We suck in Melbourne but City are rubbish atm. Maybe we can suck a little less than normal and pick up a vital 3 points?
WPM R20 vs Melbourne City | Sat 9th Mar | 9:00pm | Sky Sport 2
Would like to see Sutton start if he is fit enough to. Looked pretty good when he came on vs Adelaide & LKH was far from his best on Sunday. Now that they are both fit & if Sutton is chosen to start a particular game in which we are playing a back 5, I wonder which of LKH or Hughes is higher in the pecking order to join Wootton & Surman in the middle of the defense?
Hopefully we see Pennington & Zawada return as well.
Hopefully we see Pennington & Zawada return as well.
Looks like Mel. City have 3 home games in 7 days with us up first on Sat and a mid week game against WSW. Guess there's no chance they will rotate players against us as they are in must win territory if they want to make the top 6.
Will certainly be on there coaches mind though. With WSW probably the more crunch game as there is more chance of them catching upto WSW on the ladder.
Will certainly be on there coaches mind though. With WSW probably the more crunch game as there is more chance of them catching upto WSW on the ladder.
Weather forecast for Saturday looks a bit grim. Melbourne has a weird habit of getting to it's highest temperature in the late afternoon/early evening. If it's up near the 38 degrees predicted Chiefy is going to need a fully fit squad and a good game plan to cope with the extra physical demands on the players.
No 1 piece of advice: don't wear the black kit!
No 1 piece of advice: don't wear the black kit!
Would like to see Sutton start if he is fit enough to. Looked pretty good when he came on vs Adelaide & LKH was far from his best on Sunday. Now that they are both fit & if Sutton is chosen to start a particular game in which we are playing a back 5, I wonder which of LKH or Hughes is higher in the pecking order to join Wootton & Surman in the middle of the defense?
Hopefully we see Pennington & Zawada return as well.
Hopefully we see Pennington & Zawada return as well.
When Sutton came on last Sunday it was not to replace LKH, even if they are both nominally left FB. Sutton is arguably a better and more aggressive winger than LKH could be, but LKH is for my money a better defender than Sutton because LKH always tracks back, whereas Sutton can be guilty of overstaying upfront.
Would like to see Sutton start if he is fit enough to. Looked pretty good when he came on vs Adelaide & LKH was far from his best on Sunday. Now that they are both fit & if Sutton is chosen to start a particular game in which we are playing a back 5, I wonder which of LKH or Hughes is higher in the pecking order to join Wootton & Surman in the middle of the defense?
Hopefully we see Pennington & Zawada return as well.
Hopefully we see Pennington & Zawada return as well.
When Sutton came on last Sunday it was not to replace LKH, even if they are both nominally left FB. Sutton is arguably a better and more aggressive winger than LKH could be, but LKH is for my money a better defender than Sutton because LKH always tracks back, whereas Sutton can be guilty of overstaying upfront.
Sutton like Fenton is a winger shoehorned into wingback. Play him as a winger.
Would like to see Sutton start if he is fit enough to. Looked pretty good when he came on vs Adelaide & LKH was far from his best on Sunday. Now that they are both fit & if Sutton is chosen to start a particular game in which we are playing a back 5, I wonder which of LKH or Hughes is higher in the pecking order to join Wootton & Surman in the middle of the defense?
Hopefully we see Pennington & Zawada return as well.
Hopefully we see Pennington & Zawada return as well.
Chiefy has pretty much said the starting XI is a horses for courses thing, but he doesnt like to change the defensive line much, so sutton may get the start given he did ok against Adelaide, however, we did concede 2 goals which is not the usual when we have LKH, Payne, Surman and Wootton as the back 4.
Nix have played a back 3/5 a lot lately with Hughes in there. That could be the setup again on the road in Melbs
Some analysis on which shape the Nix have conceded the least goals would be interesting
Chiefy is far more flexible than Uffy was with his rigid 4-4-2. One of the biggest changes between the two
Some analysis on which shape the Nix have conceded the least goals would be interesting
Chiefy is far more flexible than Uffy was with his rigid 4-4-2. One of the biggest changes between the two
totally, we usually go to three CBs with hughes and wingbacks later in games, when we have a slim lead.
I can't recall if we've started wkith that though.
I can't recall if we've started wkith that though.
I think they have started a number of away games in Aussie with that setup now. Certainly Roar game I went to at Suncorp
Oh true, I can't have been paying attention to that.
It would make sense t go that way against City away fer sure.
It would make sense t go that way against City away fer sure.
Playing away. (where playing a defensive block and attacking on the counter has been the tactic so far... and worked) and if its going to be mid to high 30's degrees. I'd expect nothing less than 5 at the back for this game.
It was encouraging to see how well Sutton played when he came on in the last game. But I don't expect he'll be up to a start with his limited minutes of late. The coaches seem to be very cautious when re-introducing players from injury.
