R24 vs Adelaide United | Sun 7th April | 7:00pm | SS3

I look at that squad and think: "what a great bunch of players".  Just needs Fenton.

Has there been anyone else the history of the Nix with such a (positive) reversal of the supporters views on a player, than Fenton from the beginning of the season until now?

Does this not sound ominous to anyone else?

Probably sounds ominous to Nathan Burns

kept under wraps until the Grand Final ?

Tonight on Police Ten 7..

Kurto

Kopa    Lowry     Dura    Cacace

           Mandi      Rufer

                 Singh

Krishna                Burgess

Willo

I'd be happy enough to see that, but agreed, be surprised if we changed it up to a back 4

Taylor was on Radio Sport earlier in the week and pretty much gave the all clear and said it was up to Rudan what the make up of the defense would be as they guys who have filled in have performed so well.

I find a lot of these formations hilarious. 

When has Rudan deviated away from 3CBs and 2 WBs this season? Why does anyone think he will deviate away from it now when it has served us so well this season?

Becuase we don't have any fit wingbacks

I wouldn't be surprised to see Stensness thrown in at LWB.

maybe he is playing at RWB

Libby is two-footed so shifting to the right should be doable, is Stensness left footed?

I like the idea of Burgess TBH. His energy and work rate suits the role.

He set up the winner by Krishna V WSW at Allianz so he is more than capable.

It was a superb pass. And his solo goal couple of weeks ago was not a fluke either.  Same with a couple of Fenton's crosses.  If I saw them (or our highlights of this season so far) on TV one season ago I would have probably thought I was high and delirious.

Stensness is right footed but maybe 70% with left.  Along with Burgess, he has a big engine, work rate second to none, is a player who can cover a lot of ground effectively.  Runs about 12 klm a game.

I think too he is stronger defensively, which may be a factor if Adelaide decide to attack down that flank. 

I think the last two pages have summed up the tactical brilliance and football nous of certain feverites brilliantly 

Thanks AucklandPhoenix. 

@thenixcoachingcollective

Isn't there some European team that's owned and managed by fans/members?
New management model for the nix?
If Rudan leaves hive mind for manager?

DK talked to Rufer about playing RB in order to get game time last season, could put him there and play Burgess in the middle if you want to keep him starting. I would rather start Elliot myself.

Nope. He won't be back. His Nix playing days are over.

COYN

I hope we won't do that tbh. Rufer's really earned his place in CDM this season and has got a good partnership with Mandi going. Like the idea being floated for Burgess playing there, but imagine we'll probably wind up putting Elliott in there. 

Lowry's far too slow to play that position, so we can rule him out. 

Elliot play well enough when he came on, would hope we have a clearly defined 'plan b' if things start to fall apart though.

'Train together play together win together' - https://twitter.com/WgtnPhoenixFC/status/1113922638823301121

Is Burns in this pic? Doyle is wearing 9.

And - just saying - is that Lowry in 16?

I'd expect Lowry Taylor-if-fit Durante Golec-or-Kopa Cacace to make up a back 5. Not opposed to a back four though.

Who can name them all, from right to left please...

Why? Don't they already have names?

Very few signs of firing up. Not even a whiff of smoke, come on people! 4 in a row, COYN

Meh

Where is the positivity @

Not sure on some and probably just plain wrong on others but...

Waine (8), Gulley or Burns (32), Jones (30), Stensness (also 32), Kopa (15?), Burgess (23), Kurto??, Sail??, Singh 18, Elliot 17, Williams 11, Shepherd, Doyle (9), Lowry (16!), Krishna 21, Cacace 13, Golec, Mandi, Taylor (also 30), Durante, and up front, Rufer 14.

Missing: Fenton; Burns or Gulley. They tend to wear their own numbers so it kinda looks like the 9,16, and 8 shorts were spare...

Was in fact Burns wearing number 9 this season?  

He was in his previous stint with us, but not  100% this was the case now.

Players are super confident and Adelaide can’t score. I can’t see a reason why we should not steamroll them. Even in a case Adelaide get a bit of mojo back, we force a win with our confidence and tactical genius of Rudan.

3:1 for us. 100% Trust me.