WPM R5 vs Melbourne City | Sat 25th Nov | 4:30pm | Mt Smart

theaucklandphoenixfan

Tim Payne playing a full 90 today for the AWs. Won’t get back until Friday NZ time at least. Defenitely won’t be starting on Saturday. 
Al-Taay into right back and Old starting in midfield?

Paulsen didn't get minutes but can't imagine he can start either after that long flight, timezone differences, etc.

Edit. Also Surman in a similar boat to Paulsen.

siac

theaucklandphoenixfan

Tim Payne playing a full 90 today for the AWs. Won’t get back until Friday NZ time at least. Defenitely won’t be starting on Saturday. 
Al-Taay into right back and Old starting in midfield?

Paulsen didn't get minutes but can't imagine he can start either after that long flight, timezone differences, etc.

Edit. Also Surman in a similar boat to Paulsen.

If Duncan is still ill, Paulsen is definitely in goal. I'll imagine AP starts regardless. He'll arrive Auckland sometime tomorrow. All of Friday to recover before a Sat night game. He's young. Not an outfield player, he'll be okay.

coochiee

siac

theaucklandphoenixfan

Tim Payne playing a full 90 today for the AWs. Won’t get back until Friday NZ time at least. Defenitely won’t be starting on Saturday. 
Al-Taay into right back and Old starting in midfield?

Paulsen didn't get minutes but can't imagine he can start either after that long flight, timezone differences, etc.

Edit. Also Surman in a similar boat to Paulsen.

If Duncan is still ill, Paulsen is definitely in goal. I'll imagine AP starts regardless. He'll arrive Auckland sometime tomorrow. All of Friday to recover before a Sat night game. He's young. Not an outfield player, he'll be okay.

From a quick look at flight schedules, if he's departing Dublin Wednesday their time the most direct flights are Dublin-Doha-Akl - Arriving 4am friday or Dublin-Dubai-Akl arriving 11am Friday, so would have ~36 hours to get the body clock sorted and rested up. 

Behich a full game, but MacLaren just a cameo off the pine (on in the 93rd min for Duke) as the Socceroos win 1-0 over Palestine in Kuwait. 

https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2023/11/21/asia/wc-qualifying-asia/palestine/australia/4191009/

Doloras

Cycling is our family's main form of transport (big electric cargo bike, fits 2 kids and a bunch of groceries), so going on main roads doesn't faze us. All we need to know is whether there's a bike rack to tie the thing up outside (with our heavy-duty locks). I don't want to trust Auckland trains, lol.

Unfortunately there aren't any parks around there - a few sign poles that usually get used if you feel comfortable doing that.
Otherwise there are racks in Onehunga and could bus along? Less than ideal, especially from a council-owned venue. 

With Lachlan Keevers as referee

WEL: 1 win, 2 draws, 1 loss

MCY: 0 wins, 0 draws, 0 losses

Last time we beat MCY?

Sat 15/02/2020 - Eden Park

Where is fever pregame?

Worst fears realised. Zawada out with a groin injury.

Ranix

Worst fears realised. Zawada out with a groin injury.

We'll still win. But downgrade my forecast from 3-0 to 1-0.

I worry more about Zawada losing his form because of this injury. However we do need to learn to play with and without him and will be a good test for the rest of the team this weekend.
COYN

Wellington Phoenix squad: 3. Finn SURMAN, 4. Scott WOOTTON, 5. Fin CONCHIE, 6. Tim PAYNE, 7. Kosta BARBAROUSES, 8. Ben OLD, 10. David BALL, 11. Bozhidar KRAEV, 12. Mo AL-TAAY, 14. Alex RUFER (c), 15. Nicholas PENNINGTON, 18. Lukas KELLY-HEALD, 19. Sam SUTTON, 24. Oskar VAN HATTUM, 25. Jack DUNCAN (gk), 26. Isaac HUGHES, 40. Alex PAULSEN (gk), 42. Fergus GILLION, 43. Matt SHERIDAN, 52. Jackson MANUEL

Two to be omitted

Ins: 25. Jack DUNCAN (gk) (returning from illness), 43. Matt SHERIDAN (promoted).

Outs: 9. Oskar ZAWADA (injury), 30. Alby KELLY-HEALD (gk) (omitted).

Unavailable: 9. Oskar ZAWADA (injury), 23. Luke SUPYK (U-17 World Cup)

Melbourne City squad: 1. Jamie YOUNG (GK), 2. Scott GALLOWAY, 6. Steven UGARKOVIC, 8. Hamza SAKHI, 9. Jamie MACLAREN (C), 10. Tolgay ARSLAN, 11. Leo NATEL, 16. Aziz BEHICH, 17. Terry ANTONIS, 18. Jordon HALL, 21. Alessandro LOPANE, 22. Curtis GOOD, 25. Callum TALBOT, 26. Samuel SOUPRAYEN, 33. Patrick BEACH (GK), 37. Max CAPUTO, 38. Harry POLITIDIS, 44. Marin JAKOLIS, 46. Ben MAZZEO, 53. Sebastian ESPOSITO.

