Vs Melbin B Wed 5th (Kids Free)

He'll be in your nightclubs, cutting one from the herd.

If he is not playing that is a pity, as love him or hate him he does bring in a few more fans.

Maybe in Melbourne.  Here?  No chance.

Not all of them, Phoenix just on 3news. Eyeing Victory, Lochead is back, ect.
I'm sure they only make news stories for games they can produce lame puns for...

I have to say Im a little dissapointed Ricki is wanting to revert back to a 433/451.

But for me, I would go for DMac. Simply because hes got the size and is in a little bit of form. Greeny hasnt looked to be scoring for a while and unfortunately just cant play in this formation.

Lame puns and stupid intros are news values in themselves.

hopefully the wrong moosecat will still be out on the tiles

what time is KO

7pm I think.

Honestly....can't you use google.

It's 7:30

Muscat being rested is bad news for us - he is easily their worst choice at CB. Leijer/Vargas are sh*tloads better together.

+1

- 1

0

                    Vukovic
Troy      Sigmund    Durante    Lochhead
              Muscat (that's better)
                   Brown
Rojas                                   Ward
              D-Mac      Greenacre

Subs: Crowther, Pavlovic, Lia, Musa.

mate it's 5  in the mmorning and I'm fkn amped. bring on  tonight - Nix all the way fool!

Hoping to get this game in tomorrow, we really need it.

This would be awesome, Toto for Musa though, if he's fit. We've got defensive cover in Lia and Muscat.

Oh Dear.

I feel a prediction coming on....................

Yes! Fire it up!

Stripeys at the ready! Mine is already on full display! See you at the fever zone tonight!

Official Facebook and Twitter has Phoenix playing tonight with 3 upfront.

Yeah which also means 1 striker and 5 midfielders in Ricki terminology

More of a 451playwithFire2011-01-05 11:22:33

Team needs less Lia, and more 4-4-2

Oh well hopefully the Vinnie the Thug will rack up another yellow, and then Ricki wont be able to put him into the squad, forcing him to play 4-5-1.

I feel sorry for Greenie (if he gets the start)

Thats if you call Ward and Rojas strikers or midfielders. I'm gonna go for the latterplaywithFire2011-01-05 11:26:16

FIRE IT UP!!!

http://www.a-league.com.au/default.aspx?s=newsdisplay&id=37900


Stakes high for Phoenix
Tuesday, 4 January 2011
by Emma Stoney, Sportal

The stakes are getting higher for Wellington Phoenix as the business end of the Hyundai A-League season gets into full swing.

With just eight games remaining, including away fixtures against Central Coast, Brisbane, Adelaide and Sydney, Phoenix skipper Andrew Durante admits the pressure is on to make the finals series for the second successive season.

With the top four all but guaranteed a finals berth, the battle is on between the two Melbourne teams, Wellington and Newcastle for the remaining two spots.

Victory, who play the Phoenix in Wellington on Wednesday night, and Heart are in the driving seat in fifth and sixth respectively after recent wins.

Newcastle's loss to Sydney on Monday night has afforded Wellington some breathing space � but only if they pick up the points at Westpac Stadium in what will be coach Ricki Herbert's 100th Hyundai A-League game.

"It's a big game for us," said the Phoenix captain. "Both Melbourne teams winning their last games have really put the pressure on us."

"We're back at home and we know what's riding on this. There's not many games left in the season and we are desperate to be in these semi-finals."

"It's almost a must-win for us. We've really got to go out there and take it to them. Our last result at home (4-0 win against the Jets) was fantastic and we're going to try and replicate that."

After his start from the bench in the 1-1 draw with North Queensland Fury, Durante will return to central defence in place of Jade North, who is on Asian Cup duty with Australia.

The Phoenix should also welcome back Tony Lochhead to the left-back role after three months out recovering from groin surgery.

"He's worked extremely hard getting back from his injury and he's got back in pretty good time as well," Durante said.

"He's going to give us the balance on that left-hand side that we've been lacking over the last few months."

Lochhead's return allows Manny Muscat to shift to his preferred position just in front of the back four where he will have the job of trying to contain last year's player of the year, Carlos Hernandez.

"He's a key man," said former Victory midfielder Nick Ward. "If you leave him spare and he gets found he will turn and hurt you.

"But I think Manny has done a good job on him in the past so I'll be hoping he does the same thing and keep him quiet then the likes of Danny Allsopp don't get the service."

Ward, who returned from a knee injury to set up Dylan Macallister's equaliser against North Queensland Fury, is expected to start out wide in place of Leo Bertos, who is struggling with a groin problem.

"You always want to play good against your old team. I've got a lot of really good mates there. It will be a good game to play in," the 25-year-old said.

"I used to play out wide for Victory. I'm pretty comfortable there. I like playing in the middle and being involved but being further out wide there are a few more chances to get into the box and create things and I enjoy it."

And the key to defeating the Victory, who will be without strikers Archie Thompson (injured) and Robbie Kruse (Asian Cup duty)? "Probably for us, getting down the flanks against them and getting good service into the box for our strikers," said Ward.

"That's where we seem to hurt teams. We've got late runs from Tim Brown, he's been on fire. And Macca (Dylan Macallister) as well. We have got to give the service to them."

Gameday.Ya f**king hoo.Drinkies anyone?

all good, but we need all 3 points! without Kruse and mustkat maybe we have our best chance as long as we take it... I sure hope we play well. We're bringing along a Finnish student, so want him to see the Nix in full form! 

Just off to buy beers now! See ya at the bencher!

Bencher it is i guess

You sound drunk already mate

Rojas is a winger, i'd say. Ward is more of a midfielder though.valeo2011-01-05 13:25:50

I don't like 4-3-3 but so be it. I think we can still perform and put them away. I'm sure we will still have the option of bringing Greenie/DMac off the bench to put 2 strikers up there for 4-4-2, Lia for Greenie? something like that.
Hopefully Dmac starts, seems to have hit some form, has height we need for this formation.
Good Luck Boys
Got the Phoenix!!!

A few pages back... but assuming this

PAX at 1.30pm - 8069.  Big queue at the Phoenix store with a 20 minute wait in line!

Yes! Thats exactly want we want! haha!
Still 5 hours before kick off.. I can't wait that long.
What am I supposed to do before then..

Practice shirts off?

Yeah a 433 is pretty much a 451.

Just that the nix saying they are playing three strikers is a wee bit deceiving

Weather seems to be improving but i doubt it'll be too warm come kick off