Phoenix plunge to new low
The Wellington Phoenix have reached a new low, recording their worst 11-game start in their 11-season history.
The 4-1 loss to Sydney FC last night at Westpac Stadium meant they have six points after 11 games, one fewer than Ernie Merrick’s first season in charge in 2013-14.
Just as concerning as that stat was the way they went about their seventh loss.
Outside of two 10-minute spells in the second half, it was a listless performance, with no obvious plan going forward and moments of indecisiveness typifying their play at the back.
The talk from coach Darije Kalezic after showing the door to his assistant Rado Vidosic and his son/attacking midfielder Dario Wellington
Vidosic was of a united club ready to head in the right direction. If this is that direction, then the top six looks an impossible task.
It must be noted that Sydney are the best team in the league, but they were well below their best.
The first half saw them produce two moments of clinical, incisive play but struggled to build too much else. That was as much due to their own waywardness as anything the Phoenix were doing.
They opened the scoring in the 17th minute through Bobo after left back Michael Zullo found a heap of space in behind Scott Galloway, before whipping in a cross for the Brazilian to stick an outstretched foot onto.
The goal saw a few heads drop in the Phoenix backline.
Their second came eight minutes later in similar fashion. Bobo was released down the left by another incisive pass, with his cross finding an unmarked Adrian Mierzejewski at the back post to slap home his finish. Again, the heads dropped.
But they were back up again in the 40th minute when they got another goal out of the head of Andrija Kaludjerovic. He met a Scott Galloway cross to send the ball looping over Sydney goalkeeper Andrew Redmayne for his eighth goal of the season to keep pace with Bobo at the head of the Golden Boot race.
The Phoenix showed rare signs of life to start the second half, but that was quickly quelled.
Phoenix goalkeeper Lewis Italiano almost gave away a goal when spilling a cross from a freekick straight to a Sydney attacker, but the follow up shot was blocked by one of his defenders.
The 58th minute brought Sydney’s third as Bobo tapped home another cross to take the lead again in the Golden Boot race.
There was a bit of arm waving from Phoenix midfielder Goran Paracki after that one and Italiano punched the ball back to halfway, but not much reaction from any other player.
Adam Parkhouse should have pulled one back in the 63rd minute when he received a low cross with only the keeper to beat, but he shot straight at Redmayne.
One man seated in front of the media box stood up immediately after the chance and went home. It was symbolic of the frustration a lot of fans were voicing throughout the game. Just how many were there at the stadium was not announced, but it appeared their lowest attendance of the season, which was previously 5679.
One bright note towards the end of the game was 18-year-old midfielder Sapreet Singh providing a creative spark. He rattled the post with a beautiful curling shot from long range in the 73rd minute and looked a player who should be given more of a chance at this level.
Bobo completed his hat-trick with a header with four minutes to go which sent another load of fans to the exits.
The Phoenix are still last, seven points off the top six. The gap to Sydney is now 25 points.