Soccer: Luckless Phoenix due for big win

Phoenix coach Ernie Merrick. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Taking the law of averages into account, the Wellington Phoenix should beat someone 5-0 in the next couple of games.

A team just simply can't create as many chances as they have in the past few weeks without finishing them.

Penalties, open goals, speculators - they've missed them all through either hitting it at the keeper, some sharp work from opposing custodians or their own lack of execution.

It was the same story on Thursday night when Wellington had the better of the Central Coast Mariners at the North Sydney Oval but came home with a 1-0 loss.

Wellington had 16 shots - 10 of them on target - to the Mariners' 11, while Central Coast goalie Liam Reddy also saved a second-half penalty from Stein Huysegems.

Phoenix coach Ernie Merrick has admitted he is frustrated with his side's inability to find the back of the net but has continued to take the positives out of their near-misses.

Wellington host Sydney FC at Westpac Stadium tomorrow in a game that almost shapes as a "must-win" if they want to head for the playoffs.

It has become nearly comical how unlucky - or bad - the Phoenix have been in front of goal but Merrick remains upbeat.

"I think law of averages is a nonsense," Merrick laughed. "I don't believe in Newton's [laws of motion] either the way things are going and Einstein got it all wrong."

But Wellington have to be more clinical when the pressure is on in front of goal. They've scored only nine times in 10 games this season, one of which was a penalty from Carlos Hernandez, and the likes of Jeremy Brockie and Huysegems need to provide Merrick with more.

Brockie has butchered two golden chances in the past couple of games and his confidence has clearly taken a hit since he had a penalty saved when playing for the All Whites against Mexico last month.

Huysegems has looked strangely lethargic when shooting in recent weeks and he has continued to succeed in only hitting his shots straight at opposition goalkeepers.

Hernandez missed the loss to the Mariners because of a thigh injury but Merrick was confident he would play tomorrow, despite suggestions the Costa Rican is unhappy about the delayed arrival of his family .

For all of Wellington's struggles on attack, Merrick seems reluctant to delve in to the free-agent market and has ruled out signing All Whites midfielder Chris James, who scored twice against Mexico last month.

He also stubbed out suggestions that Kris Bright could be coming.

Bright, 27, a striker who has appeared six times for New Zealand at senior level, is in Auckland on holiday and is looking for a new club after his contract ended with Finnish Premier Division outfit IFK Mariehamn.

"We haven't been looking at Kris Bright and I am pretty sure if someone comes up in January it will be unusual," Merrick said.

"I'm pretty happy to work with the squad that we've got, I think we've got a good squad."

Merrick's faith in his troops can't be questioned but right now they're a squad without a win from 10 games this season and are anchored in the bottom tier of the A-League ladder.