Libby will be missed. Definitely a blow to the AWs chances of pinching a result.
FDV a great crosser, but him and Payne on the flanks could be weaknesses defensively. Neither that quick and both still in ALM pre season mode, esp Tim P.
🆕 17-year-old Luke Brooke-Smith (@WgtnPhoenixFC) and 20-year-old Henry Gray (@IpswichTown) have been called up to the All Whites squad to face Australia 🇦🇺
The two replace Libby Cacace (recovering from injury) and Alex Paulsen (staying with new club after moving last week) 🔄… pic.twitter.com/g7WpMeAStL
Bugger that's a shame about Libby, but would be even worse if this window aggrevated those injuries. Great expeirence for the two young fellas. Not sure if they'll see any minutes but at least indicates to them that they are progressing wellin their careers
LBS is a huge shout for the WC if he has a good season. Could be a perfect impact player in 9 months if he continues to develop.
Try not to panic coochiee, Payne will be streets ahead of how Elliot and Tuiloma played in the last window
But will he be? He's had what 90 mins against Heidelberg (who I've read are a bunch of plumbers, and IT workers) where he looked very average.
Tuiloma yipe struggled against the Ivorians, but that Payne like, was coming off almost nil football. Since then he's broken into the starting lineup at Charlotte, and been pretty impressive before his recent hammy twinge. I'd certainly have in there before Elliott, if BT was fully fit.
I mean there is a reason Poppa has picked zero ALM players in his Socceroos squad. That's a zero imanix. Guys coming from the MLS and Europe are just months ahead in their match conditioning and sharpness.
I haven't been following the game long enough to perhaps have had any former kiwi "wonderkids" on my radar but if Pounds got on the field would he be in the running for youngest ever AW debut?
De Vries hasn’t been great preseason and neither has Payne. I’d rather have Elliot and … starting. They’re flawed but at least they can run and seem almost game ready. Has Baze ever used De Vries at LB? He was further forward last game, in front of Libby. He can’t mark up on Irankunda.
I’m worried about our flanks too. Can we convert a goalie to FB? Or Boxy returns there? Eh. Or we play two defensive midfielders allowing Just/McCowatt/Rogerson/whoever to play higher up as a WB and get covered by a 3 at the back and then Bell and Rufer to boot? Though Baze doesn’t want to do that.
If anyone outside the four ALM full backs picked (Elliott, Payne, McGarry & FDV) who are all still in pre season, gets a run in those flank spots - it will be Bindon.
He started the Ukraine game at RB. And as is now the conumdrum it seems a bit of a waste to have either of Surman or Boxall on the bench.
Likely that a back 4 will always start games, but a back 3/5 could finish games like it was against Ivory Coast.
Elliot and McGarry starting then. Depending how it goes Payne replacing Jimmy and switching with Elliot. De Vries…maybe for 10 minutes. He’ll have better CBs to work with but also the attack will be much stronger.
Bindon’s advantage would be match fitness, though Auckland have had a good cup run and Aussie is unlikely to be as grueling as Heidelberg!
Elliot and McGarry starting then. Depending how it goes Payne replacing Jimmy and switching with Elliot. De Vries…maybe for 10 minutes. He’ll have better CBs to work with but also the attack will be much stronger.
Bindon’s advantage would be match fitness, though Auckland have had a good cup run and Aussie is unlikely to be as grueling as Heidelberg!
Haha. I think Irankunda & co will sadly be a bigger threat than anyone at the Bergers. Nestroy's Watford free kicks have been big (SBS) news in Oztraylia.
