The Wellington Phoenix will be hoping the old adage of there being no place like home holds true when they host in-form Western Sydney Wanderers at Westpac Stadium tomorrow.
After two losses on the road to Brisbane Roar and Melbourne Victory, the Phoenix badly need three points to get their season back on track.
It isn-t as if they are playing poorly with their first half performance in Melbourne the equal of any they have produced away from home all season.
Unfortunately in the last few games the usually reliable Phoenix defence, so often their rock, has conceded sloppy goals, while goals at the other end have been in short supply.
Coach Ricki Herbert is confident that his side can turn things around, starting tomorrow.
“Western Sydney have been on a good run that has seen them climb the ladder, but if we play as we did in the first half last week there is no reason why we can-t take the points,- Herbert said.
“We have set our stall out to play a different way and I-m happy the way we are progressing, but we need to start scoring goals.
“When you aren-t scoring it puts pressure on the defence and that is an area we have to get back to where it was.
“Too many goals have been conceded just before the halftime break. We need to concentrate to the last minute.”
The only change from the loss in Melbourne sees the return from suspension of Tyler Boyd with Benji Totori, who had a lively game last week, dropping to the bench.
Wellington Phoenix: Mark Paston, Leo Bertos, Ben Sigmund, Andrew Durante (captain), Tony Lochhead, Louis Fenton, Vince Lia, Dani Sanchez, Tyler Boyd, Stein Huysegems, Jeremy Brockie. Substitutes: Benji Totori, Alex Smith, Cameron Lindsay, Griffin McMaster.
