! First 3 points of the season! Some thoughts below: 
- Eze was very lucky not to see red, I've seen some pretty soft red cards given to the Nix in my time but that was certainly deserving of one. Also got a bit lucky to not get ruled offside for the second goal, but we'll take it! 
- Armiento, another goal scorer in the team is encouraging to see, was a bit selfish on a few occasions so hopefully that goal doesn't reinforce that behaviour. 
- The way the game was refereed definitely benefitted a pretty physical Brisbane side. 
- Corban Piper changed the game, seems like he'll do us a shift as a pressing forward. 
- James had a good game despite the goal conceded, Oluwayemi should have come out for that but James shouldn't have been beaten so easily. 
- Took us 60 minutes to get our first shot, and then the floodgates opened. I'm still critical of him but fair play to Chiefy for the tactical changes made to find some success in the attacking third. 
- How good is it to have a bit of an impact off the bench now? 
- Hope Payney is back very soon. 

I think we need to start Piper. His physical presence up top created havoc and an outlet. Eze looked better with him on.

He got 2 assists simply because he wants it more than the other players.

If its the sign of a good team to play badly and win, we might be champions come Christmas 

Subs are difficult to gauge. If the defense has been run ragged in the wind for 75 minutes, then it’s easier to  go through em. 

Maybe starting wouldn’t have the same impact.

Great 25 minutes. We actually won! I can't believe it!

Crazy and sad to think it took us till the 61st minute to register our first shot on target at home.

Absolutely loved the football we played late in the second half/after Piper and LBS came on.

So frustrating once again though we had to witness a terrible start/first half.

Questions to be asked when we're losing games.

I get it was frustrating but please just enjoy the 96th minute winner

HattyCW

Crazy and sad to think it took us till the 61st minute to register our first shot on target at home.

Absolutely loved the football we played late in the second half/after Piper and LBS came on.

So frustrating once again though we had to witness a terrible start/first half.

Nice nice victory.

Definitely lucky with Eze as it was a definite red but if he can tame that a little coupled with the aggro with Piper then it’s not bad to try to bash and crash.

Good to see that Chief got hold of Eze and calmed him down

Think the derby will be very spicy 

Brisbane didn’t play much football today. Plenty of physicality from their end; a lot of which didn’t get blown for.

Would love to see a replay of some of those challenges. But yes, Eze lucky not to get a second yellow/straight red

Give them a break. The conditions at field level were horrendous. Playing good football in that context extremely difficuly.

Does anyone know the crowd attendance?  I don't think they announced it at the game.

I like Armiento, a bit of cockiness and swagger is good to have.

Happy with 3 points.  Chief doesn't have to throw out a shirt this week 

HattyCW

Crazy and sad to think it took us till the 61st minute to register our first shot on target at home.

Absolutely loved the football we played late in the second half/after Piper and LBS came on.

So frustrating once again though we had to witness a terrible start/first half.

Apart from the goal I don't think we were terrible 1st half, just dull and directionless. Which is ironic given the number of directions Chief was screaming at them. Felt like a high intensity training exercise where the coach is trying to bed in a playing style. 

Roar's tactical plan is already in place but here we are two games into the season and the Nix are still a work in progress. That's always a worry, especially when it involves something like a major change to a high defensive line.

It was great to see the win being not so much a triumph of tactics but of good old fashioned guts and glory, in which Piper led by example. Will give this squad a massive shot of self belief.

MetalLegNZ

Armiento offers a body on the pitch but not much else.

You might want to rethink that.

AucklandPhoenix

Nice nice victory.

Definitely lucky with Eze as it was a definite red but if he can tame that a little coupled with the aggro with Piper then it’s not bad to try to bash and crash.

Good to see that Chief got hold of Eze and calmed him down

Think the derby will be very spicy 

You can bet your life that Corica will have people needling Eze from the outset come derby day.  Nothing obvious, shirt pulling, pinching, trash talk. you name they will try it.  

Already equalled our wins in Wellington from last season can you believe it

Alf Tupper

Give them a break. The conditions at field level were horrendous. Playing good football in that context extremely difficuly.

Yeah it's pointless to judge how the Nix are going to play this season, when the wind is blowing like it was today. Fluid fast moving football very tricky to do. That moment late on when Eze gave up too early on the ball, only to then see it slow down before going out, summed up the conditions.

