Total Football FC (Nix) vs Roarcelona, 10:30 pm 1 Jan

Totori to start? Cameron Lindsay on the bench?

TAB offering $5 for a Nix win and 3.40 for a draw.  Betting ends soon...

Edit: I mean Tuesday 1 January.  Silly holidays. 

Will be interesting to see how the new style copes with Brisbane's possession game. It could be like that Victory game from earlier this season all over again.

Absolutely.

Not!

But can't change the thread title.

Herbert suggesting Totori may start.

yesss...strange although it worked in round 1.

 A high of 30 on game day, so should be down to 25 by  kick off.

2 day hop booked.

 Totori is best coming of the bench. Keep the same lineup

I'm keen for a Totori start. This guy has not yet shown what he is capable of. My instinct is that 'when it rains, it pours' in terms of Totori scoring goals. 

He is not an impact player, he needs more time on the pitch to be effective. It will be a different story now that he has started hardening up to the physicality of the A league.

Flying to Brisbane tomorrow. 

Yeah mate, only a block away from my accomodation. Ideal.

Still don't fancy Totori as a starter as much as he has execeded my expectations. Too much of a wildcard to play for 90 mins, don't think he's there yet. Would like to see him get a decent half hour and see how he goes.

would love to see manny muscat dropped in favor of tom biss. i really think he'd more effective. thought he was fantastic against heart in round 2. also think that cameron lindsay needs to start getting his chance of the bench

Biss can't play, for exactly the same reasons that Basalaj can't play. I'm getting a bit sick of all the 'Ricki should play the Academy boys' posts. In case you hand't noticed, they are hardly doing amazingly well with the TeeDubs.

Agree that if Totori plays it's surely for one of the 'front 3'. I assume Totori will basically play in a wide role. Totori is obviously dangerous, has created stuff when he's come on for us so I think is deserving for a starting spot. He's not a complete player and will lose the ball many times and frustrate people, but then, that's like most A-League players really! 

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/8130163/Kiwi-Messi-Marco-Rojas-sets-A-League-alight

Via the Hyundai A-League Big 5 Questions:
"Here’s the thing about Ricki Herbert, no matter what the conundrum he finds a way to win. The man has a brilliant football brain."
This had me in stitches.

The ref is Tim McGilchrist, who is making his debut. The same ref from that 'Handbags in the Hunter' pre-season game.

Looks like Manny will get his 5th Yellow card then !!!!

 interested to see what lindsay does/doesnt have to offer

I would love to see Lyndsay get some time in the next few games. OK he was crap-ish in the TW Nixette games but so was everyone including Smith and Totori. He has played OK in other games I have seen.

One thing he does do is move and pass well....possibly better than Lia IMO. Our new "total football, arf arf" style desperately needs someone who can move the ball better through midfield. Lia was OK against Heart but he always plays well when there is no pressure and Heart provided zippo! I just think he lacks the skill to really make a difference in those big games when the pressure is really on ...his game tends to fall apart and he starts to pass poorly and give away dumb fouls.

There is a possibility that Lyndsay might be a better option in CM to link the defense to the attack....I guess we will never know unless we try it.

It is the same starting line up

Biss has not stood out with Tee Dub - from memory

I thought Biss looked promising against the Heart. 

Eddy Grant - Gimme Hope Totori.

I want to see him prove his worth.

Game day, fire up!

Whats the weather for tonight?? 58 degrees?

Shame its so late...might watch a replay instead!  Cmon Nix.

Can't see Cam Lindsay making the match day squad over Lia or Smith, but here's hoping.