R1 vs Newcastle Jets | Sun 21st Oct | 5:00pm | Westpac Stadium

This is what I anticipate will be the starting team. Tough to call for Burns vs Williams - Williams has looked sharp and has been doing heaps of media and promo stuff - but Burns skills have a higher ceiling than Williams, and he's a confidence player, therefore I have him starting. Would like to see Way and/or Burgess come off the bench

Some may disagree but I am comfortable with our squad as it stands. Still room to build but the good bones are there

Bones are good, but needs more meat.

I'm not particularly confident going in with Rufer starting in midfield, but have fingers crossed he goes alright.

fixed, on form to date (but fingers crossed and best of luck)

Phoenix support squad are lean, mean and fighting fit - I hope the team on the park wil be the same

Been outa the phoenix loop for a bit, so just watched the clips from the game against victory,  then the latest interview with rudan,  and i am PUMPED

3-0 Nixs!

This is my pick for line up and subs for this weekends game

Doyle at left, fox comes in, Cacace on the bench.

Agree 100%, that was exactly what I thought immediately. 

Need Fox to start, otherwise Merrick's Merry Men may simply draw out Doyle and target Dura and Cacace in the first 10-15 minutes and although we'd recover, it would be an uphill battle for the rest of the day from a bad start.  

Rudan talked about being more attack minded at home, and having a bit more of a defensive line up in Australia. I would like to see Burns, Willaims and Nichols all on the pitch, which he could do with a 4-1-2-3.

 Burns         Williams       Krishna

         Nichols          Singh

                    Mandi

Doyle   Durante   Taylor    Fenton

                      Kurto

Just thought I'd put it out there. Everyone else seems pretty decided on 5-2-1-2, with wing backs.

Yes continuity at the back this season please,build from there

For a team that has leaked goals like crazy, our main aim should be to have a solid defensive platform to build on. Of course, this may be more difficult if we don't have two top class screening DM's..

I'm ready to go another round. This off season has been way too long.

Enough of the quality analysis. Let's get on with the show. 

I totally agree that we need to shore up our defence as first priority. Rudan has talked about having two team structures and 5 at the back with wing-backs, this is the popular first choice as seen in pre season. If we go two goals down or find our wingback are in-effective we do need to have a plan B. I agree that is more likely to still include 2 DM players. Nichols (or Rufer) can play a deeper holding midfield role, more of a 4-2-1-3. Makes sense. The popular choice is Mandi and Rufer as DM players being incumbents from MV game. Be interesting to see if Mandi is fit enough for 90 min and how Kopa and Nichols are employed. 

Agree that looks like Rudan's eleven, and it's basically the lineup for the MV game. He might like to have two backs on the bench.

Subs then might be Sail, Fox, Lowry, Nichols, and Burgess.

I'd rather Nichols started ahead of Rufer (both are AMs but I think Nichols is a better player) - no other changes.

Missing out: Kopa ('injury'), Elliot, Burns (form) and Way.

I personally don't expect to see our wing backs doing much defending, but pushing high and supporting the attacks.

When we are defending I expect either the LCB or RCB will push wide to cover any attacks down the flanks as the two DM drop in to help protect the center of the pitch.

In effect I think we will be playing a 5 and 5 system - on attack we have Carcace, Singh, Williams, Krishna and Fenton with Rufer and Madi being outlets to shuffle the ball if needed.

If thats the case then there is going to plenty of squeaky bum moments this season if Taylor and Dura are left to cover fast counter attacks.As much as i like Dura i really dont see him as part of the answer to what has been a very leaky defence the last few seasons. Had really hoped Fox would step especially with Taylor to learn from. Hope Dura proves me wrong but really cant see it.

I rate Zullo as one of the best wing-backs in the comp. The way he gets down the left and his delivery into the box is excellent. Also the service he got last year from Jordi Buijs with the long raking ball from right back to left wing was awesome. Hope Taylor has that delivery in his bag of tricks.

I would not be surprised if Rudan is the man to motivate Burns out of his form slumber.  Burns was not benched last season but Rudan may want to challenge him to get back to his best form by playing Williams instead. Sometimes that is all that it takes.