It was encouraging to see how well Sutton played when he came on in the last game. But I don't expect he'll be up to a start with his limited minutes of late. The coaches seem to be very cautious when re-introducing players from injury.
Anyone affected by the last game, injury-wise? Apart from Zawada.
I saw that - as expected - Salas was kicked mercilessly by the Reds las Sunday.
I saw that - as expected - Salas was kicked mercilessly by the Reds las Sunday.
Oh true, I can't have been paying attention to that.
It would make sense t go that way against City away fer sure.
It would make sense t go that way against City away fer sure.
You have to go back to the 'away' game against Glory on 14th Jan, to find an away game where the Nix had a back 4. That was the Unite Round in Sydney so not really an away game. A 4-3 win.
So if you want goals, yes the back 4. If you want a more grinding result the back 3/5. The latter is definitely working. Since that Glory game it's been 2W & 2D in Aussie, only 3 goals conceded.
Even before the Unite Round the Nix had played with 3 CBs in Aussie, with LK-H alongside Surman & Wootton. Lately it's been Hughes.
They have only lost one game all season in Australia, which is a great stat. A 3-1 loss on 29th Dec at SFC. Started with a back 4 that day.
Great analysis. This might be the key to our - what the purists may call - unattractive but successful game plan :-)
Bookies know by experience that you won't lose money betting against the Nix in the latter end of the season
Match now kicking off at 7pm local time, 9pm NZT due to forecast temperatures.
https://aleagues.com.au/news/a-league-fixture-update-pride-round-melbourne-victory-adelaide-united-melbourne-city-wellington-phoenix-newcastle-jets/
https://aleagues.com.au/news/a-league-fixture-update-pride-round-melbourne-victory-adelaide-united-melbourne-city-wellington-phoenix-newcastle-jets/
Great news. I was going to have to miss it due to family commitments, but 9pm is perfect!
The temperature drop is also in our favour. I feel like both sides would fade heavily in a 38 degree game, but perhaps our boys moreso.
The temperature drop is also in our favour. I feel like both sides would fade heavily in a 38 degree game, but perhaps our boys moreso.
gonna be a hot one here on saturday :-(
can anyone enlighten me to where the away "end" (section) is for City games? Only seen us play Victory there before. As usual the Ticketek website is next to useless.
can anyone enlighten me to where the away "end" (section) is for City games? Only seen us play Victory there before. As usual the Ticketek website is next to useless.
gonna be a hot one here on saturday :-(
can anyone enlighten me to where the away "end" (section) is for City games? Only seen us play Victory there before. As usual the Ticketek website is next to useless.
can anyone enlighten me to where the away "end" (section) is for City games? Only seen us play Victory there before. As usual the Ticketek website is next to useless.
Believe it's on the tv broadcast side in the northern corner
Melbourne City squad: 1. Jamie YOUNG (GK), 4. Nuno REIS, 6. Steven UGARKOVIC, 7. Mathew LECKIE, 8. James JEGGO, 9. Jamie MACLAREN (C), 10. Tolgay ARSLAN, 11. Leo NATEL, 14. Vicente FERNÁNDEZ, 15. Andrew NABBOUT, 17. Terry ANTONIS, 21. Alessandro LOPANE, 22. Curtis GOOD, 25. Callum TALBOT, 26. Samuel SOUPRAYEN, 33. Patrick BEACH (GK), 35. Zane SCHREIBER, 37. Max CAPUTO, 38. Harry POLITIDIS, 44. Marin JAKOLIS
Ins: 7. Mathew LECKIE (returns from injury), 35. Zane SCHREIBER (promoted)
Outs: Nil
Unavailable: 2. Scott GALLOWAY (calf), 23. Marco TILIO (hamstring), 34. Arion SULEMANI (ACL), 46. Ben MAZZEO (ankle)
Wellington Phoenix squad: 3. Finn SURMAN, 4. Scott WOOTTON, 5. Fin CONCHIE, 6. Tim PAYNE, 7. Kosta BARBAROUSES, 8. Ben OLD, 10. David BALL, 11. Bozhidar KRAEV, 12. Mo AL-TAAY, 14. Alex RUFER (c), 15. Nicholas PENNINGTON, 17. Youstin SALAS, 18. Lukas KELLY-HEALD, 19. Sam SUTTON, 23. Luke SUPYK, 24. Oskar VAN HATTUM, 25. Jack DUNCAN (gk), 26. Isaac HUGHES, 40. Alex PAULSEN (gk), 51. Gabriel SLOANE-RODRIGUES
Two to be omitted
Ins: 15. Nicholas PENNINGTON (returning from injury), 51. Gabriel SLOANE-RODRIGUES (promoted)
Outs: 9. Oskar ZAWADA (injured), 43. Matt SHERIDAN (omitted)
Unavailable: 9. Oskar ZAWADA (injured)
With Alex King as referee
MCY: 11 wins, 7 draws, 9 losses
WEL: 9 wins, 5 draws, 10 losses
On paper, how can a team sporting Leckie, J-Mac, Nabbout and Antonis have such poor season. Not mentioning Ugarkovic in defense.
