KEY POINTS:
Ricki Herbert refuses to point the finger solely at his defence for the errors which have cost the Wellington Phoenix dearly in their last four A-League outings.
"It is not about the back four conceding goals," said Herbert from Perth last night ahead of tonight's crucial clash with
Perth Glory. "It starts at the front and goes through the midfield to the back.
"But we have to shake the shackles of worrying about the defensive frailties and get out and show how well we can play.
"We have addressed a lot of things including how we have to get back to being the enterprising, attacking side we want to be."
There will be changes for tonight's game.
Goalkeeper Mark Paston, given a first start in Adelaide, is sidelined with a neck spasm. Glen Moss, who has missed just the one game, will return. Paston's injury meant a quick call-up for back-up goalkeeper Jacob Spoonley who joined the team late yesterday.
Defender Steve O'Dor is troubled by painful wisdom teeth and is a doubtful starter which would leave Steven Old to partner Karl Dodd in central defence.
Captain Ross Aloisi has a minor back strain but should start in midfield where he likely to be joined by Tim Brown, Vince Lia and Ahmad Elrich leaving the attacking duties with Shane Smeltz and Daniel.
"We have to work hard," said Herbert. "And that is in everything we do.
"We are not making the most of set play opportunities. It appears around a third of the goals in this league have come from set play - freekicks and corners - but we are nowhere near that. Just as we have struggled to defend opposition set plays."
This is a game both teams have targeted to turn fading seasons around.
The Phoenix want to snap a four-game losing streak while Perth have gone 17 games without winning.
GLORY v PHOENIX
Perth
Tonight midnight live SS1
PERTH (FROM): Tando Velaphi, Nikolai Topor-Stanley, Simon Colosimo, Jamie Harnwell, Dino Djulbic, Anthony Daze, David Micevski, Billy Celeski, Leo Bertos, Nikita Rukavytsya, Jamie Coyne, Mitchell Prentice, Jimmy Downey, James Robinson, Jordan Simpson, Tommi Tomich.
PHOENIX (LIKELY): Glen Moss, Jeremy Christie, Steven Old, Karl Dodd, Tony Lochhead, Ross Aloisi, Tim Brown, Vince Lia, Ahmad Elrich, Daniel, Shane Smeltz. Substitutes, Jacob Spoonley, Steve O'Dor, Richard Johnson, Felipe, Vaughan Coveny.
