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  • Wanderers Robbed In Auckland

    mack

    By mack

    A combination of poor finishing for the Wanderers and inept officiating has helped Wellington Phoenix to a 2-1 win over Western Sydney in Auckland tonight. Jaushua Sotirio & Ulises Davila scored either side of a Nicolai Muller equaliser, with the headlines dominated yet again over a contentious VAR decision.

    The Wanderers started brightly, dominating the first 10 minutes. Kwame Yeboah unleashed a low drive that glanced past the far post, and Mitch Duke's leadup play allowed Nicolai Muller a tight chance that was agonisingly wide. In the 19th minute Muller cut inside, beat a Nix defender with a body swerve then fired a curling shot that was heading for the side netting until Wellington keeper Stefan Marinovic's fingertip save turned it around the post.

    After half an hour the Wanderers interchanged neat passes between Pirmin Schwegler & Yeboah, allowing the midfield to win a corner that Matt Jurman banged a header requiring a double handed save from the keeper. Wellington had their first major attack of the half in the 44th minute, breaking in a counter-attack down the left flank through Jaushua Sotirio, the resulting shot from Steinmann being blocked by McGowan. The first half was a familiar tale of the Wanderers having the majority of possession and chances but failing to unlock the defence with the final ball.

    Two minutes into the second half Wellington capitalised on a long ball and flick on that put Sotirio clean through on goal and he lofted the ball over the head of Daniel Lopar to open the scoring.

    After another 20 minutes of toil the Wanderers finally had their deserved equaliser. Daniel Georgievski got on his bike with a 25 yard run that he ended with a neat through-ball for the run of Muller. With a yard of space free he found a sidefooted finish that evaded the sliding cover defence and Marinovic to nestle into the bottom corner for 1-1.

    Midway through the second half Mitch Duke was rocked in a jumping contest by Tim Payne, the Wellington midfielder bring down his elbows and giving Duke a bloody eye socket. The Wanderers Captain continued on stoically with an emergency bandage wrap covering up the wound.

    With 10 minutes to go Daniel Lopar continued his sterling form, Callum McCowatt flicked the ball at the near post at close range, Lopar covered his near-post well with a magnificent diving reaction save on the right hand to keep the scores level.

    For yet another week, the VAR intervened to give the Wanderers opponents a massive advantage. Wellington won a penalty after the ball was smashed into Schwegler's arm from a meter away, while his arms were down by his side. Despite being at point blank range, the referee waved it away, then ambled over to watch a dozen slow-mo replays and award a penalty that goes against the rules as written. It was easily converted. The Wanderers pushed for another equaliser but couldn't get it done. Wellington deserved at best a solitary point, but instead took all three points with the early Christmas gift from Daniel Elder. With rumours circulating about the potential exit of coach Markus Babbel, it remains to be seen if he will be in charge for their next match. If he was to be punted by chairman Paul Lederer, the way he & his side have been treated by our disgracefully poor officials will be a huge reason why.

    The Wanderers face Perth Glory next weekend on Saturday December 14th, in Perth with kick-off at 9:45PM Sydney time.

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    StringerBellend
    2 minutes ago, sonar said:

    The reason they got the pen was we changed our formation which gave them space and we got caught out at the back. Feel for Schwegler tbh as he is up there with Lopar as our better players.

    Add to that our front three where doing nothing and we leave them on until too late and at that point take off the guy who actually can play football 

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    WSWJACK

    Am i wrong in thinking that Sotorio was the most effective forward on the park?, i knew he would put a shift in ex player and all that, he timed his run past Mcgowan perfectly, before that we were in control i felt.

    big moments that did not go our way, Yeboah not finishing against their keeper, Jurman not heading a bit further to the side of their keeper, i'm over VAR the sooner it's kicked out the better it's a carbuncle on the backside of football as far as I'm concerned.

    strangely i thought we played from the get go quite well and if a chance or two was converted in that first half felt the flood gates would open, but it is a very rough patch we find ourselves atm, just hope we find our way out of it soon hope Popa is not already writing the next page of this roller coaster season.

