R11 vs Sydney FC | Sat 21st Dec | 4:45pm | RoF/SS7

Weird game. Really enjoyed it, and we played some great stuff again and the heads really didn't drop after conceding. Which was crucial imo. Tesetment to how uffie has drilled this team. 

Agree with what others have said, I thought the subs could have been made 10 - 15 mins earlier and I was somewhat surprised sotirio stayed on, but then again, I also wasn't. I think the end really was weird, didn't see the replay, should it have been a pen or was it just a dive? Less said about ulis miss, the better. It looked like it took him by surprise. 

Good crowd at the stadium tonight and great to hear the fever in good voice. Weather made a difference but I thought everyone got behind the team early doors. 

I'm sure there's more I wanna say, but overall, we should be pleased. They're top of the league and we bossed it. 

I still can't get over that it was a 2 all draw and it doesn't feel like we pinched a point against such a top side.  If anything it feels like Sydney managed to nab it from us. 

We are just really solid. The mistakes today (OG, DeVere/Marinovic) can happen to any team - as long as it doesn't become a habit, it's fine; move on.

I still think we have an issue going forward - we are too reliant on Davila to score; good to see Piscopo score today, though.

I think we are very spoilt at the moment as Nix fans! If we could score a few more we'd be right up the ladder. Other than that we boss even the best teams in midfield and playing what is in my opinion some of the best stuff I've seen from a Nix team ever.

Only thing I don't understand is UT subs sometimes. Need to bring fresh legs on sooner imo. 

In the replay of that last VAR check it definitely looked like his ankle was clipped. Maybe the ref decided it happened after the extra time had ended?

Um...what?

"Extra time", otherwise known as 'added time' to cover things like time lost to injury treatment and substitutions you mean?

That finishes when the ref blows his whistle. If a penalty incident occurs before he blows his whistle, the penalty is still taken.

It seemed odd the ref stopped live play to review the VAR, and then didn't appear to add time for that review, but you will probably find the ref actually stopped play for full time, but wanted the review before declaring the game over in case it should have been a penalty.

I didn't see the slowmo replay, but first thought was contact outside the box. Not sure A-League VAR rules, but possible not valid to overturn ref if not in the box (I.e penalty shout), but if they could and deemed it a direct free kick they should still have taken it as play continued some time after the incident. It would appear VAR ruled no penalty, and either didn't rule on foul outside box or didn't deem it to be a foul.

Has to be a red card or Pen offense for VAR to step in, so if it happened outside the box and ref didn't even blow a pen then it makes sense for VAR to not step in. 

Been pants all season. Should not be a starter. Far too wasteful.

why Sutton over McCowatt and Waine?

I am fishing here, but I suspect it may have something to do with a contractual obligation of some sort?  For example, if a player does not get on the park until such and such date, they may seek release? Others may have a better idea about this.

Own goal spares Sky Blue blushes

https://www.ftbl.com.au/news/own-goal-spares-sky-blue-blushes-535885

I guess we'll find out next weekend.

Uffie has rotated a lot too. No one is guaranteed minutes 

I really enjoyed the game. Great to see us taking it to the best teams in the comp. Sydney are always so jammy against us. I lament the soft goals we conceded as opposed to the miss by Davilla.  I do agree with others on this forum. I thought that the subs could have come on much earlier to have more impact. Sotirio was a bit of a passenger in this game and thought McCowatt should have come on mid 2nd half. Would have liked to see Hopper get more minutes also.

With Devlin playing so well, I wonder if he is in line for a call up into the Olyroos squad. Could mean we will be with-out him and Piscopo. The AFC U23 tournament runs from 8-27 Jan. Thats a big chunk of time.

After 2 draws, we are really in need of a win now to keep us in playoff contention mix. Next weeks game against the snakes is going to be huge. I really hope its the game where we totally click and can make a big statement.

Sutton doesn't have a contract (unless he's signed one and they've not said).

Would have to be in the frame, and yes that is big chunk of time away.

He's not a DM, but must factor into Clayton Lewis's chances of getting a contract in January. Be interesting to see if he is invited down to Wellington over Handy Prem summer break.