Bit like it's also not worth looking at the last 60 mins against Perth in isolation (the dominant Nix having like 70% possession) when the Glory seem firm wooden spoon favourites.

As always need to give it 5-6 matches into the season. At least it's highly likely to be more enjoyable to watch than the last campaign. Looking forward to Hughes replacing LKH as a starter.

I'm guessing attend was 8000ish from the look on tv.

Guarantee that Verstrate will be tasked with nailing Eze in the first minute in the derby, with Brimmer the second minute.

And with the state of A-League refs both will be waved away.

I got very frustrated the the number of long balls that James and LKH let bounce before attacking them. I know its windy but you just have to be aggressive and get something on it, put us under so much pressure in the first half.

All 3 goals we've conceded this season have been individual errors from adjusting to an aggressively high line. A few more games and hopefully those stop, but Joshy is not comfortable as a sweeper. He should been well out of his box to Twit that down the pitch.

We definitely lost a lot down the right with Payney going off, but Loke was serviceable, even though hes not the G+A threat that Payne can be. Hope its a dislocation rather than anything broken and he comes back quickly.

Also was that 2 Corban Piper assists? Goddamn. Hope he and LBS start for Ishige and Conchie next week, both had a great impact on the game.

For the second game in a row we've only got stronger as the game went on, thought Brisbane fell to pieces after their subs and invited us on too much, but the Phoenix of last season wouldn't have made them pay for it. Buzzing.

AucklandPhoenix

Guarantee that Verstrate will be tasked with nailing Eze in the first minute in the derby, with Brimmer the second minute.

 
So we need to be running into those gaps and scoring then…

Try  Proton VPN?Fast and free.

martinb

Ahh bugger. They’re still screwing me over on the YouTube thing. 

Outpost

Armiento had 3 guys to square that to and tries to be a hero.

That appears to be his style...

Never doubted the lads 👍 

Chiefy thinks broken collarbone & 6 weeks out for Payne

I was a fan of Piper last season simply because of his tenacity and power.  He wants to go on attack when possible and in my opinion hasn't played a bad game.  Should certainly be a starter to unsettle defenders early and run about like mad bull in Chinatown.  I still think he has a lot to offer.

Fenix

Outpost

Armiento had 3 guys to square that to and tries to be a hero.

That appears to be his style...

Firing it towards the far post is the exactly right thing to do in that scenario.

imanixsupporter

Chiefy thinks broken collarbone & 6 weeks out for Payne

Shyte.

Good chance for Loke though, who I thought really stepped up today after coming on.

Hoping for a swift recovery for Payne though. Crap injuries to get over, and don't discount the need for some corrective surgery as well. 🤕

Nelfoos

And with the state of A-League refs both will be waved away.

Ref was card shy. I'm sure they have instructions to be "lenient" but when players know that   they can get away with murder.

Time wasting, holding ball when it's dead - they are nailed on yellow cards.

YoungHeartHM

imanixsupporter

Chiefy thinks broken collarbone & 6 weeks out for Payne

Shyte.

Good chance for Loke though, who I thought really stepped up today after coming on.

Hoping for a swift recovery for Payne though. Crap injuries to get over, and don't discount the need for some corrective surgery as well. 🤕

 
Well- good test of our depth and contingency planning coming right up! At least we’re under no illusions this season. 

Nagasawa, Armiento, Piper, James, Eze…I feel that we’re a bit the Expendables of unfancied action stars so far. And I think we’re all on the same underdog page, rather than thinking we’re favourites for the league. 

Walsall Boy

AucklandPhoenix

Nice nice victory.

Definitely lucky with Eze as it was a definite red but if he can tame that a little coupled with the aggro with Piper then it’s not bad to try to bash and crash.

Good to see that Chief got hold of Eze and calmed him down

Think the derby will be very spicy 

You can bet your life that Corica will have people needling Eze from the outset come derby day.  Nothing obvious, shirt pulling, pinching, trash tall. you name they will try it.  

It’s alright, as long as we target cozzy it’ll be even. 

I really enjoyed that second half. First was horrendous football but you got the impression the newbies in particular hadn’t got used to the wind yet. It was pretty breezy. Nagasawa tried a lot that just didn’t come off in the first but did in the second. I thought it was pretty outrageous the brissy player didn’t get a yellow for the blatant hand ball in the second half. Great to get the win. Already better than last season 😂😬

I couldn’t tell but either the Brissy fan at the front or a bunch of youths tried to start something by the away bay. The youths all got kicked out at half time but wasn’t sure if that was security being cautious. The guy was giving it large that’s for sure and saying the nix support was sharke, but wasn’t sure what came first?

