Milestones, Long Balls, Clinical Efficiency... And Three More Points For The Welly Nix
It wasn’t even that good of a performance, to be honest. The Wellington Phoenix went to Central Coast knowing that the Mariners were vulnerable on the back of seven – count ‘em, seven – consecutive defeats and they figured they could just sit back and punish the mistakes that CCM made. They absorbed some pressure and then they carved them up for a beautiful opening goal for Libby Cacace to mark his 50th appearance... then scored a couple more with long balls over the top that caught out a compromised CCM back three. So yeah, the plan worked nicely in other words. They conceded late on to spoil what would have been a third straight clean sheet but they still bagged that third straight win... the third time this season that they’ve won three on the trot. A hat-trick of hat-tricks.
The first two goals came inside the first half hour and for a few moments there it was tempting to think of numbers like 8-2, as optimistic as that may have been. But then having gone into the break still at that two-goal advantage the Nix then sorta fell back into their shells in the second half and while they continued to defend pretty well against an improved CCM side, denying them that goal at a time when it could have seriously upset the apple cart of the contest, the Phoenix’s own chances grew slimmer and slimmer. They’d only have six total shots all match which is their tied fewest in a game under Talay. They got three goals to show for those six shots but at no point did they run away with this thing like I thought perhaps they might if they’d gotten that third goal a little earlier and broken the home side’s resistance once and for all.
Dunno what it was. Perhaps a little rustiness after the week off? Or perhaps we just gotta give credit to the Mariners for being better after their fix of half-time oranges. Eventually a couple subs would combine for a third goal as Alex Rufer lobbed one over for Jaushua Sotirio to score in the 78th minute however you’d have been forgiven for keeping one eye peeking at the Adesanya fight on the ol’ phone for most of a dull second half. The Mariners were holding more of the ball and creating plenty more shots at goal but lacked the cutting edge to make it count for anything so the Nix could defend in rhythm and just sorta see it out. Even when the Mariners did eventually score it was an error from Stefan Marinovic that allowed it, deffo shoulda saved that one but we’ll forgive him since he’s denied plenty more that actually mattered.
There’s no such thing as a bad win. Ugly wins, sloppy wins, sneaky wins, glorious wins... they all count for three points and these three points briefly lifted the Nix up to second on the table until Melbourne City came in strong with a 3-2 win away in Perth straight after. Second, jeezus. It’s enough to give you vertigo. It’s been ten years since the Phoenix made the preliminary final, ten years since the greatness of Saint Paul Ifill and company, and the Nix have never finished higher in a regular season than the fourth they managed that time (and again in 2011-12 & 2014-15). At this point it’d be a disappointment if they didn’t at least match that. Which isn’t the only Phoenix record under some serious threat these days...
Highest finish in a season: 4th place, achieved three times (currently third)
Most wins in a season: 14, achieved in 2014-15 (currently 10 with seven games left)
Most points in a season: 42, achieved in 2014-15 (currently 33)
Best goal difference in a season: +10, achieved in 2014-15 (currently +7)
Most goals scored in a season: 46, achieved in 2018-19 (currently 30... this one’s unlikely)
Fewest goals conceded in a season: 29, achieved in 2009-10 (currently 23)
If it wasn’t for that late goal from Jair then the Nix would’ve equalled their record clean sheet streak (a whopping total of three games in a row, something they’ve done just once before and it was all the way back in early 2010). Meanwhile, as already mentioned, the victory makes it three in a row and the club record there is five... also done in that 2009-10 season. And even then that includes a penalty shootout win in the finals and an extra time win the week after – the regular season record win streak is four and has been done three times, most recently in 2014-15.
It all just puts what Uful Talay is doing, with a squad that features two-thirds new players, into a bit of perspective... although even more than that it puts the general mediocrity of the Nix over the years into perspective too. Basically every Phoenix record is breakable because let’s be honest it’s not like they’ve ever had a runaway brilliant season in all their history. They’ve been awful at times and they’ve been good at times but they’ve rarely been amazing and only once or twice have they sustained a full campaign of quality... so these are some extremely good areas.
As was this pass from Ulises Davila...
