All Whites v New Caledonia | Sat 12 Nov | 3:00pm | NHS / The Merchant

Good to see early subs

Yes!!! Moses Dyer is on! (for Lewis), Patterson on for for Kosta

Really Fred.."Don't need the second"  Defending a 1-0 lead in NC would be tuff.

Wood header over top from Rojas free kick

There is no way Liam Graham is better than Roux

We are still missing someone who can sit deep, pick a pass, and control the tempo of the game against the OFC sides. it's not too important against better teams where we try to counter quickly but in these games it would help us trying to stretch the opponent's defense. WeeMac would be in that role if he was fit presumably. Chris James could probably do it adequately too....

We won't be defending anything. It isn't a legged tie. We are in a pool with Fiji.

We keep making great opportunities and stuffing em before we can shoot.

.

70 min. Still 1 - 0 . Nervous times. NC having fair share of attacks.

Lol

Rojas scores

Wood heads to Patterson, back to Wood, backheel shot muffed, Rojas bundles it in.

Great ball from Dyer, but Wood fractionally off side

Sweet fro/dreadlock combo this NC sub has going on

Hudson-Wihongi on for Thomas. 11 to go.

Ref has been pretty good I think. Tuiloma clearly pulled the shirt of the NC player, no doubt a yellow card.

Patterson heads over from in front. Wood shot well saved.

Dyer now four very nice balls through to his strikers.

Wood misses a sitter!

Full time. 2 - 0. Fair result in the end.

Hudson remarkably humble and straight-up in post-match interview. Almost likeable even!

Was there a decent crowd size there today?.

No announcement but the lower tier looked pretty full.

I thought we looked very comfortable in the second half. Was it obvious on TV how strong the wind was? That was for def a factor - we played the ball on the deck much more.

Thanks for the perspective on the Tuiloma card. I still maintain that NC were diving and flopping like a bunch of seals.

Heard on the radio crowd 8 thousand and something.

Just over 8K is not bad. Better then what I expected.

Agree. His first half was like watching Plodder at right back. Slow. Wasteful with the ball and nervy. 

I went to the game today. First- great effort White Noise.

Thoughts as follows:

1) shape wasn't right.  With Bill playing in back 3  there was no deep central playmaker and person to win the ball. Hudson should have started Bill at CM- he does a good job winning the ball and moving it on. He grew into the game and showed some good strength, pace and skill. But Bambi, Rojas and Lewis is not a midfield I want to see again. We got outmuscled in the middle and simply didn't have a natural midfielder dropping to revive the ball and transition. Hence the long ball (in the wind - wtf?!!). When they got it on Th deck they looked better but I thought the shape and strategy wasnt right Mr Hudson. 

2) Lewis was a shambles. God knows what role he was playing but he looked slow and very anxious. Either pumped it anywhere or played the ball backwards. Dyer and TAHW as relative newbies were much better. 

3) Graham was the same as Lewis. Reminded us all why roux is our number one right back. Graham was also very tentative and hung off challenges. 

4) Rojas had an excellent game. His work rate both on and off the ball was outstanding. You can only see this live really but the guy looked super fit. I reckon he was playing too deep but as per 1) above Mr Hudson got the shape wrong. 

5) Wood looks so immense. So strong. His work rate was good also. Unlucky  it to score a couple.

6) Dura and Themi did fine at the back and Wynne did his job. Neither wing back got forward so we really had 5 at the back which is why Athen had such an easy ride. If Hudson is going to play this shape he has to ply mobile played out wide. Roux, Fotle and Wynne yes- Graham no. 

7) Kosta - feel for him. How can you expect a player who excels at balls in behind and running at players to look any good when you are holding it in the wind and asking him to run off knock downs. Pls pls pls play the ball to feet. 

So, in summary- We looked ok at the back. Had no midfield and no transition. Some individuals looked good but as a team lacked cohesion. Shape didn't work and we didn't get wide enough and play the ball to feet around what was a big NC team. We did well off the ball on the US tour and today I was hoping to see us do well on the ball which they didn't. While they won I didn't think it was a great performance. 

Still - nice to go to a home game! 

TAHW should definitely start ahead of Lewis in midfield IMO

Lewis gets in on work rate I think... allows players like Rojas to sit out and wait for the counter.

I also thought our shape was wrong and that we looked a lot better when we reverted to a back four and pushed Tuiloma into a DM role... nice to see a NZ coach make a tactical change in the first half.

I thought we generally look untroubled and controlled the game... not sure Thomas is the answer trying to play in the whole, too many wide players not enough central ones.

Moses looked good and played some nice balls and so did Wihongi when he came on.

Happy with some of our play and again, nice to see the youngsters coming through. Graham was ok... not sure why so much angst. Still a young player learning his craft.

don't let facts stop you from abusing Fred though :-)

Roux made to look fairly ordinary defensively  by Watson tonight. He did look ok going forward though

Watson is definitely improving. If Wood isn't playing I'd "happily" put Watson to lead the line. 

Lewis was way too slow and looked like the average player he is .  Wood, Rojas and Tuiloma  were excellent and Thomas good as well. Not Kosta's day but he will click with Wood 1 day. Durante solid but can be slow with his passing.