R10 V Central Coast Mariners | Sat 13th Dec | 5pm | Eden Park | Faltering Fullback

Yes game day! Thinking 4 -1 to the us.

Heard a pretty interesting thing on Radiosport yesterday (sorry if this has already been covered). Apparently they need 18,000 people to show up to Eden Park "if they want the Phoenix to return and play more games there".  I understand it's got to be economically viable for the Nix to play away from Welly... but I just thought the way it was said was a bit... threaty. Just my opinion, feel free to disagree and whatnot :)

so not only are they threatening Wellington fans, now they are threatening Auckland fans. Great way to alienate ones fan base. New Zealanders just don't like this type of intimidation.

latest weather forecast up there says 48% chance of rain this later afternoon. Anyone in Auckland, what's it like, dow we need to bring coats?

I thought the number was 13,000?

threats or not if Auckland do not get 18000 through the gate they don't deserve another go.

otherwise big win on the cards this evening. 4-0 is my pick

saturday has come...

What do people think of these quotes from Ernie.  I think we certainly play like we spend 90% of time on attack!  I'm kind of torn, I'm just not sure we can outgun the best teams…we'll win today though, easy

"Anyone that says to me about keeping a clean sheet . . . I'm not interested. They've got the wrong coach if they want a clean sheet, that's not our priority," Merrick said yesterday.

"Our priority is playing attacking football where you can score goals. With eight goals in two games and two of the top goalscorers in the league, we're on the right track. It's about consistency now."

Auckland has proven a happy hunting ground for the Phoenix while the Mariners, who languish eighth on the table, haven't won since the opening round.

It's been a rare tag in the past, but this is a fixture the Phoenix enter as favourites - and Merrick says they'll handle it one way and one way only.

Attack.

"They're [Mariners] backs are to the wall and they're pretty keen to get a result. They're a good team, and they're always top of the table. Every year, they're written off. Every year, they finish up near the top of the table. We don't expect this to be an easy game," he said.

"They defend their own half very well and break forward quickly. We're going to counter their counter, that's the plan. It's exciting. I think a scoreline of 4-3 I would prefer than 1-0.

"It's always good to have a clean sheet, don't get me wrong, but the goalkeeper's employed to do a job. Our defence are pretty solid, the midfield are protecting them but Roly Bonevacia, Michael McGlinchey, Alex Rodriguez . . . they're just joining in the attack non-stop.

"The last thing I want is our strikers like Nathan Burns or Roy Krishna to be chasing wingers and fullbacks down into our third. If we get the ball, we know they're free, we know they're lightning fast so we can fast break or play possession-type football and go forward.

"We've been looking at some defensive errors and continually trying to improve. There's areas we can improve, particularly in midfield, service to the strikers, fullbacks tucking in and defending behind centrebacks, we've been working on that.

"But 90 per cent of our training is about going forward - attacking play. We've scored eight in the last two games, so we've got the first one and gone for another and gone for another. That's how we'll play whilst I'm here."

It's very unsubtle.  You can deliver the same message in a different way

That's what I heard on TV3 news.

Re the quotes - I think these are fine in that he has the players that can do this, but based on the rounds to date we will struggle against the Tards and Perth... have yet to be fully convinced that we can't pick up points against Adelaide.

I also think that with all the expectation and confidence about beating the CCM NewCo/OldCo it has real banana skin potential.  The team needs to be ruthless about this game, but I don't think we have played a game where we have dominated over the entire time and in fact have looked rather average/vulnerable in the opening stages.

I am most concerned about this kit we will be wearing...

Pack the Stands - show your support Auckland

Pretty cloudy up here already, and considering how quickly it can go from cloudy to thunderstorm in Auckland, coats would be a good idea. By the sounds of things it's more likely to be showers on and off rather than bucketing down for hours. That's just a guess though, who bloody knows with Auckland.

Pretty cloudy up here already, and considering how quickly it can go from cloudy to thunderstorm in Auckland, coats would be a good idea. By the sounds of things it's more likely to be showers on and off rather than bucketing down for hours. That's just a guess though, who bloody knows with Auckland.

Cheers for that, packs Nix jacket just in case.

He plays where he wants

He plays where he wa-a-a-ants

Michael McGlinchey

He plays where he wants.

I'm still firing up

I do also feel this game is a banana skin.  I think it will be closer result than we think.  I'm sure sydney, Brisbane and Central coast hope we lose.

COYN (in size 72 font)

Fire up, you flockers !!!!!

common lads

Just got tickets so nomeans can have them.

Thanks bwtcf

Where is the feverzone this time? 

Hope you bought them

Eastern stand 309/10

Hope the weather is not as bad as it looks on the radar.

DID YOU KNOW?

This is the eleventh Phoenix “home” game to be played outside of Wellington and the fourth in Auckland, with games also taken to Christchurch (3), Dunedin (2), Palmerston North and Napier. The Phoenix have won six, drawn three and lost just one of those games.

Read more at http://www.wellingtonphoenix.com/matchcentre/Well...

Sorry to annoy some of you, but I'll see you at the Fullback in a couple of hours.

David Dome and Ernie coming up on radio sport

See you all in there. Loud Noises, PHOENIX

Firing up like nobody's business! Get amongst it!!!

Game day, cant wait,  we need the points.  CCM always make us work hard, will be a close came I think

Ridenton & Italiano played for Wee Nix by the sounds of it so who's in?

Smithy was busy tweeting Sail puns for the WeeNix game (subbed on in the 2nd half) so presume Italiano is still on the bench.

(Can Italiano play in both games?)

I wondered that as well

He must be or else who?

Got chatting to a nice couple in Phoenix gear on the train from Britomart who had come over from Australia for the game to watch their son. Turned out they were Manny Muscat's parents.

Cool

I agree with the comment re the first 30 min vs mc we were shark also Newcastle could of had 3 vs us I don't think wwe are as good as we like to think we are. Certainly not of the class of the top 3 sides. But we have potential and are getting better. As with last week if we really any good we should nail this one.

Does anyone have a live thread for this game please?