All Whites vs South Africa

                           Moss

Siggy           Ivan        Boyens           Lochhead

James         Brown      Oughton        Bertos

                   Killen        Smeltz


That's if Ricki's going 4-4-2, which it sounds like he is.

                         Moss

Siggy       Ivan        Boyens       Lochhead

                       Brown

James              Elliot                  Bertos

               Smeltz
                              Killen



would play this and have James track back on counters and Smeltz cover RM , plus play Brown as a Floating DM
smittyz112009-06-17 19:52:38

Glen Moss - our best GK, no brainer here.

David Mulligan - struggled against Spain because Brockie struggled - Brockie's defending was highly questionable, not because he was outclassed, but because he seemed lazy for the first goal. Mulligan is the best we have in this position right now.

Tony Lochhead - again, struggled for the Torres header, got beat at the far post for the third but the defending overall was woeful. Who else would you pick? Like Mulligan, he's the best of what we have and he did do alright in that training run with Italy.

Ivan Vicelich - We desperately need Ivan, he's experienced, committed, without him we'd be in a world of hurt, as if we weren't already.

Ben Sigmund - I would start Sigmund if he was fit and ready to go. Boyens was too loose for the first goal, even if it was Torres he was up against, he had to be much tighter, I think we all agree. The fifth goal was inexcusable, again, we all agree on that.

Simon Elliott - Elliott had a storming game compared to his peers although he got ran ragged for one of the goals although we should give him some leeway as he is hardly a spring chicken.

Tim Brown - He starts because its debatable about the merits of anybody else.

Chris James - I like Chris James, he adds guile and craft to the All Whites although there has always been a question makr over his fitness levels, although they seem to have been answered since his move to Finland.

Leo Bertos - looked sharp against Italy but didn't get much of a look in against Spain.

Chris Killen - Had the unwelcome task of patrolling the Spanish back four while New Zealand unravelled in the face of torrid attacks. Adds the usual physical qualities and potency at set play.

Shane Smeltz - another no-brainer as Smeltz has proven himself time and time again. The question really becomes how deep does he sit? Will he play alongside Killen, or will he sit deeper to lend a hand when we don't have the ball?

South Africa created a raft of chances against Iraq and on any other day may have won 2 or 3-0. Let's not kid ourselves, Brian Turner is completely correct in his assessment that New Zealand will have to hit the same heights that they did against Italy to force the issue.

Steven Pienaar will be restored to the starting eleven for Bafana Bafana, one would think, following how badly they laboured in the penalty area against the frenetic Iraqi defence.

Herbert's belief that the longer the game stays 0-0 the greater the pressure on the home side is right. I don't think South Africa will be able to cope with that situation the longer it continues, at least not as well as a crack outfit from South America or Europe, based on what we've seen already.

If the hosts get an early goal then we face a difficult task. Although it has no bearing, New Zealand fans may draw some optimism from the U-23 Olympic playoffs with South Africa in the early part of this century - New Zealand and South Africa produced a veritable goal fest, so perhaps the football Gods will be smiling on the Kiwis come tomorrow morning.

We shall see.

                      Moss

Mulligan    Siggy       Ivan         Lochhead

                      

Christie      Elliot       Brown     Bertos

               Smeltz     Killen
                          


Because it is too big a game to experiment with.

Doubt he'll put James on starting, Wood, Paston and Boyens as reserves

yer Im sure thats how it will be.

Has Christie been dropped from the nix roster and not resigned??

Jarrod Smith probably deserves a run because he used to have an amazing mullet and he accepted my friend request on facebook.

All depends on what the squad is looking like closer to the season starts.

YF WN = Fountain of Logic Oska2009-06-17 21:55:01

bring on the black kit and a 2-1 win!!!!!!!it'll be $10 well spent.

loyalgunner for coach!




Buffy's Head says:

0-0

Buffy's deep and tormented Heart and Soul says:

NZ 1-0  Smeltz


CMON YOU ALL WHITES!!!
Buffon II2009-06-17 22:54:42

What time is kick off nz time?

