R4 vs Melbourne Victory | Monday 3rd Nov | 9:30pm

Might only be a training exercise.....buuuuuttttttt  Doyle vs Barbarouses.....hmmmm. I think Manny would be a better bet in trying to close him down. Victory would see Doyle as a major point to attack. Not blaming the kid as he is still learning but Manny for Doyle might be horses for courses.

Is Fenton a better defender than Doyle?  I remember last year's game vs Victory in my nightmares...

Certainly quicker, which Ernie may feel we need, and Kosta has mainly been playing down the right, so it makes sense to have our strongest 1v1 defender there.

With the developments of the cards, this certainly mmakes this a game there for us giving a decent account of ourselves and the sniff of a chance. It certainly has removed the certanty of yet another loss there and replaced with with a just maybe instead.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/10681364/Spaniard-Riera-is-vital-for-Wellington-Phoenix

Coach Ernie Merrick indicated he was unlikely to tinker greatly with the side that have started all three games this season.

Should he go with the same XI against the Victory, it would be the first time the Phoenix have ever fielded an unchanged side four games in a row.

A positive story about the Phoenix. Just wow.

I'm not to worried, it won't be easy, for sure. I think we have a solid lineup, Roly, Rodrigez and Riera are good hard working midfield, Doyle gets better and better. If we use the chances like in the last game, we might even win. But I don't think they will make more than four goals. I go for 4:4 draw ;-) I can't wait for the game.

perhaps a double typo..should have been pollantics..misuse of MVP poll to get back in squad?;>)

Doyle has to start if he is the intention to be first choice left back, and tbh any other options aren't a great deal better, and I have faith in the boy...and besides he may cough one up, but he's not the only line of defence and we need to score more goals to win...

TAB has reduced Nix to $4.80.

Grrrr

"Merrick shows inflexibility and no imagination with the same line up"

Sack Eddie

Bugger! Just heard on the Adelaide v City pre-game that Berisha, Delpierre and Thompson should all be fit for Monday.

There is if you stream it :)

delete

They may or may not be - comments on the pre-game were probably just based on the Victory news release that they've been named in an extended squad in case they improve enough - but there are also other players named to cover them (with two to be omitted come game day):

http://www.melbournevictory.com.au/article/cup-eve...

"Melbourne Victory has named an extended squad for Monday's Cup Eve return to AAMI Park.

Despite injuries to three players in Wednesday night's FFA Cup loss, Victory has named Besart Berisha, Archie Thompson and Matthieu Delpierre, who all succumbed to injury during or before the match in Perth. Kevin Muscat is expected to give the trio until the last minute to prove their fitness, with a Monday night fixture looming.

Victory will lose two defenders for the clash, with Adrian Leijer and Daniel Georgievski both suspended for one match after picking up red cards in the FFA Cup Quarter Final."

It's not been too bad- I said in the game before last that we would win 3-0. We scored three goals. The trouble was that one was for the opposition. I still got the result right though.

Last game I predicted 3-1, as it was until dododododododo scored in extra time to ruin it. I expect I was the only person at the game (with Steve) to say "Bastard" as I cheered. I still got the result right, though.

I've struggled a bit with predictionising for this game, and always thought there will be goals, and until tonight had 2-2 in mind. Then I saw Muscat on TV (as usual) and thought "it's time we taught that gobshite a lesson". As I said at the start of the season, THIS IS THE BEST TEAM WE'VE EVER HAD, so here goes-

THE Prediction is here!

Male born Muscrats 1 The Mighty Phoenix 2

We have many more goals to come for the Black and Gold, and are just beginning to settle as a squad, so always remember-

We are the Mighty Phoenix! We can beat anyone!

Any post containing the word gobshite gets a this from me.

Gobshite

I said it first. Gobshite :)

Gobshite 

Gobshite

Gobshite

Gobshite

We don't care, we're driving cadilacs in our dreams?

I wrote a preview of this match for Football Central. You can check it out here: http://footballcentral.com.au/phoenix-in-search-fo...

Thoughts/compliments/hate mail more than welcome.

Gobshite!

:-)

Gob-smackingly good Patrick!

just confirmed on Twitter, Archie is fit to play, but Berisha and Delpeirre are out for Monday's clash!

I propose the anti-this button - "gobshite!"

Huge. Delpierre is their one top defender and Berisha is their best player.

Huge. Delpierre is their one top defender and Berisha is their best player.

Huge. Delpierre is their one top defender and Berisha is their best player.

I reckon Delpierre is their least gobshite defender and Berisha is their least gobshite player.

That sort of screws me over in fantasy football. Anyway Delpierre, Leijer, Geria, Georgevski and Ansell all not playing means that their defence will be make shift. If we are ever going to beat the Victory this would be the time to do it.

Never underestimate Melbourne at home to us. Never

I'm not - Melbourne are still probably favourites. I'm just saying this is a good of a chance as we are going to get.

Imagine Krishna is on the bench instead.