WPM R10 vs Newcastle Jets | Sat 28th Dec | 5:00pm | Leuven pre-game

Time to start panicking?

Newcastle Jets are sitting at 11th on the ladder

Confidence is starting to waver, fearing that Chiefy is being hit with the 2nd season curse

Also note that Featherston isn't open but have organised Leuven (across the road) to be open. There will be drink specials and a BBQ going. 

Trains won't be running either so plan ahead.  

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2ndBest

Also note that Featherston isn't open but have organised Leuven (across the road) to be open. There will be drink specials and a BBQ going. 

I will NOT be falling for that stella trick again!

Have a hoegaarden at Leauven if you haven’t tried it and don’t mind a wheat beer! 

Honestly, don't know what to expect heading into this game. 

Consistency is the key.
For example, we consistently play teams back into competitive scoring form. 

NZPhoenixFan

Honestly, don't know what to expect heading into this game. 

I guess this is why people liken football to religion: after all the arguments and debate, there comes a point where it's just a matter of faith...

Another newbie question, my usual RoF seat is by the centreline but I've really enjoyed the energy of being in the zone for the derby and the last WPW game. I hear precise seat allocations aren't a big deal for the YF and it looks like there are spare seats in the zone, so can a random like me just turn up and find a spot?

Simon B

NZPhoenixFan

Honestly, don't know what to expect heading into this game. 

I guess this is why people liken football to religion: after all the arguments and debate, there comes a point where it's just a matter of faith...

Another newbie question, my usual RoF seat is by the centreline but I've really enjoyed the energy of being in the zone for the derby and the last WPW game. I hear precise seat allocations aren't a big deal for the YF and it looks like there are spare seats in the zone, so can a random like me just turn up and find a spot?

From my experience you can sit wherever in the stadium as long as you move when someone says you're in their seat. Gotta remember that we play in a 34k seat stadium and usually only sell 7-8k per game. Just move when asked and you'll be good.

Jesus wept. Do you need someone to hold your hand? Just look around. And use yr initiative.

Does anyone know the state of Rojas’ injury? 🤞 

Traditionally crowds around Xmas time have been  S P A R C E at sky stadium. Hopefully the weather holds off and we can muster 6 or 7k.

 I’ll be taking my 7 year old to his third game ever. Fingers crossed that we make it through the whole game (kids 🤷🏻‍♀️), and that he sees his first phoenix win..
Suuuurely, right? Surely 3 points here.

At this point I hope for the best but steel myself for the average.

Steph1000

Traditionally crowds around Xmas time have been  S P A R C E at sky stadium. Hopefully the weather holds off and we can muster 6 or 7k.

 I’ll be taking my 7 year old to his third game ever. Fingers crossed that we make it through the whole game (kids 🤷🏻‍♀️), and that he sees his first phoenix win..
Suuuurely, right? Surely 3 points here.

Take your phone with some simple games on it.  When the attention fades, they go on the phone and you enjoy the football.

Been taking my oldest since he was 5 and that was the saving grace untill he was 10, and sometimes it's still required.

According to Rollo on Twitter...
Payne out with a foot injury.
Rojas out for another 4 weeks.

Bah. 

We're in the trenches guys and gals.

YoungHeartHM

According to Rollo on Twitter...
Payne out with a foot injury.
Rojas out for another 4 weeks.

Bah. 

We're in the trenches guys and gals.

Sakes. Both dons and nix in crisis 😂

Need someone to step up then: Ishige / Walker / Sutts

Feel like this is the best lineup I could come up with given the circumstances.

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• Piper to CB and give Hughes a spell for a game.
• Sheridan to RB for Payne. Too much to ask for Loke to come straight in.
• Al-Taay for Retre. Haven't seen enough from Retre to justify him continuously being in the XI. Al-Taay to help Rufer get stuck in in that midfield.
• Walker to start on the RW, hopefully with a bit of licence. He is effective as a #7 or #11
• Bench | Kelly-Heald (GK), Kelly-Heald, Hughes, Loke, Retre, Brooke-Smith, Supyk.
• I would have brought David Ball in, but it seems pretty obvious to all on here that he is not in the selection picture at the moment. Would be nice to see him in the squad though!

