Kosta your team have to get at least 1 shot on target to win football games- unless you get lucky own goal like last victory game in nz. Boring as shit team to watch your nux

In order to win a football game, your team needs to score at least one goal, unless they score an own goal, like in their last triumph in New Zealand. Having to see your nux is as exciting as nothing.
io games

Will Buxton, have you moved on from F1 to Australian Football?!

The fact that the Vuc can't beat a team which literally gets no shots on goal is surely a skill issue?

Not the only team. Nux have strong defensive tactics all season - only conceded 26 goals which is lowest in AL

And yet Victory only had 1 goal more over the course of the season  

Are they strong defensively? or do the other teams lack quality finishing? I would suggest its the later. The quality of the A-League has been the poorest I've seen in years (if ever).

They've also scored 42 goals which is lower than the top 8 teams and equal with 9th. They also have the lowest XG and XGD out of all 12 teams. That would suggest they are extraordinarily lucky to have finished second.  

From a Victory POV, we should have won at least 3 of the 4 games we have played against them. That's why I am going into this week reasonably confident... at some point your luck has to run out. 

Scoring on counter seems to be their way of scraping up wins. Paulsen is pretty solid keeper but maybe he hasn’t been properly challenged enough as well with consistent defensive block protecting his goal??

i said before last game that victory could win IF they took their chances which they didn’t- mostly shooting straight at keeper. 

Italiano's whole tactic is to keep the opposition out of the box and force them into long shots that Paulsen can pick up easily - worked a charm on Sunday

Yep. Everyone knew they were going to do this. So either Popa didn't plan for it or he was happy to take 0-0 to Wellington in the knowledge they won't be able to sit back for the full 90/120 minutes. At some point Wellington will have to try win the game and we have the pace on transition to trouble them. 

Finishing has been a problem for Victory. I think structure and that our wingers are more strong at setting up chances rather than finishing them. But with Fornaroli and Machach we have goals in the team. Arzani/Vellupillay/Folami can be tricky. I was impressed with Bos last week too. At our best we can break Wellington down. 

Yep. His tactics result in awfully boring football. No wonder AL viewers are so low this season and tv deal is now worth fuck all. Thanks ‘chiefy’

Is it the Nix defend well with their low block or teams don't have the quality to break them down to score?

Even though the Nix have defended with alot of commitment I feel the overall quality from the league this season has been lacking from too many teams who haven't done enough in creating quality chances whilst we have seen mistakes made in defending to make up for it in terms of goals scored.

I agree the quality of football has gone backwards this season, just see the level of defending to make up for the poor attacking from most teams this season.

Why didn't bos get subbed in last week? 

Very good question. He has some talent for beating defenders for sure

Both.

I find it hilarious that people are complaining about Wellington’s brand of football. This is a team that everyone expected to be in contention for the spoon going into the season and Cheify had done a great job in making them hard to beat. It’s on the other teams to find a way to way to beat them and the fact that they can’t do so is on them.

I’m complaining cos it’s so boring to watch for a team that finished 2nd. Stark contrast to Mariners who are usually interesting to watch

Yeah and it works so good on them.

https://aleagues.com.au/news/a-league-semi-finals-central-coast-mariners-sydney-fc-melb-victory-wellington-phoenix-talking-points-scores-goals-highlights-recap-video/?trk=feed_main-feed-card_feed-article-content

Should have been. Poppa logic.