All Whites V Tahiti Tues 16th 7:30pm

And by that he means f**k-wit.

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Next to me!  It goes row a - z from the front, so we'll be 27 rows back I'm guessing

pax?

Well in that case there's room at my place.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/7818937/Sigmund-to-be-paired-with-Nelsen-at-back

That's the first bit of good news. The second bit is about half way through that article it says 7500 tickets have been pre-sold, so we could be on for a near sell out with this fine weather.

Shame on you Auckland.

So team, I finally managed to get hold of someone at the Speights re: drink specials.  EXCEPT I have to call him this morning.  Check back at around 12 and I'll be able to confirm what the drinks specials are.

Okay so my contact actually doesn't start work til 3.  BUT

Deal is 20% off tap beer (makes a pint of Speights $6.40)

GET IN! and See ya'll there.

 Needs Cider specials... even though I'm not there.

So they have Rekorderlig?

 So pumped for this!

Just the Isaacs.

Team news: Reid & Smeltz on bench due to injuries, Wood demoted to bench; Nelsen, Siggie, Brockie, Kosta start:

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/7818937/Sigmund-to-be-paired-with-Nelsen-at-the-back

3-4-1-2 formation:

Moss/ Paston            Nelsen, Siggie, Bertos           Kosta, McGlinchey, Vicelich, Keat(?)         Rojas         Brockie, Killen      

 "Nelsen's return after missing the Papeete victory with a knee niggle means Herbert will revert to the three-man defence he's deployed since the World Cup playoff with Bahrain in 2009.

He is likely to adopt a 3-4-1-2 formation with Melbourne Victory's Marco Rojas tucking in behind Brockie and senior striker Chris Killen. Millwall's Chris Wood drops to the bench after missing a couple of chances on Saturday.

In a pointer to the All Whites' plan to attack Tahiti in depth, Greece-based Kosta Barbarouses has been named on the right flank in midfield ahead of Leo Bertos, Herbert's traditional right wingback.

Herbert hasn't selected Barbarouses to shackle him with a defensive role. He expected the All Whites would "see more of the ball" than in the physical first leg and Barbarouses will be encouraged to get forward to deliver crosses."     

Fizzing for today.
Am really interested to see what the crowd is like, in talking to people, It seems like everyone I know is going, even people from work who only have a vague interest in football. There also seems to have been lots of advertising and the back page of the press had full page articles the last couple days as well the football in the gap launch and the signing in rebel sport.

For a while there I was thinking it might surprise everyone and sell out but then having seen that 7k odd tickets have been sold I'm not sure what to think.

Hate 3 at the back. Will look even worse without Smith and Reid there.

I don't see anyway Leo plays in a back three.  I reckon Pete just forgot Smith.

Everything says Siggie, Nlsen, Smith backline.

What scoreline are people predicting? 

Apparently Tahiti have lost key defender Angelo Tchen from the last game to the Beach Soccer World Cup, forcing their best player, captain Nicholas Vallar (nine years French league experience) to drop back from midfield to take his place. 

I can see it ending about 6-0 if the AW's click...

Any player with an initial "K" will score heaps - i.e. Killen and Kosta

Biggest on-field celebration - if Brocks scores his first All Whites goal. That's a strange statistic -  34 "A" internationals and no goals yet!

Would be great in front of what is in effect a home crowd for Brocks too.

 Would be nice to get a big score line...Nelsen to get on the score board would be nice

Why oh why do we still play Vicelich.

 Because he's the DM in the New Zealand game?

idiot

vicelich is essential to this side, his reading of the game is way beyond this level

and before anyone says that he's too old for the next world cup...

a. he might not be

b. even if he is, having this sort of experience in the side through periods of evolution and player development is essential

and who else is there after tim browns retirement

 hey, someone mentioned bertos in  back three earlier, surely this is a mistake?

This...

I'd say based on Honiara that Elliott would still be a chance for a run due to our shortage of midfielders and he needs a Zimmer frame.

Once we have qualified I'd like to see Keat and Lindsay given a good run there but until we're qualified we play the best we've got... shame Manny played for Malta.

I like Vicelich, but I do worry about the legs.  See the Tahitians pretty triangles move at the start...

http://www.youtube.com/user/OFCfootball?feature=CAkQwRs%3D

classic!

news, what's the deal with elliott?  i thought he'd packed it in and is working as a scout at Chivas USA USA USA

i recall you saying in another thread a while ago that this isn't the case - have been meaning to ask you for a while

both really underdone so far in their professional careers but yeah i'd like to see that combo as well. lindsay needs to be given a decent run with the phoenix regardless of the form of a muscat/smith pairing.

jeremy christine anyone? im kidding. 

yes

technical director/head scout

 I was told by someone who'd spoken to Simon that he hadn't retired from playing for the AWs and was only unavailable through injury.  I suspect however he's not on the radar anymore.

chris james? half kidding

Whole kidding.

Andy Bevin and Ethan Galbraith both made more of a mark on the NSWPL than James.

he's doing alright for KuPs?

brother just needed to get some game time!

Just got 3 tickets pax 9874.

what ever happened to him, played well for the AWs for a while, then not selected for even the u20 side

what's the beef?