Herbert to turn Wellington defence into New Zealand attack

New Zealand national team coach Ricki Herbert plans to go out on the attack in tomorrow’s ultimate World Cup qualifier against Bahrain.

Herbert, who also coaches the A-League’s Wellington Phoenix, believes the All Whites are much better suited when they are searching for goals and not trying to stop them.

The Phoenix have produced an A-League record seven-straight draws this season which indicates Herbert’s penchant for closing teams down as he did against Bahrain in the first leg in Manama, but tomorrow evening in Wellington we will see a more attacking New Zealand formation.

"In the four years I have been involved with this team I have seen enough to convince me that we have been the most successful when we have been on the front foot," Herbert said. "We perform to our potential when the intensity is high.

"We have been able to match some of the best teams in the world when we have taken the game to them, been aggressive, not so much in a physical way but more in our intensity. In that mood we have given ourselves the best chance to win."

Herbert’s assistant Brian Turner believes the best way to defeat Bahrain is to put them under huge amounts of pressure.

"They are all okay technically," he said. "They are an okay football team, make no mistake.

"But whether they can travel 10,000 miles and play the same is another question. We have to give them no room, no space and put them under pressure."

He also said New Zealand was not even contemplating Bahrain's away goals advantage.

"The bottom line is that we have to go out and win a game of football. Do that and who cares about away goals?" he said.