Phoenix plunge to new depths
GETTY IMAGES 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 on Saturday night at Westpac Stadium means they have six points after 11 games, one fewer than former coach Ernie Merrick’s first season in charge in 2013-14.
Just as concerning 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 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 they struggled to build 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 latch onto.
The goal saw a few heads drop in the Phoenix backline.
Their second came eight minutes later. Bobo was released down the left by another incisive pass, his cross finding an unmarked Adrian Mierzejewski at the back post.
Again, the Nix heads dropped. But they were back up again in the 40th minute when they got another goal via the head of Andrija Kaludjerovic. He met a Galloway cross to send the ball looping over Sydney goalkeeper Andrew Redmayne for his eighth of the season, matching Bobo, who then scored twice to sink the Nix, in the Golden Boot race.