FDV and presumably Payne to start. Can report Jimmy McG looked sharp for the Roar in a pre season game here against a pretty limp CCM incl Storm Roux. McGarry scored a goal cutting back in. But it has to be Francis surely running out on Friday night. Captain Wood rates him.
if LBS makes the field then he will be the youngest. at 17 years 3sih months
- | Luke Brooke-Smith | 17 years (approx) | Sep 2025 (Potential) | - 1 | Cameron Howieson | 17 years 5 months 2 days | May 24, 2012 | 2:2 2 | Logan Rogerson | 17 years 5 months 15 days | Nov 12, 2015 | 0:1 3 | Chris Wood | 17 years 5 months 27 days | Jun 3, 2009 | 2:1
This call-up has at least created clarity around this if nothing else. Ceri Evans apparently debuted at 17 years and 14 days and so appears to be the winner (and Brooke-Smith is 17 years and three months next Monday)
I wonder if Gray has leapt frog Sail and is going to get a run? Just seems strange to spend the extra coin to fly him over considering Woud is here and starting (so far) ahead of Sail
From Baze's recent comments, a starting back 4 is what the playing group want. Though a back 5 will give some licence for FDV to bang forward and whip in those tasty crosses.
Was interesting that Bazeley pushed him up as basically a winger against Ukraine, when he came on. And the potential combo with the Woodsman looked very promising.
Is no way Barba starts ahead of a very in form Just. It's also likely Payne starts, but Elliott should get plenty of mins, as Tim P could be gassed as early as 60 mins in.
That formation scares me.... - McCowatt and Just over Kosta and Singh. They are in form. - I think they'll stick with a back 4 . Bindon RB, Elliot or FDV left. (Edit - for some reason I wrote 5 - I meant a normal back 4)
Bindon was very weak when he played at RB in the last window- its just not his postion. especially if you are playing two 6’s to cover the forward runs. He might have been ok in a traditional 4-4-2 but not in this current shape. Elemenop
Man very nervous how weak we are on both sides of the D now.
Can see Bindon being moved to RB.
Just can't see us starting with two A-league guys (in pre-season) against a quality aussie attacking uni.
If we have weak FBs could have Rufer/Bell and Stamenic in the 8/10 role there. Two 6s I think someone said above. But then do we have any midfield cover on the bench?
We’ll have no/little pace from the FBs. If they get forward, they won’t be getting back. For that reason I suspect Elliot may start, on one side or the other. Bazeley, perhaps quite correctly, was happy to use de Vries attacking gifts, but not keen on him defending wide alone in a 4. We are really going to miss Libby.
Bindon also an option. He wasn’t great as a RB, but the other options are preseason Payne or Elliot. Would have been a good window for Stanger to debut!
You make a good point. I’m not very keen to see De Vries defend Irankunda… hence why I think McGarry should start and Payne on the other side.
I understand Payne has only had one pre season game but he’s a professional and one of the best athletes in the squad. He’ll cope just fine, he’s far ahead of any other right backs we’ve got available at the moment regardless of match minutes.
martinb
If we have weak FBs could have Rufer/Bell and Stamenic in the 8/10 role there. But then do we have any midfield cover on the bench?
We’ll have no/little pace from the FBs. If they get forward, they won’t be getting back. For that reason I suspect Elliot may start, on one side or the other. Bazeley, perhaps quite correctly, was happy to use de Vries attacking gifts, but not keen on him defending wide alone in a 4. We are really going to miss Libby.
Half a PintHattyCWkwlapmartinb+4newzealandpower, Oi Oi Edgecumbe, Simon B, Smeltz4PM
7 months ago
I think Payne is getting far too bigger raps personally based on his form last season.
I like Payne as a player, good heart etc... but he also has some big limitations, his crossing being one of them. Had Elliott stayed and not left the NIX, the reality is Payne would have stayed in the CB role probably.
He is not infinitely better than Elliott, but he did benefit from the latter not playing for a year as his overseas move all went to sharke!
I feel we have good cover across most of the park except up top. Waine, Mata, and Barbarouses are not good enough. Any injury to Wood and we are in trouble.
I feel we have good cover across most of the park except up top. Waine, Mata, and Barbarouses are not good enough. Any injury to Wood and we are in trouble.
I agree we are light in strikers. But the same must be said for the wing backs. Our two week spots.
Looking at everyone's line-ups. I'm thinking Thomas will start in Aussie. He's too good not to.
