Singh needs to get out of Hansa at the end of the season. They must be mad if they can't see how good he is and give him decent game time.
All Whites v Egypt | Sat 23rd March | 9:00am | FIFA+
Pnjacker had to make the tackle though.
Lewis didn't track and left him free.
Lewis didn't track and left him free.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/350215916/questionable-penalty-sinks-all-whites-against-egypt
Changes I'd make game 2
In - Bindon, Rufer, Old & Barba
Out - Pijnaker, Lewis, Garbett & McCowatt
Might as well give the 3 Nix guys a chance to see what they can do. They have all been out of the AWs awhile, so a few extra training sessions should hopefully have them closer to ready. They will also have the club combination thing going on.
I thought Lewis played well, especially later in the game. Was a great inter change between him & Singh to create one of the AWs few really strong chances (for Libby/Mata).
But everyone's clamouring for Rufer - so yeah lets see what he can do at the international level. Stamenic to push a bit further forward without Lewis.
Garbett was scratchy but that's not surprising given he's hardly played the last 6 weeks after dislocating his shoulder.
And re the lack of goals (or a goal) yet again, it's hardly a surprise. Apart from Barba in the ALM, and Mata now back in the LOI there is no one in this squad scoring regularly in club football. So might as well give in form Barba, a start ahead of McC to see what he can do. But it's far from a given it will be any better, Kosta's scoring record over a long time for the AWs is poor.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/350215915/all-whites-forced-make-changes-settled-front-six-against-egypt
Changes I'd make game 2
In - Bindon, Rufer, Old & Barba
Out - Pijnaker, Lewis, Garbett & McCowatt
Might as well give the 3 Nix guys a chance to see what they can do. They have all been out of the AWs awhile, so a few extra training sessions should hopefully have them closer to ready. They will also have the club combination thing going on.
I thought Lewis played well, especially later in the game. Was a great inter change between him & Singh to create one of the AWs few really strong chances (for Libby/Mata).
But everyone's clamouring for Rufer - so yeah lets see what he can do at the international level. Stamenic to push a bit further forward without Lewis.
Garbett was scratchy but that's not surprising given he's hardly played the last 6 weeks after dislocating his shoulder.
And re the lack of goals (or a goal) yet again, it's hardly a surprise. Apart from Barba in the ALM, and Mata now back in the LOI there is no one in this squad scoring regularly in club football. So might as well give in form Barba, a start ahead of McC to see what he can do. But it's far from a given it will be any better, Kosta's scoring record over a long time for the AWs is poor.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/350215915/all-whites-forced-make-changes-settled-front-six-against-egypt
These friendlies we need to take some risks with blooding our younger CBs and trying different tactics up front. Whatever they've been doing doesn't work. We play posession until the 1/3 then hoof it in as if Wood is playing. We need to open up space and shoot from in and out the box.
Cacace great game, class above the rest. Mata wasteful in front of goal, Garbett is not up to this level…bring back Rojas. NZ look like a team ranked 103 where as I’ll eat my socks if Egypt are really ranked 36.
He has the potential - but is also not a wide midfielder, but more of a box to box player.
I don’t get people saying we dominated. It’s almost exactly like the Nix. We had possession, but couldn’t get in the box, apart from one time when 3 defenders and the keeper shut it down.
They had 3-4 very good chances. Mata had a good chance for us.
It felt like they coasted, until their subs came on late and they played more possession. I don’t think we dictated anything in the game. I felt we were naive and offered little with the ball. Cacace felt like the only one to break through. None of the triangles etc we played we Wood.
Garbett has been just about the only player in white to score outside Wood. And long ago McCowatt.
To me it felt very different to my memory of Hay games where we could hold possession and move the ball at pace. We struggled to score, but we were in charge. Here I felt they sat off us so we had the ball and didn’t put any significant pressure on our players until fairly deep in their half.
I’m not sure at all what our transition attackers from the Nix would add. Or Rufer particularly if they just let us have the ball. I felt Lewis was on his own most of the time, whereas Rufer usually plays with a plus one bolting the gates.
It was a confusing and frustrating game for me. The only thing I really enjoyed was Crocombe. I thought he was fine with his feet, despite what others are saying. I want to see Bindon and Surman play together.
I don’t feel we react tactically to anything. We didn’t really try to draw them out and get in behind. We couldn’t play through the centre. We couldn’t play up the right. So we went to Cacace a lot, just to get him to cross in. We didn’t combine much with him. He didn’t cut in early and he didn’t get in the box where he could shoot. He was stuck fairly solidly to the line out wide most of the time. Tactically we had no capability and nothing much to offer. That’s how I felt about the whole thing. We were never in the game.
They had 3-4 very good chances. Mata had a good chance for us.
It felt like they coasted, until their subs came on late and they played more possession. I don’t think we dictated anything in the game. I felt we were naive and offered little with the ball. Cacace felt like the only one to break through. None of the triangles etc we played we Wood.
Garbett has been just about the only player in white to score outside Wood. And long ago McCowatt.
To me it felt very different to my memory of Hay games where we could hold possession and move the ball at pace. We struggled to score, but we were in charge. Here I felt they sat off us so we had the ball and didn’t put any significant pressure on our players until fairly deep in their half.
I’m not sure at all what our transition attackers from the Nix would add. Or Rufer particularly if they just let us have the ball. I felt Lewis was on his own most of the time, whereas Rufer usually plays with a plus one bolting the gates.
It was a confusing and frustrating game for me. The only thing I really enjoyed was Crocombe. I thought he was fine with his feet, despite what others are saying. I want to see Bindon and Surman play together.