     

     

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    jockman
    9 minutes ago, Potkorok said:

    Sydney up 3-0 at half time. Say what you will about them - I'm no fan, but they're doing something right and we are pissing all of the first few years of club history up against the wall and that is very hard to watch.

    Yes agree...also the stats say it all. We really do seem to be turning into a mid to lower table team. Yes the move to SOP and managerial/squad revolving door etc didn't help..but as already said the stats since first few seasons speak for themselves..so far the time in the wilderness without a stadium and change of manager doesnt seem to be effecting the smurfs too much.  This season was the chance to turn it all around. Not too late but God it's painful right now !. Best stadium in the league to watch football certainly not the best team..

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    Upthehill
    20 minutes ago, Potkorok said:

    Back at hotel after enduring yet another inept performance live. Was good to sit with a few other Wanderers fans, both locals and from Oz. This despite there being no official away bay which meant putting up with some seriously puerile commentary from parts of Phoenix crowd who evidently know as much about the game as they do about quantum computing....what to say about the game? Well it's been said above. We can't  finish, then we concede , then we equalise, then we inevitably cop the raw end of a VAR decision. I don't understand enough of the intricacies of the game to comment too much but i was baffled by the formation changes and the subs. I think Meier appears to be the biggest waste of marquee dollars since Pio. He may have been Football god at one stage but it seems that is in the past. Also hard to change my opinion of him when he plays about 30 seconds a game. It's a joke. And it comes down to Babbel and then the board to take responsibility for these kinds of decisions. Now I'm enduring Sydney up 3-0 at half time. Say what you will about them - I'm no fan, but they're doing something right and we are pissing all of the first few years of club history up against the wall and that is very hard to watch.

    Meier was an odd choice from the get go. We had an all action, go go go front 3/4 then we went and signed a 36 year old 6’6 giant who could be out paced by a glacier.

    I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t in the  #byebyebabs camp at this point.

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    Davo

    Babbel has made some weird decisions in the last few weeks but this game was crazy.

    It’s not the first time that we’ve been getting overrun in the last 10 minutes yet he fails to use all three subs. Imagine being on the bench and effectively being told that the guy who’s run for 80 minutes is more useful than you when you’re fresh.

    It’s also the second week in a row we’re losing and he makes a like for like sub rather than try to change things. Last week it was Kamau off for Adam and this week Muller off for Meier. Why not hook a defender or a midfielder and bring on an attacker? The three at the back wasn’t working so after the pen why not take McGowan or Jurman off instead of Muller, revert to a back four and go for it?

    Also what was he thinking with the switch to the back three? We were controlling possession and generating way more chances than them, which was working well enough that we’d equalised. Wellington were getting outplayed and no longer winning at home so they were the ones that needed to change things. Instead we changed and brought them back into the game.

    Edited by Davo
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    Prydzopolis

    Does anyone else think that was the best we have played since Melbourne Victory?

    We can actually see that these players are capable but a shame it has taken rumours of babbels job being on the line to finally see it.

    Penalty aside, I thought it was our best performance thus far this season. I felt the turning point was our equaliser or shortly after when we had two of our players taken out (that break in the game helped them). From 60 minutes onwards you can see that it’s fallen apart. The main problem is that we are forced to be so open because we are chasing a goal, Wellington looked dangerous on the counter but that isn’t surprising based on the last few weeks as we have had similar issues when the game gets stretched.

    Got to feel sorry for Babbel & the team. Third week we have been dudded now & caused us to drop points. This week you can’t blame the referee or VAR (thought he was fantastic FYI) that was down to a dodgy handball call. 

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    MartinTyler
    1 hour ago, Generator said:

    As others have said, it wasn’t a robbery, it was an appropriate award for no final product in the first half and a poor tactical change near the end. I also think the ref was generally pretty reasonable and let the game flow for the most part. Even the penalty I accept - his lower arm was out sufficiently from his body for the VAR and ref to overturn the original call.

