I was at a loose end today, not far from Fraser Park, so wandered down to see the Reserves play Southern. Southern won 5-0.
I am not going to criticise individual players as they are very young and clearly on a development path. I have no idea who any of them were
If this was a mens game, I could describe it as men versus boys, based on how it eventuated. But that would be harsh to the Phoenix, individually the girls had skills no doubt about it, but I cant say I enjoyed what I saw from the Phoenix.
The negativity, the passing back, the commitment to playing out from the back... well, none of it looked remotely like working.
I would say everytime the keeper played to a full back a few metres away, who either played it back to the keeper or to the wide full back. Many, many times they did this. I would say that not once did they retain possession up to the half way line.
It was so, so predictable, and of course Southern filled their boots, just committing plenty of players to the rush as soon as the keeper has touched it.
No Plan B, no variation, no realisation that the objective of the game is to score. When you are 3-0 down and you kick off and pass it back to the keeper , you could see the mentality.
Southern changed their keeper in the second half, they may as well have brought on another striker to replace her.
I guess if the game was a practice in passing out from the back, then maybe it was useful as a training exercise. But when its so predictable, its not even that. And they couldnt do it.
But as a competitive match, it was totally hopeless. I feel sorry for many of the forward players, they werent given a chance to show what they could do.
Id say Phoenix could have broken the record for the number of touches by a team in their own box when 3 or more goals down. It was farcical- get the ball down the other bloody end!
Southern were quite impressive, didnt do a lot wrong.
Did the ressies have any first teamers this week? They made a big impact last week. Ahhh, just researched the answer... no they didn't. Not having Mac Barry, Emma Main and Zoe Meeks would make a huge difference.
I was at a loose end today, not far from Fraser Park, so wandered down to see the Reserves play Southern. Southern won 5-0.
I am not going to criticise individual players as they are very young and clearly on a development path. I have no idea who any of them were
If this was a mens game, I could describe it as men versus boys, based on how it eventuated. But that would be harsh to the Phoenix, individually the girls had skills no doubt about it, but I cant say I enjoyed what I saw from the Phoenix.
The negativity, the passing back, the commitment to playing out from the back... well, none of it looked remotely like working.
I would say everytime the keeper played to a full back a few metres away, who either played it back to the keeper or to the wide full back. Many, many times they did this. I would say that not once did they retain possession up to the half way line.
It was so, so predictable, and of course Southern filled their boots, just committing plenty of players to the rush as soon as the keeper has touched it.
No Plan B, no variation, no realisation that the objective of the game is to score. When you are 3-0 down and you kick off and pass it back to the keeper , you could see the mentality.
Southern changed their keeper in the second half, they may as well have brought on another striker to replace her.
I guess if the game was a practice in passing out from the back, then maybe it was useful as a training exercise. But when its so predictable, its not even that. And they couldnt do it.
But as a competitive match, it was totally hopeless. I feel sorry for many of the forward players, they werent given a chance to show what they could do.
Id say Phoenix could have broken the record for the number of touches by a team in their own box when 3 or more goals down. It was farcical- get the ball down the other bloody end!
Southern were quite impressive, didnt do a lot wrong.
You said you did not know the players...
the GK is the second string goalie from the last U17 WC, and the recent U20 WC qualifiers the 2xCB and the RB finished the last game of the U17 WC against Germany in those positions last year, and started the final of the recent U20 WC qualifiers in those positions a few months ago. the #14 in CM had started for the NZ U17 in midfield in Tahiti earlier in the week in the semi-finals and finals of the recent U17 WC qualifiers. You can guess the age and seniority of the others by their jersey numbers, #9, #13, #17 probably under 19 and the #24, #36 #40 probably younger.
That was a very young side, not helped by the seniors being away, and also being the first weekend of the school holidays, other younger players away. Some of the games in the Youth National League had short benches also no doubt due to school holidays.
I suspect the defence did not get much help from the younger physically outmatched midfield in being options to pass out from the back, and even if they did go long, girls that age can't welly it upto halfway like the men can, particularly if there is some wind and having battles for seconds 35-40m out from goal line isn't an attractive proposition either.
The Nix reserve team really getting tested for depth. Out of the team that played central league U17 boys comp. At least 4 or 5 have been promoted to first team. And good question where is Duggan? So it's going to be tough for a young team. But I guess that is what its about for this team. Young players showing if they can step up and complete with some of the better teams in the country. That NZ age group. Current NZ U19's. Has a lot of talent in midfield, but unusually for a NZ age group team are not so strong defensively I thought watching them at U17 level a few years ago. Some of those girls are in this Nix team. This is probably the type of game-time they need to lift the level they are playing at leading into next years U20 world cup. Shame this NL comp is so short.
