I put this up on Piney's tweet earlier. I know it's very unrealistic that Bazeley implements something so outwardly positive such as this, but I can dream.
Would be intrigued to see if McCowatt is employed at some stage in a more central position like he has been for his Helsingør club side. Failing that, it's useful having him as an interchangeable player between both left and right wing positions.
Anyway, roll on the 5-3-2 setup that gets employed to limit the damage and is somewhat of a faux attempt to keep it tight...
I really quite like this. Just & Rojas drifting inside to createoverloads with the fullbacks providing the width & Stamenic dropping in with the CBs to cover could work but I certainly don't expect to see it.
almost 3 years ago· edited almost 3 years ago· History
You'd expect the formations from Sweden to Qatar games could differ.
Also Bazeley did try a back 4 with the U20s against USA. U20s seemed to go better for longer in that game than against Argentina where they deployed a back 3/5.
It wouldn't shock if Bazeley tried a back 4 against Sweden, with yes maybe Stamenic dropping into the backline, when the AWs don't have the ball. He was playing as a CB for FCK at season end. AWs had a back 3/5 in the first China game (a draw), and a back 4 in the 2nd match (a win). Bigger bodied Mata starting the first game & Greive the 2nd one.
The midfield is the AWs strength & without Wood and his excellent holdup play, they have basically lost that outlet to relieve pressure by just banging it forward.
I put this up on Piney's tweet earlier. I know it's very unrealistic that Bazeley implements something so outwardly positive such as this, but I can dream.
Would be intrigued to see if McCowatt is employed at some stage in a more central position like he has been for his Helsingør club side. Failing that, it's useful having him as an interchangeable player between both left and right wing positions.
Anyway, roll on the 5-3-2 setup that gets employed to limit the damage and is somewhat of a faux attempt to keep it tight...
I really quite like this. Just & Rojas drifting inside to createoverloads with the fullbacks providing the width & Stamenic dropping in with the CBs to cover could work but I certainly don't expect to see it.
Haha thanks. Like I said, I don't expect to see it employed in the upcoming matches, but it would be nice to think we could try something experimental given it's now a fresh WC cycle.
That formation would also be easy enough to transition into a 4-2-3-1 on the go - Having Garbett step into AM, and Bell dropping back and fulfilling the double 6 role with Stamenic.
Again don't see it happening. But it's nice to imagine at least. 😅
“For McGarry, Libby is such a strong player and seems to play 90 minutes most games for us, which is awesome because he’s such a good player,” Bazeley said.
“But we’ve decided to bring in Francis de Vries who has played for the All Whites in the last year and was doing really well before he picked up his injury.
“He’s come back and he looks really fit but he also covers a centre-back position for us, which is slightly different to Jimmy.
“But like I said to Jimmy, he’s doing well, he’s just gotta keep working away and whatever happens in the future, he’s put himself back in the frame and Storm has as well.”
almost 3 years ago· edited almost 3 years ago· History
What should also help Bazeley this time is that Minny & Charlotte both play 11th June. That means Boxy & Tuiloma should arrive Stockholm no later than 13th June. Giving them a day or 2 more in camp, than they (well Boxall) had prior the first China game.
Another reason to hopefully start with a back 4. More rested, more time to bed in combinations.
The mental gymnastics to try and justify not selected roux or mcgarry are infuriating. How roux isn't the starting right back for the Sweden game is a wild ride.
It's a bad excuse that because Libby will start both games you don't take your best backup in McGarry. It isn't like there are club games he will miss/exhaust himself for by flying across the world to sit on the bench. It's the off season, he would have loved to have gone (per his recent interview on the KFF). Why is it so important to have another player who can play CB instead when you have Boxall, Smith, Pijnaker, Tuiloma, and Surman in the squad? It's bullshark. It's the same sort of jobs for the boys mentality that saw us lose Des for Perth SC coach Danny Hay.
But I won't be gutted if Elliott is starting RB for this window even if on form Roux deserves it, he needs all the help he can get finding a new club. Roux should be in the squad over Payne though, Payne at one point a season or two back looked a really solid RB but he has regressed and/or been a pretty average CB over the past two seasons and I don't think there is much hope left that he will be an international quality right back, THE right back we want to see starting for us in 2026. But given Payne made the squad and has been primarily a CB recently, it's even more insane DeVries' apparent ability to play CB saw him picked over McGarry.
