Soccer: Herbert will want more discipline

Wellington Phoenix coach Ricki Herbert will be looking to put out the strongest possible team to play Central Coast Mariners on Friday night. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Already tearing his hair out at the silly indiscretions which have had four players red-carded in as many games, Ricki Herbert will not want it to become five when his team returns to Westpac Stadium to play Central Coast Mariners on Friday night.

A week later the Wellington Phoenix face the most daunting of all trips - to play defending Hyundai A-League champions Brisbane Roar.

For the first time, Herbert must surely be looking to put out the strongest possible team without having to overlook players serving suspensions.

Brisbane again underlined their undoubted strength and favouritism with a 7-1 romp at Suncorp Stadium in the fourth round opener. It was a record win for the Roar who have twice won 5-0 (over Newcastle and the Phoenix) and a record loss for United.

Yet, for all their domination and the four-goal haul for showy Albanian Besart Berisha, Brisbane coach Ange Postecoglou is unhappy - though certainly not with his players. Postecoglou said thousands of Brisbane fans had missed the opportunity to witness one of the most dominant displays by a domestic sports team at Suncorp Stadium, as the Roar stretched their unbeaten streak since September last year to 32 games.

Postecoglou, who has built an attacking machine - 13 goals in the opening four weeks - is not arrogant but his pride for his players took over after their win.

"There's no shame in accepting that this is a very good side," he said. "We don't have to apologise for how good we are and I don't think other people should either. I think it's great for our code." Herbert would love to be in that position.

Again, against a Melbourne Victory side who turned up in Wellington still looking for their first win of the season, he watched in despair as his team gave as good as they got, at times even better, but they failed to turn half-chances into goals and were left lamenting on what might have been.

Despite losing for a second time Phoenix, now down to seventh, are still only five points behind Perth (in second). Get their discipline sorted and Paul Ifill back from injury and the Phoenix will be back in the contest.