R8 v Adelaide United | Sun 1st Dec | 8:00pm | SS7

It always goes well in Adelaide.....

RIP optimism 

Just reminding y'all the last time we won in Adelaide, Tyler Boyd scored for us... That's how long it has been.

And also it was my birthday - NYE game :)

I expect a close game. The Reds are good but we made some progress since the start of the season.

We should do ok to not conceive a lot of goals. Would be nice to win this for once.

Nice sponge cake, I note she's cut herself a piece.

Maybe this was Royz attempt at optimism?

I wouldn't, it would take another 8 months to score one!!

Every time we play in Adelaide I think of that cod Neumann diving.

This made it a little better:

OMG I'd forgotten all about that! Thanks for ruining my Thursday! :))

Referee: Adam Fielding
Assistant Referee 1: Paul Cetrangolo
Assistant Referee 2: Josh Mannella
Fourth Official: Daniel Elder
VAR: Kris Griffiths-Jones

Adelaide United squad: 2.Michael MARRONE, 4.Ryan STRAIN, 5.Michaël MARIA, 6.Vince LIA, 7.Ryan KITTO, 8.Riley McGREE, 10.James TROISI, 11.Kristian OPSETH, 14.George BLACKWOOD, 16.Nathan KONSTANDOPOULOS, 17.Nikola MILEUSNIĆ, 18.Lachlan BROOK, 20.Paul IZZO (gk), 22.Michael JAKOBSEN (c), 23.Jordan ELSEY, 26.Ben HALLORAN, 27.Louis D’ARRIGO, 30.Isaac RICHARDS (gk), 35.Al Hassan TOURE
**2-3 to be omitted**

Ins: 18.Lachlan BROOK (promoted), 26.Ben HALLORAN (returns from injury)

Outs: Nil

Unavailable: 31.Mirko BOLAND (knee), 36.Noah SMITH (foot)

Wellington Phoenix squad: 1.Stefan MARINOVIC (gk), 2.Liam McGING, 3.Luke DEVERE, 4.Te Atawhai HUDSON-WIHONGI, 5.Matti STEINMANN, 6.Tim PAYNE, 7.Reno PISCOPO, 8.Cameron DEVLIN, 9.David BALL, 10.Ulises DAVILA, 11.Jaushua SOTIRIO, 13.Liberato CACACE, 14.Alex RUFER, 20.Oliver SAIL (gk), 21.Callum MCCOWATT, 23.Walter SCOTT, 27.Steven TAYLOR (c), 31.Ben WAINE, 32. Sam SUTTON, 88. Gary HOOPER
**2-4 to be omitted**

Ins: 4.Te Atawhai HUDSON-WIHONGI (promoted), 23.Walter SCOTT (promoted)

Outs: Nil

Unavailable: 16.Louis FENTON (shoulder)

Any news on Fenton? They said he doesn't need surgery, but how bad is it? 
And what are the chances of him doing a repeat of a couple of years ago when he came back from a similar injury and soon after ended up needing surgery?

That poor lad has had such bad luck with injuries - really feel for him!!

Fenton has returned to contact training but won't travel to Adelaide

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/a-league/117685775/wellington-phoenix-set-to-unleash-gary-hooper-on-redhot-adelaide-united

I hope we don't rush Hooper. I know we need him but I'd rather he came on in the second half than start and then hobble off injured.

I must say I'm not comfortable with the FEAR HOOPER line coming out. If he was really as devastating as that we wouldn't be bragging because we wouldn't want our enemies to prepare. It's probably meant to encourage the fans to turn up / tune in, but it's probably going to lead to massive disappointment when he doesn't pull out George Best / Maradona antics on the field.

I'd say let him come off the bench this week and hope for no injuries and then start him at Eden Park next week.

I feel like with him, because he didn't have a real pre-season, it almost doesn't matter when we throw him in - the risk of injury would still be similar. With the position we're in, we kinda need to win.

It's all a ruse to distract the opposition from the real target man (Steven Taylor)

Agreed, we should be saying he's fudgeing hopeless 

C'mon Doloras

I wana win in Adelaide.

Brisbane is not Adelaide (this season) but we've seen some encouraging signs for us to have a competitive season, despite my initial resignation reasoning that this is a season of rebuilding.

At least the weather in Adelaide tomorrow looks ok, as far as our English strikers coping with extreme heat goes. 19 degrees with showers.

Its gonna be a good match!

70% chance of rain at kick-off, 40km/h winds. Hooray, you boys really did bring the wind, the rain and the Phoenix to Adelaide!

Lets send Perth to the spoon position.

40 mh/h winds is a gentle breeze in Wellington 

Cmon you Nixxxx

will there be a pod episode before kick off tonight? I’m always interested in their analysis and score predictions 

Looking forward to a good performance to end another solid sporting weekend.

Gunna be bold and say 2-1 Nix, and that would have to be an almost complete performance - but to be honest I'd happily take a point in Adelaide, it's been an absolute graveyard for us over the years.

All this talk about Hooper being unleashed, but hopefully this just allows Uli a bit more space and freedom in that #10 role. 

COYN!

Fire Up!

also there's no way Hooper is fit enough for a full game. Can't have two players with license to not defend

30% chance of rain now, hope it keeps going down ?

Piscopo selected ahead of McCowatt. Otherwise is the same starting XI as last week.

So we're unleashing Hooper...right onto the bench.