Otherwise Tim Payne becomes backup DM (Rufer and Steinman start) if Devlin is away.

So maybe then someone like J-H Sinclair comes into the frame as a possible Jan signing. A backup RB, to the backup. He's been in around the environment before - so would have some idea of extra fitness levels required etc.

thoughts on watching:

Great to see the team evolving, not standing still. Gone are the through balls to Sotirio- instead Ball, Piscopo and Libby taking it deep and looking for late runs. Think Hooper is plan B in this formation, possibly McCowatt would have been the better sub. Or Waine. This was a break through performance for Piscopo- McCowatt and Waine still looking for where they fit in.

Devere is looking a much better athlete than he was a few games ago.

We're playing great football. 

Sydney happy to take a couple of yellows to foul Davila. 

Man, Libby is ridiculously good. And Davila just wants to be on the ball and make it happen.

Excellent performance overall, just a couple of lapses that cost us from makung it something very special. Gary Hooper will play for the Phoenix reserves against Eastern Suburbs today.

Hudson Wihongi was mentioned by Talay as DM depth, so potentially Lewis or JHS could still be in the mix. 

I think we're relatively ok with covering Piscopo with Sotirio Mccowatt and Ball able to play there, with Waine and Hooper as St options

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/a-league/118393914/ufuk-talays-newlook-wellington-phoenix-making-waves-in-aleague

Harsh in that article on Davila.

Equally Libby didn't time his backpost runs, and the goals were soft.

My thoughts:

1. Having watched Davila's finish a few times today, I'm wondering if we've seen a better goal for the Nix? Sure, perhaps that's a big call, but the quality and control of his shot was right up there - made it look far easier than it is.

2. We had the game until Ninkovic came on - he was the reason we only got 1 point in the end, I think. He and Davila are two of the best this league has seen, certainly this year anyway. 

3. Like many in Uffie's squad, Devere has really improved with the benefit of having several games in a row under his belt. Despite yesterday's defensive cock-ups, I generally really like the solidity of our back 4 now (including Payne).

4. Early on, I don't think many would have taken Devlin over Burgess. Quite happy with that outcome now though.

5. Again, despite cock-ups for yesterday's goals, Marinovic is excellent. His distribution is better than Kurto's in my opinion and that is not to be underestimated as a component of our build up play that is emerging (arguably Kurto is a superior stopper, but it's a very fine line). 

6. Libby. Enough said. 

7. Kosta was quiet overall. We did a job on him. 

8. It is very nice to be heading into Nixmas with an overwhelming sense of positivity about the club for rest of season and longer term. 

9. I'm not worried about game time for Waine & McCowatt (and, to a lesser extent, Sutton and TAWH) - their times are coming and the standards they're being set are high. 

10. If we can get Hooper properly fit in the next month or so, we could do a lot of damage in back end of season.

11. Talay is a much better 'fit' for club than Rudan - doesn't say much and just gets on with the job. Rudan was entertaining at times, but I reckon he's a 'Mourinho' - it all ends in tears eventually because the ego gets in the way.

I’d like to see Waine start next game maybe over Sotirio, already got a goal and assist at half time for the WeeNix today

The club have been hinting for a while now that they wanted to give Sutton a few minutes at the end to make his debut. The fact that Waine, McCowatt (and Sutton) are all getting 90 minutes for the reserves right now probably why they didn't get on.

please tell me devlin keeps playing over rufer, he’s a class above 

Be a tough competition. Good to see. Could Devlin move into Sotirio's position? He scored a few pre-season. 

Thinking about our best 11 on the park. Devlin would combine better you'd think and he's nippy.

I watched Sutton playing a number of times for the Acadamy team in the Central League.  He was the stand out player.

I see he got through 45 mins and scored a goal too.

Nice playing in the handy prem and play against him. Good challenge to mark 

He came on earlier in the season in that position and looked absolutely terrible - seems to be a player who does better with the game in front of him.

Where does Sutton usually play ? CM?

believe he’s more suited to the AM roles then the DM but can play either pretty well, was really impressed with him in AM in pre season

May get a chance sooner than he thinks if Rufer's injury persists and Devlin is off to U23s