All Whites v USA | Wed 12 Oct | 1:00pm | Four Kings

How many people were at this game?  Seemed like only one stand was open the rest closed off. Shame.

blimey what would they charge to see Spain v USA?!

Injuries and family feuds aside -we are getting close to a respectable 1st XI.

Marinovich 

Boxall Reid Themi Smith - large mobile backline 

Rojas Thomas McGlinchy 

Wood Kosta

Feels like we are one midfielder (Reira?) short of a very competitive 11.

Injuries are the biggest hurdle for us - usually one or many of these players are under the weather.

I feel like 5-3-2 is our best formation. Just need to find a way to get Thomas in there.

           Marinovic

Roux Themi Reid Boxall Wynne

            Tuiloma

  McGlinchey Rojas

   Barbarouses Wood

Longish bow you're trying to draw there Smithy. I wonder if the issue you're actually trying to posit is that a laissez faire market is better at player development, as opposed to "our way or the highway" NZF system? If so, perhaps another thread.

Drop McGlinchey deeper and replace Tuiloma with Thomas perhaps... Tuiloma is the long term option, but for now McG might be the better option.

I would rather we have a defensive midfielder play defensive midfield.

Playing with 10 is brave

                  Marinovic/Moss

Roux/Graham       Reid      Themi       Smith/Boxall

     McGlinchey      Tuiloma       Rojas

       Barbarouses    Wood       Thomas

If Albert Rieira becomes eligible, and is keen to be involved, surely it's a no-brainer to have him as holding midfielder screening the defence??

Maybe not if his 'legs have gone', as some claim was the case last season at the Nix.

There are  few reasons why I would disagree with where Smithy is heading in this but I understand where he is coming from and I think it would be a really good thread. 

The pressing approach evident v Mexico and Albert Riera don't really seem like two things that can both be part of the All Whites

I would love nothing more than for us to;

1) Qualify for the World Cup again (I know, it's far-fetched, but if we play like we did against Mexico/USA we at least have a 2% chance)

2) Have Tommy Smith not be in the squad

3) Have Siggy come out of retirement to play a few minutes in a World Cup

this better?

I would also like to watch an AWs game and hear actual commentary.  The great development of Jason Pine commentating Phoenix matches simply emphasises the contrast of what we had to hear with these international games.

If only SKY's welcome evolution to Pine could also include embracing Gordon Glen Watson for international matches - in that way football fans would be really well served.  The soundtrack of the USA match - with a constant stream of ages, numbers of caps and other inane dross - reminded me of that episode of The Office when Brent kept running off to google Dostoevsky...

good point

often, when a back 4 is used, the deepest midfielder doesn't press. but a back 5 with a sitting midfielder might not be anfony's cuppa

Does anyone know whether Hudson has approached Fitzgerald as surely he's the missing piece in the AW defensive puzzle. 

The defensive puzzle isn't really missing anything? Anyway, Fitzgerald's situation where he can't play due to J-League rules is well-established, isn't it?

Moss is gone......

NZ Herald: Five lessons we learned from the All Whites US tour:

1. Quality engenders quality
2. Holding midfielder quandary
   
3. Wood reaches new levels
4. Reminder from Reid
   
5. Limited depth at fullback
   

what kind of skillset would you want to see in a holding midfielder?

I think there is a massive difference between a defensive midfielder and a holding midfielder - i think the terms get confused and miss-used a lot these days.

that's a good point. 

If we play 5 at the back I can't see us having the luxury of also playing a defensive midfielder. 

What we haven't had since Elliot is a deep lying playmaker (aka regista). I have said this before on here but our biggest area of weakness is we don't transition well. Therefore we are relying on long balls to Wood and guys playing off him. If other teams take him out and force us to play through the thirds then we are far less effective and cough the pill up. 

So I think we are missing a playmaker to receive the ball from the back and link with accurate passing. Tuiloma is not one of those. Reira is more like that player and can also screen well. I think TAWH has shown good defensive qualities and is a good passer but I haven't seen enough of him reviewing the ball under pressure and keeping it to know. Reira was good for the Nix and holding the ball.

I think WeeMac did an ok job actually of being the playmaker. The issue was that is was mostly only him showing for the first pass. You need to have your box to box (ie 8) also there to create the space and the triangles otherwise the best pass is also a long ball to Woodsy. I think WeeMac is better suited to 8. 

I think Tuiloma and TAWH are there to screen and protect a lead. Not creative enough for me. 

Rufer and Ridenton as well.

Big year for both. Time they showed they've got what it takes.

We say that every year, but there is a gap in the midfield waiting for someone to grab.

Burfoot!!!

(begins to dodge tomatoes)

You make some good points. Playing 5 across the back often does mean you put a big creative loading on the single deep central midfielder(Wee Mac) Its quite simple for the opposition to press your player and cut of distribution. Defenders won,t pass to your CDM if someone is sitting on them so they tend to go long.

 I think Hudson might have to drop the 5 across the back and play two cental midfielders....Wee Mac and Tuiloma. They can alternate, one playing deeper one pushing up. It would give the team better options to move the ball through central midfield.

In France they call these positions the "relayeur" and the "sentinile". The stopper and the passer. In the games that I have seen Tuiloma play he has done both jobs. Against Ajax he started the game as a sentinile and then switched to the relayer for the last hour. He did an OK job, in fact he was the "go to" guy linking attack and defense. I think you would be surprised how well Tuiloma has developed as a passer. He is no Simon Elliot...yet, but he is only 21.

The issue I have with Hudson playing the youngsters in midfield is simply that the pace of the game at international level is streets faster than local NZ football. You have no time to sit on the ball in midfield, you must move it quickly and accurately. Tuiloma had a very solid preseason. He did not look out of place against good European Div 1 teams like Ajax, Palermo and Cologne. He should be groomed as the AW CDM....he could have that job for the next decade.

(unfortunately Tuiloma seems to have a serious injury. I have not been able to find out what the injury is. He has been listed "injured on the Marseille team sheets for the last 5 or so weeks with no news of his date of return......hope he makes a good recovery)