I don’t feel we react tactically to anything. We didn’t really try to draw them out and get in behind. We couldn’t play through the centre. We couldn’t play up the right. So we went to Cacace a lot, just to get him to cross in. We didn’t combine much with him. He didn’t cut in early and he didn’t get in the box where he could shoot. He was stuck fairly solidly to the line out wide most of the time. Tactically we had no capability and nothing much to offer. That’s how I felt about the whole thing. We were never in the game.
Cacace great game, class above the rest. Mata wasteful in front of goal, Garbett is not up to this level…bring back Rojas. NZ look like a team ranked 103 where as I’ll eat my socks if Egypt are really ranked 36.
He has the potential - but is also not a wide midfielder, but more of a box to box player.
A failure to use one of our most potent attacking outlets properly. And he probably had too many minutes.
There was a 2 pass sequence where Crocs played a short pass a bit behind Pijanker who had to rush to stop it going it out, Crocs gets the ball back then his longer pass the other flank is a bit over hit, so Ingham has to jump high to keep it in, nods to no one and we lose possession. Harsh on Crocombe I know, but I remember that clearly.
But yes overall it is great to have a mistake free keeper, after continous nervous costly gaffes from Sail & Woud. Also looked like Crocombe got a vital fingertip to that rocket Egyptian shot that hit an upright. Feels like Paulsen is the no 1 in waiting, but he's still very young & inexperienced by international keeper standards. His real chance will come in Paris.
Sure they were missing Salah & another big name player (I can't remember), but we had our EPL striker out. We may not know who they are, but their players are better than ours. They are 36 in the world, and Salah didn't get them there on his own. They have some of the biggest, most successful clubs in Africa. They were playing at home and had basically been in camp for 2 weeks. Hopefully we can score in Game 2, but it's been an Achilles heel for years now (not creating many clear cut chances against the bigger teams) and it's unlikely to change quickly.
Oh and Libby & Ingham (especially) had to be careful not to bomb too far forward, they always looked very dangerous on the counter. I thought most of the 2nd half we were in the game, but like a broken record we lack that final killer pass. However Singh's freekick into the cross bar, plus him & Lewis combining beautifully to see both Libby & Mata have shots blocked, were clear chances to get a goal. Yeah not much going on as the game ended, Waine, Barba, Old barely featuring.
But yes overall it is great to have a mistake free keeper, after continous nervous costly gaffes from Sail & Woud. Also looked like Crocombe got a vital fingertip to that rocket Egyptian shot that hit an upright. Feels like Paulsen is the no 1 in waiting, but he's still very young & inexperienced by international keeper standards. His real chance will come in Paris.
Sure they were missing Salah & another big name player (I can't remember), but we had our EPL striker out. We may not know who they are, but their players are better than ours. They are 36 in the world, and Salah didn't get them there on his own. They have some of the biggest, most successful clubs in Africa. They were playing at home and had basically been in camp for 2 weeks. Hopefully we can score in Game 2, but it's been an Achilles heel for years now (not creating many clear cut chances against the bigger teams) and it's unlikely to change quickly.
Oh and Libby & Ingham (especially) had to be careful not to bomb too far forward, they always looked very dangerous on the counter. I thought most of the 2nd half we were in the game, but like a broken record we lack that final killer pass. However Singh's freekick into the cross bar, plus him & Lewis combining beautifully to see both Libby & Mata have shots blocked, were clear chances to get a goal. Yeah not much going on as the game ended, Waine, Barba, Old barely featuring.
I mean that’s the point about combinations and why teams from one or two clubs often go deep in tournament play. It’s not about the quality of player in many cases when push comes to shove, but how much you know and trust each others game. Which is why I’d like to see Bindon and Surman preparing for the Olympics.
I’m happy with any of the 3 selected keepers currently and Sail’s probably better with Payne out! Sail’s back in excellent form and if we’re not playing out from the back Paulsen has fewer clear points of difference imo. Anyway as I said 3 good keepers in form.
And I think a better team with a better player than Ingham and his closest colleagues retain that ball which is what Crocombe is used to.
Thought he got a clear palm on the rocket, but the commentator missed it.
I’m happy with any of the 3 selected keepers currently and Sail’s probably better with Payne out! Sail’s back in excellent form and if we’re not playing out from the back Paulsen has fewer clear points of difference imo. Anyway as I said 3 good keepers in form.
And I think a better team with a better player than Ingham and his closest colleagues retain that ball which is what Crocombe is used to.
Thought he got a clear palm on the rocket, but the commentator missed it.
Garbett was very poor today. Few poor passes at crucial moments in the final third, and like someone else mentioned he tried to take too many touches a few times.
He's such an interesting player, he isn't really a quintessential midfielder or a typical forward, but has obviously been very effective with the goal involvements he has had for the All Whites over the past couple of years. Perhaps he felt a bit of pressure to produce today because nobody else has been. I wonder if it could be worth trying him out at CF as a Wood alternative. He's a big lad, 1.88m tall according to Google (he absolutely towered over Lewis as they were walking off together at half time). And he obviously knows how to finish.
I think our midfield might be stronger without him in it. I'd like to see a three of Stamenic Rufer Lewis against (I expect) Tunisia. And I'd like to see a CB pairing of Surman & Bindon, or at least for one of them to partner Boxall.
