R19 v Sydney FC | Fri 2nd Feb | 9.45pm | SS3 | #Dura279

Hopefully that's Mierzejewski in that picture^. He needs a good kick up the backside.

So, on a positive side......

.... at least it's not like we are at risk of playing Sydney FC "into a winning form", which is what we do for mediocre sides like Adelaide.

Hopefully they're tired of constantly winning and we can scrape a draw.

I hope Keegan Smith plays. Italiano has shown yet again that he isn't A-League standard. Smith probably isn't either, but at least he has a chance of getting there and time on the pitch can only help.

I don't think playing Smith is going to make an ounce of difference, neither he nor Italiano are up to being a starting keeper in the league, and giving a young NZ keeper experience is not what the Nix need to be doing right now. We need to be winning and fighting for a top 6 place at least. Sadly I don't think having to rely on Italiano with the current defensive set up is going to get us there.

Top 6 aspirations are gone now. I'd happily drop Italiano for Smith so we can actually try and develop a player who has shown signs of being able to improve. Italiano's been this shark for a good 4 years now.

I don't think Smith would improve our chances of top 6 this season. I don't think he would hurt them either (in comparison to Italiano), so its no loss to give him time on the pitch to develop. 

Italiano was never given a real run in the team and understandably too. Too inconsistant. During a game he will make a couple of quality saves which really are good, but then ........ I think he has probably reached his level of achievement in the A League - back up and bench warmer. Shame as I had hoped he'd kick on when he came to the club.

We will beat sydney.

Easy

Really? I’d hate to see the team give up and play kids for the rest of the season when they’re just 5 points off the top 6. 

I'm certainly not advocating we chuck out Rogerson, Rufer, McGarry and Singh to start every match, because that would be silly.

Is Krishna back for this game??.

Burns and Krishna? As I said before- play to the whistle!

Italiano can claim crosses and thump the ball over half way when required. Good enough for now if we defend and score consistently

Smith's strength was when we were playing out from the back a lot. Is that our plan now? 

Sail maybe? Just 22 so very young for a keeper, never had first team football so who knows how he'll handle it - I'm willing to take a punt though

Think it would make Italiano feel like trash though, I mean he must be feeling horrible after letting the ball roll between his legs and getting booed, getting dropped could hurt

What's the worst scoreline against the Phoenix?
Would be under threat in this match.

Didn't they put 7 past us with Del Piero?

Found this

Biggest defeat: 7 – 1 v Sydney FC, 19 January 2013


Hopefully the Nix can score more than 1 goal

I'd put Singh in goal just so he sees some game time!

WE WANT 2!

He didn’t get booed

I remember that game, this must be one of the worst performances. Ricki was throwing drink bottles at halftime.

He did by me.

but probably one of the best ever against us, Del Piero was absolutely superb that day (although we did allow him the space to be), think he got 4 goals and 3 assists

There was booing. It was directed at the Adelaide player who celebrated with a gesture in front of the zone. 

Did he show the crowd how big the 5 hole was.

So we need to play like Central Coast did recently?

Sydney aren't the quickest team; try to get in behind them on the left side; Wilkshire isn't that quick at right back.

We actually share something with Sydney FC. The Mariners are the banana skin team for both Sydney and us.

Drop Kalu to the bench and play a front 3 of burns Krishna and Patterson?

How fun would that be

WE WANT (to concede less than) 7!

Patterson won't be here and able to play until game against WSW according to Piney

Roy Krishna again unavailable for Phoenix this week @ALeague

— Jason Pine (@pineyzb) January 31, 2018

Whelp, we are doomed then

rip

Referee: Kris Griffiths-Jones

Sydney FC squad: 1.Andrew REDMAYNE (gk), 2.Aaron CALVER, 4.Alex WILKINSON, 5.Jordy BUIJS, 6.Josh BRILLANTE, 7.Michael ZULLO, 8.Paulo RETRE, 9.BOBÔ, 10.Milos NINKOVIC, 11.Adrian MIERZEJEWSKI, 14.Alex BROSQUE (c), 16.Anthony KALIK, 17.David CARNEY, 18.Matt SIMON, 19.Chris ZUVELA, 21.Charles LOKOLINGOY, 26.Luke WILKSHIRE, 30.Thomas HEWARD-BELLE (gk)

**two to be omitted**

Wellington Phoenix squad: 1.Lewis ITALIANO (gk), 2.Daniel MULLEN, 3.Scott GALLOWAY, 4.Goran PARACKI, 6.Dylan FOX, 7.Nathan BURNS, 8.Matija LJUJIC, 10.Michael MCGLINCHEY, 12.Adam PARKHOUSE, 13.Marco ROSSI, 14.Alex RUFER, 19.Tom DOYLE, 22.Andrew DURANTE(c), 23.Matthew RIDENTON, 24.Logan ROGERSON, 26.Liberato CACACE, 30.Keegan SMITH (gk)


**one to be omitted**

i think youll find we will play a 5-3-2 again.