Wairarapa United coach Phil Keinzley says his team will place the emphasis on their counter attacking abilities in their Chatham Cup semifinal with Bay Olympic in Auckland on Saturday.
It's all part of a plan aimed at not only keeping Bay Olympic's powerful front runners under wraps but also providing Wairarapa
United's own strike force the chance to use their speed and flair to pose problems for what is reputed to be an equally powerful Bay Olympic defence. Bay Olympic lead the Northern Region premier division by 10 points and won the title with three games to spare.
"From what we've seen and heard of them (Bay Olympic) we need to take a balanced approach. If we go out there with all guns blazing and make mistakes, we could find ourselves in big trouble," Phil Keinzley said. "Patience is the key. We have to realise there might be only two or three prime scoring chances and we have to make the most of them."
So intent is Keinzley on quelling the fire in the Bay Olympic attack, he is considering going into Saturday's game with a five-pronged midfield and having Seule Soromon as the sole striker.
"The midfield is where this game will probably be won or lost and having five instead of the usual four players there could help in that regard," Keinzley said.
Unfortunately for Wairarapa United, it seems Miroslav Tvarohone, of the contenders for a midfield berth, might not be on deck. Hopes were he would have arrived back from the Czech Republic by now but he has not been sighted or heard from and Keinzley is resigned to not having him on board.
That being the case, it would seem Adam Cowan, Nathan Cooksley, Pita Rabo and Carl Shailer will be virtual certainties for the midfield starting positions with Dale Higham and Nobuyishi Ishi contesting the remaining berth.
The pacey Higham probably has the inside running but Ishi, who can also play at fullback, was impressive in the 2-1 Central League win over Olympic last Sunday and has given Keinzley a strong second option.
As to the Bay Olympic tactics, Keinzley expects them to try to fully use the advantage they will have in both speed and height and to push forward on a regular basis.
"They are probably the best club side in the country right now and you'd expect them to play that way. They'll be going out there, backing their ability to put us away without too many worries."