Ins: 18. Jordon HALL, 38. Harry POLITIDIS, 46. Ben MAZZEO, 53. Sebastian ESPOSITO (all promoted).

Outs: 4. Nuno REIS, 35. Zane SCHREIBER (both injured).

Unavailable: 4. Nuno REIS (quad), 7. Mathew LECKIE (knee), 15. Andrew NABBOUT (achilles), 34. Arion SULEMANI (ACL), 35. Zane SCHREIBER (knee), 40. James NIEUWENHUIZEN (hamstring).

Oh that sucks. Who comes in for him? OVH?

Crap. No Zawada & Payne unlikely after a heavy international workload. 😬

Is there a stand down period for Luke Supyk from the U17's or are they not back yet? Seems odd, he would have been my pick to come in.

My predicted lineup now
4 Al-Taay Wooton Kelly-Heald Sutton
3 Pennington Rufer Old
3 Kraev Barabarouses Ball
Can’t think of anything else other than this
+ AP in goal
Only potential change, Surman starting CB (unlikely after AWs Duty) pushing LKH to left back and Sutton back to the bench 

Even if all our defenders are back and ready for selection, I'd feel a lot better with Sutton starting at LB. No shade on Kelly-Heald, but some games need players with a little more experience!

I hope surman is ok to play but I don’t think he will be. Kind of agree with you but in this situation there isn’t much of a choice.
Good test to see how LKH plays especially if he’s at centre back with the individual quality city have. 
**I think chief will try his best to get surman in the squad but will probably be facing some major jet lag

Well, this looks like it has all the makings of a real drubbing for the male-Nix. Will probably only come in for the women's game.

Doloras

Well, this looks like it has all the makings of a real drubbing for the male-Nix. Will probably only come in for the women's game.

On one hand, I agree. You should spend your time where you think you will get enjoyment.

But imagine the "sexist, misogynist" shouts if someone said this about the woman's team over the last 2 seasons when they were shark 🤣

Zawada out 2-3 weeks

time for the other goal scorers to step up, Kraev, Kosta, Ball,, and hopefully someone off the bench 

It's a big step up from U17 football to the ALM, but Luke Supyk will come into the mix from next week. OVH under a bit of pressure now to contribute, otherwise he risks slipping down the queue.

If Clayton Lewis can start tonight, I'm sure our three are good to play tomorrow!

Oi Oi Edgecumbe

If Clayton Lewis can start tonight, I'm sure our three are good to play tomorrow!

Surman & Paulsen yes, as like Lewis they basically didn't play any or many mins for the AWs. Their legs will be fine. But Payne is a different story. 180 gut busting mins up & down the flanks in 4 days.

Game day, fire up etc., anyone have any idea of what sort of crowd is anticipated? 

imanixsupporter

Game day, fire up etc., anyone have any idea of what sort of crowd is anticipated? 

Using my really terrible guessing skills by looking at the tickets still available, looks around 10k 

Let's go!

Is there a fever pre match bar?

Turfmoore

Is there a fever pre match bar?

YF posted on facebook some place called Lilyworld 

Best Wishes to both Nix teams for today. Thinking of you whilst I am at work.

Looks about 7k to me

billyspleen75

imanixsupporter

Game day, fire up etc., anyone have any idea of what sort of crowd is anticipated? 

Using my really terrible guessing skills by looking at the tickets still available, looks around 10k 

Fire Up 🔥!

Your Nix Starting XI powered by @OPPONewZealand 📱

▪️ Ball becomes Mr. 1⃣0⃣0⃣ (apps) and replaces Zawada in the Starting XI
▪️ Duncan, Conchie, van Hattum and Academy player Sheridan come onto the bench

Kickoff is at 4:30pm (NZT)

🎟️| https://t.co/p6ClJdHRuZ#COYN! 🔥

💛🖤 pic.twitter.com/vIjoVwBzOz

— Wellington Phoenix 🔥 (@WgtnPhoenixFC) November 25, 2023

Good test for the returning All Whites - You want to be in that All Whites environment? Well you've got to be out there doing it on a Saturday.

Some important lessons will be learnt today in how you look after and manage yourself with these short turn arounds going from International to club footy in the space of a few days.

Payne might get a bit gassed towards the hour mark, but I don't think there will be any worries surrounding the other two who've just returned to the country.


COYN! 🔥🦅

🔥🔥🔥 Fire up 🔥🔥🔥 

Good luck out there today lads. Hopefully we see some long missed goal scoring form from all our forwards since we're without Zawada. Kosta deserves a goal with all his hard work! Kraev to score more!! 

Doesn't look like the jafas have shown up in force

How poor is that crowd.

3-5-2 lineup, tired payne as a rwb? I like the shape but thats tough on payne

Jeze, cheeky dink there. I like it

I like Ball for his work rate, but Fark me he can’t finish at all…