Have you ever wondered why Burns chose to return to Wellington? Maybe he hoped we would be far more forgiving than some other club, and we would allow him time to recover his form while another club may have let him go sooner. I have nothing against that as long as the gamble eventually pays off.

Burns knows we really like him here, for sure. Williams seemed to be right in the mix against Victory. Burns as an impact player to start is fine. Don't think Krishna should rest on his laurels either.

I think this post is way too attacking. Can't see Rudan playing so many words up front

Any word on the use of flares yet? Might have to do a bulk Aliexpress order if approved unless theres a safe vendor to purchase from.

Krishna was quite despondent at times last season. Often not even celebrating when he scored, I put this down to the coaching dynamic at the time. Am really hoping to see the old Krishna back and hope that Rudan is the person to bring out the best in him. Same goes for Burns, best thing would be to see him bang in a few quick goals then I am sure the confidence will return.

The Guardian Season Preview

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2018/oct/18/a...

No doubt he'd be watching. Just make sure it's *Johnny. His name is Johnny.

They have to be controlled by a registered pyro technic person. So the club is buying them and setting them off. But they are yellow and black, and apparently have arrived. 

I love FFA sanctioned fun, don't you? Can't wait for them organise each clubs cheer squad.

Referee: Daniel Elder

Assistant Referee 1: Mark Rule

Assistant Referee 2: Andrew Lindsay

Fourth Official: Ben Abraham

VAR: Nick Waldron

Wellington Phoenix squad: 1. Filip KURTO (gk), 4.Mandi 5.Ryan LOWRY, 6.Dylan FOX, 8.Mitch NICHOLS, 9. Nathan BURNS, 10. David WILLIAMS, 13. Liberato CACACE, 14. Alex RUFER, 15. Michal KOPCZYNSKI, 16. Louis FENTON, 18.Sarpreet SINGH, 19.Tom DOYLE, 20.Oliver SAIL (gk), 21.Roy KRISHNA, 22. Andrew DURANTE (c), 23. Max BURGESS, 27. Steven TAYLOR **two to be omitted**

Unavailable: Nil

Newcastle Jets squad: 1.Glen MOSS (gk), 3.Jason HOFFMAN, 4.Nigel BOOGAARD (c), 5.Ben KANTAROVSKI, 6.Steven UGARKOVIC, 7.Dimi PETRATOS, 8.Jair, 10.Ronald VARGAS, 11.Mitch AUSTIN, 13.Ivan VUJICA, 14.Kaine SHEPPARD, 16.Nick COWBURN, 17.Daniel GEORGIEVSKI, 20.Lewis ITALIANO (gk), 22.Lachlan JACKSON, 23.Matthew RIDENTON, 28.Patrick LANGLOIS, 44.Nikolai TOPOR-STANLEY **two to be omitted**

Unavailable: 9.Roy O’DONOVAN (suspension – 8 rounds), 18.Johnny KOUTROUMBIS (illness – TBC), 24.Joe CHAMPNESS (foot – TBC), 32.Angus THURGATE (international duty)

I look forward to Ernie replacing Moss with Italiano at half-time, so we can put a goal past each of them in each half.

The only thing the Guardian got right in the 17/18 preview was Sydney finishing top. I note they have unsuprisingly not given placing predictions this year.

Four games in charge of the Nix, 2 draws and 2 losses. Only one before at Westpac was one of the draws

OMG, Italian is on the bench for the jets, all we need is something to happen to Moss and we have won. 

So looking forward to this Sunday. Have always thought Rudan was the guy to lift the benchmark. Yeah we might lose on Sunday, as we are always slow starters, but have a feeling that we will win well. If not, Newcastle will have to play out of their skins.

Rudan has identified the issues around lots of Kiwi players (re attitude), which is totally correct in a NZ football culture which unfortunately is very 'middle class' - which up until now -  has made it far too easy for Kiwi kids to progress to this level - and obviously with no rewards.

Many of us have lived and worked in Australia, and know how this works. They(Oz) kill for success - and we don't.

Just hope Morrison leaves Rudan alone to do his work.

OMG - if we do translate Rudan's dream early, then this we will become a hot ticket.