McGarry is also by his and Clayton's telling good mates with Clayton too, so can't be such a bad guy to have around in a squad environment either.
It's a bad excuse that because Libby will start both games you don't take your best backup in McGarry. It isn't like there are club games he will miss/exhaust himself for by flying across the world to sit on the bench. It's the off season, he would have loved to have gone (per his recent interview on the KFF). Why is it so important to have another player who can play CB instead when you have Boxall, Smith, Pijnaker, Tuiloma, and Surman in the squad? It's bullshark. It's the same sort of jobs for the boys mentality that saw us lose Des for Perth SC coach Danny Hay.
But I won't be gutted if Elliott is starting RB for this window even if on form Roux deserves it, he needs all the help he can get finding a new club. Roux should be in the squad over Payne though, Payne at one point a season or two back looked a really solid RB but he has regressed and/or been a pretty average CB over the past two seasons and I don't think there is much hope left that he will be an international quality right back, THE right back we want to see starting for us in 2026. But given Payne made the squad and has been primarily a CB recently, it's even more insane DeVries' apparent ability to play CB saw him picked over McGarry.
McGarry is also by his and Clayton's telling good mates with Clayton too, so can't be such a bad guy to have around in a squad environment either.
Libby mayb start both gmaes, but what do you do if he gets injured in the first 5 minutes of game one? You're then left trying to find an adequate left back cos you didnt select a decent back up. amatuer hour.
I think it comes down to Bazeley natural defensive approach. Both McGarry and Roux are far better attacking wise and when their teams have the ball more. Defensively they both have some fragility. So I suspect Bazeley is looking for defenders who can defend first, attack second.
I'm going to chuck in an idea (just a hunch, absolutely zero evidence or proof to back it up...).
There's a long timeline to organising an All Whites game, including squad lists, visa applications and processing, flights, etc etc, especially with the diasporic nature of our roster. So an initial list would've been compiled months ago, with contingencies for injuries, form etc. At that point, Roux and McGarry were not in the coaching team's thinking, so weren't included. Relatively "late" in the piece, their club team storms home with a wet sail and they turn in excellent performances - but by that point, administratively, it's seen as too complicated and convoluted to withdraw some visa applications, make new ones, sort other bookings, etc. Being unwilling to explain that publicly, we instead get the "great problem to have leaving out good players" line, and two players who deserve to be in there, aren't.
Begs the question - would they have been included if these were home fixtures?
Again, just a theory, absolutely no basis or evidence other than a hunch...
I'm going to chuck in an idea (just a hunch, absolutely zero evidence or proof to back it up...).
There's a long timeline to organising an All Whites game, including squad lists, visa applications and processing, flights, etc etc, especially with the diasporic nature of our roster. So an initial list would've been compiled months ago, with contingencies for injuries, form etc. At that point, Roux and McGarry were not in the coaching team's thinking, so weren't included. Relatively "late" in the piece, their club team storms home with a wet sail and they turn in excellent performances - but by that point, administratively, it's seen as too complicated and convoluted to withdraw some visa applications, make new ones, sort other bookings, etc. Being unwilling to explain that publicly, we instead get the "great problem to have leaving out good players" line, and two players who deserve to be in there, aren't.
Begs the question - would they have been included if these were home fixtures?
Again, just a theory, absolutely no basis or evidence other than a hunch...
interesting theory - could be part of the reason given NZF's historic poor use of the fax machine to get Visa's sorted - shouldn't really be an issue in this day and age - Roux and McGarry's passports would be up to date, so it's really only obtaining the visa which you would think wouldn't take too long if you were an organisation that was agile enough.
almost 3 years ago· edited almost 3 years ago· History
NZ citizens don't need a visa to enter Europe. From 2024 changes slightly with a 30 nation ETIAS visa waiver system, and NZ passport holders will need to apply for an ETIAS - I guess similar to the USA ESTA visa waiver. https://www.handyvisas.com/etias/requirements-for-new-zealanders/
Given Immigration forms I've filled in lately, the only one who could encounter some problems would be Rojas coming from South America. Which is more to do with outbreaks of diseases like Dengue Fever I understand.
Apparently NZF run a large WhatsApp group of all players in AWs contention. You'd think through something like that they keep all the players updated in advance on what games they were negotiating, what visas are required etc etc. There could be some AWs who don't have a current NZ passport (if FIFA allow that), which if possible might create an issue. Like when is the last time Roux lived in NZ.
