I'm resigned to the fact that until seismic change happens within NZ Football (far beyond coaching appointments; more like changing confederations), we'll never 'do very well' beyond beating Island nations 3-0 every other year.
I'll always watch and support my team, but I watch the All Whites through gritted teeth. If we take this kind of performance to a World Cup, we'll be lucky to function by any metric.
Tahiti have disrupted the attacks pretty well, to be expected but physical in defence and they've offered nothing in attack. Crocombe has had no action and the one catch he had to make he drops for a corner. We just have to be more clinical.
It is hard to play against teams like this, all 11 behind the ball, they don’t stand where they are meant to, do things they aren’t meant to do and its easier to play more structured and athletic teams. I suppose the heat, the pitch etc don't help either.
A 2nd goal, and it could quickly become a few more. At 1-0 they still have the belief they are a chance to sneak a draw. Was all one traffic that last 10 mins. They hack it to half way and back we come again.
Hot but AWs should have the superior fitness. I'm gonna go 4-0 from here.
That was such a dry watch. Tahiti's defense having to work for sure but without being strained by any competent threat. Certainly not worth the reprimand I'll get on Monday morning for sneaking away to watch this game.
Our crossing has been absolutely fudgeing dreadful today. Get Wood off so we're forced to try and actually play it in and around the area. Truly aimless amateur shark this is.
Have seen better delivery from kids down the local park.
He's been doing a bit of that at Forest, drifting deeper away from his markers at corners and then trying to diagonal powerful headers on an angle away from keepers.
You'd like to think it was a planned move this time, but given most of the headers I've seen delivered in this game have been poor not so sure.
Egypt, Tunisia and the USA have all been decent results this year against teams ranked far higher than us. 2 draws & a 1-0 loss.
But yeah I'd agree it was the 2nd half of that Ireland game when we last played well for a long stretch, Singh orchestrating things. We need him & Wood together, against top 60 opponents to properly judge.
And to be fair if we are talking this level opposition we played decent to win the Nations Cup back in June. But yeah it's only against bigger teams where you really assess progress.
Tbf one of his PL goals this season and one in the preseason against Championship opposition were similar. They just left him alone at the back post. Edit: Coochie beat me to it.
It took 81 minutes, but I'm pretty sure that was the first time we've had a fullback (Sutton) get in behind the Tahitian defensive line all afternoon...
Absolutely bugger all penetration or willingness to take them on and at least get to the byline.
We don’t need Singh to play football, we need the instructions and inclination. It seemed to me we were just slowing the pace constantly. That’s surely just player management?
Had the game on but basically missed the lot due to assignment stress 😂 nice goals from us and seems more transitional than expected.
They sat deep and defended a lot but to be fair had a few good attacks with the Tehau boys and honestly, they probably could have nicked one. I think they'll be encouraged by this.
Just gotta move on for us - if we win 3-0 when we're not playing well (like this game and vs Solomon Islands) then that's not so bad.
Hope we put on more of a show at home for Malaysia and the other WCQs.
Get in, control the game, win, get out. Don't run at players and invite fast paced contact and injury.
Doesn't make for a great watch but gets the job done. Safe and sound.
See how they go in NZ.
Exactly. Jone done, no injuries, flush it down the dunny and move on. These games tell us minimal how we will go at the World Cup. Matches verus Mexico & USA do.
Next 4 qualifiers at home in milder climes on true pitches. It gets alot easier from here. Probably the toughest game today of the OFC qualifying phase. Though knockout semi & final will naturally bring some edge.
Be interesting to hear how Malaysia go against Auckland tonight.
