All Whites v China Nov 15th 12:25am SS1

Game still highlights our weakness in holding midfield role. Vicelich clear number one at moment but he's not mobile enough. I don't see any obvious future replacement once he retires.

 Have not seen the game but I reckon it was a good result. Never easy playing in China.

Think you mean pedant hat

I quite liked that formation, I thought it looked good especially given it was a first up effort.

I was actually disappointed with the result... we did more than enough to win, and should have at least 4 goals... never mind half chances, there were 3 absolutely clear opportunities that should have been buried... even their goal was disappointing to concede, but I guess evened out by Paston's save at the end... 3-0 at halftime to us would not have been unrealistic...

Don't want to sound all "glass half empty", but these are games we should win... on one hand I guess it shows how things have progressed, in that a few years ago a draw away like this would have been considered really good... whereas I watched that (bleary eyed, granted), and just felt frustrated that we weren't finishing the chances that were on a plate and coming away with a comprehensive result against a team we were better than...

Am still not sure how Cam Howieson is the the obvious replacement for Ryan Nelsen in the squad... good player that he is, I don't really understand how an attacking midfielder takes the spot of a central defender... but then I'm not a UEFA licensed coach, so I'll defer to the experts!

Overall, enough in the game to suggest a focused performance and better finishing will get us past New Caledonia and into the playoff...

another draw......

Sack Ricki?

Looking at the side that played last night, makes me think Brazil is probably a bit early to expect much from them. But I'm looking forward to Russia when most of this squad will be near their peaks.

Still not sure why Ricki didn't play Bertos at RB. Thought Keat actually looked quite good. Came back to get the ball and distributed it reasonably well forward, as opposed to browns pass it straight back to central defenders. He obviously needs more time, but far more exciting than someone like Vicelich.

Would like to see

          Wood

Kosta Smeltz Rojas

         Weemac

       Keat

Smith Nelsen Reid Bertos

i found it depressing that herbert was happy with the performance. 

i really do wish tim brown was still in the side. tommy smith as captain just doesnt sit right especially with the guy obviously struggling for him. his confidence looks shot at the mo

Think Bertos is one of the players in yellow card trouble, while Sigmund is not.  So if Leo got suspended at some point in the future, Sigmund would be the obvious replacement.

Personally I would have thought he play as many of his players with card trouble as possible. (Sigmund has one from the last game) Tell them to get the caution, miss one of the away games and play the home qualifier to clean up and be free for the home away series with the concacaf side.

Next set of games in home then away.  So if we are a few games up against Tahiti with 10-20 to play can see players trying to get cards so they miss the dead rubber in the Solomons.

Hence why it's such a joke of a system. 

Wood, mcg and Rojas had decent games with the back four. Keat was fairly poor, Payne alright.

I missed the banter about Mulligan.

Do you think he'd be passing the ball worse than Keat?

considering our inexperience in the midfield without Elliot or Brown, it couldn't hurt to have him in the squad. he's got good experience of being in the squad!!

(prepares for lynching)

Decent result. What do the ricki haters think?

can someone please tell me what kosta's best position is? 

he's fast, his work rate is good, he has a nice touch, but constantly gives the ball away which undermines all of his good qualities

ok, i've watched 42 mins so far and we are clueless with the ball and loose without it

the good thing is our shape, we have improved a lot in this regard

Keep watching it gets better.

i think our shape was right, possibly push marco and kosta up slightly so they have more freedom to take risks

NZ Football: Statement on Kea China breakfast
November 16, 2012
AUCKLAND – New Zealand Football (NZF) wishes to clarify its position regarding the Kea China breakfast in Shanghai following the All Whites and China international match played on Wednesday, November 14.
Prior to the match a meeting was held between diplomatic representatives from China and New Zealand with no NZF involvement.
From this meeting a request was made for All Whites players and officials to attend a Kea breakfast in Shanghai the morning after the match.
The request was initially declined, with a compromise proposed by NZF to hold an exclusive autograph session for Kea members at the Official Training Session the night before the match.
This request was subsequently declined by the China Football Association.
NZF fully supports Kea’s activities in China and across the world, and the All Whites have attended Kea functions in the past and will continue to do so in the future.
NZF was unaware that the breakfast had been promoted on the Kea China website and that the All Whites were expected to attend and apologises to the fans that turned up to see them.
NZF chair Frank van Hattum attended the breakfast on behalf of the organisation, and as an immediate remedial action the All Whites signed shirts and other memorabilia to be distributed to the fans who attended the breakfast.
NZF will now look to coordinate further opportunities for interaction with Kea China.

in response to this...http://www.odt.co.nz/sport/football/235141/football-all-whites-no-show-disappoints

Whining ex-pats. 

Some communication breakdown if NZF weren't aware of it.  Sounds to me like someone over there failed to contact NZF.

"New Zealand Soccer is never going to win the hearts and minds of the New Zealand population if this is the attitude they are going to take. Everyone of course is making comparisons with the All Blacks. They would have turned up with some of their number."

- what a knob end.

"The reality was they went out to the M1nt Bar nightclub and couldn't make the effort to turn up for this breakfast. The All Whites were paid by MFAT to play in this game and, as ambassadors for New Zealand, should have been able to muster some of their team to turn up.

Doesn't sound correct to me.

What - the night club or paid by MFAT?

Don't blame the players, that's just stupid.

NZF, well it wouldn't surprise if they managed to forget to organise something

Do you think that the notice for the KEA breakfast is sitting with Glen Moss's red card appeal?

so, during a busy week of football - 3 matches in 7 days for most of the squad - they think it's a good idea to hit a nightclub?

even if they weren't drinking, a late night alongside the extensive travel would hardly provide the catalyst for a good performance this weekend

big sam, probably one of the most scientific of english coaches in terms of player preparation, will be fuming

Only in NZ does one guys online complaint make the back pages...I know things are quiet but there must be something better to talk about after a game in which 3 or 4 players made their debuts in new positions and we did well for the first time with 4 at the back