Ernie! > Mooy!
Yeah the Nix! It was a weird performance from Ernie Merrick's men, they looked like the Wellington Phoenix tend to look yet somehow managed to put 5 goals in the back of Melbourne City's goal. Sitting there, watching the Nix, watching them turn the ball over more than ... well not more than usual because they turn it over a fair bit as is, then put together some lovely football and cracking finishes was weird.
Weird, but bloody awesome. The first goal from Nathan Burns kinda summed it up really, stumbling through ... literally through the goalie to tap, tap, tap it in. The stumble dribble - it's a skill that requires a lot of dedication and footballin' nous, it's not easy to be out of control yet somehow still in control. The Nix executed the stumble dribble to near perfection against City, when the likes of Roy Krishna, Nathan Burns or Roly Poly Bonevacia decided to run at a defender, they always gave the defender a sniff by not really having the ball under control yet they would somehow get past them regardless. Glorious.
It's the nature of the Phoenix, sometimes these stumble dribbles lead to dumb turnovers. Other times they lead to open pastures and defenders kicking at thin air, far more troubling than the effective stumble dribble were the copious turnovers from passes. But that's the Nix for ya.
It seems like Roy Krishna could be leaving Jeremy Brockie in his wake as Krishna has done nothing but impress and adds so much more punch than Brockie. That's especially evident when playing alongside Nathan Burns and Michael McGlinchey as Krishna offers something a little different - his pace and instincts enable him to offer a regular threat.
Burns bagged the club's first ever hatty and deservedly so. While Krishna adds a threat out wide, often cutting in field, Burns just offers great all round striker play up front. He isn't overly fast, he's not a razzler and dazzler nor is he a physical presence, but he's a pure striker. He knows where to be and he knows how to get there. This combined with the fact that the midfielders and McGlinchey are starting to build some chemistry with Burns, is exciting. In one instance, Burns was lurking on the edge of the box with a midfielder (think it was Roly) on the ball. Burns crept across the field a bit then burst forwards without making any real connection with the passer and the ball was then at the feet of Burns to fire a shot off.
The chemistry of the side is also building in the sense that the likes of Roly feel comfortable making runs forward. This is a classic midfield move, but it takes confidence in your team mates and yourself to overlap the striker with the ball and make an attacking run. Roly's a physical lad, he's athletic as well but having Albert Riera and Alex Rodriquez holding down the midfield allows the Nix to fire different shots at defences. You've got Krishna out wide, Burns being a typical striker, McGlinchey serving passes on a platter as well as midfielders who like to get forward. Not bad.
City kinda sucked though. Mr Mooy was a man on a mission, trying to get City back in the contest by himself but they struggled. That was in part thanks to a decent effort by the Nix defence, who when City were in control of the ball, looked organised and had plenty of bodies defending. Riera is pretty much a 3rd centre back, with a whole lot more pizzazz than Andrew Durante and Ben Sigmund. If the Nix want to keep putting building, they'll be building upon a solid foundation in the middle of the field.
Who Are Ya!? Nathan Burns, do you reckon you could let someone else get the limelight here? Mr Burns has been a revelation in Wellington and while his 1st goal wasn't much, his 2nd effort was class. He paused, skipped to the outside and fired home a shot, the type of clinical nature in front of goal that has often been lacking with the Nix.
Nek Week we have the Newcastle Jets in Newcastle. Tough gig as they dislike us and we dislike them but luckily they suck. It's another good match up as the Nix will be away from home and will no doubt take part in a gritty encounter. These are the games you simply have to win to make any mark in any competition. We're in form, but we've seen it many times before where the Nix can't take the step up.