WPM R25 v Newcastle Jets | Sun 6th April | 7:00pm

🔥🔥Fire Up🔥🔥

Who knows what the game will bring but Come on You Nix! 🔥🔥🔥

I'm still hoping for a top 10 finish, would be nice to finish ahead of the Mariners after what they did to us last season.

I also note that this is the 10th game since I predicted we would win no more than 1 game in our next nine games. We did in fact win 1 out of those 9, which was the first of those 9. We are now winless in 8. I wonder what our longest winless streak ever is? Must be getting close to a record if it isn't already.

EDIT: apparently it is 11 games. didn't win any of the first 10 games of Merrick's reign. Still time this season to beat that record

Looking back over the season,yes t he number of injuries has been extraordinary.
My gut feeling of the squad the season  is that the overall fitness has been below the rest of the comp.,though it's purely a subjective statesman .Is there a cause and effect here?

I think there's elements of players not getting a full preseason to get properly match ready, plus the need to play players as soon as they're available, rather than build them back slowly as you would in an ideal scenario due to squad depth/poor recruitment that could increase injuries. Definitely an element of dumb luck too.

YOUR STARTERS

🟡 Rufer, Wootton and Hughes all return to the starting team
🟡 Retre is back from injury on the bench pic.twitter.com/fli4J8Bz0D

— Wellington Phoenix 🔥 (@WgtnPhoenixFC) April 6, 2025

Starting Lineup for today

Kosta starting at left back? 

chief lost it or the social media guy doesn’t know football and can’t be assed? 

AucklandPhoenix

Kosta starting at left back? 

chief lost it or the social media guy doesn’t know football and can’t be assed? 

They just list it by squad number these days - makes it hard to get any real sense of what to expect

So, now on Sky it says an Live A League Women's game is on Sky sports 6 at 7pm. What the hell!!

Piper up front and Sheridan in midfield?

Or it may be a back 5 with Piper in defense, Sheridan in midfield and just Kosta and Ishige up top 

AucklandPhoenix

Kosta starting at left back? 

chief lost it or the social media guy doesn’t know football and can’t be assed? 

In order of shirt number. Been that way all year. Shark, or should I shirt, way of doing it. 

Presuming Retre not fit enough to start, that's really our strongest available lineup. Hope LBS and GSR get good cameos though, before Walker gets a chance. 

Aye, I’m just hoping if I call out how dumb and shark this is for a fan each game, they may eventually change it.

Not holding my breath however as the club just seems to truck on with their dumb approach to everything at the moment 

Our kit makes us look so bad. How can you play football looking like that 

Indeed it is a back 5 with Piper at RCB and Sheridan in midfield with Rufer & Nagasawa. LKH in midfield experiment over?

I see we're doing the old minimal press maneuver again today

TV coverage is diabolical. Only half the play being shown, the rest is closeups of whatever person the commentators happen to mention.
It sucks.

Third game in a row that we look like actual worthy opposition. It's so nice after 3 months of being unbelievably inferior and atrocious to watch. Just a shame that the chances of top 6 were already gone by 3 games ago. 

Shocking from Piper.

Anything like a lifted shot ~ it goes in

nufc_nz

Shocking from Piper.

 

Playing pretty well tbf

It's all us. Can't believe we aren't ahead 

I don't know who this team is in the white shorts, but I like the cut of their gib. 

Its just nice to see a phoenix team playing with some skill and passion

Ishige doing well in a deeper role with Nagasawa further forward 

I think Nagasawa is better further forward, but Ishige is literally only good at dead balls - everything else is horrendous

He's like Daiso Ward-Prowse

Wahoo!

Well deserved 

Nagasawa is having an outstanding game

the jets are pretty poor

Great header by Nagasawa and good finish by our only player with any attacking instinct

Deserved goal that.

Should be 2 or 3 to the good after that opening half hour, but just happy to be winning. More please.

Next 13 months could be Kosta’s finest.  Still remember his first goal for us.  Just before the Bahrain 🇧🇭 wellinton tie (I think).  What a little champ he is, alright 

reg22

the jets are pretty poor

Yeah, not a lot going on with that midfield is there

S***.  That should have been two

Why couldn’t they have played with such enthusiasm and intent all year? That frustrates me the most 

Nice from both Nagasawa and Sheridan there to find Kosta. Unlucky the second time. 

Payne also somehow incredibly sarcastic about the lack of accuracy on some of the passes he’s getting! 

martinb

Nice from both Nagasawa and Sheridan there to find Kosta. Unlucky the second time. 

Payne also somehow incredibly sarcastic about the lack of accuracy on some of the passes he’s getting! 

 Payne seems kinda done with all this shark tbh

If we don't put a proper team around Kosta next season before a World Cup I'll be pissed

It’s like watching Brazil!!

Where has this style and play been!!

Banzai!...AIEEE!!!

Next 13 months could be Kosta’s finest.  Still remember his first goal for us.  Just before the Bahrain 🇧🇭 wellinton tie (I think).  What a little champ he is, alright 

 Are we sure Kosta is staying next season??

......did we score another?!?! Amazing interplay down the right hand side