In hindsight (a lot of people pointed this out) it probably wasn't the best idea to have someone as injury prone as Rojas to be who our attack was based around. Hopefully Chiefy is reconsidering that approach. 

YoungHeartHM

Feel like this is the best lineup I could come up with given the circumstances.

Screenshot_2024-12-27-12-15-56-02_40deb401b9ffe8e1df2f1cc5ba480b12.jpg 229.88 KB

• Piper to CB and give Hughes a spell for a game.
• Sheridan to RB for Payne. Too much to ask for Loke to come straight in.
• Al-Taay for Retre. Haven't seen enough from Retre to justify him continuously being in the XI. Al-Taay to help Rufer get stuck in in that midfield.
• Walker to start on the RW, hopefully with a bit of licence. He is effective as a #7 or #11
• Bench | Kelly-Heald (GK), Kelly-Heald, Hughes, Loke, Retre, Brooke-Smith, Supyk.

Yeah thats what I'd go with as well but I'd keep Hughes instead of Piper. Piper looked shaky at the back last game and even though Hughes has made a mistake leading to goal last 3 games they've all been pretty bad luck. 
I would also have Walker on the left, he looked decent out there last game.

FFS, Marco is made of glass. I just cannot envision us getting anything out of this game 😭

YoungHeartHM

According to Rollo on Twitter...
Payne out with a foot injury.
Rojas out for another 4 weeks.

Bah. 

We're in the trenches guys and gals.

YoungHeartHM

According to Rollo on Twitter...
Payne out with a foot injury.
Rojas out for another 4 weeks.

Bah. 

We're in the trenches guys and gals.

Ah we can't get a break on the injury front this season can we?

So Rojas' injury must've been worse than just a twisted ankle like first reported if he's out another 4 weeks?

Edit: So looking at the schedule we shouldn't expect to see Rojas back until the Chch game against CCM on 25th January - there's quite a few difficult matches in that time unfortunately

Noah4thenix

In hindsight (a lot of people pointed this out) it probably wasn't the best idea to have someone as injury prone as Rojas to be who our attack was based around. Hopefully Chiefy is reconsidering that approach. 

Spot on, that  and Chief counting on players to seemingly seamlessly being able to adopt his tactics of being able to play many positions when many have probably only ever trained occasionally playing other positions.
Still think we have the players to compete this season but its going to take players and coach getting on the same page sooner rather than later.

Oi Oi Edgecumbe

Need someone to step up then: Ishige / Walker / Sutts

We almost saw something special last week with the Kosta-Walker combo and then Brooke-Smith. Plus Piper at set pieces etc. 

Maybe something will light the touchpaper! A Hughes hat trick. Heard it there first.

Wellington Phoenix squad:1. Josh OLUWAYEMI (gk), 3. Corban PIPER, 4. Scott WOOTTON, 5. Fin ROA CONCHIE, 7. Kosta BARBAROUSES, 8. Paulo RETRE, 9. Hideki ISHIGE, 12. Mo AL-TAAY, 14. Alex RUFER (c), 15. Isaac HUGHES, 17. Gabriel SLOANE-RODRIGUES, 18. Lukas KELLY-HEALD, 19. Sam SUTTON, 23. Luke SUPYK, 25. Kazuki NAGASAWA, 27. Matt SHERIDAN, 29. Luke BROOKE-SMITH, 30. Alby KELLY-HEALD (gk), 39. Jayden SMITH, 41. Nathan WALKER

(Two to be omitted)

Ins: 17. Gabriel SLOANE-RODRIGUES (promoted), 29. Luke BROOKE-SMITH (promoted)
Outs: 6. Tim PAYNE (injured), 21. Marco ROJAS (injured)
Unavailable: 6. Tim PAYNE (injured), 11. Stefan COLAKOVSKI (injured), 21. Marco ROJAS (injured)