He's such an interesting player, he isn't really a quintessential midfielder or a typical forward, but has obviously been very effective with the goal involvements he has had for the All Whites over the past couple of years. Perhaps he felt a bit of pressure to produce today because nobody else has been. I wonder if it could be worth trying him out at CF as a Wood alternative. He's a big lad, 1.88m tall according to Google (he absolutely towered over Lewis as they were walking off together at half time). And he obviously knows how to finish.
I think our midfield might be stronger without him in it. I'd like to see a three of Stamenic Rufer Lewis against (I expect) Tunisia. And I'd like to see a CB pairing of Surman & Bindon, or at least for one of them to partner Boxall.
Only One News reported on the game. Pretty disappointing considering they don't play very often.
Garbett has some awesome utility, pretty much the crappy version of Thomas Müller and the style he plays suits the role well. He's not the problem
I wasn't saying he was the problem. But if he is a Thomas Muller equivalent, Muller doesn't play in midfield either, does he? I know that at times he was quite effective as a sort of false 9.
Muller usually plays behind the Striker in one of the 3 attacking midfield options (usually the central one) but has recently been playing as a Strike partner next to Kane at Bayern. If we were to use Muller as a model then that is where Garbett should be with Singh and another as an attacking midfield trio.
Mueller scores…
Mueller scores…
Garbett is going okay. 3 goals in 21 AW games. 2 against non OFC opposition.
For contrast,
Rojas has 5 goals in 43 AW games. 1 against non OFC opposition.
Barba 4 goals in 52 AWs games. 1 against non OFC opposition.
Arbitrarily going back to 2019 (and bearing in mind Garbett debuted 2021) our top scorers outside Oceania are:
Wood: 5 goals (two penalties)
Garbett: 2
McCowatt: 2
Tuiloma: 1
Kirwan: 1
If we make it the last calendar year or last two calendar years Garbett is our top scorer outside Oceania. And he almost created the goal for us in the playoff and many have argued he did!
Especially with Wood out he’s one of the few players we have with a record of recent goal scoring.
And Muller has 2 goals in over a thousand minutes this season. At Breda Matt has 3 in 870 minutes. Recent performance, not legend or reputation.
I definitely like the idea of
Wood(Kosta/Waine)
McCowatt Garbett Singh
Stamenic Rufer/Lewis/Bell
Cacace Surman Bindon/Boxy Kirwan
Crocombe
We need to get more players into the box and the ones capable of shooting from the top operating around there. I think the Egyptian defense was very strong through the middle in this game, and didn’t give us much space or time in shooting positions.
Wood: 5 goals (two penalties)
Garbett: 2
McCowatt: 2
Tuiloma: 1
Kirwan: 1
If we make it the last calendar year or last two calendar years Garbett is our top scorer outside Oceania. And he almost created the goal for us in the playoff and many have argued he did!
Especially with Wood out he’s one of the few players we have with a record of recent goal scoring.
And Muller has 2 goals in over a thousand minutes this season. At Breda Matt has 3 in 870 minutes. Recent performance, not legend or reputation.
I definitely like the idea of
Wood(Kosta/Waine)
McCowatt Garbett Singh
Stamenic Rufer/Lewis/Bell
Cacace Surman Bindon/Boxy Kirwan
Crocombe
We need to get more players into the box and the ones capable of shooting from the top operating around there. I think the Egyptian defense was very strong through the middle in this game, and didn’t give us much space or time in shooting positions.
I always think using the "outside of Oceania" thing is a bit wishy washy.
Some of the the teams we've played against have only been marginally better then us if at all and I'm sure New Caledonia would get results against them:
Curacao
Bahrain
Gambia
Oman
Congo
and arguably Eire of late (all since 2020).
We should have destroyed Lithuania yet I know Wood and a few others pulled out because of the surface there (and poor tactics from Hay). Same applies to the loss against Kenya.
These are sides I expect us to score against and should be looking to win, but I think managerial choices and tactics have hamstrung us. We've looked OK against good sides with goals chalked off in questionable circumstances (Costa Rica for one).
Even looking at Oceania sides, we only beat PNG and Tahiti 1-0 each time in Doha two years ago.
I really think our boys suffer through negative coaching/management making them look worse then they are due to a lack of support, playing out of position, cameos off the bench like last night etc (Rojas, Barbs, Brockie, Waine etc).
I'm sure a better manager would have had all of these guys with more goals to their names.
Some of the the teams we've played against have only been marginally better then us if at all and I'm sure New Caledonia would get results against them:
Curacao
Bahrain
Gambia
Oman
Congo
and arguably Eire of late (all since 2020).
We should have destroyed Lithuania yet I know Wood and a few others pulled out because of the surface there (and poor tactics from Hay). Same applies to the loss against Kenya.
These are sides I expect us to score against and should be looking to win, but I think managerial choices and tactics have hamstrung us. We've looked OK against good sides with goals chalked off in questionable circumstances (Costa Rica for one).
Even looking at Oceania sides, we only beat PNG and Tahiti 1-0 each time in Doha two years ago.
I really think our boys suffer through negative coaching/management making them look worse then they are due to a lack of support, playing out of position, cameos off the bench like last night etc (Rojas, Barbs, Brockie, Waine etc).
I'm sure a better manager would have had all of these guys with more goals to their names.
Yep. I think we all fear that our coach is not even close to getting the best out of our players. And what's worse is that we surely could have got somebody else. Bazeley cannot be the best we could have hoped for. But oh well, what is done is done, we aren't getting a different coach anytime soon.
And I think having both Garbett & McCowatt in a front 4 doesn't really work. Neither are wide forwards, they operate better centrally, but neither should displace Singh in a 10 role. Despite them both being 2 our of our best recent goalscorers, it is a square peg round hole situation trying to get them both in. I think you can fit only one of them in the side, as an 8.
