Are the fever in place for this game. Would be great to get some active at All Whites. So dull otherwise. Your defence is terrified, Chris woods on fire
YF turns into White Noise for All Whites games so I'm sure they'll be there in big numbers. image.png126.72 KB I know it's only a few months away but I'm wondering if Rufer will be fit enough to play.
If you were picking the 23 man squad for this window what it be?
My squad and assuming all are injury free. Crocombe Payne. Bindon Boxal. Cacace Bell Garbet Old. Singh Just Wood Reserves- GK- Paulsen, AKH (purely for experience and not spending money on keeper from overseas who won’t play) def- Stagner, surman, Roux, Wilkins Mid- Stamenic, Rufer, Gillion FWD- Waine, McCowart, kosta Unlucky to miss out, pjanker is edged by Stagner for me. And De’vries misses out to Wilkins Thomas losses out to Gillion who’s been playing some great football if Thomas starts getting more game time then it would obviously be reversed. Tzanev and Grey. Both miss due to not needing to spend big money on bring a 3rd choice keeper out.
about 1 year ago· edited about 1 year ago· History
Stanger I presume you mean? And Baze won't drop Pijnaker, who is playing well in the ALM.
De Vries also going well at Auckland (and rumoured to be rated by Chris Wood as the best crosser in the AWs) gets picked. Wilkins may get in ahead of Roux at RB.
Sail highly likely the 3rd choice GK. But if he's under pressure from anyone currently it's Kees Sims. Gillion would miss out, if everyone is available.
about 1 year ago· edited about 1 year ago· History
Interesting time to reflect on how a potential World Cup squad is shaping up, now that Auckland FC are properly up and running. I am assuming it will be a 23 man squad and that the 26 man squads for Qatar were a COVID anomaly.
Goalkeepers are effectively sorted, we know who the best two are and the third doesn't really matter.
DeVries has made the backup LB spot his for now I think. Sutton would need to have a remarkable next 18 months to take it back, and Wilkins or McGarry would need to be getting consistent starts over in Europe. Payne and Roux have RB locked up unless anything big changes, like Sakai doing an ACL and Elliot bossing the A-League in his absence, or Wilkins becoming a regular starting RB in Europe, or Ingham single-handedly taking the Jets to the Grand Final.
Centre backs seem pretty locked in, Hughes would need to make a big step up or Stanger would probably need a move to a higher level and make consistent starts there. Though Boxall and Smith may rapidly decline over the next 18 months due to age so you need to keep an eye on that. It also is to be noted that Bazeley regularly picks 5 centre backs, meaning that in a 23 man squad with 3 keepers you lose a like-for-like backup elsewhere in the squad.
In defensive midfield, Bell, Stamenic, Rufer & Howieson have this locked down, no other options unless Lewis somehow gets a not-guilty verdict and is immediately back to his best upon return. Thomas is not coming back, as much as we might want that.
Up front, Max Mata may be moving in to take Waine's spot as Wood's understudy. Waine needs to make a move and have it be the right one to get that spot.
For the rest of the attacking midfield/forward positions, I think we can just about rule out Rojas, Gillion and Randall. Singh, Garbett, Kosta, Just, Old are probably locks when fit. Rogerson the next cab off the rank. Due to the extra CB mentioned earlier I'll leave it as 5 players for 3 spots here, Cacace could also do a job in the final third if need be and nobody else really deserves it (Rojas would but he just isn't going to stay fit enough).
All of the above applies to the upcoming March squad except with Old coming back from injury and Bazeley intimating he might leave him in France to focus on his club career at a critical juncture (despite Old himself being on record saying he is very keen to make the trip), I'd have both of Waine and Mata in the squad. But I expect Rogerson will get a spot instead of one of those two.
about 1 year ago· edited about 1 year ago· History
I’d say as a guess 15 guys are yes locked in, which includes McCowatt
But a lot can happen in the next 12 months. Gillion came from nowhere in 3 mths to at least be a contender.
Don’t see Howieson as a certainty. If everyone is fully fit, don’t see him picked currently. And we can’t rule out Thomas. He had an Eredivisie assist overnight. It will all depend what happens with his body over the next 6 odd mths.