DeVries apparently is the best crosser of the ball in the camp, might be a reason also for his inclusion ahead of McGarry, whose final ball can be lacking.
almost 3 years ago· edited almost 3 years ago· History
MetalLegNZ
DeVries apparently is the best crosser of the ball in the camp, might be a reason also for his inclusion ahead of McGarry, whose final ball can be lacking.
I remember watching bazeley at the knights. The guys a full back himself. While he was no spring chicken with grey hair at the time, he definitely was more of a Payne full back than a Roux.
I guess he just likes picking players like he played. If he plays 4 at the back, then maybe, but if he plays 5,3,2 then it’s just sharke
All players in the squad have now played their last game before the window, only Boxall & Tuiloma with an intercontinental flight after a game this weekend (with Tuiloma not even getting off the bench for his). Would have just been the Sligo boys playing this weekend out of the European cohort. Hopefully this means the whole squad in general got to travel early enough to acclimatise and train sufficiently for Sweden.
Swedish 29 man squad named on 31 May to face the AW's: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sweden_national_football_team#Players They have named quite a few fresh faces and players without many caps. Of the defenders, only three players have more than eight caps: Lindelof (Man. Utd, captain), Olsson (Malmo) and Sema (Watford) Of the midfielders, more international experience, with six having more than twenty caps, with Forsberg (Leipzig), Ekdal (Spezia) and Claesson (Copenhagen) having more than sixty caps each. The rising star of Swedish football, Hugo Larsson (no relation to Henrik) aged 18 has been named (has one cap) - just signed for Frankfurt on a record Swedish deal. Forwards: Of the four named, only Isak (Newcastle Utd) and Quaison (former Palermo & Mainz sriker, now in Saudi) have a lot of caps. Although Anthony Elanga of Man. Utd is high-profile. None of the forwards are exactly prolific scorers for Sweden: Isak has nine goals in 39 apps; Quason twelve in 46. First cholce goalie is Robin Olsen,the Villa reserve keeper. Only one of Marko Stamenic's FC Copenhagen team mates is named, midfielder Viktor Claesson. Only nine players of the 29 man squad played for clubs in Europe's top four leagues this season.
almost 3 years ago· edited almost 3 years ago· History
martinb
There’s not that many more than AWs in history that have played in the top four leagues right?? Nine is intimidating enough surely…
Interesting trivia qtn. Eight? Cacace, Wynton, Singh, Norfolk, Elliott, Nelsen, Reid & Wood. No doubt I'm missing someone. Hay only played in UCL, not EPL for Leeds?
But yes the Swedes have a far more talented squad than us. Isak probably has more goals this season (in agruably the world's best league) than whole AWs squad this European season, if say you restricted it to the top 20 leagues, ie remove McCowatt & Mata.
Hay did play in the PL. Tuiloma made senior appearances for Marseille, is that a top 4 league?
Edit: quick Google says no, england Italy Germany Spain are top 4. Had a mind blank
Hay definitely played EPL, he was in that game where Viduka scored 4 against Liverpool, he faced Man Utd at Old Trafford, and almost scored against Bradford.
Hay did play in the PL. Tuiloma made senior appearances for Marseille, is that a top 4 league?
Edit: quick Google says no, england Italy Germany Spain are top 4. Had a mind blank
Most convos around Europe involve France as the top 5 leagues, so I'd count Tuiloma in that mix.
The next tier down would be Holland and Belgium I guess, where you'd have Vicelich, de Jong, Bouckenhooghe, Rojas etc
I'm a believer of the theory 'Top 5' is only used to include PSG in such stats; France is much closer in coefficient to 6th than 4th, and 5th place in the coefficient rankings got fewer UCL places (though that will change with the re-formatting). Looking now, Eredivisie has actually overtaken Ligue 1 into 5th. For example, France has 51.9 coefficient points, Netherlands has 52.1 and then 4th placed Germany has 69.6.
Of course Tyler Boyd, who still has half a dozen AWs caps, also played in Portugal. Bouckenooghe only played 37 minutes in Pro League though, Cacace had 4,500. Ryan Thomas another with well over a hundred appearances in a (now 5th) top league.
Hay did play in the PL. Tuiloma made senior appearances for Marseille, is that a top 4 league?
Edit: quick Google says no, england Italy Germany Spain are top 4. Had a mind blank
Most convos around Europe involve France as the top 5 leagues, so I'd count Tuiloma in that mix.