I think Kosta, Rojas & Old are all better wide forwards. Kosta is probably too old to still be starting for us at the '26 World Cup and hasn't ever looked his best in a white shirt anyway. Rojas needs to return to top form at club level before he should be starting for the All Whites again. So that leaves Ben Old for the time being.
I would think that Old would need to be in our best XI, but the problem is that Old and Cacace are both left-sided. If Old played on the right, we could have a front 3 of Wood/Singh/Old, with Old on the right and Singh operating as a central 10 with Cacace providing the width on the left and Payne/Kirwan playing a more subdued RB role to help cover Cacace. And we could have a solid midfield 3 made up of one of Garbett/McCowatt, one of Bell/Rufer and one of Stamenic/Lewis. That'd be the dream. Come on Chiefy, let's get Ben Old on the right and see what he can do! Or maybe Rojas could be the answer as the RW.
And I think having both Garbett & McCowatt in a front 4 doesn't really work. Neither are wide forwards, they operate better centrally, but neither should displace Singh in a 10 role. Despite them both being 2 our of our best recent goalscorers, it is a square peg round hole situation trying to get them both in. I think you can fit only one of them in the side, as an 8.
I think Kosta, Rojas & Old are all better wide forwards. Kosta is probably too old to still be starting for us at the '26 World Cup and hasn't ever looked his best in a white shirt anyway. Rojas needs to return to top form at club level before he should be starting for the All Whites again. So that leaves Ben Old for the time being.
I would think that Old would need to be in our best XI, but the problem is that Old and Cacace are both left-sided. If Old played on the right, we could have a front 3 of Wood/Singh/Old, with Old on the right and Singh operating as a central 10 with Cacace providing the width on the left and Payne/Kirwan playing a more subdued RB role to help cover Cacace. And we could have a solid midfield 3 made up of one of Garbett/McCowatt, one of Bell/Rufer and one of Stamenic/Lewis. That'd be the dream. Come on Chiefy, let's get Ben Old on the right and see what he can do! Or maybe Rojas could be the answer as the RW.
With Tunisia vs Croatia ending in a draw who does that mean we play on Wednesday?
Edit: never mind. When I checked google before it said full time 0-0 and didn’t look like there’d be any extra time. Obv that wasn’t the case.
Edit: never mind. When I checked google before it said full time 0-0 and didn’t look like there’d be any extra time. Obv that wasn’t the case.
Tunisia
I always think using the "outside of Oceania" thing is a bit wishy washy.
Some of the the teams we've played against have only been marginally better then us if at all and I'm sure New Caledonia would get results against them:
Curacao
Bahrain
Gambia
Oman
Congo
and arguably Eire of late (all since 2020).
We should have destroyed Lithuania yet I know Wood and a few others pulled out because of the surface there (and poor tactics from Hay). Same applies to the loss against Kenya.
These are sides I expect us to score against and should be looking to win, but I think managerial choices and tactics have hamstrung us. We've looked OK against good sides with goals chalked off in questionable circumstances (Costa Rica for one).
Even looking at Oceania sides, we only beat PNG and Tahiti 1-0 each time in Doha two years ago.
I really think our boys suffer through negative coaching/management making them look worse then they are due to a lack of support, playing out of position, cameos off the bench like last night etc (Rojas, Barbs, Brockie, Waine etc).
I'm sure a better manager would have had all of these guys with more goals to their names.
Some of the the teams we've played against have only been marginally better then us if at all and I'm sure New Caledonia would get results against them:
Curacao
Bahrain
Gambia
Oman
Congo
and arguably Eire of late (all since 2020).
We should have destroyed Lithuania yet I know Wood and a few others pulled out because of the surface there (and poor tactics from Hay). Same applies to the loss against Kenya.
These are sides I expect us to score against and should be looking to win, but I think managerial choices and tactics have hamstrung us. We've looked OK against good sides with goals chalked off in questionable circumstances (Costa Rica for one).
Even looking at Oceania sides, we only beat PNG and Tahiti 1-0 each time in Doha two years ago.
I really think our boys suffer through negative coaching/management making them look worse then they are due to a lack of support, playing out of position, cameos off the bench like last night etc (Rojas, Barbs, Brockie, Waine etc).
I'm sure a better manager would have had all of these guys with more goals to their names.
Unless they were playing in Noumea I doubt New Caledonia gets anything from playing those above teams. They would get thrashed by a full strength Ireland.
Curaçao (ex Dutch colony) are a good side loaded with professionals playing in the Eredivisie or other leagues. The CAF & AFC teams are also loaded with pros either in Europe or the Middle East. I remember when we played the The Gambia, man for man they matched up almost identical to the AWs. 1-2 players in top 5 leagues, the rest in middling Euro comps just like the All Whites.
See Vanuatu's 6-0 thumping from Guinea yesterday. The other OFC teams are around the level of the lowest AFC teams (Sri Lanka, Brunei, Bhutan, Nepal etc) and I can't really think of any CAF teams that low down. Somalia, Swaziland, Chad, Madagascar??
The AWs cruised through that OFC tourney March 2022, at half pace. Hay juggling players coming & going. But when it really mattered they thumped Solomons 5-0 in the final, and even then they were missing about 5 first choice players.
You’ve been Europe based too long Marto. Oceania really struggles. There’s very very few players playing outside the islands. Some that do are in the Central league, which still isn’t pro. There are sometimes eligible players like Jaushy, but they don’t usually play.