Are you saying some players went on holidays instead of staying around to play in competition? No wonder we have a way to go in the womens’ game. reubee
Fenix
I was at a loose end today, not far from Fraser Park, so wandered down to see the Reserves play Southern. Southern won 5-0.
I am not going to criticise individual players as they are very young and clearly on a development path. I have no idea who any of them were
If this was a mens game, I could describe it as men versus boys, based on how it eventuated. But that would be harsh to the Phoenix, individually the girls had skills no doubt about it, but I cant say I enjoyed what I saw from the Phoenix.
The negativity, the passing back, the commitment to playing out from the back... well, none of it looked remotely like working.
I would say everytime the keeper played to a full back a few metres away, who either played it back to the keeper or to the wide full back. Many, many times they did this. I would say that not once did they retain possession up to the half way line.
It was so, so predictable, and of course Southern filled their boots, just committing plenty of players to the rush as soon as the keeper has touched it.
No Plan B, no variation, no realisation that the objective of the game is to score. When you are 3-0 down and you kick off and pass it back to the keeper , you could see the mentality.
Southern changed their keeper in the second half, they may as well have brought on another striker to replace her.
I guess if the game was a practice in passing out from the back, then maybe it was useful as a training exercise. But when its so predictable, its not even that. And they couldnt do it.
But as a competitive match, it was totally hopeless. I feel sorry for many of the forward players, they werent given a chance to show what they could do.
Id say Phoenix could have broken the record for the number of touches by a team in their own box when 3 or more goals down. It was farcical- get the ball down the other bloody end!
Southern were quite impressive, didnt do a lot wrong.
You said you did not know the players...
the GK is the second string goalie from the last U17 WC, and the recent U20 WC qualifiers the 2xCB and the RB finished the last game of the U17 WC against Germany in those positions last year, and started the final of the recent U20 WC qualifiers in those positions a few months ago. the #14 in CM had started for the NZ U17 in midfield in Tahiti earlier in the week in the semi-finals and finals of the recent U17 WC qualifiers. You can guess the age and seniority of the others by their jersey numbers, #9, #13, #17 probably under 19 and the #24, #36 #40 probably younger.
That was a very young side, not helped by the seniors being away, and also being the first weekend of the school holidays, other younger players away. Some of the games in the Youth National League had short benches also no doubt due to school holidays.
I suspect the defence did not get much help from the younger physically outmatched midfield in being options to pass out from the back, and even if they did go long, girls that age can't welly it upto halfway like the men can, particularly if there is some wind and having battles for seconds 35-40m out from goal line isn't an attractive proposition either.
The Nix reserve team really getting tested for depth. Out of the team that played central league U17 boys comp. At least 4 or 5 have been promoted to first team. And good question where is Duggan? So it's going to be tough for a young team. But I guess that is what its about for this team. Young players showing if they can step up and complete with some of the better teams in the country. That NZ age group. Current NZ U19's. Has a lot of talent in midfield, but unusually for a NZ age group team are not so strong defensively I thought watching them at U17 level a few years ago. Some of those girls are in this Nix team. This is probably the type of game-time they need to lift the level they are playing at leading into next years U20 world cup. Shame this NL comp is so short.
Dugan's social media says 'temp hiatus from football training' or words to that effect.
Pretty similar fodder to last week. For the first 20 minutes Phoenix seemed to have abandoned the disastrous playing out from the back philosophy. Well, at least the Phoenix mixed it up a bit, but they soon gave a goal away as the keeper played straight out to an Easts player.
Two more goals from Charlotte Lancaster followed and the game was a dead as dodo from then. She should have had more goals to be honest. She has a big left boot.
At the end of the day the Phoenix still played out too much and caused themselves problems and were too happy to stroll to defeat.
Their best player is perhaps the number 9, but they got her involved so little.
Eastern Suburbs, I was well impressed with them. A very good team to watch, for sure.
Hey, at least I go to these games, there were probably under 50 there today. I will tell it as I see it.
They are a super young team, mostly 16-18 year olds with next to no NL experience. Going to get bossed around by the bigger older women and make rookie mistakes but will no doubt get better and upset a few more experienced line ups.
Phoenix reserves managed to lose a game they were totally dominating and in control of. 2-0 up with well worked and well taken goals,with mcMeeken both figurative and literal head and shoulders above the rest. Second half they were guilty of wasting several great chances to end the contest, including missing a penalty,and it came back to bite them. I think it was Whinham who was working like a Trojan in midfield, and when she went off the tide turned, keeper couldn't deal with a late tame cross,and it was all over. But they looked very good for more than an hour!