I completely forgot about McCowatt lol. He should be in there. Guess I'd prefer we didn't bring Smith and he made the squad. Or like you say, maybe he takes Howieson's spot.
about 1 year ago· edited about 1 year ago· History
coochiee
I’d say as a guess 15 guys are yes locked in, which includes McCowatt
But a lot can happen in the next 12 months. Gillion came from nowhere in 3 mths to at least be a contender.
Don’t see Howieson as a certainty. If everyone is fully fit, don’t see him picked currently. And we can’t rule out Thomas. He had an Eredivisie assist overnight. It will all depend what happens with his body over the next 6 odd mths.
So he did! Sneaky bugger. I watched those notifications 1,2,3 goals…no he’s not even on the park. On in the 78th minute. Poor Zawada hasn’t had a goal in a while, though his team doubled their wins last night. Dead last.
In a year someone like GSR or Brooke-Smith or even Supyk might have hit their stride or have something different to warrant selection…plus accounting for injuries.
De vries is so good I'd even consider playing cacache further up like for his Italian club and having de vries as left back. Imagine those two in tandem on the same wing, it's mouth watering.
about 1 year ago· edited about 1 year ago· History
Nommag
De vries is so good I'd even consider playing cacache further up like for his Italian club and having de vries as left back. Imagine those two in tandem on the same wing, it's mouth watering.
Cacace. I think this is a real option Bazeley will look at.
Again it's rumoured the Woodsman rates De Vries as the best crosser in the AWs setup. That's not a tough benchmark, given how bad our crossing/dead ball delivery often is. Wood can cut a frustrated figure with few touches or real opportunties against the bigger teams. Libby for all the great parts of his game, his crossing ain't flash.
Wood has to get some good service if we are to do anything at the World Cup you suspect. Hard to see many goals coming from elsewhere. Waine face plant goals won't do it. Fully fit Old and Singh also crucial cogs to doing anything of note
about 1 year ago· edited about 1 year ago· History
Honestly with their talisman Krishna out, and if it's close to a full strength AWs lineup, it could approach double figures. Fiji can't park the bus like Samoa. It's a knockout game so they will have to at least try & play, and that will leave them vulnerable, whenever they lose the ball.
Really hope New Caledonia win the other semi against Tahiti. We haven't played NC for awhile, and sounds like they are getting in a few French based guys in to make themselves a bit stronger. Wonder also if Josh Sotiro is also in NC's plans.
Remembering if they beat Tahiti, then as a minimum they will get to play in that WC qualifying tourney with 5 other countries. So the other semi is a huge game.
I think we give Andre de Jong another shot ahead of Mata. We always seem to overload our squads with wingers, who can't cross and don't really score that often. Rogerson... Gillon... Randall.. etc.
I think we give Andre de Jong another shot ahead of Mata. We always seem to overload our squads with wingers, who can't cross and don't really score that often. Rogerson... Gillon... Randall.. etc.
This window is a semi and a final with a place in the World Cup on the line, Baze is going to stick with what he knows best for this one. No chance de Jong gets the call this time. It's also why I think Old won't be picked, Baze won't be likely to want to start him so he might as well save himself the 24 hours in the air and focus on being in top shape for his club.
Will be interesting to hear how they go against the Northern Region club sides in March.
They are zero chance of upsetting the AWs, unless the weather is truly awful, which can be a leveller in any game of football. But they should at least be well drilled defensively with all that time together.
Sherman, who is based in Christchurch, visited OFC headquarters this week before he heads to Fiji next week to lead the first of three intensive training camps with an extended squad. The initial camp is scheduled from February 9 to 23 in Ba, after which the final 23-man squad for the semi-final will be announced.
The squad will then travel to Auckland on March 1, engaging in warm-up matches against Premiership clubs. They will then relocate to Wellington nine days before the semi-final for final preparations.
Will be interesting to hear how they go against the Northern Region club sides in March.
They are zero chance of upsetting the AWs, unless the weather is truly awful, which can be a leveller in any game of football. But they should at least be well drilled defensively with all that time together.
Sherman, who is based in Christchurch, visited OFC headquarters this week before he heads to Fiji next week to lead the first of three intensive training camps with an extended squad. The initial camp is scheduled from February 9 to 23 in Ba, after which the final 23-man squad for the semi-final will be announced.
