Yellow Fury vs NQ Fury (Match Fred)

I couldn't get the feed working but is it right that the first yellow was a pretty average decision ?

He can't get injured playing Melbourne next week if he's not playing ?  The only real shame is that it isn't the week after.

A week off will do him good.

This is a good Phoenix team and I can honestly say not one player played poorly today. Paston went well in goal and my only criticism of him was the 1 or 2 very poor clearing kicks where he had the ball passed back to him and the one that he kicked straight back into the place the ball had come from in the first place. Manny was forward a number of times, Lockhead was very busy forwards and backwards, middle 2 were solid, didn�t see many of these celebrated long balls hoofed out from the back. Ifill is all class but interesting to compare with Fowler (both having played premiership) Ifill works very hard at being the good player while Robbie makes it look easy � just that little difference between what makes a great player more than a very good player. Greenacre runs around a lot and puts a lot of pressure on the GK and backs, you could see them panic when he chased them about.

 

We really need some tall timber playing up front to act as a target man and nod down those centres, and lay off to the likes of Greenacre and Ifill. We weren�t really a threat in the air although we put in a lot of good crosses.

 

Look at how busy the GKs were, Paston had to make a number of saves (shots on goal), the other guy spent most of his time taking goal kicks as our chances went wide, high or wherever.

 

As I say, this is the first live game I�ve seen this year and I was pretty happy. I can see us really turning it on one day and scoring a poultice of goals. Previously stated that I�m not a fan of RH but didn�t see much wrong with today. He is animated and his team plays good football � the wins are going to come I reckon.

 

We also rolled up and bought our tickets at the gate, got there at 2.30 and stuffed around at the toilets, at the food stands and were in or seats while the teams were still warming up on the field. Can�t complain about that, the guy that moaned about missing the first goal because the ticket box was so slow � try getting there before kickoff and buy your ticket mate�� some people would moan if their ar*e was on fire.

 

I�m proud to be a Phoenix Fan.

Napier Phoenix2009-09-21 09:51:55

I've defended mike before but that's got to go in the back of the net. The only reason it was behind him was the timing of the run

[QUOTE=Ard Righ] Well, since we missed more sitters again this week, does that mean the midfield rotation policy will see Diego back for the next game against CCM?

I do think Ferrante is very much a journeyman player, he has never really struck any decent shots at goal.

And Tim Brown, while he provides some good work in midfield, I wish he would leave the goal scoring chances to someone with a better than 25% chance of getting one in the net.

Which means people need to get into the box. We definitely lost a lot of our go-forward when Ifill came off, and that's why it's crap we don't have a striker warming the woodwork, instead of another over-supply of journeymen midfielders.[/QUOTE]

I like the understanding that's developing between Greenacre, Ifill and Bertos, the three of them are going to get better and better up front.  I feel for Daniel, the boy really needs a goal.  In Tim Brown's defense he had that ball fall to him near the end of the first half and took a nice low curling shot which had to be saved by Henderson.  He looks more like scoring when the ball falls for him than many of our other players.

[ [/QUOTE]

Found this a bit sobering from the A League site

8 Attempts on Goal 11

We're the team on the left so, from the stats this was a fairly even game. Thinking about shots on target last night I'd say at least that stat is accurate.  Corners is the only area we are significantly ahead.

I guess they don't count:
Daniel failing to shoot from 0.5m lol

So maybe we are getting a bit carried away with our supposed dominance for long periods. 

You want a positive? We're at least creating the chances to have a shot. Something that went missing in season 1 and 2 for a period. Another positive, our guys are having more shots than previously. Another positive, although we haven't scored that many goals, the number of different goalscorers is very encouraging. It's showing players gaining in confidence to have a go.

Good post Whitby boy.  Agree with pretty much all of it.

With you lonegunmen I to went home very disappointed yesterday but I to will be back next week lets get in there and give the team the positive support it needs. This is our team if we dont support it we might lose it. The team is building sure we are up to round 7 but the A league is still very open. Onward and upwards yes we are the Phoenix

Happy with the point, was always going to be tough playing in Wellington.

Can't help but feel sorry for yas. Time and time again you give up points at the death, I know how it feels and I'd be gutted. For once we were the ones stealing points and my god it felt so farking good!

Take into account quality of chances,shots and possesion and we we're all over them. Stats dont tell the whole story

Results do tell.  Less shots, less shots on target.  Allowing for what we saw I think what it tells us is just how often our good breaks and crosses come to nothing. 

Lack of finish.  And perhaps lack of presence (number of natural strikers and height) in front of goal.

Not meaning to be negative but this pretty much pinpoints the problem area with a lot else going well.
mjp22009-09-21 15:28:47

Don't know if it was just me, but the game itself was dull.
I'm not sure if it was a great advert for any newcomers who saw a goal after 6 minutes then sat through another 88 minutes of pretty average stuff, followed by an opposition goal. Two people I know who have been to only one other game, left with half an hour to go.
Maybe the reason for a subdued zone perhaps?

