Jekyll and Hyde Phoenix need to lift

Wellington Phoenix's Jekyll and Hyde season continued, with coach Ernie Merrick calling for more fire from his players in their last three games of a disappointing A-League season.

The Phoenix were strangely subdued in slumping to their 13th loss of an up-and-down season on Sunday, with no sign of the confidence or bravado shown in their 3-1 win over Sydney FC barely a week ago.

Glory strikers Andy Keogh and Diego Castro dominated the game up front, scoring a goal apiece in making a mockery of Merrick's pre-match plans to hold them in check.

Their ability to win and keep possession meant Perth's midfield ran riot, Chris Harold and Richard Garcia storming through alongside Gyorgy Sandor and Krisztian Vadocz in an onslaught Wellington just couldn't contain.

Only Tom Doyle's 92nd minute consolation goal restored any respectability to a game Wellington never looked like winning.

There was a lot the Phoenix could learn from Perth, a downcast Merrick said afterwards.

"I was watching Keogh - it was interesting. He wasn't getting the service that he wanted and he was really abusing the midfielders.

"I think we need a bit of that sometimes. We're a pretty quiet bunch - nobody confronts and has a go."

Wellington lacked both confidence and experience, and Perth held no qualms about using that to their advantage.

As Merrick pointed out, the Phoenix had more possession in the middle of the pitch, more forays into the front third and at least as many entries into the penalty box.

But a lack of quality up front, and patchy service from the midfield, meant that counted for nothing.

"We never looked like creating or scoring, we didn't have many chances at all, and we finished up with the fullback scoring for us," Merrick said.

"Sometimes, in the heat of the moment, with the distractions and the movement of players, I just think that inexperienced players have trouble doing the job they were trained to do."

Wellington face second-placed Melbourne City away next week, with skipper Andrew Durante under a cloud after injuring his knee, and without Doyle, who will be serving a one-match ban after receiving his eighth yellow card of the season.

Nonetheless, Merrick is still cautiously optimistic, albeit somewhat tongue in cheek.

"We're pretty keen for these last three games, to go out on a high and win all three.

"This inconsistency - a win, a loss, a win, a loss - that means next week we're going to win, I suppose."