The squad will then travel to Auckland on March 1, engaging in warm-up matches against Premiership clubs. They will then relocate to Wellington nine days before the semi-final for final preparations.
'zero chance'?
Risky thing to say in Football. It's not like Rugby, where Georgia, for example, will never beat the ABs.
90 minutes of football. Anything can happen. Fiji isn't terrible, either.
about 1 year ago· edited about 1 year ago· History
Okay yes it's football so they are a 1% chance. More if it's raining sideways, and 50 knots.
But I suspect they will struggle to beat the pre season Northern Region clubs in their build up games.
By HT at the ROF, it will highly likely be a case of how many will the AWs win by. Especially if the home team get 1-2 early goals, as then Fiji's plan of parking the bus trying for a counter, goes out the window in a knockout match.
Fiji are about the level of Vanuatu, who we beat 8-1 in the Tron. And they will be without their talisman Krishna. Not aware of them having any higher quality players overseas to potentially callup like New Caledonia. Dan Hall, once he returns from injury is now a fringe Socceroo apparently, so he'll be keeping his options open for a few more years yet.
Never say never on Georgia, they are growing rapidly as a rugby nation... look at their junior results, where as NZ rugby is arguably trending backwards.
Okay yes it's football so they are a 1% chance. More if it's raining sideways, and 50 knots.
But I suspect they will struggle to beat the pre season Northern Region clubs in their build up games.
By HT at the ROF, it will highly likely be a case of how many will the AWs win by. Especially if the home team get 1-2 early goals, as then Fiji's plan of parking the bus trying for a counter, goes out the window in a knockout match.
Fiji are about the level of Vanuatu, who we beat 8-1 in the Tron. And they will be without their talisman Krishna. Not aware of them having any higher quality players overseas to potentially callup like New Caledonia. Dan Hall, once he returns from injury is now a fringe Socceroo apparently, so he'll be keeping his options open for a few more years yet.
If you're comparing them to Vanuatu, I remember it was 1-1 after about 25 minutes in the game against them, and Vanuatu were easily holding their own before NZ took the initial lead, and while their goal was a bit of a fluke they really looked like they deserved to be level when they did equalise.
Of course that equaliser woke us up and we went on to steamroller them, but it is to be noted that at no point did Vanuatu try to park the bus, they were positive throughout and that is what led to us running up the score. If they had been willing and able to park the bus at 1-1, who knows what might have happened?
Fiji will be coming to park the bus, and if it is a sharkty and windy day in Wellington, and if they keep it scoreless for 25-30 minutes then you know that a little bit of panic could set in in the minds of our players. Another thing that could happen is Wood could pull a hammy 15 minutes in, that'd be a huge boost to Fiji's confidence and dent in ours.
I'll honestly be very surprised if we win by more than 3.
about 1 year ago· edited about 1 year ago· History
I'll store the above comment away. The AWs win by more than 7.
None of OFC teams are remotely close to us, if we are near full strength. My memories of the Vanuatu game are different, their goal coming as a total shock against the run of play.
IM - I think about a month ago, you also picked the Nix to go on a pointless run, for their next 8 odd games or something?
IMG_7891.jpeg438.67 KBI reckon based on recent form and fitness this would be a really solid lineup that would get some goals.
Hurts me to have no active Nix players in there but Payne could overtake Roux if he gets back to full fitness in time.
For the attackers, Cacace, Singh and Just have all been scoring and assisting lately, and we all know what Woodsy’s been up to.
At fullback, De Vries and Roux have been putting up assists, whilst at CB Pijnaker’s been one of the best in the ALM and Bindon has been elite in League One.
From what I’ve heard Bell was one of the best players in Norway last season, and Stamenic is always great even if his loan isn’t working out at the moment.
AP is still our best keeper, but Baze does love Crocombe.