It's a good point, but IMO LBS should definitely start ahead of Conchie. Been saying that for a year now!
And with two assists and some fierce runs and challenges, Piper's definitely pushing to start too. Again, he was restrained in a bear hug at all corners. Refs shouldn't allow that.
What a difference those two made. No hanging on to the point after the first goal; with LBS and Piper on, the Nix knew they were the better team, and pressed hard for the win.
Well deserved.
Strong team spirit was plain to see at fulltime too.
First time I've seen the Nix this season. James does look impressive, bar that one blunder, and not a dirty player.
Eze also very fast and determined.
Field the best players and it could be a decent season.

martinb

Subs are difficult to gauge. If the defense has been run ragged in the wind for 75 minutes, then it’s easier to  go through em. 

Maybe starting wouldn’t have the same impact.

Nelfoos

I got very frustrated the the number of long balls that James and LKH let bounce before attacking them. I know its windy but you just have to be aggressive and get something on it, put us under so much pressure in the first half.

All 3 goals we've conceded this season have been individual errors from adjusting to an aggressively high line. A few more games and hopefully those stop, but Joshy is not comfortable as a sweeper. He should been well out of his box to Twit that down the pitch.

We definitely lost a lot down the right with Payney going off, but Loke was serviceable, even though hes not the G+A threat that Payne can be. Hope its a dislocation rather than anything broken and he comes back quickly.

Also was that 2 Corban Piper assists? Goddamn. Hope he and LBS start for Ishige and Conchie next week, both had a great impact on the game.

For the second game in a row we've only got stronger as the game went on, thought Brisbane fell to pieces after their subs and invited us on touch, but the Phoenix of last season wouldn't have made them pay for it. Buzzing.

Only wanted to quote that first paragraph there so not to distort the thread via the quote, but I'm useless, so I couldnt figure it out.

But exactly that! Cardinal sin back even when I was playing - "Get to it first and don't let it f*cking hit the deck" my old coaches would say (unless coaching has changed - I really dont think it has). 

Perhaps put it down to James being exposed to the swirling nature of the RoF for the first time. Imagine he'd be familiar with the wind in Wellington after the events earlier in the week though.

Oi Oi Edgecumbe

I'm guessing attend was 8000ish from the look on tv.

 
I could not find any info about the crowd online.

nixin

Try  Proton VPN?Fast and free.

martinb

Ahh bugger. They’re still screwing me over on the YouTube thing. 

Install Opera as your go-to browser for football. It has an inbuilt VPN.

I do not think we should underestimate the sheer physical size of the Brisbane team.  They simply tried to steamroll some of our guys. 

And Valkanis Sr. is not a bad coach, he clearly knew how to get the best of his team on the day. Brisbane with only few talented players seem to be better than Perth which is stacked with decent players but are yet to win a game this season.

Didn't realise that Brisbane haven't won here since 2017.  Long may this continue!
 https://aleagues.com.au/news/aleague-men-wellington-phoenix-carlo-armiento-brisbane-roar-match-report-goals/

Also who is this lady?  She reminds me of Jerri Ryan

image.png 1.98 MB

coochiee

Felt like a game from the Ricki era 2nd half, when LBS & Piper came on. Lots of energy & passion, little fluid football, turnovers galore but exciting to watch.

Armiento was my MOTM even before the late winner. Just nice to see a guy have a fierce crack from distance and get it frequently on target. Plus his corners are quality.

Diffcult to judge how the Nix will play this season, with the wind soooo strong. Made fast accurate ball movement difficult. But at least this season looks like the bench will actually impact matches.

Nice composed game from Loke. Payne maybe out awhile.

Edit - honestly Eze lucky to stay on the pitch. Teams will quickly target him if he reacts like that to the physical stuff. It looked like Elder saw the earlier foul on Eze but was playing advtange.

Nice to see one person not bagging Armiento, he really hasn't been as terrible as some say on here and he's winning us games.
I also won't be calling for Chiefy out at the start of games, we are already far better than the rubbish from last season, will take time for the new style to totally click. 
 I do agree Eze was lucky not to get a red. I like aggression but you can't do that. 

The thing that has stood out for me both games is that unlike last season when we went a goal behind the heads aren’t dropping, so far  there’s a lot of fight in this team this year.