All Whites V New Caledonia 22 March 7:35pm - Craft Bar or Four Kings

Indeed, and you. I put $1 on NC at 100/1 at half time, and that's the real reason I'm annoyed tonight [website needs smilies]

Complain about OFC refs so get Asia refs - still not good enough.

Ridiculous if that's the case tbh. Should be his last international for a long time if he has missed that. How does he think Smeltz got the busted head?

I was hoping for a lucky bandage, but Hogg got on toute suite.

PS Did anyone see who elbowed Reid?

Ricki elbowed Reid. Sackable offence I say.

Negative nelly here...BUT I think this time you won't qualify. I would like you to as my mob won't, however I don't think this squad, with this coach is capable of getting through these play offs. 

I repeat though, I hope you do.

Still thinking that Jeff ?

Strebre was obviously far too precious to over turn his own incorrect decision despite the compelling evidence on hand.

That pic's just begging to have a cock drawn on it. It's come to that for me.

Aussies racist Ali? Funniest post of the night.

I don't think that explains though why right now, with this group of players, we are struggling to beat a far inferior team and have to resort to these tactics to win

Resourcing was irrelevant tonight, just like it was when played Italy. Its 11 v 11.

The fact is we played poorly especially in the 2nd half, despite that we hit the cross bar at least twice and missed at least 4 very good chances (Wood twice, Smeltz and Kosta).

Wood did a great job bringing down long balls in the first half and it seemed to suck us into playing too many (along with our unblanced shape). We were at out best though when we we got the ball to McGlinchy and to a lesser extent Rojas (who faded badly after taking a knock).

They had some good players, but in amongst that they had some lads who struggled with the pass of the game and some poor errors under pressure, what they did well though was play to their strengths and for the most part hide their week links.

Overall we probably have the most talented group of players we have ever had, and as mentioned previously we need to play their strengths, Kosta, Super Mac and Rojas a re the guys the team needs to be built around, and if Ricky isn't prepapered to do that he should move on before his legacy becomes tarnished, I'd be gutted if he hangs around to long and is remember for the wrong reasons.

Playoff in Wellington

I dont know about you guys, but I'm happy that we won and it was a bloody entertaining game. 

Too tense. Had head in arms from around 60-88 minutes. 

We are a team that man for man across the park, is better. They did not even have one player that would have gotten on our bench yet we played players out of position and our tactics were amateurs to squeak out a last kick win. Yes we got the win and thank god because it saved a tough time at NZF for a few people and it keeps us in the hunt. I can tell you that if we play like that against concacaf, they will fuck us royally.

Thankful for the win (or is that grateful) but alarm bells are ringing...

[quote=Junior82]

MOTM:

Diz - for the link

Chotey & Piney -  for the commentary.

Kosta - for being the most hungry of all the actual players.

I like Wood, impressed with his direct style and holding ability, but he misses some howlers

Wee mac plays better when he is further up the park for CCM

Streb was weak with the fouls, but who knows how it would have been with someone else - we will see Tuesday

Certainly missing Ryan in the coaching

We deserved the win, it was harrowing getting there

Again, it looks like we sometimes struggled when we should have won comfortably. Ricki has serious question marks over his choices. he has to build the team around Rojas, Reid, McGlinchey and Kosta who are our most talented players. Play to their strengths rather than hoofball into the box.

To think that Herbert favourite Lochhead, had he been fit, would probably have played sends a shudder down my spine. 

Killen is not a midfielder and should only play as a target man up front, maybe a half each with Wood to make both concentrate on their finishing. That's where both play in their clubs. Would play Payne and Hogg for their pace. I don't think Vicelich has the legs for a mid-field role but he still has the experience to anchor central defence if need be. I have serious questions whether Siggy or Bertos are good enough any more at this level. Bertos maybe out wide as a sub.

We only just squeaked it against Bahrain last time, we won't be that lucky against the likes of Costa Rica or Honduras who are a cut above that. However our performaces in Texas in the friendlies against El Savador and Honduras showed what we can do.

Relief more than elation at the performance and result. We're really going to have to step up more than a notch to win the intercontinental playoffs.

That game was down right embarrassing. It's fairly obvious RH has been travelling on the coat tails of good players with Lady Luck as his assistant coach for some time now. And that style suited the trench warfare "heros" Nelsen, Sigmund, Lochead etc. but it doesn't suit out and out talented footballers like Rojas and McGlinchey. It was a typical Herbert coached team that values passion over passing and commitment over constructive play. I was horrified to watch the number of times Paston waved away the opportunity to roll the ball out so he could welly the ball down town. Looked like all he was focused on was the halftime hit the roof competition.

Whatever he tells the players, all it does is create anxiety and dysfunction, sure sign of somebody out of their depth. And when he gets someone as good as Reid buying in to his style it just creates further problems that in the end flowed through the whole team. Brockie was average and got shown up for lack of pace more than once, Rojas went missing in action (why the fuck was the attack not built around him), Smeltz may as well have not been there because he wasn't (he should have been subbed and Killen who was one of the few playing decently pushed forward). If it wasn't for the fact we were physically dominant at set pieces and their keeper was pants we would have been a distant second on the night.

Question:

If players like Reid, McGlinchey and Rojas can be stars in good club teams what happens that turns them into bumbling muppets when they turn out for NZ?

Answer that and you'll find that is what is wrong with our national team. I've been to the last 2 home qualifiers now and witnessed 2 turgid displays. No wonder it's cheap to get in, it's only going to get cheaper as NZF continues to devalue the game by contracting Herbert as the cheapest option.

#Ange4AWs 

We qualified for the play off, cheer up.

I would take the opposite view about our team. I think the ONLY chance we have against the CONCACAFF teams is if we play the style that got us into the last WC. The reason why?   Because Herbert is incapable of setting up a team and playing a style of football that would suit the group of small fast skillful players that we currently have. Players like Rojas and McClinchey, Brockie have been outstanding at club level yet look completely lost when they come into the AWs.

Ricki is a one trick pony...he only confuses his players when he selects the skilful guys and then gets them to play some sort of hash of hoof ball and passing.  We will NOT have any show in the playoffs if we continue like this. Our only show will be if Herbert fully reverts to the style he is comfortable with.....100%  long ball and we get 10 players behind the ball when we are not in possession. He then needs to select a side that will best implement this style. He needs the two big bangers up front...Killen and Wood and pump long balls to them all match. He needs to get some muscle in DM and he needs someone to find some one to do the Elliot role. 

I am not particlarly happy with this option as it is a waste of our talent but pragmatically it seems our best and probably only option of troubling  the opposition in the playoffs

I'm relieved, more than happy. The performance last night had a lot to be desired, but I'm very happy that it was just enough to get us the win, as opposed to "so shit we dropped points against New Caledonia".