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Posted November 17, 2019 21:15 · last edited November 17, 2019 21:18

el grapadura wrote:

el grapadura wrote:

coochiee wrote:

el grapadura wrote:

That is a terrible result, getting bossed and losing to a very poor Lithuanian team, second string or not.

It’s a poor result but not terrible. The starting midfield are currently 3 of the worst midfielders in the A League let alone international football. If this same starting 11 fronted up in Lisbon against Ronaldo and his mates, they’d easily concede 6 or more.

Don't see the point of that comparison? The point is we were playing one of the poorest European sides, minnows includee, with a team full of professional players, including the likes of Rojas, Smith, and Tuiloma, with Singh and Bell getting big minutes too. We barely threatened, and they could have got more. It's all good and well to say Wood, Reid, and Thomas were not there, but they may not be there for Oceania qualifying games either. Let's not pretend that this team was some sort of rabble that will never get on the park together ever again.

If you are talking comparison, are the Lithuanian players not professional players?

Of course they are, it's international football. But none of those players play at higher level than most of the guys we had on the park.

A lot of that team plays in Lithuania which if it's pro it's only just. It's not a high level, there was talk of setting up a combined Baltic league of professional clubs but I think that's died down.

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Unknown editor edited November 17, 2019 21:18
el grapadura wrote:
Oi Oi Edgecumbe wrote:
el grapadura wrote:
coochiee wrote:
el grapadura wrote:

That is a terrible result, getting bossed and losing to a very poor Lithuanian team, second string or not.

It’s a poor result but not terrible. The starting midfield are currently 3 of the worst midfielders in the A League let alone international football. If this same starting 11 fronted up in Lisbon against Ronaldo and his mates, they’d easily concede 6 or more.

Don't see the point of that comparison? The point is we were playing one of the poorest European sides, minnows includee, with a team full of professional players, including the likes of Rojas, Smith, and Tuiloma, with Singh and Bell getting big minutes too. We barely threatened, and they could have got more. It's all good and well to say Wood, Reid, and Thomas were not there, but they may not be there for Oceania qualifying games either. Let's not pretend that this team was some sort of rabble that will never get on the park together ever again.

If you are talking comparison, are the Lithuanian players not professional players?

Of course they are, it's international football. But none of those players play at higher level than most of the guys we had on the park.

A lot of that team plays in Lithuania which will be only just pro. It's not a high level, there was talk of setting up a combined Baltic league of professional clubs but I think that's died down.

Unknown editor edited November 17, 2019 21:17
Marto wrote:
el grapadura wrote:

This is a side that had only two wins since 2016 before this one. Lost to Luxembourg in EURO 2020 qualifying. And if they won 3-0 overnight it wouldn't have been unfair. And if that's the standard we accept, we're never going to get better. May as well just withdraw from WC qualifying and not waste anyone's time.

Myself and a few other kiwis spent good money to come here (Vilnius) to support the AWs, and to be served up that feels like I've just been mugged by a dodgy as used car salesman.  

We played better in India last year againt teams that would have beaten both sides in today's match.

Hope you got to spend some time in the old town.