R1 vs Brisbane Roar 5pm Sun 13th Oct ROF

Less than 2 weeks away. Thinking when we have all players fit we will only really be debating Stein v Brockie but we will be missing AW's for this one. If Ifill, Cunningham & Carlos are fit then I think we will see:

                       Spoonley
Gulley     Sigmund     Boxall     Caira
                Muscat             Lia
Cunningham    Hernandez          Ifill
                       Huysegems

McPeake, Adams, Brindell-South, Rufer, Boyd

Most contention there is RB and whether siggy will be playing for the AW's - if that's the case then we gonna be very thin.

Or Brockie/Ifill...Iffy may be better not playing a full 90 this season, especially if we want to play at a higher intensity than previous seasons...but as you said not a factor this game...

Seeing this thread makes me so excite!

he's spoken about Boxall as a DM too.

Boxall wasn't bad at RB vs ACFC, but I don't think he was a clear step above Gulley. Except in being taller.

Shouldn't Brindell-South be the starting right back? Isn't it his natural position? I'm not sure why he was signed if he isn't going to be playing this game.

I wouldn't mind starting Rufer ahead of Lia. Bit of a tough introduction but I still think he would go better.

Injury dependent..too many ifs. Might have clearer idea after this weekends behind closed door game....and hopefully increased confidence levels.

Might be the wrong thread for this, but where is the pre/post match pub for this game? (e.g. Backbencher, Four Kings, The Pub etc)

I'm heading down from Auckland for a training stint and have managed to sneak this game into my travels.  

Would be great to meet up for a pint and put some faces to names.

Cheers, Mike

I reckon you'll need at least three pints for that Mike...

What he means Mike, is at the Backbencher. (I assume)

You can buy a bandanna from me :)

Edit: I am so fricken excited for the new season.  My left hand cannot type fast enough to match my enthusiasm.  Damn this whole wrist surgery thing.  I have no work to take my mind off the football.  WHOOP!

Now you know how the rest of us feel when we're operating a computer with only the left hand. It's a real issue.

Depends on what the right hand is doing. However this season for some reason, I feel full of hope and am looking forward to the first game with much excitement. Perhaps it's having a new coach that isn't so defensive minded or having Ernie on board. He does have a proven record.

Hope we still have the squad names called out over the top of deadmau5 again this season. Shits peaking 

So what is new on the Roar side? The usual suspects Berisha, Broich? Are they any new guys that can harm us?

Hopefully we can bamboozle them with something like this:

Free kicks were not exactly Ricki's speciality. usually is was Leo booting the ball into some defenders backside.

Two players both run over the ball and then argue about who should have taken the kick. Oppo crack up. then ball is played to receiver who has a clear shot on goal. Result!

another well worked one tonight on Sommet sports from Belgium league..wish we could practise some of those.  Gives another chance than just swing it into the box lads.

Funny how we get to see Brisbane twice in first 3 home games(at ROF)...

I remember the Nix doing that corner kick routine a couple of times last season where someone runs over to the ball and gives it a nudge but then acts like they've changed their mind about taking it. A second guy then comes over and casually walks the (now in-play) ball towards goal as if to give it to someone else to take the corner before suddenly belting it into the goal while the defenders and keeper are still mucking about.

The Nix always used to forget the last bit though.

So their midfield is McKay, Miller and Broich...Against Lia, Manny and Carlos?

We don't need any free kick gimmicks. We have Carlosssssssssssssssss Hernannnnnnnnndezzzzz

McKay will be away with the Socceroos.

Bit of a novelty having a game in Wellington. Looking forward to this one. 

Dam it (expletive) the Bathurst 1000 is on the same day.....Gonna have to record the end of the race (well half of it). Guess I'll be busing it to this game as plently of refreshments will have been consumed since the morning leading up to and during the race.

Fire it up indeed on game day!

Well well well, just saw a tv advert for this game on tv3, and a pretty decent advert at that. Never thought I'd see the day where we get prime time advertisement space on free to air tv. Well done Welnix.

We do have Hernandez, Ifill, Huysegems, Brockie, Leo and I'm gonna go out on a limb and say Kenny, who can all take a decent free kick. That's a little exciting actually. 
Even Manny can knock them in long pretty well.

Great to finally get the season started again. Excited and a little nervous about it!!

On the plus side we have Ernie. I have complete confidence in him as a coach. He has been there done that. The new style should be easier on the eye. If anyone can get the maximum out of this squad it will be Mr Merrick.

The negatives

1,The lack of experianced depth in the squad. If we can keep our first team on the park we should do OK. 

2,Does Ernie have the bits he needs to make his style work. Has he been able to transform the Lia/Muscat combo into Gerrard/Lampard,  Because if he hasn't then you can have all the fancy attackers in the world, if they don't get regular quality ball they won't function. The plan won't work if Lia/Muscat get pressured and start wellying balls all over the show.

3, Defense. Can our experianced defenders refind their mojo's. Can the youngsters step up on "D"?

Finally, when the Nix first started up I thought great....an outlet for young kiwi talent. For various reasons it never realy happened how I thought. Now we have a squad chock full of young kiwis....some of them are going to be very good players. Exciting times

COYN!!!!!!!!

We have a few floor to climb before Sunday.