Newcastle Jets squad: 1. Ryan SCOTT, 4. Phillip ČANČAR, 6. Matthew SCARCELLA, 7. Eli ADAMS, 9.Lachlan ROSE, 10. WELLISSOL, 13. Clayton TAYLOR, 15. Aleksandar ŠUŠNJAR, 17. Kosta GROZOS, 19. Callum TIMMINS, 21. Noah JAMES, 22. Ben GIBSON, 23. Daniel WILMERING, 27. Nathan GRIMALDI, 28. Will DOBSON, 29. Justin VIDIĆ, 33. Mark NATTA, 37. Lachlan BAYLISS, 39. Thomas AQUILINA, 45. Christian BRACCO

(Two to be omitted)

Ins: 9. Lachlan ROSE, 45. Christian BRACCO

Outs: Nil

Unavailable: 11. Jacob DOWSE, 14. Dane INGHAM, 24. Alex NUNES, 25. Oscar FRYER, 44. Ben VAN DORSSEN, 66. Zac BOWLING

With Jonathan Barreiro as referee

WEL: 8 wins, 2 draws, 6 losses
NEW: 6 wins, 7 draws, 9 losses

Noah4thenix

In hindsight (a lot of people pointed this out) it probably wasn't the best idea to have someone as injury prone as Rojas to be who our attack was based around. Hopefully Chiefy is reconsidering that approach. 

To be fair, Zawada was injury prone when we signed him 

 
Lowest crowd last season was 4395. Wonder if we will even hit 4k tomorrow  with everyone out of town and the rut we are in at the moment!   

mykey

 
Lowest crowd last season was 4395. Wonder if we will even hit 4k tomorrow  with everyone out of town and the rut we are in at the moment!   

Thought everyone was broke, how can they afford to go out of town?

Last time we had a home game between Xmas and New Years was 28th Dec 2014. Attendance that day was 8.6k, which was basically our average crowd that season.

RR

mykey

 
Lowest crowd last season was 4395. Wonder if we will even hit 4k tomorrow  with everyone out of town and the rut we are in at the moment!   

Thought everyone was broke, how can they afford to go out of town?

Last time we had a home game between Xmas and New Years was 28th Dec 2014. Attendance that day was 8.6k, which was basically our average crowd that season.

Love your optimism but have felt zero buzz for this one in the places  i normally spend time at. Have hardly had any one talk any thing Nix to me and normally i rarely go a day without someone bringing the Nix up.

ballane

RR

mykey

 
Lowest crowd last season was 4395. Wonder if we will even hit 4k tomorrow  with everyone out of town and the rut we are in at the moment!   

Thought everyone was broke, how can they afford to go out of town?

Last time we had a home game between Xmas and New Years was 28th Dec 2014. Attendance that day was 8.6k, which was basically our average crowd that season.

Love your optimism but have felt zero buzz for this one in the places  i normally spend time at. Have hardly had any one talk any thing Nix to me and normally i rarely go a day without someone bringing the Nix up.

 

Yeah I hope I’m wrong, but it all feels very flat at the moment! 
None of my usual group, including me, can make it tomorrow. 

Just flew out if Wellington this afternoon. Driving through the central city it looked like a ghost town. Shiite weather too!

And now it's a cracking day and the city looks beautiful in the sun as I head to the gym. Perfect day for a Kosta hat trick!

Please let today be the late Christmas present we need and desperately desire.

RR

Wellington Phoenix squad:1. Josh OLUWAYEMI (gk), 3. Corban PIPER, 4. Scott WOOTTON, 5. Fin ROA CONCHIE, 7. Kosta BARBAROUSES, 8. Paulo RETRE, 9. Hideki ISHIGE, 12. Mo AL-TAAY, 14. Alex RUFER (c), 15. Isaac HUGHES, 17. Gabriel SLOANE-RODRIGUES, 18. Lukas KELLY-HEALD, 19. Sam SUTTON, 23. Luke SUPYK, 25. Kazuki NAGASAWA, 27. Matt SHERIDAN, 29. Luke BROOKE-SMITH, 30. Alby KELLY-HEALD (gk), 39. Jayden SMITH, 41. Nathan WALKER