Kind of like us v Mexico, we hope but get done over. Sometimes PNG/Tahiti/New Cal/Fiji shut us out for a draw or they steal something in the heat if we send a b or c team, or if we just expect it to happen or think just banging it long will be enough.
I wouldn’t get up at 4 or 5 in the morning to watch it. Actually not true- I have. Wouldn’t always I guess.
I think it stands from watching the AWs of late that the only goal scorers have been Wood, McCowatt and Garbett.
Singh and Tuiloma have shot and not succeeded. Kosta is in form, but we won’t set up for him. Ben Waine has scored goals, not of late. Mata scores in the Irish league so far. And this game was probably the best chance he’s had.
Unless we change formation those 3 are actually consistent with club form- they play good minutes and score in the highest leagues of our reps.
It’s annoying. I would have liked to see us figure out our best team and best strategy. Mata getting more minutes than Waine is mental. I can understand not really playing Kosta, except you’ve selected him and he’s in great form.
Are we trying to hold possession the way Hay and Bell’s teams tend to? Are we trying to transition quickly? Are we trying to prove that 3 back can just mean more confusion, not more defense?
And against Greece and Egypt, it’s clear that we don’t have the capability to react sufficiently against good tactical plans practiced at length.
Kind of like us v Mexico, we hope but get done over. Sometimes PNG/Tahiti/New Cal/Fiji shut us out for a draw or they steal something in the heat if we send a b or c team, or if we just expect it to happen or think just banging it long will be enough.
I wouldn’t get up at 4 or 5 in the morning to watch it. Actually not true- I have. Wouldn’t always I guess.
I think it stands from watching the AWs of late that the only goal scorers have been Wood, McCowatt and Garbett.
Singh and Tuiloma have shot and not succeeded. Kosta is in form, but we won’t set up for him. Ben Waine has scored goals, not of late. Mata scores in the Irish league so far. And this game was probably the best chance he’s had.
Unless we change formation those 3 are actually consistent with club form- they play good minutes and score in the highest leagues of our reps.
It’s annoying. I would have liked to see us figure out our best team and best strategy. Mata getting more minutes than Waine is mental. I can understand not really playing Kosta, except you’ve selected him and he’s in great form.
Are we trying to hold possession the way Hay and Bell’s teams tend to? Are we trying to transition quickly? Are we trying to prove that 3 back can just mean more confusion, not more defense?
And against Greece and Egypt, it’s clear that we don’t have the capability to react sufficiently against good tactical plans practiced at length.
📸 Under the lights in Cairo 🇳🇿 pic.twitter.com/fYhTdAUzFi
— New Zealand Football 🇳🇿 (@NZ_Football) March 23, 2024
🧤 @Meeiix 🇳🇿 pic.twitter.com/J2Sxcm13bu
— New Zealand Football 🇳🇿 (@NZ_Football) March 23, 2024
Yep. I think we all fear that our coach is not even close to getting the best out of our players. And what's worse is that we surely could have got somebody else. Bazeley cannot be the best we could have hoped for. But oh well, what is done is done, we aren't getting a different coach anytime soon.
And I think having both Garbett & McCowatt in a front 4 doesn't really work. Neither are wide forwards, they operate better centrally, but neither should displace Singh in a 10 role. Despite them both being 2 our of our best recent goalscorers, it is a square peg round hole situation trying to get them both in. I think you can fit only one of them in the side, as an 8.
I think Kosta, Rojas & Old are all better wide forwards. Kosta is probably too old to still be starting for us at the '26 World Cup and hasn't ever looked his best in a white shirt anyway. Rojas needs to return to top form at club level before he should be starting for the All Whites again. So that leaves Ben Old for the time being.
I would think that Old would need to be in our best XI, but the problem is that Old and Cacace are both left-sided. If Old played on the right, we could have a front 3 of Wood/Singh/Old, with Old on the right and Singh operating as a central 10 with Cacace providing the width on the left and Payne/Kirwan playing a more subdued RB role to help cover Cacace. And we could have a solid midfield 3 made up of one of Garbett/McCowatt, one of Bell/Rufer and one of Stamenic/Lewis. That'd be the dream. Come on Chiefy, let's get Ben Old on the right and see what he can do! Or maybe Rojas could be the answer as the RW.
And I think having both Garbett & McCowatt in a front 4 doesn't really work. Neither are wide forwards, they operate better centrally, but neither should displace Singh in a 10 role. Despite them both being 2 our of our best recent goalscorers, it is a square peg round hole situation trying to get them both in. I think you can fit only one of them in the side, as an 8.
I think Kosta, Rojas & Old are all better wide forwards. Kosta is probably too old to still be starting for us at the '26 World Cup and hasn't ever looked his best in a white shirt anyway. Rojas needs to return to top form at club level before he should be starting for the All Whites again. So that leaves Ben Old for the time being.
I would think that Old would need to be in our best XI, but the problem is that Old and Cacace are both left-sided. If Old played on the right, we could have a front 3 of Wood/Singh/Old, with Old on the right and Singh operating as a central 10 with Cacace providing the width on the left and Payne/Kirwan playing a more subdued RB role to help cover Cacace. And we could have a solid midfield 3 made up of one of Garbett/McCowatt, one of Bell/Rufer and one of Stamenic/Lewis. That'd be the dream. Come on Chiefy, let's get Ben Old on the right and see what he can do! Or maybe Rojas could be the answer as the RW.
I guess I was looking at Cacace and our RB for width. The midfielders then sit deeper, not box to box and cover their forward runs and Callum, Sarpreet and Matt get to run the front 3rd with a lot of movement, one touch passing and at least two of the getting into shooting positions in the box around Wood if there’s a cross. In other words no wide forwards.
