R4 vs Melbourne Victory | Mon 31 Oct | 9:50pm | SS2

Time to turn our attention to next Monday and hope Finkler and Kosta can perform despite the predictable booing.

One of my concerns is that we do not seem to have the legs to last a whole game (unlike say Perth).  Is this an issue of what players we have, or is this a question of how are the players looked after? (our fitness / conditioning coaches).  

Consider that the entertaining Adelaide - Victory game last weekend was played with high intensity till the end. I would not expect our current team to have that. On the other hand, our loss against Sydney had less to do with physical fitness as such but with a mental ("the final whistle should be about right now") lapse in attitude.

MV will have played the FFA semifinal against Melbourne City (Tue 25th) before they play us. Does not sound likely either Melbourne side will take it easy and a good crowd is expected. Chances are this game may have an impact on their fitness next Monday night (not that it mattered to Sydney FC last week).

I've really enjoyed watching Tratt play. Maybe it's because of our traditionally low standard of fullback, but I think he could turn into quite the player given he gets minutes and coaching needed.

Quality fullbacks... wouldn't have dreamed of it a year or two ago!

Hate this fixture, think we have only won once...

And yet it was his player who was free at the back post to tap home the winner.. 

And someone else's player who was even more free to lay it on for him.

I hope noone targets Manny! Well.... just a little maybe

Wrong Melbourne

fixed

They should be alright on the bench

Melbourne always score 3 against us at home

Oh yeh whoops!

MV Nil - MC 2 FFA cup

Lia made team of the week... guess we will be seeing him start again.

I hope we win

Phoenix gameplan for the day: "score at least four, all into their net"

Litfin and Lowry are in the team heading across. Doyle, Fox, ARod and Rogerson only squad members not travelling. 

http://www.wellingtonphoenix.com/photo-gallery/wel...

Parkhouse/Lowry v Rojas

http://www.wellingtonphoenix.com/photo-gallery/wel...

Squad for the game. No A-Rod again

Doyle and ARod hammy, no reason for Fox not being selected.

http://www.a-league.com.au/article/hyundai-a-leagu...

Seems like Rufer and Ridenton are above A-Rod in the pecking order now, good for NZ I suppose that local youngsters have pushed an import off the bench.

Valeri ruled out for Tards due to 'soreness'

Sore losers!

A-League website has A-Rod with a hamstring injury. As good as Rufer and Ridenton may be, A-Rod in my opinion is still better (statistically the best passer in team) and deserves to be at the very least on the bench when fit.

Agreed, especially that he is a visa player so we would like him to be on the bench if fit.

Ups and downs in form affect anyone so they may be on the bench rather than start, but a fit visa player not in the game squad would be an example of poor "human resource management" in my books.

Don't necessarily agree with that.  The coach should pick the best match-day squad available to him no matter where the players come from.  A separate question could definitely be asked however as to why a visa player can't get in that squad.

A Rod is better in Ernies eyes... how do we know, has Rufer got off the bench in the last two games. A Rod has always made it off the bench!

Haha, I look for this post in every match thread. Gets me everytime

I was basing it in the fact that Rodriguez wasn't in the squad for the last game and also for this upcoming game yet he want reported as injured until now.

I see your point, but not sure if I can embrace it - I do not think this is a "separate" question.  A visa spot is a limited resource. A visa player who is fit may of course not always get to play every game (depends on the game plan for a particular opponent, or which of our other players are on the park etc).  If a fit visa player does not make the bench regularly (let alone at all) then we miss out on a potential recruitment that may require a visa (cheap Spanish fullback anyone?).

I accept there will be moderating factors - if the said visa player is young (still developing), likely to stay for a while, and does not cost an arm and a leg, then sure I will not complain much. I believe all these criteria apply to A-Rod, if not someone may want to correct me.

I don't think any of those apply 

Our squads are limited resources, there is a limit to the squad size, a limit to salaries we can pay, etc. The foreign player allowance is just one limit of many.

Yep, I completely agree (which is why I had that third sentence asking why a visa player isn't getting into the squad i.e. it isn't the best use of resources).  

Unless you are Melbourne City

I suspect the club doesn't look at it in those simplictic terms. I think what people are saying here makes sense, it is so clear that there is no way the club wouldn't see that themselves. More to it or they would of got rid of him surely?

I get the impression that we just snapped up Finkler when he became available without thinking about what our first choice midfield would look like (Riera was still contracted at that point too). It was just a "he's good, let's sign him before someone else does" moment. A-Rod may well have been a starter if Finkler wasn't here and WeeMac was our no10-type player

True story. If Finkler had scored a couple and played well, no worries about young Alex being on the bench to sub him at 65-70. In fact it might have looked brilliant. But because Finkler has been lame as with the team, it's the opposite.