Zawada the final player unavailable due to injury.
Maybe he comes back next week and nobody gets injured this week and we have a full strength squad until the end of the season, how good would that be?
Or Zawada has already signed somewhere else and is feigning injury to not play for us until he goes.
Maybe he comes back next week and nobody gets injured this week and we have a full strength squad until the end of the season, how good would that be?
Or Zawada has already signed somewhere else and is feigning injury to not play for us until he goes.
On paper, how can a team sporting Leckie, J-Mac, Nabbout and Antonis have such poor season. Not mentioning Ugarkovic in defense.
Why have they been so poor? See that Leckie's mostly been injured.
But yeah I'd take another draw on the road game. A 1-0 win ideal. Even with the later KO, it's gonna be hot. CCM who played tonight have a tough game at Macarthur on Sunday.
Next weekend at Eden Park you'd hope for a win. Nix's record at EP is very impressive, and will be a big crowd behind the team.
This game I think will be a make or break game for the season. Three points against a struggling team away who are good on paper. This is the game the title winning teams win. Factor in CCM against Mac and this is potentially a 6 point weekend.
Winning this weekend will lead into a massive home crowd against Sydney and even more momentum.
Tomorrow is huge.
Winning this weekend will lead into a massive home crowd against Sydney and even more momentum.
Tomorrow is huge.
Marco Tilio has suffered an injury to his hamstring tendon that is expected to keep him out of action for between four to six weeks.
— Joey Lynch (@joeylynchy) March 7, 2024
More injury woes for Melbourne City and the Olyroos.
Marco Tilio has suffered an injury to his hamstring tendon that is expected to keep him out of action for between four to six weeks.
— Joey Lynch (@joeylynchy) March 7, 2024
More injury woes for Melbourne City and the Olyroos.
That is a blow to them as Tilio has been performing well (based on the highlights from previous rounds).
December 27th, 2012. 𝟒,𝟎𝟗𝟎 𝐝𝐚𝐲𝐬. Yes, it’s really been that long since @WgtnPhoenixFC defeated Melbourne City at AAMI Park 🕰️🤯
— Isuzu UTE A-League (@aleaguemen) March 8, 2024
🇨🇷 Carlos Hernandez was in the ‘Nix midfield
🇦🇺 Harry Kewell started for Melbourne Heart
🇧🇪 Cult figure Stein Huysegems scored the… pic.twitter.com/UMZzJRTeDd
December 27th, 2012. 𝟒,𝟎𝟗𝟎 𝐝𝐚𝐲𝐬. Yes, it’s really been that long since @WgtnPhoenixFC defeated Melbourne City at AAMI Park 🕰️🤯
— Isuzu UTE A-League (@aleaguemen) March 8, 2024
🇨🇷 Carlos Hernandez was in the ‘Nix midfield
🇦🇺 Harry Kewell started for Melbourne Heart
🇧🇪 Cult figure Stein Huysegems scored the… pic.twitter.com/UMZzJRTeDd
I hope that left back is still playing for them!
So let me get this straight.
We only beat Melbourne City at their own ground if they have a current Socceroo in the team, and we have a Costa Rican player in our team?
....cool....
We only beat Melbourne City at their own ground if they have a current Socceroo in the team, and we have a Costa Rican player in our team?
....cool....
This game I think will be a make or break game for the season. Three points against a struggling team away who are good on paper. This is the game the title winning teams win. Factor in CCM against Mac and this is potentially a 6 point weekend.
Winning this weekend will lead into a massive home crowd against Sydney and even more momentum.
Tomorrow is huge.
Winning this weekend will lead into a massive home crowd against Sydney and even more momentum.
Tomorrow is huge.
100%
Time to make a statement
100% we'll win as long as Ugarkovic plays no.6. We've won every time in the league against him at least for the last 3 seasons (ok he was playing for us last season) but he pushes forward and doesn't track back. We'll have so much space to transition into. He's the footballing definition of a donkey.
Tyler Boyd? Probably running the right wing on the Republican Party
This game I think will be a make or break game for the season. Three points against a struggling team away who are good on paper. This is the game the title winning teams win. Factor in CCM against Mac and this is potentially a 6 point weekend.
Winning this weekend will lead into a massive home crowd against Sydney and even more momentum.
Tomorrow is huge.
Winning this weekend will lead into a massive home crowd against Sydney and even more momentum.
Tomorrow is huge.
100%
Time to make a statement
They've had 3W2D for their last five, so maybe not likely. But possible even for Sydney.
Just keep winning lads. Let's not limp it.