I wouldn’t be looking at them as a front 4 necessarily. But also it hasn’t been tried. Everyone looks better with… let me rephrase that. With Chris Wood up front all the other attacking players will get more time and have more outlets. The play should be more fluid.
And yes Old has had a good season. But I’m someone who’s underrated McCowatt, and he does have a good record at a higher level. Old has this season, plus a moment or two.
Anyway- other formations are available and other ideas are available. But these 3 have a history of scoring against good opponents for club and country. The other players don’t so much… I want to get the best goal threats in if possible!
You’ve been Europe based too long Marto. Oceania really struggles. There’s very very few players playing outside the islands. Some that do are in the Central league, which still isn’t pro. There are sometimes eligible players like Jaushy, but they don’t usually play.
Kind of like us v Mexico, we hope but get done over. Sometimes PNG/Tahiti/New Cal/Fiji shut us out for a draw or they steal something in the heat if we send a b or c team, or if we just expect it to happen or think just banging it long will be enough.
I wouldn’t get up at 4 or 5 in the morning to watch it. Actually not true- I have. Wouldn’t always I guess.
I think it stands from watching the AWs of late that the only goal scorers have been Wood, McCowatt and Garbett.
Singh and Tuiloma have shot and not succeeded. Kosta is in form, but we won’t set up for him. Ben Waine has scored goals, not of late. Mata scores in the Irish league so far. And this game was probably the best chance he’s had.
Unless we change formation those 3 are actually consistent with club form- they play good minutes and score in the highest leagues of our reps.
It’s annoying. I would have liked to see us figure out our best team and best strategy. Mata getting more minutes than Waine is mental. I can understand not really playing Kosta, except you’ve selected him and he’s in great form.
Are we trying to hold possession the way Hay and Bell’s teams tend to? Are we trying to transition quickly? Are we trying to prove that 3 back can just mean more confusion, not more defense?
And against Greece and Egypt, it’s clear that we don’t have the capability to react sufficiently against good tactical plans practiced at length.
Kind of like us v Mexico, we hope but get done over. Sometimes PNG/Tahiti/New Cal/Fiji shut us out for a draw or they steal something in the heat if we send a b or c team, or if we just expect it to happen or think just banging it long will be enough.
I wouldn’t get up at 4 or 5 in the morning to watch it. Actually not true- I have. Wouldn’t always I guess.
I think it stands from watching the AWs of late that the only goal scorers have been Wood, McCowatt and Garbett.
Singh and Tuiloma have shot and not succeeded. Kosta is in form, but we won’t set up for him. Ben Waine has scored goals, not of late. Mata scores in the Irish league so far. And this game was probably the best chance he’s had.
Unless we change formation those 3 are actually consistent with club form- they play good minutes and score in the highest leagues of our reps.
It’s annoying. I would have liked to see us figure out our best team and best strategy. Mata getting more minutes than Waine is mental. I can understand not really playing Kosta, except you’ve selected him and he’s in great form.
Are we trying to hold possession the way Hay and Bell’s teams tend to? Are we trying to transition quickly? Are we trying to prove that 3 back can just mean more confusion, not more defense?
And against Greece and Egypt, it’s clear that we don’t have the capability to react sufficiently against good tactical plans practiced at length.
Obviously Waine plays a higher level, but Mata has started in good goal-scoring form with four in the last week or two. Waine's last club goal was before Christmas. To bring it to comparable standards to preemptively counterargue the 'Irish league is basically semi-pro' dissenters, both spent half a season (without pre-season) in League One; both scored only once. Waine had less minutes, but Plymouth were a better side (winning the league vs relegation battling Shrewsbury) and you'd typically get more chances when playing in a better team. Mata also had more xG than Waine, harking back to the fact he gets more involved.
It's also necessary to consider more than just goal-scoring, but all round play. Mata has more of the physical qualities of Wood, he's got 7cm on Waine, and typically is far more involved in games based on how many touches, passes, aerial duels (Mata is at the 97th percentile for League One aerial duels won) they compete in.
Waine might as well play against Tunisia, there's no reason not to, it's a friendly so rotate, but I just don't think he's done anything exceptional to date to warrant a right to play over Mata. If he proves me wrong vs Tunisia then all the better. Tactical jinx.
Waine has Championship, league one , EFL cup and a league goals. He’s a better player than Mata. I can understand the arguments for selecting Mata, I just strongly disagree.
Mata we’re going to be looking primarily aerial, which is low percentage against higher rated defenders. Good form against air is not the same as against defenders who were in the EPL last season.
Waine can also certainly hold up and release the attack at a Championship level. That’s two levels above where Mata is playing.
I’ve clearly watched one more than the other, but I think Waine has excellent football intelligence and a range of finishes.
Waine minutes per goal in the Championship: 376
Waine goals per minute in the EFL Cup: 56
Overall Waine is getting one every 2 games.
Mata minutes per goal in League One: 1,036
You’ve tried, but Waine is clearly the better striker at this moment.
Even going back to Waine in League One: one goal 240 minutes.
EFL trophy: one goal, 89 minutes.
Scoring one goal just over every two games equivalent.
Mata we’re going to be looking primarily aerial, which is low percentage against higher rated defenders. Good form against air is not the same as against defenders who were in the EPL last season.
Waine can also certainly hold up and release the attack at a Championship level. That’s two levels above where Mata is playing.
I’ve clearly watched one more than the other, but I think Waine has excellent football intelligence and a range of finishes.
