Soccer: Fireworks tonic for club

The Wellington Phoenix's Paul Ifill is not as imposing as last season. Photo / Getty Images

November is marked in this country by the strange tradition of Guy Fawkes' night. It is also the month the Phoenix need to explode into action.

Wellington have limped through their present A-League campaign. They ended the last round in seventh on the table, with just 12 points from 11 games - an unsatisfactory return for one of the best squads in the league.

They might be undefeated in the capital for 24 A-League matches, an extraordinary record that might never be beaten, but they haven't played particularly well recently in achieving that. They let points slip against the Gold Coast and Melbourne Heart, and beat ordinary Central Coast, Sydney and North Queensland sides.

The next six games, all in November, loom as extremely important if Wellington are to lift themselves up the table and challenge for the title. Four are at home where they so obviously enjoy playing. If they can win three then add a handful of points on the road, where they struggle, it will build some much-needed momentum.

The power of momentum was illustrated last season when they won seven (an eighth they won on penalties) of 10 games to go on a run that took them to just one game short of the grand final.

It's hard to understand why the Phoenix have failed to fire. They recruited some quality players in the likes of Jade North, Danny Vukovic and Nick Ward and have remained largely injury-free.

Some, however, aren't producing the sort of form expected of them.

Paul Ifill has struggled to impose himself on games in the way he did last season, Tim Brown has scored only one goal (he finished last season second-top scorer with eight goals and was a crucial figure), North hasn't played with the authority expected of a current Socceroo and found himself on the bench for the last two games and the back four, one of league's best defences last season, has made uncharacteristic mistakes.

Wellington seem to play well in patches. Against the Melbourne Heart recently they scored early and looked like they would romp away with it, only to drop off and were then lucky to pick up a point.

Against Adelaide last weekend, they played some of their best football all season but it lasted only 30 minutes before the league leaders took control.

It points to a lack of confidence. When the pressure comes on, they seem to doubt themselves.

It's almost like a fear of failure is hanging over them and that's not a useful approach.

At this stage last season, they had 13 points. It included a run of six consecutive draws, when they weren't playing badly but also not brilliantly.

The 11th game was a 6-0 schellacking of Gold Coast in Wellington. Something changed and it allowed them to play more expressively and without fear.

A similar result would provide the perfect antidote this time, too.

There's still a long way to go in the season but they really need to spark into action this month if they are to be serious contenders.

THE JOY OF SIX
* November 3 vs Brisbane Roar, Wellington.
* November 7 vs Perth Glory, Perth.
* November 13 vs Central Coast Mariners, Wellington.
* November 20 vs Newcastle Jets, Newcastle.
* November 24 vs Melbourne Heart, Wellington.
* November 27 vs Melbourne Victory, Wellington.