Really didn't see that sort of response coming. I know there was big talk from the camp that they had let themselves down agaisnt Finland and wanted to do better but I was still imagining at best a spirited 1-1 draw. That was something else. Gave them the full Malaysia treatment.
Hate to say it as a Nix fan but I think Randall has bolted himself to not just a squad callup but a starting position.
Alex's distribution was clinical, Old at LB is now a viable option and gives us an additional option when it comes to the tricky challenge of getting out best 11 on the field.
I know Chile have had quite the fall from grace and it was against 10 men but all those years we suffered helpless spankings from the likes of Mexico and Peru at the WC playoffs. Can you imagine telling us fans, don't worry in a decades time you will put four goals past Chile and be on your way to the WC?!
The real worry now is how do we maintain that cohesion and not come in cold and disjointed again the next window. Our biggest failing throughout this long build towards being world cup ready has been the ability to consistently perform across both matches in a window. You simply cannog afford to do what we have done in a WC with three games so close together. You lose the first one and you are enormously on the back foot. I suppose we weren't too out of sorts against Ukraine in that Canadian tournmanet. But after that you'd have to go back to the last FIFA series in 2024 to get that back to back consistency across both matches. (Even then we didnt win or manage to score). Whatever the boys were able to tap into tonight. Whatever there motivations were. Whatever deviation from Baze's typical plan we went on. That needs to be what we deliver from here on out.
Hate to say it as a Nix fan but I think Randall has bolted himself to not just a squad callup but a starting position.
Alex's distribution was clinical, Old at LB is now a viable option and gives us an additional option when it comes to the tricky challenge of getting out best 11 on the field.
I know Chile have had quite the fall from grace and it was against 10 men but all those years we suffered helpless spankings from the likes of Mexico and Peru at the WC playoffs. Can you imagine telling us fans, don't worry in a decades time you will put four goals past Chile and be on your way to the WC?!
The real worry now is how do we maintain that cohesion and not come in cold and disjointed again the next window. Our biggest failing throughout this long build towards being world cup ready has been the ability to consistently perform across both matches in a window. You simply cannog afford to do what we have done in a WC with three games so close together. You lose the first one and you are enormously on the back foot. I suppose we weren't too out of sorts against Ukraine in that Canadian tournmanet. But after that you'd have to go back to the last FIFA series in 2024 to get that back to back consistency across both matches. (Even then we didnt win or manage to score). Whatever the boys were able to tap into tonight. Whatever there motivations were. Whatever deviation from Baze's typical plan we went on. That needs to be what we deliver from here on out.