Waine minutes per goal in the Championship: 376
Waine goals per minute in the EFL Cup: 56
Overall Waine is getting one every 2 games.
Mata minutes per goal in League One: 1,036
You’ve tried, but Waine is clearly the better striker at this moment.
Even going back to Waine in League One: one goal 240 minutes.
EFL trophy: one goal, 89 minutes.
Scoring one goal just over every two games equivalent.
We could play a different game something like:
Waine Mata Kosta
Singh
Stamenic Lewis/Rufer
Defense
Or
Just Kosta Waine
Or Waine Kosta
with 442
Geez and I’m leaving out Old in these scenarios. I think probably bracket him and Garbett behind Singh at ten or midfield at a pinch. McCowatt to relieve the forwards if necessary.
(And looking back at Max’s thread- that team in green plays like Sligo are the Harlem Globetrotters. They don’t get a defensive touch on player or ball in either clip, both a 5-10 pass sequence pre-goal. I mean still gotta be scored, but the 5 a side training games would be much tougher.)
Waine Mata Kosta
Singh
Stamenic Lewis/Rufer
Defense
Or
Just Kosta Waine
Or Waine Kosta
with 442
Geez and I’m leaving out Old in these scenarios. I think probably bracket him and Garbett behind Singh at ten or midfield at a pinch. McCowatt to relieve the forwards if necessary.
(And looking back at Max’s thread- that team in green plays like Sligo are the Harlem Globetrotters. They don’t get a defensive touch on player or ball in either clip, both a 5-10 pass sequence pre-goal. I mean still gotta be scored, but the 5 a side training games would be much tougher.)
All I know is Bazeley will put out an XI which will underwhelm everyone somehow. He has quite the knack for it. Because of this I expect:
Waine
Just Singh
McCowatt Stamenic Lewis
Cacace Pijnaker Bindon Ingham
Sail
Waine
Just Singh
McCowatt Stamenic Lewis
Cacace Pijnaker Bindon Ingham
Sail
We’re missing Payne huh. Odd to say, but very true. And why no Roux???
Waine has Championship, league one , EFL cup and a league goals. He’s a better player than Mata. I can understand the arguments for selecting Mata, I just strongly disagree.
Mata we’re going to be looking primarily aerial, which is low percentage against higher rated defenders. Good form against air is not the same as against defenders who were in the EPL last season.
Waine can also certainly hold up and release the attack at a Championship level. That’s two levels above where Mata is playing.
I’ve clearly watched one more than the other, but I think Waine has excellent football intelligence and a range of finishes.
Mata we’re going to be looking primarily aerial, which is low percentage against higher rated defenders. Good form against air is not the same as against defenders who were in the EPL last season.
Waine can also certainly hold up and release the attack at a Championship level. That’s two levels above where Mata is playing.
I’ve clearly watched one more than the other, but I think Waine has excellent football intelligence and a range of finishes.
The AWs now have a pretty set game plan, that obviously includes their EPL striker as a very important part of that. Mata is the closest like for like. Especially that valuable hold up play when you have to go long, to relieve the pressure.
The AWs don't play like the Nix, playing out from the back even under a high press, and likely never will even if Paulsen becomes the keeper. We will just never be good enough to play consistently that way against bigger teams. One small error and bang, bang, bang, a team like Sweden just kill you off. You get away with that in the ALM, but not against top 5 Euro league players. They punish you.
So AWs need a bigger striker to do some of that hold up play when go long. No conincedence that they faded against Egypt, when Waine came on, and he just couldn't get involved?? He really needs to somehow improve that part of his game, to get mins you feel at a battling Championship club like Plymouth, who also aka AWs probably need to go long often against a Leeds, Leicester Cityor whoever.
I mean Jamie Maclaren is a far more prolific striker than Mitch Duke, but Arnie keeps favouring Duke for a reason. Large bodied Mitch just suits Arnie's Socceroos game plan against the bigger nations more. And as seen at the Qatar WC it's mostly working for them.
So we have to accept garbage football because it’s an international? Surely lots of big lads in the local league. Such a dumb argument. #facepalm.
We could play better and find a way to get service to our better players.
Waine has no trouble with strength when I’ve watched him in the Championship. Certainly none that Mata wouldn’t have.
Duke is highly experienced and fits Arnie’s tactical vision. Ask Tim Payne. A manager with a record of playing a consistent style and winning with it. Mata hasn’t succeeded in the leagues Duke’s succeeded. He’s simply not ready and shouldn’t be playing the minutes he’s getting.
We’ve got so many footballers, we should be trying to play football.
We could play better and find a way to get service to our better players.
Waine has no trouble with strength when I’ve watched him in the Championship. Certainly none that Mata wouldn’t have.
Duke is highly experienced and fits Arnie’s tactical vision. Ask Tim Payne. A manager with a record of playing a consistent style and winning with it. Mata hasn’t succeeded in the leagues Duke’s succeeded. He’s simply not ready and shouldn’t be playing the minutes he’s getting.
We’ve got so many footballers, we should be trying to play football.
So we have to accept garbage football because it’s an international? Surely lots of big lads in the local league. Such a dumb argument. #facepalm.
We could play better and find a way to get service to our better players.
We could play better and find a way to get service to our better players.
No, you'll not thinking this through at all. It's picking players that best fit the structure, and game plan. Like you don't necessarily choose the best midfield players ranked 1-4, but those 3 or 4 that work best with each other.
