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!