Glad to see Musa again for a bit. He impressed me at the Olympics in London and looked good in his cameo at LB and CB last night. Would have him back at the Nix fo sure.
Musa and more importantly his backside.
Not a bad first half from the lads, but our front three were starved of possession in the second.
Letsholonyane (Dreadlocks) looked so calm and passed with ease in the midfield, and I'd say that's where we looked weakest.
CB Reid and boxall, roux RB, smith LB
Position of the White Noise was perfect - we had no issues at all with any Aucklanders wanting to sit down. It was pretty loud in the Zone, there were good numbers, but without a roof directly above us the sound doesn't travel very well at all. Given how high the roofs are on the two main stands, being in those stands wouldn't have helped at all either, and we would have been whined at and told to sit down like at Eden Park every single time.
As for Aucklanders not rallying around the Fever, case and point of this is one idiot yelling out "same old chanting, always boring" at us, which is ironic because I find people who sit down and make no noise at all like him during football boring.
Was in the WNZ with ten or so mates who don't really get into the chanting but they appreciate what it's about which is why we chose to sit there. Was a good atmosphere there and that made it a lot more enjoyable. You could be mistaken for thinking you're at a rugby game otherwise. The other thing is that probably 90% of the white noise zone have traveled long distance to the game which makes their effort even more impressive. It's a shame local Auckland football fans don't embrace it (ACFC fans like to get vocal don't they?) because All Whites games should be where all football fans put their differences aside and get amonst it. Maybe too much to ask for though. Not saying everyone in the WNZ needs to get vocal but there were a lot of spare seats there and it just feels more like you're at a football game. I would like to think that my mates would get amongst it if they went to a few more games as well
Really valuable to hear the opinions of people who were actually at the game. Everyone else's 'experience' is biased by what the cameras do/don't show us, and the commentary.
Anyway, from where I was sitting (spare bedroom, Melbourne)... McGlinchy was a bit anonymous; Payne worked hard but was a weak link; lack of game-time for Rojas was evident; Boxall, Roux and Tuilloma are improving; Brockie isn't (only on for 20, so show some hunger FFS); now that the AWs have players who move well with the ball, they need to improve movement of the ball itself – SA's passing game was vastly superior.
Another area where SA were superior was their patience. He was solid, but several times Durante opted for a long ball despite being under no pressure. Why not wait for a passing option?
So... exciting times ahead for a young AWs squad (with more Wood, Tommy and Winston, and less Brockie and Payne).
Was in the WNZ with ten or so mates who don't really get into the chanting but they appreciate what it's about which is why we chose to sit there. Was a good atmosphere there and that made it a lot more enjoyable. You could be mistaken for thinking you're at a rugby game otherwise. The other thing is that probably 90% of the white noise zone have traveled long distance to the game which makes their effort even more impressive. It's a shame local Auckland football fans don't embrace it (ACFC fans like to get vocal don't they?) because All Whites games should be where all football fans put their differences aside and get amonst it. Maybe too much to ask for though. Not saying everyone in the WNZ needs to get vocal but there were a lot of spare seats there and it just feels more like you're at a football game. I would like to think that my mates would get amongst it if they went to a few more games as well
One word - boredom. That was an utterly boring game.
One word - boredom. That was an utterly boring game.
Another word: Auckland.
White Noise in Wellington >>> White Noise in Auckland.
Another word: Auckland.
White Noise in Wellington >>> White Noise in Auckland.
look in world cup thread
CB Reid and boxall, roux RB, smith LB
I know I will be pilloried for this, but if we plan to play Smith and Reid at centre back, (and i'm far from convinced Smith is a left back anyway) the best left back in the country at this stage is still Tony Lochhead. This would allow Tuiloma to be tried in the middle of the park.
And apparently we'd rather have Lia than James? Wow, just wow
We have to try Tuiloma at DM IMO. Didn't think Payne was terrible, just inexperienced and without a club.
We didn't create enough chances and we hardly had a shot. They weren't that good and messed up a lot- they shot, but terribly.
Boyd has excelled providing service to Stein, but isn't a clinical enough or strong enough striker to lead a line at this stage. He works better with a bit of wide room. Also I thought at times he seemed to go back to season 1 Nix boyd- tunnel vision, beating a player, but dying with the ball when we were working the ball around.
We need to have a back up striker to Wood. We had three strikers out and tried to go into the game with only Brockie and Boyd, both converted wide players who shouldn't be leading the line.