^yeah.  Shame really, because every game of rugby is so exciting.

I am soo disappointed with the result yesterday. But it is far more positive to feel disappointed about not winning than scraping draws which I feel we did last year. To be honest I don't really remember dominating games last year where as this year we have controlled games and been unlucky. Our time will come...(wait for abuse)

should've been a win, but after all it was a draw, not a loss.



Ahem!

Tyler that avatar is a shocker. 

I'm surprised too. The game to me lacked spark and when the newcomers left I thought perhaps that it wasn't a great advert. It needed goals and in this case the two were at either end of the game with  just ok stuff going on in the middle 95%

When Manny came off yesterday it seemed to me from where I was stading that Party all the time slotted into RB and Ferrante took up the spot wide on the right that Troy had taken from Ifill when he came off.

when your winning you don't sub your defenders. end off ( i realise this didn't have any bearing on goal but the guys a tool)

Apt member title bob.

Positive: Unbeaten at the rof in 9 games I heard today, I think its true as well?

It was an injury substitution

Even when the player is injured and signalling he needs to come off ?

Much better you leave him out there and have him out for six weeks.

you're

Guted at the result like us all - Dragging a draw from the jaws of Victory...again

Still, on reflection I feel more positive than last year. Early in the season I thought Lockhead was a waste of space both going forward,crossing and as a defender but believe he is improving.

Moreover- I felt the guys really put the effort in and you could see their disappointment at the goal.

Quick negatives tho:
Bertos since scoring the 40meter goal seems to go for it everytime now and seems to want to dribble / beat several players before releasing the ball. Like to see him consider releasing earlier if pass is on (an it normally is).

Agree with earlier post that the tactic of getting it wide, down flanks and crossing high into the centre is a bit predictable and does not suit us - we have skills at our feet and should be getting it to their feet rather than the heads...cut backs, through the centre - juggle it up not just continually feed aimless crosses hoping our 1 head can get a touch against most defences 3.

Still, all that said I seen on Sunday some moment of classy interpassing and quick breaks and exciting attempts that have been lacking on the past...more of that. And definately keep the commitment and mongrel which was good to see.... I hope that the breaks will start going our way soon as we make our luck through skill, teamwork and effort.

You were on the bandwagon a long time ago.

I'm probably now summarising several view points already expressed in this thread, but some of the issues tactically and technically are a bit baffling.

* We seemed to be setting ourselves extremely deep, and when we intercepted passes or poor first touches we seemed to be only able to slot it over the sideline at about halfway.
* Poor Greenacre, he's not a monsterous bloke, but he's basically playing as what I can only assume is target man in a 4-5-1 style of system?  I'm not a fan of having 1 man up front.  I understand why Ifill is playing further back as he's the most skillful guy we have on the ball, but I'd like for him to stay up with Greenacre and be a target man to the feet.
* Some of our midfielders (particularly our more defensively minded ones like Ferrante and Lia and to an extent Tim Brown) appear anxious or poor technically when the net presents itself.  I have no overall dramas with Lia although he gives away a foul or two, his commitment is good and he gets involved a lot, but Brown really needs to put more of his chances away as does Ferrante.  Perhaps it is more noticeable if they are getting in the right positions, but we need accuracy in the penalty area.
* Durante at times appears to be physically unable to control bigger strikers.  That's fair enough, but with that in mind I'd rather see the Phoenix then press up a bit further in their defensive line so its not repeatedly pinged into that area.
* Would love to see the Phoenix if they get a 1-0 lead at home ensure they are definitely keeping 2 up front, because there are opportunities presenting themselves, but poor Greenacre has no hope in hell with his size to seal the deal against a full defensive line.
* The lads need to really turn on in injury time.  Some of the defensive work at the end was comical, it was almost as if they heard the lead commentators comment about the ball going to the Fury keeper that time was pretty much beyond them.  I think the lads mentally relaxed for a split second and whooska its gone.

I suppose all in all I'd like to see a bit more of a clinical approach to finishing from the midfield, a slightly pushed up defensive line.  I said it before that I believe this is the best Phoenix side to be put on the field because it appears more balanced, the addition of Ifill is great, Bertos is playing some outstanding football, Sigmund is a strong defender, the fullbacks going forward are good but need to be more aware going back, Paston is iffy and causes defensive anxieties, I just feel tactically a couple of changes and better technique, anticipation and overall execution in front of goal will push this side a long way.  Overall its disappointing to draw like that because essentially you bossed the game until you sat back on the lead and did the old English park the bus in front of the goal routine, and its disappointing with the current position on the table given some of the control they've had throughout most of their games.

i agree. it was a very frustrating and dull game.

i sit right at the top on the half way line and i can see everything that goes on

maybe because you lot sit in a corner, you can't see the game properly ??????????

that's the only thing i can think of as to why some say we played good.