And this pass from Reno Piscopo...
And this pass from Alex Rufer...
Those were the three assists, all nice and direct and precise and involving lovely movement down the attacking end of the field that CCM weren’t able to cope with. Extra note of applause for the way Piscopo brought down the ball for the first before feeding it to Davila and also for Hooper’s clinical striker work in putting away the second one. That’s a fifth goal for Super Hooper, three of them coming in his seven starts and all of them coming whilst playing up top with David Ball.
Also watching them back to get the screengrabs it’s worth mentioning that all three goals came from set piece restarts too. The first two were throw-ins, Payne picking out Piscopo for the first and Cacace picking out Piscopo on the other side for the second, then the third was a quick free kick from Steven Taylor to a deep-lying Alex Rufer. Piscopo laid it square for Ulises Davila to set up Cacace but the other two saw the guy receiving then hoof it over the top of the defensive line. Boom, bop, bam. Simple as that. Relatively low key situations sprung into goal scoring situations with swift ruthlessness.
Now how about a word on Libby Cacace? At 19 years and 163 days old he was the youngest player in either starting team yet this was also his 50th A-League appearance. Not sure how many (if any) others have done that at a younger age than Libby but he’s definitely the youngest Phoenix player to that milestone and what’s more is he capped it with a goal too... which it would seem is becoming more of a feature for him. After one goal in his first 43 games (against CCM in the 8-2 win) he has scored three times in his last seven, including two in a row. His attacking presence has always been such a weapon, from his tight control and intelligent ball movement in the top third to his overlapping runs and his ability to beat a defender at pace. His crossing is one element that could improve but he doesn’t often settle for a conservative lobbed delivery into the box, he’s out there looking for that one-two to get him in behind the defence.
Steven Taylor absolutely bloody loves him. Ootstunding is the word he’s used a couple times recently. All lending more weight to my underground dream of Libby Cacace starting the next Premier League season at left back for Newcastle United. Danny Rose played there on the weekend and he’s only at the club on loan (for now, at least). Obviously the ideal landing spot would be Napoli not only because that’s his dad’s team but also I reckon he’d be a good fit for Serie A footy too but it’d be a ridiculous thing to start believing that because Sarpreet Singh signed for Bayern Munich that every top quality Phoenix prospect is entitled to a dream move from here on out. A cheeky word to the Toon Army from Stevie T though and you never know. This is all delusional thinking but a thought that came into my head during this game was that if you’d asked me a year ago I’d have probably said that Cacace was ahead of Singh in his development. Can’t say that any longer, granted. Yet the point stands: Libby Cacace’s something special.
Did you notice Sam Sutton snuck onto the bench ahead of Brandon Wilson? Wilson’s absence was the only change from the team that beat Western United two weeks ago. Exact same starting eleven. Exact same bench only with one fewer player. Exact same subs used too, albeit in a different order. Sutton has been included in each of the last eight matchday squads, featuring twice off the bench in that time. Here he was edging out a more established Aussie youth international. Sammy Sutts, moving on up in the world.
Here are the Phoenix’s remaining games this season...
Melbourne Victory (H), Sydney FC (A), Newcastle Jets (A), Adelaide Utd (H), Perth Glory (A), Brisbane Roar (H) & Western Sydney Wanderers (A)
Four of the last six are away from home including a trip to Perth. The Nix have not beaten either of their next two opponents this season, drawing twice with Victory and with a loss and a draw vs Sydney. The Sydney game’s a midweeker so a short turnaround there. Not easy... gotta feel like Victory are there for the taking in Wellington though. The Jets we beat 2-1 at home in our only meeting. Adelaide we beat 2-1 away in our only meeting. Six points there is a minimum, you reckon? Maybe even 8-10 if the away form is up to scratch... since those first four defeats that kicked off the Reign of Uffie, the Nix have only lost twice in 15 games and those defeats came in Brisbane and Perth. Something to ponder over the next week or two and especially as semi-finals seeding becomes more of an immediate issue. We’re a few games away from that being close enough to worry about just yet though. Enjoy the ride. This ain’t common ground for this club.
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