Soccer: Knights set to joust with league leaders

John Adshead admits soccer is a numbers game but he is not getting too carried away with playing it.

The most important numbers are goals scored and points won. On that count the New Zealand Knights can do better. But then, the three goals they have scored are only two fewer than leaders Adelaide United, who they play at North Harbour Stadium tomorrow.

It is the other numbers game that brings added intrigue - the formation coaches pin hopes on.

"Sure, we went out to play 5-3-2 last week, but it is only a starting point," said Adshead. "Football systems are just that - a system.

"There will be changes. A coach is always looking for an advantage; in trying to get eight [players] forward, say, when the opposition only has seven defending."

Winning is about scoring, and the Knights have to want to give themselves the best chance of doing that, he said. That is where he feels a little let down in losing 1-0 to Perth last weekend.

"In the second half we did not do well. We did not utilise the conditions. We should have been more aggressive."

Adshead is full of admiration for the Hyundai A-League leaders who come to Auckland as the only unbeaten team after five rounds.

"They have been superb," said Adshead.

Whether or not the Knights will have an added hurdle with the likely introduction of ace striker Fernando Rech remains to be seen.

Adelaide have the coaching talent to get the best from a team who, before kick-off, hardly rated a second look. Between them, coach John Kosmina and assistant Aurelio Vidmar played more than 150 games for the Socceroos.

Adshead yesterday named his side. Josh Rose, who has the flu, has been left out as has defender Frank van Eijs, with a calf strain. Simon Yeo and Steve Fitzsimmons return to fill those spots.

* North Harbour Stadium, 6pm tomorrow

Team:
Danny Milosevic, Darren Bazeley, Ronnie Bull, John Tambouras, Neil Emblen, Steve Fitzsimmons, Ben Collett, Simon Yeo, Sean Devine, Zenon Caravella, Josh Maguire, Noah Hickey, Xiaobin Zhang, Naoki Imaya, Glen Moss.