    Anyway, at least I can focus my attention on Canberra United for the remainder of the W-League season. Great imports and no six hour round trip.

    They wont make the play-offs either !!

    Link to comment
    Generator

    Interesting comment at the end of the ESFC game - under the new rules the handball in our game was a penalty, but a defender using their hand to inadvertently control the ball after the ball bounces up from their boot, in the box, is fine? 
     

    I get why the handball rule changed to remove the notion of intent, but the remaining inconsistencies make no sense.

    And yes, Martin, Canberra May not make it, but at least I know they’ll score some goals along the way!

    Edited by Generator
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    Neverbloom

    i personally dont think we looked as terrible as a lot of people think, yes we should have scored goals and put them away in the first half but their keeper had an excellent match and we are the wanderers it doesnt matter who is coaching us its just kinda what we do :P

     

    not saying everything is roses either because obviously we need to do a lot better, still think that shouldnt have been a pen since his hand was not in an unnatural position but if we put them away in the first half it wouldnt be an issue, i thought we looked better than we did against the jets however that isnt a difficult feat to accomplish 

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    ZachMercer
    35 minutes ago, Davo said:

    Babbel has made some weird decisions in the last few weeks but this game was crazy.

    I've run a few company's over the years, and I've seen that look, internalisation and body posture he's shown in the last few games sitting. 

    Perhaps his ego is getting the better of him, but for a man of his experience I'd dare say he's punishing someone not on the pitch.

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    Prydzopolis
    3 minutes ago, WSWJACK said:

    Just curious why hasn't Russell made an appearance yet even as a sub?

    Babbel has said he wants him playing NYL this year.

    8 minutes ago, Davo said:

    Babbel has made some weird decisions in the last few weeks but this game was crazy.

    I thought he was unlucky, sometimes a change of tactics doesn’t work but I’d rather us try something than not at all.

    He wants to get one of his visa players on the field & has taken off one of our younger inexperienced players (Wilmering has been good for someone his age). Switching to a formation that worked very well in preseason. Having 3 CB’s on the field maybe hoping that we’d be more difficult to score against. He gambled with a formation change but it didn’t work. That’s football.

    18 minutes ago, Davo said:

    Also what was he thinking with the switch to the back three? We were controlling possession and generating way more chances than them, which was working well enough that we’d equalised.

    I believe that the loss of control had more to do with the game situation rather than the formation change. At 1-1, Wellington couldn’t sit deep & soak up pressure. We opened up, Wellington did too & the game turned in each team took turns to attack.

    We really struggle to hold possession when the games open up like this, the game gets stretched, the gap between our defense & attack expands & always going to be difficult to be the more dominant team possession wise with only two midfielders. Playing with 4 or 3 formation wouldn’t have made a difference.

    I am thinking he was hoping that playing with 3 CB would have made us more solid defensively. Technically we were, if the goal never stood.

    26 minutes ago, Davo said:

    It’s not the first time that we’ve been getting overrun in the last 10 minutes yet he fails to use all three subs. Imagine being on the bench and effectively being told that the guy who’s run for 80 minutes is more useful than you when you’re fresh.

    It’s a strange one. With players like Sullivan & Adam he has started these players previously & they have performed so I don’t understand the reluctance.

    At the start of the season I could understand this substitution method, he wanted these players to build up there fitness (playing 90 minutes every week so they can last the 90 every week) but now I’m not so sure.

    Midfield wise we know that he doesn’t trust any other player to play the role Baccus/Primin & makes sense he doesn’t sub these two players. However with the forwards we know that other players have started in there absense. Especially when duke, yeboah & mueller all looked cooked after 60 minutes. We need results, if a player isn’t performing then we need fresh legs.
     

    55 minutes ago, Upthehill said:

    Meier was an odd choice from the get go. We had an all action, go go go front 3/4 then we went and signed a 36 year old 6’6 giant who could be out paced by a glacier.