(Two to be omitted)

Ins: 17. Gabriel SLOANE-RODRIGUES (promoted), 29. Luke BROOKE-SMITH (promoted)
Outs: 6. Tim PAYNE (injured), 21. Marco ROJAS (injured)
Unavailable: 6. Tim PAYNE (injured), 11. Stefan COLAKOVSKI (injured), 21. Marco ROJAS (injured)

Newcastle Jets squad: 1. Ryan SCOTT, 4. Phillip ČANČAR, 6. Matthew SCARCELLA, 7. Eli ADAMS, 9.Lachlan ROSE, 10. WELLISSOL, 13. Clayton TAYLOR, 15. Aleksandar ŠUŠNJAR, 17. Kosta GROZOS, 19. Callum TIMMINS, 21. Noah JAMES, 22. Ben GIBSON, 23. Daniel WILMERING, 27. Nathan GRIMALDI, 28. Will DOBSON, 29. Justin VIDIĆ, 33. Mark NATTA, 37. Lachlan BAYLISS, 39. Thomas AQUILINA, 45. Christian BRACCO

(Two to be omitted)

Ins: 9. Lachlan ROSE, 45. Christian BRACCO

Outs: Nil

Unavailable: 11. Jacob DOWSE, 14. Dane INGHAM, 24. Alex NUNES, 25. Oscar FRYER, 44. Ben VAN DORSSEN, 66. Zac BOWLING

Looking at the squad above, I am still seeing a potential spot for David Ball to be even if only on the subs list.  If Ball is fit, not injured, and has not had a fallout with Chiefy over something we do not know about, he would be a useful sub in a squad of people who may not have developed understanding with each other. He is a perfect replacement for Nagasawa in the second half to add the extra spark even if for 30 minutes. 
The "chemistry" is a factor we tend to underestimate. Ball had plenty of games with Al-Taay, Rufer, Sutton, Kosta and Wootton, understands their strengths and weaknesses and no lengthy tactical explanations would be required for him to come on. 

Rojas out for another 4 weeks? Then he needs another 4 weeks to get match fit again.
If Kosta's strapped knee get's worse, what then? We need more and better players.

I would really hope there's a plan B in there with Rojas out. We need one.

Also is it really suprising to anyone that he's ended up like this already? It was a really silly idea to build around him in the first place imo and I'll be surprised (I really hope I am) if we get much of anything out of him this season.

Really need both of out J-league imports to step up and show why they're here.

No Ball in the squad remains a mystery to me, sure his goal scoring has been non-existent for us for a while but control of the ball and link play with the attacking trio was key last season. Surely he can do the Rojas/Colacovski role better than the younger guys who havent been up to it thus far??
Ball is fit and not injured so it's purely a Cheify call at this stage - I'm surprised noone in the media has asked about Ball so far, he has been a key component in the squad since his arrival.

theprof

No Ball in the squad remains a mystery to me, sure his goal scoring has been non-existent for us for a while but control of the ball and link play with the attacking trio was key last season. Surely he can do the Rojas/Colacovski role better than the younger guys who havent been up to it thus far??
Ball is fit and not injured so it's purely a Cheify call at this stage - I'm surprised noone in the media has asked about Ball so far, he has been a key component in the squad since his arrival.

At this point surely there must've been a falling out right? Clash of personality or something. It's the only reason I can think of that Balls not even making the bench. Yeah he's getting on a bit but he offered a lot of value last season without goal scoring so surely there something to be had even with limited minutes.

Monto

I would really hope there's a plan B in there with Rojas out. We need one.

Also is it really suprising to anyone that he's ended up like this already? It was a really silly idea to build around him in the first place imo and I'll be surprised (I really hope I am) if we get much of anything out of him this season.

Really need both of out J-league imports to step up and show why they're here.

Yea, I've never been a fan of "we're building the team around player x" Then he picks up an injury or underperforms and then what? At this stage I wouldn't even count on Rojas for next season... By the looks of it he's just about done, at least only good as a back up striker at this point. Must say I'm not impressed with the planning of the squad this year.