WPM R20 vs Melbourne City | Sat 9th Mar | 9:00pm | Sky Sport 2

Payne gives it back and King is there hugging the Melbourne player. 

Come on Phoenix! 
Let’s put this pissant City away. 

Such a silly challenge from Salas though. We’ve seen it before and now it’s a problem. 

Ball is doing some excellent work out there tonight. And getting smashed for his trouble too.

So far it's a typical Melbourne game for us. We seem to lose the ability to keep possession

martinb

Come on Phoenix! 
Let’s put this pissant City away. 

Such a silly challenge from Salas though. We’ve seen it before and now it’s a problem. 

Only a problem if he does it again tonight....although to be fair that's a distinct possibility.

I think BK is struggling today. Maybe it’s the heat. It’s probably the heat. 

Outpost

martinb

Come on Phoenix! 
Let’s put this pissant City away. 

Such a silly challenge from Salas though. We’ve seen it before and now it’s a problem. 

Only a problem if he does it again tonight....although to be fair that's a distinct possibility.

 
But it means he’s walking on eggshells, second guessing, not flying in if someone gets through on…and also him and Payne haven’t shut down that right flank effectively. 

And if he’d squared that ball rather than getting over excited we might be up and finding more space to counter. 

Guess we’ll see…we’ve been treated to such tidiness from Al-Taay and Pennington, it’s easy to be harsh. 

Come on Phoenix! 

Even Salas looked sweaty - let alone Kraev. 
 

kwlap

I think BK is struggling today. Maybe it’s the heat. It’s probably the heat. 

 
Still has had many class touches. Hopefully it’s a case of limping Ifill- opponents entering the danger zone! 

we're not in this game. need to turn it around. starting with keeping the ball in this heat. wouldn't be surprised if we see hughes soon and go to a back 5 fairly early

I would hope Al-Taay would come on in second half. Or/and Hughes.

35 degrees it would be awful to play football in that. Makes me not too worried about the performance in this game, when the conditions are such a limiting factor.

Chiefy to go to the bench early?

Edit - Old makes the gut busting sprint, and if Kraev had let Barba's pass run through, Old has close to a clear shot on goal.

On the other hand, Chief is laying down a challenge for this team to cement itself as our starting lineup and attack from the get go. A little unfamiliarity with the slight difference in positions, but they could still get it done. 

Wait and see what Chief has for us. Points please. 3 for preference. 

We haven't been terrible. City have a lot of attacking weapons, so playing the kind of game we do can be more dangerous if we don't get it absolutely right.

We've kicked away some possession but it's mostly from hacks up field when under pressure than passing straight to their players, as happened repeatedly against Adelaide last week. And on that topic Surman has been much better tonight.

We don't win the ball to give us the possession we need. What were the possession stats?

Can't play like this against Sydney. 

here's where we turn it around. come on lads!

voerman says OVH is injured

Oi Oi Edgecumbe

RR

Our team tonight 💪 - Powered by @OPPONewZealand 📱

▪️ Barbarouses comes in for Al-Taay who shifts to the bench
▪️ Pennington & Sloane-Rodrigues come onto the bench

Kickoff is at 9pm (NZT) tonight, watch the match live on @skysportnz 2⃣#COYN! 🔥https://t.co/SAVRs4aeWc |… pic.twitter.com/4r0UPt6x03

— Wellington Phoenix 🔥 (@WgtnPhoenixFC) March 9, 2024

GSR the only attacking sub on the bench. Good chance he makes his debut tonight.

Yes odd to see only one attacking sub. Is OVH injured?

Got a bit excited there for the first time in the game. Great dogged stuff to win some 50/50s and make a couple of half chances.

14 or 15 fouls to 2? 

Hire Clattenburg! 

Is it just I’m noticing Salas especially or is he giving away easy ball a bit?

You'd maybe hope for Central American Salas to step up and run the show in temperatures like this but he has been as poor as anyone 

What’s Rufer doing arguing while the play is still live?

Fuuuuuuuuck

Awful goal to concede there. No one on the posts and Paulsen in No Man’s Land. I hope that isn’t the goal that decides this game.

So poor from LKH. No excuses not dealing with that when you're that tall 

It's been coming.
We've been absolutely shyte.

Time to wake up and play some footy lads.

LKH has gone to sleep there. Back post ball was practically telegraphed.

Uncharacteristically poor from Paulsen half coming for the cross but LKH what in the living fudge? 7 foot 9 and 3 quarters and the man behind oh gets a free header? 

Chiefy has such a nice shirt, I hope he won’t be throwing it away come 90 minutes.

Can the ref card Natel already?? How many cheap negative fouls has he given away tonight?

We’re guna be down and they’ll have Leckie, Nabbout and MacLaren? Ffff

Good test boys. 

In Chief we trust. 

More City time wasting. Physio out for a guy they’re taking off. 

A yellow for kosta for that? Wtf

WTF!! That’s not a foul let alone a yellow card come on now.
Alex king you let things go all game and that’s a foul ?

Fudge off Alex King no way that is a foul let alone yellow! 

Alex King. 

New strategy in Melbourne. Find their CB and playmaker. Break legs in the first 5 minutes. This will achieve more. 

We now have more cards than them. Unbelievable. 

Edit: 13-3 fouls. King is an either a cheat or has so little understanding of the game he should not ref for a long time.

Jesus.  Commentators have questioned a yellow for us and questioned how City didn't get a yellow earlier.  

That's a real strong sign that the cards just ain't falling out way.

I mean not all fouls are equal but what the fudge is this foul count 13-3, card count 1-2

Screenshot_20240309_223132_Sofascore.jpg 106.93 KB

Kosta just take a fuc ken shot man!

YoungHeartHM

Kosta just take a fuc ken shot man!

 I get that we make and execute high percentage chances.  But sometimes you gotta have a dig.