    Used in the right way, Meier could work well for us but you’re right. It’s almost like we were desperate, tried to bring in a certain type of striker & failed. The result? We bring in the next best thing.

    Still i don’t blame Meier, you’ve got to play to his strengths. We had him running channels & playing a midfield type role. Who’s fault is that?

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    sonar
    49 minutes ago, WSWJACK said:

    Just curious why hasn't Russell made an appearance yet even as a sub?

    There are many WSW fans who are perpetually perplexed at the managers selections, :ninja:

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    Neverbloom
    1 hour ago, WHACKO said:

    Have a look at Sydney FC third goal and compare that to us. We a miles apart.

    but we beat them.........so surely that makes us better(i wish)

    Link to comment
    Skoorb

    We were on top after the equaliser. Georgevski was one of our best players, set up the goal from the right. Babbel changed the shape, shifted Georgevski to his less effectual flank. Babbel complained last week that the players didn’t stick to the plan. Well, this week he didn’t. He royally ****ed that up. Penalty or no penalty, we weren’t going to win that after the change. 

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    StringerBellend
    52 minutes ago, Smoggy said:

    With a fluke kick from the half way line that was intended to be a 5 yard pass?

    He’ll trap the ball from outside the box into the goal

    that said yeboah isn’t much better 

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    wanderersfanatic
    1 hour ago, Davo said:

    Babbel has made some weird decisions in the last few weeks but this game was crazy.

    It’s not the first time that we’ve been getting overrun in the last 10 minutes yet he fails to use all three subs. Imagine being on the bench and effectively being told that the guy who’s run for 80 minutes is more useful than you when you’re fresh.

    It’s also the second week in a row we’re losing and he makes a like for like sub rather than try to change things. Last week it was Kamau off for Adam and this week Muller off for Meier. Why not hook a defender or a midfielder and bring on an attacker? The three at the back wasn’t working so after the pen why not take McGowan or Jurman off instead of Muller, revert to a back four and go for it?

    Also what was he thinking with the switch to the back three? We were controlling possession and generating way more chances than them, which was working well enough that we’d equalised. Wellington were getting outplayed and no longer winning at home so they were the ones that needed to change things. Instead we changed and brought them back into the game.

    Wierd decision was also signing Meier, and Muller to solve our AM woes. 

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    Golgol

    Maybe its time to review the Gombau era

    never lost 4 in a row

    took over from popa and had no pre season with the team

    babel has had two full pre seasons.

    need to review cornwabbles, santa, bridgy, riera, tsatsies.

    involvement in tanking the last part of the season.

    just saying

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    Smoggy
    6 minutes ago, Bones said:

    We are shitehouse, there’s no nicer way to put it. Arguing and relying on ref/var decisions is for chumps. Write this season off we won’t be in the six let alone contend for the league.

    Babbel needs to go, get an Australian coach and let’s start again. 

    I actually think we will make the 6, but only 5th or 6th and a first week finals exit. Expectations were so much higher for this season :(

    Babbel to remain and get this sorted out, really can't see a benefit to getting rid right now. 

    Edited by Smoggy
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    StringerBellend
    8 minutes ago, Smoggy said:

    I actually think we will make the 6, but only 5th or 6th and a first week finals exit. Expectations were so much higher for this season :(

    Babbel to remain and get this sorted out, really can't see a benefit to getting rid right now. 

    At moment we don’t look like making the 6 given our last 2 results are losses to two teams who won’t make the 6

     

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    Upthehill
    25 minutes ago, Xfactor said:

    Cmon lets be real, that hit Taylor’s shoulder. 

    It was his shoulder. Trying to say it was his arm is just flat out wrong.

    We’re not on 4 straight losses because of VAR decisions. We are on 4 straight losses because we don’t have the ability to score goals in volumes that nullify the bad decisions when they come along. If we were up 3-0 we’d be annoyed at the decision then move on. We focus on the issue because we aren’t capable of winning games.

    Other than giving the ball to Georgevski or hoofing it to the striker, I have no clue what our route to goal is. Not sure the players know either.

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