In terms of non-injured players not in my starting XI: - Crocombe narrowly misses out - Payne needs to find his fitness - Boxall isn’t necessary for this game - Surman needs minutes with Portland - Sutton isn’t quite at De Vries’ level this season - Rufer’s sick and probably unfit - Garbett isn’t playing at the moment - McCowatt isn’t scoring whilst Just is - Kosta and Waineo just aren’t unseating Wood
about 1 year ago· edited about 1 year ago· History
my prediction was we would win no more than 1 out of our next nine games just prior to the win against Macarthur. So I haven't been proven wrong yet. I still don't see where wins are coming from, except for undeserved smash and grabs like that, so if we hadn't won it I'd still be standing pretty strongly behind that prediction, though of course now I am far less confident in it.
Re the Vanuatu game, it isn't just me that thought we started it poorly. Chris Wood said he also saw a Vanuatu goal coming. Yes we should beat Fiji by 5 or more easily but I can see the occasion blunting us a bit. Again though, would love for us to put 7 past Fiji just as I would love for the Nix to grab a handful of wins in our next 7 games to prove me badly wrong there too. coochiee
I'll store the above comment away. The AWs win by more than 7.
None of OFC teams are remotely close to us, if we are near full strength. My memories of the Vanuatu game are different, their goal coming as a total shock against the run of play.
IM - I think about a month ago, you also picked the Nix to go on a pointless run, for their next 8 odd games or something?
Agree with this lineup, except I'd have Rufer in for Stamenic. Rufer is the better #6, and Stamenic isn't even playing at all. Rufer will be fully fit and with a few games under his belt by the window (Chiefy is expecting him back for the Victory game), and will be fresher & no doubt hungrier after the break. Stamenic is a good option to have on the bench as he can do a job at 6, 8 or 10.
I'd maybe have Garbett in instead of Just, while Just had been on a hot streak recently, it has been against pretty limited opposition, second tier in Austria and against OFC teams. Garbett has shown he can score against better sides like China & Ajax, he has a knack for goal that I haven't seen in any of our players other than Wood. But not crazy to pick Just ahead of him given current circumstances. Kosta another great option for this spot, you could make the case that you want experience for such moments, but his red card against Costa Rica destroys that argument.
Also I'd also stick with Crocombe right now, a semi-final with everything on the line is not the moment to demote your #1 GK when he hasn't been putting a foot wrong. We don't need an amazing ball playing GK to play through a Fiji press, they will be parking the bus. Friar Tuck
IMG_7891.jpeg438.67 KBI reckon based on recent form and fitness this would be a really solid lineup that would get some goals.
Hurts me to have no active Nix players in there but Payne could overtake Roux if he gets back to full fitness in time.
For the attackers, Cacace, Singh and Just have all been scoring and assisting lately, and we all know what Woodsy’s been up to.
At fullback, De Vries and Roux have been putting up assists, whilst at CB Pijnaker’s been one of the best in the ALM and Bindon has been elite in League One.
From what I’ve heard Bell was one of the best players in Norway last season, and Stamenic is always great even if his loan isn’t working out at the moment.
AP is still our best keeper, but Baze does love Crocombe.
In terms of non-injured players not in my starting XI: - Crocombe narrowly misses out - Payne needs to find his fitness - Boxall isn’t necessary for this game - Surman needs minutes with Portland - Sutton isn’t quite at De Vries’ level this season - Rufer’s sick and probably unfit - Garbett isn’t playing at the moment - McCowatt isn’t scoring whilst Just is - Kosta and Waineo just aren’t unseating Wood
about 1 year ago· edited about 1 year ago· History
As much as I agree with Libby playing higher up the pitch, I honestly don't see Bazeley being so forward thinking. He, like most AW's coaching of late is so risk adverse and will want to secure a spot in the final. Libby has been/is still his best option at LB and realistically we have other options for the wing. Agree that Rufer should always be the starting #6, even with his little illness break. Crocombe or Paulsen will do the job against a weakened Fiji attack, no Krishna means they'l; be looking for another goal scoring avenue. But Paulsen will need game time - he is likely to be #1 going into the WC - especially if he gets game time in the EPL next season.
Yeh, it’s weird. When Libby plays that position you can still find him dropping back and defending as a LB as Pezella overlaps, but also he can go forward into a CF role. Probably quite tactically tricky for our team!
The other thing with Sutton is that his best attributes are similar to Libby. They both are best with ball at their feet driving the team forward. Although they do cross the ball very well, it’s not the main strong to their bow. With De Vries I think of him as a crosser who is solid defensively.