Is no point just continously playing it out from the back, to be punished with 3 goals in 6 mins by Sweden's quality press. All because if you send it foward Waine loses it every time, and so that becomes useless as an outlet. You have no Plan B and it's all too predictable for the opposition. So you become stuck in your own half and it's wave after wave of Sweden. Waine made one start sans Wood for AWs in 2023, and it was the 4-1 loss in Stockholm. The other start was alongside Wood in the 1-1 Congolese draw.
https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2023/06/16/world/friendlies/sweden/new-zealand/4047203/
It's not like 2010 and continously hoofing it forward to Rory & his elbows hoping for some scraps to feed off. This AWs group has enough quality techical players to for sure play out, but you need to be able to mix it up.
We have a talented group (by NZ standards), but they are still far far below the overall squad quality of bigger nations. And that includes Australia, who in Qatar did bloody well with Duke up front doing that role, and of course Mooy lying deep pulling the strings. In a nutshell they could mix it up, and overachieved with an on paper pretty average team (compared to their EPL laden 2006 side who also made the R16, also losing to the eventual champs by a goal). They even sent big Harry Souttar forward for the last 10 mins against Argentina and gave them a proper fright.
Really Arnie only settled on this setup, late in that Qatar WC qualifying phase, like just prior the Peru playoff game from memory. Before that he was so nearly sacked floundering around, not settling on his team. Redmayne saved his bacon for sure.
As Carlind says give Waine a start against Tunisia, absolutely nothing to lose, and hopefully he bangs in a goal or two. But it would be surprise based off how he is going at the moment.
He’s doing fine.
It’s Mata who hasn’t scored in a season and been sent back to park football. Jaysus.
We should be like 2010 and play to the players we have.
We’ve got Ben Old. His best season. Kosta. One of his best.
Waine. Getting minutes and goals in the 6th best league in the world.
Garbett. Scoring in Europe.
Cacace. Starting for Empoli.
Stamenic. Starting for Red Star.
Bell/Rufer/Lewis. Handy ball players and defenders, playing in decent leagues.
Payne. In his career best season.
Roux. Just another day near the top of the league. First or second.
McCowatt. Playing high level footy.
Singh. Not playing his best, but one of the most naturally talented players we have who’s done it before.
Bindon/Kirwan etc probably just chopped liver.
If we don’t have Wood we can’t invent him. We need to play to the strengths of the players we have.
I can not buy that Mata is particularly better than Waine at any facet of the game yet in his career. And basing that on a few disjointed minutes at the end of the Egyptian game is weaselly at best.
If we had 4 big lads up front or even two playing at a high level I’d agree. But Mata is inexperienced and not ready. He looks like a player, but what his level is isn’t determined.
Also sure, if Arnie told me he had a plan to use Mata I’d believe him. But that’s not the caliber of manager we have. Bazeley may ignite his management career with us, but Arnie has a track record.
It’s Mata who hasn’t scored in a season and been sent back to park football. Jaysus.
We should be like 2010 and play to the players we have.
We’ve got Ben Old. His best season. Kosta. One of his best.
Waine. Getting minutes and goals in the 6th best league in the world.
Garbett. Scoring in Europe.
Cacace. Starting for Empoli.
Stamenic. Starting for Red Star.
Bell/Rufer/Lewis. Handy ball players and defenders, playing in decent leagues.
Payne. In his career best season.
Roux. Just another day near the top of the league. First or second.
McCowatt. Playing high level footy.
Singh. Not playing his best, but one of the most naturally talented players we have who’s done it before.
Bindon/Kirwan etc probably just chopped liver.
If we don’t have Wood we can’t invent him. We need to play to the strengths of the players we have.
I can not buy that Mata is particularly better than Waine at any facet of the game yet in his career. And basing that on a few disjointed minutes at the end of the Egyptian game is weaselly at best.
If we had 4 big lads up front or even two playing at a high level I’d agree. But Mata is inexperienced and not ready. He looks like a player, but what his level is isn’t determined.
Also sure, if Arnie told me he had a plan to use Mata I’d believe him. But that’s not the caliber of manager we have. Bazeley may ignite his management career with us, but Arnie has a track record.
If we want to NZ go long, sure can play to our CF , or our RB/LB, or Garbett, or Stamenic… that’s a fair bit of variety.
Okay, here’s another sliding doors question - what would Uffie have done with this group?
I don’t think he was a great Waine fan, though he played him.
Okay, here’s another sliding doors question - what would Uffie have done with this group?
I don’t think he was a great Waine fan, though he played him.
I wouldn't have wanted Uffie. Last season was pretty dire, results and entertainment wise, despite having a relative wealth of resources at his disposal and having had years to implement his system. He's tactically inflexible. I have no regrets NZF didn't seriously consider him.
I wouldn't have wanted Uffie. Last season was pretty dire, results and entertainment wise, despite having a relative wealth of resources at his disposal and having had years to implement his system. He's tactically inflexible. I have no regrets NZF didn't seriously consider him.
Okay then Des or Herdman?
And tbf to Uffie he did all right before and after! Sydney have been very exciting this season. Good news too, only got 4% left on my battery..!
I wouldn't have wanted Uffie. Last season was pretty dire, results and entertainment wise, despite having a relative wealth of resources at his disposal and having had years to implement his system. He's tactically inflexible. I have no regrets NZF didn't seriously consider him.
You do have to wonder why his final season with the squad was so poor when Italiano has a worse side on paper but is top of the league?
Is it all down to Griffiths?
I think Uffie real sed his heart wasn't in the Nix anymore so not sure that adding the AWs to the mix would have helped him or us (Nix/AWs).