The next tier down would be Holland and Belgium I guess, where you'd have Vicelich, de Jong, Bouckenhooghe, Rojas etc
I'm a believer of the theory 'Top 5' is only used to include PSG in such stats; France is much closer in coefficient to 6th than 4th, and 5th place in the coefficient rankings got fewer UCL places (though that will change with the re-formatting). Looking now, Eredivisie has actually overtaken Ligue 1 into 5th. For example, France has 51.9 coefficient points, Netherlands has 52.1 and then 4th placed Germany has 69.6.
Of course Tyler Boyd, who still has half a dozen AWs caps, also played in Portugal. Bouckenooghe only played 37 minutes in Pro League though, Cacace had 4,500. Ryan Thomas another with well over a hundred appearances in a (now 5th) top league.
Yeh, I didn't say Bouckie played a lot, just that he played!! Still, he was the first All White (and second Kiwi) to play in that league, so a little bit historic.
I'm just a bit old fashioned (and old) - growing up it was always those 5, although back then Serie A was first, daylight second. In fact Spain and the Bundesliga had better quality football than the old First Division - and there were some great teams out of France, like St Etienne, Bordeaux, Auxerre, Marseilles and Monaco. PSG were a bit different back then...
Anyway you're stats and arguments totally hold - I think we've established the Sweden squad is stronger than ours :)
Time for the proverbial question. Any news on these 2 games being televised?
Qatar game isn't up on the Sky guide yet, but the Sweden game is. Live at 4:50am (no build up as I assume it'll be the UEFA production team) on Sky Sport 2 and Prime.
almost 3 years ago· edited almost 3 years ago· History
Hello the Bulgarian Kiwi. Be very interesting to see if him or Crocombe get a game. Feels like we have seen plenty of Sail the last few years. Time to give someone else a look at in goal, being so early in the WC cycle.
Sounds like the Swedes will start a 2nd string lineup against the AWs in their 'training match'. Small mercies. Though I imagine many of the 2nd stringers will be out to impress.
almost 3 years ago· edited almost 3 years ago· History
Good to see Waine fit in those pics. He's already a fan favourite at Home Park with the fans singing his name even when he's on the bench. Next season is key for him and thus the AWs too.
I'd like to see Sail on the bench for these two games and Nik and Max given a game each. Both have had better seasons then Sail in tougher environments then Wellington and both could be playing at a higher level then Sail next season.
Weather's been great in the UK and Europe lately, can't wait to get to Sweden tomorrow. Lots of tickets sold as well so should be a good atmosphere.
Supporter world's best and worst football teams: Waikato/WaiBop, Kingz, Knights, Phoenix, The Argyle, The Whites & the All Whites
almost 3 years ago· edited almost 3 years ago· History
While I hate watching us lose, I'm really unhappy with a couple of players picked as others have said, and think only hidings here will get rid of Baze.
I liked Baze as a captain and player but he is no coach. His best mate Emblen was better and I actually wish he was leading us out for these two games.
NZF really need decent Ferns and AWs coaches ASAP.
Supporter world's best and worst football teams: Waikato/WaiBop, Kingz, Knights, Phoenix, The Argyle, The Whites & the All Whites
For me a win will be seeing us not playing 3 centre backs. It worked for Ricky in 2009/10 as it fit his strengths up top and at the back but we’ve moved on from them yet the shape has more or less stayed. We just end up carrying a player.
We have very mobile wing backs that can play in a 4-3-3 or variant thereof because we have two 6’s that are smart enough to know when to press and when to sit to cover the runs of Libby and Callan.
For me a win will be seeing us not playing 3 centre backs. It worked for Ricky in 2009/10 as it fit his strengths up top and at the back but we’ve moved on from them yet the shape has more or less stayed. We just end up carrying a player.
We have very mobile wing backs that can play in a 4-3-3 or variant thereof because we have two 6’s that are smart enough to know when to press and when to sit to cover the runs of Libby and Callan.
So that would be a win for me..
Yeah you play 3 centre backs if you have 3 great centre backs (which we did in Nelson, Reid and a young Tommy Smith).
But your formation should always get your best players on the pitch, which for us is now the midfield.
In no world should you be sacrificing one of Bell, Stamenic, Garbett, Thomas or Singh for Pijnaker, Tuiloma, Boxall or god forbid, Tim Payne.