The style may have been praise worthy, but if you don't test the keeper you don't win the game. Did we test the keeper?
And would certainly be a better goal scorer than Lia...
Edit - Edited because the strike through on the text that shows in the editor doesn't seem to actually display on the page once saved (in Chrome at least)...... which made my original message nonsensical.
CB Reid and boxall, roux RB, smith LB
I know I will be pilloried for this, but if we plan to play Smith and Reid at centre back, (and i'm far from convinced Smith is a left back anyway) the best left back in the country at this stage is still Tony Lochhead. This would allow Tuiloma to be tried in the middle of the park.
"And most probably would be a better goal scorer than Lia"
It is perfectly reasonable to use an ellipted sentence, particularly in a forum post, which takes on the aspects of spoken discourse and is more casual than more formal genres of writing. ;-)
For example, in some forms of writing it would be an egregious error to start a sentence with a conjunction in the manner quoted above. Or for that matter to use a smiley face to indicate the tone of the text and the intent of the writer or 'speaker'.
The style may have been praise worthy, but if you don't test the keeper you don't win the game. Did we test the keeper?
On the walk to the train station after the game I asked my friend if he could remember a single shot their keeper actually had to save... I'm not saying he is a long term option but has Killen retired or just not selected/injured?
"And most probably would be a better goal scorer than Lia"
It is perfectly reasonable to use an ellipted sentence, particularly in a forum post, which takes on the aspects of spoken discourse and is more casual than more formal genres of writing. ;-)
For examples, in some forms of writing it would be an egregious error to start a sentence with a conjunction in the manner quoted above. Or for that matter to use a smiley face to indicate the tone of the text and the intent of the writer or 'speaker'.
"And most probably would be a better goal scorer than Lia"
It is perfectly reasonable to use an ellipted sentence, particularly in a forum post, which takes on the aspects of spoken discourse and is more casual than more formal genres of writing. ;-)
For examples, in some forms of writing it would be an egregious error to start a sentence with a conjunction in the manner quoted above. Or for that matter to use a smiley face to indicate the tone of the text and the intent of the writer or 'speaker'.
Haha, I actually wasn't trying to be a grammar nazi. What happened is I used the strikethrough option on the toolbar, through the words 'most probably', but of course when it displays on the page it doesn't show up, making me look like a d**k.
Actually you caught me on the football forums when I am supposed to be studying for an exam I've got this week on all that so gave me a chance to get in a bit of practice, hence all the bs jargon. so cheers for that. heh. It's the fever way- I'd much rather have the odd bit of correction on apostrophe's etc, than incomprehensible and mindless txt speak, yadada, like many of the other club forums.
think I'd probably get marks off for "is more casual than.." cos that's a bit vague and for not saying something like co-ordinating conjunction or using paralinguistics to describe the smiley. I may be doomed in this exam...
Howieson at LB?
Can somebody given me the lowdown on how musa played. really happy he made his debut.
Musa looked assured. Didnt do anything wrong that I saw. His arse blocked a goal bound shot and muscled their attacker off the ball once from memory.
Hes a far better player than he was at Nix. Boxall and Musa future Nix CB pairing!
Glad to hear Musa went well.
We do need CB cover
musa is not up to it. saw him go down weakly after a brush to the face
thought rojas looked weak really soft physically
thought rojas looked weak really soft physically
A game that has been continuously scorned on here, NZ B v SAF B
Long weekend in Auckland where lots of us travel out of the city early
9000 plus, well done
Of course it would have sold out in Wellington...
Horsehead ugh
I enjoyed the game. First 10 minutes were shaky with ,lots of going backwards, but apart from that and the tired last 10 minutes I thought we did alright considering we had no real striker. Some great interplay in the middle at times.
Tv musa was no good, wats ur opinion?
Nice to hear you're the authority on everything though tv
Saved a goal and did nothing wrong. Looks a lot more confident. To say he was no good well...clearly you werent really watching
He went down after getting an elbow... thats what happens!
I'm saying hes no good based on multiple times seeing him play at multiple levels
It was more than a brush to the face. The guy tried once and missed him so immediately whacked him back again. It floored Musa and would have floored most of us here. Not a sign of weakness in my book.
It was more than a brush to the face. The guy tried once and missed him so immediately whacked him back again. It floored Musa and would have floored most of us here. Not a sign of weakness in my book.
It was more than a brush to the face. The guy tried once and missed him so immediately whacked him back again. It floored Musa and would have floored most of us here. Not a sign of weakness in my book.
