All Whites vs Colombia | Sun 16th Nov | 1:00pm (NZT) | Chase Stadium (Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA)

I hope everyone is fit for the March window. Dreading seeing this diamond formation and it works. 

I think AP, Payne, Surman, Boxall and Libby at the back. 

Bell, Stamenic, Thomas and Singh as a diamond. 

Wood with one of Kosta/McCowatt/Garbett/Just as the two up top. 

I think that’s our best lineup/best 11-15 players without a shadow of a doubt it’s just about piecing it together. 

Darren Bazeley has no plans to introduce a diamond formation. 

I'm pretty sure it was the last window, where Bazeley said he was 'open' to playing all of Thomas, Bell, Stamenic and Singh together. Something along those lines. It was a response to a question.

I think the interview may have been up on Friends of Football?

Stamenic was unavailable in Sept, Bell in Oct & now Thomas. Think I have that right. So as yet Baze hasn't had a chance to try it, even if he wanted to.

coochiee

I'm pretty sure it was the last window, where Bazeley said he was 'open' to playing all of Thomas, Bell, Stamenic and Singh together. Something along those lines. It was a response to a question.

I think the interview may have been up on Friends of Football?

Stamenic was unavailable in Sept, Bell in Oct & now Thomas. Think I have that right. So as yet Baze hasn't had a chance to try it, even if he wanted to.

When they're all available, Singh is set to play on the right, as he did against Norway.

andrewvoerman

Darren Bazeley has no plans to introduce a diamond formation. 

Does Darren Bazeley have plans to win games of football?

Friar Tuck

andrewvoerman

Darren Bazeley has no plans to introduce a diamond formation. 

Does Darren Bazeley have plans to win games of football?

 I believe he does, the problem is the other teams' coaches have those plans too.

We could emulate the Scots in their gripping win over Denmark this a.m. qualifying directly: wear kilts with nowt beneath - a masterstroke. In our case  a maro.

andrewvoerman

Friar Tuck

andrewvoerman

Darren Bazeley has no plans to introduce a diamond formation. 

Does Darren Bazeley have plans to win games of football?

 I believe he does, the problem is the other teams' coaches have those plans too.

 Damn, foiled again!

Those two Columbia goals were diabolical. The 2nd was just terrible defending. 

Naturally all the focus from fans are goals, playing style/approach but the All Whites have a real problem defensively as a team. 

There is no doubt in my mind that the attack can get a goal (against anyone) but when you concede at all the wrong times in a game (first 10, last 10 minutes of each half) it's very demoralizing for the team. 

We can score against anyone!
Yeah, right.

We scored against 7/9 opponents we played this year. 5/7 non-OFC opponents. Pretty good record. 

In the last 10 games, the All Whites haven't scored in two games, against Australia and Poland. But when you look at those games, there were very good opportunities to do so. The problem is definitely not goals in this team. 

Now some people will say, there is a problem because we not scoring 2, 3 goals a game. But that is so unrealistic to do so on a continuous bases.

Baze and the senior players need to fix their defensive play, in order to give the team a proper chance at winning a game. 

Saffa

In the last 10 games, the All Whites haven't scored in two games, against Australia and Poland. But when you look at those games, there were very good opportunities to do so. The problem is definitely not goals in this team. 

Now some people will say, there is a problem because we not scoring 2, 3 goals a game. But that is so unrealistic to do so on a continuous bases.

Baze and the senior players need to fix their defensive play, in order to give the team a proper chance at winning a game. 

Meh... we are hardly being put to the sword. We are not conceeding 3 or 4 goals on a regular basis or anything. Again, where are we ranked in comparison to who we are playing for example. Today's team finished above Brazil in qualifying for example. We are not playing 'average' teams. Hell we are not even playing teams at our general level. We are taking on bigger, better sides and doing ok.

Our defence is fine, our attack is improving and we have better depth than ever. 

I look forward to going to the WC next year and celebrating our team!

To be fair, the games we have played since New Caledonia had little but pride riding on them for both teams.  We did not get beaten 10 nil because we are not that bad, but the opposition in these games (Australia twice, Colombia, Ecuador) simply took their chances when offered but otherwise took off their foot off the gas when extra effort was not needed.   
If they were competitive games during the tournament, we may see different results, because more is riding on the games / the stakes are higher / first teams will be playing us.
And yes, Woodsies misses against Australia away are still hurting.

Mainland FC

To be fair, the games we have played since New Caledonia had little but pride riding on them for both teams.  We did not get beaten 10 nil because we are not that bad, but the opposition in these games (Australia twice, Colombia, Ecuador) simply took their chances when offered but otherwise took off their foot off the gas when extra effort was not needed.   
If they were competitive games during the tournament, we may see different results, because more is riding on the games / the stakes are higher / first teams will be playing us.
And yes, Woodsies misses against Australia away are still hurting.

I mean we’ll likely also play with more intensity and desire to win at the World Cup, so I think that balances out the “foot off the gas” from friendly opponents.

Inclined to agree more with Saffa than MetalLegNZ. Our defense is not fine. We concede soft goals more than we should.

It is more admirable that we try to play our game and don't make it our absolute first priority to not concede at the expense of all other facets of the game, a sort of get a clean sheet and hope for a lucky goal on the break or from a set piece approach. But it will be so, so important than we give absolutely nothing away cheaply at the World Cup. We simply are not going to be freescoring enough to be able to absorb soft goals and still get results.

I think right now if we could only pick one thing to improve before the tournament, attack or defense, I'd pick defense every day of the week. Our attack is good enough, better than I'd have hoped for when Baze first got the job.

yeah the concerning factor is the soft goals - although they should be simple fix, they all come from lapses in concentration or not being switched on from the start (who'd have thought that this happens at the top level?).

If our goals being conceded were coming from things like being out played, a lack of possession then I'd be more worried! But we have plenty of ball and for most parts we have managed to force better teams to work hard to beat us.

theprof

yeah the concerning factor is the soft goals - although they should be simple fix, they all come from lapses in concentration or not being switched on from the start (who'd have thought that this happens at the top level?).

If our goals being conceded were coming from things like being out played, a lack of possession then I'd be more worried! But we have plenty of ball and for most parts we have managed to force better teams to work hard to beat us.

I was worried about our inability to break out or play out from our own box when the Ecuadorian attack faltered or we won the ball.  No more than 5 seconds later Ecuador would have the ball again.