6.30am

6.30am

Well it's look like the same old line-up

                             Moss

Mulligan    Vicelich     Boyen      Lochead

                    Brown       Elliot
Christie                                         Bertos

                                    Smetz
                        Killen

Siggy and Paston ain't due until the last game . . . .

I honestly believe we have a chance to knock over both SA and Iraq if our team plays like they did against Italy but tightens up the defence. I thought SA and Iraq were gunshy in front of goal. Something Killen and Smeltz are not. Lonegunmen2009-06-18 00:00:26

When are they going to announce the starting XI. Or do we find out at kickoff?

I would like to see Chris James and Sigmund in the starting XI.

Hasn't been mentioned for a while, but is Old on the tour? Can he slot in at right back as an option?

yay my internet is working again! just in time to get into the game and stream the game.. Go NZ!
think we need to really push hard for this draw

Looking forward to the match tonight, I think we are in with a chance. We should be alright when we have the ball... just worried about our lack of pace at the back!

auskiwi2009-06-18 02:20:37

just got money on us to win at 7 to 1. 

Well yes and no about being at 4-5-1, it sort of helped us to see our weaknesses and strengths in the 4-4-2 and that we can tighten the 4-4-2 formation against RSA and Iraq and perform stronger. Had we played 4-5-1. I doubt that it would made much difference in that first 22 minutes, we would still made the same mistake with a different formation.

But since we are unlikely be doing that 4-5-1 formation against RSA and Iraq it gave us available game data on how to handed strong teams with 4-4-2 and refine our positional and situational tactics. In a 4-5-1 he may be asking to close space down in front of the defence but it leaves only one forward that is likely to be more wingsided rather than up the centre which basically makes us conceding in the attacking third and provide them more ground.

We definitely need depth but it was our midfield line and their positioning that was the key rather than squeezing the numbers in the middle. They were attacking our laterals backs and lateral midfield and so having an extra man in the midfield would have not make that much to prevent this. They were able to make cut back to the front of the defence because of the attack through the lateral areas not through the central midfield.

So only getting the compact space between the midfield and defence line would made a difference rather than the extra man in a midfield line further up than it should be at first and then too far back as it did later on.

However he does have a point about having two forwards not get much. I however, advocate a split forward system with Smeltz being a deep forward and Killen being a targetman, this will help with a focus on counterattacking through the centre after a short run on the laterals and a pass to either Brown or Elliot.

If Smeltz or Killen can drop to receive a ball from the centre and then pass it off to another midfield coming through either lateral midfielders making angle move or the centre midfielders going straight who can knock it back to Smeltz or to Killen near the edge of opposition box, then we will do well.

Their counterattack patterns are too straight forward and easily to read. This is a bit of a problem and so a counterattack from a 4-5-1 would have also not worked because of the lack of pattern. Not that they had much counterattacking in the game.

And when they did in the later stages of the half, the counterattacking was more lateral rather central. when we did come more central from the lateral, we moved too close near the box which was defendable and harder to crack. We need to move the ball sideways at the start of the attacking third and latter parts of the midfield third to open up options. Too late pass to the centre from the lateral and the opposition numbers there on the box edge. Need to control a large space in front of their defence or punch through the centre if we had the even numbers. We sort of tried but little success as we have either a pass too late into the centre or overrun a bit allowing their centre midfield to gather a defence.

Anyway the article was too simplistic for me as there are more going on. Maybe it may suit a top local league level but it is not just the closing down but what to do with it and the ball and how they are making use of the passing options after their gain of possession.

Spain 1- 0 Iraq in the 60th. Yes.

It's a bit of a dire game. Iraq have parked the bus so not showing whether they have anything going forward.

Would have been useful for us if Spain had handed out another hiding, hopefully they do against SA. If we draw in both games goal difference could be a killer.

Horns suck.

Whew..striker did a Boyens...hardly touched ball yet.

SA stuffed up first opportunity in our goal mouth 2 mins

end to end stuff... SA shoots and.... wide 3 mins

SA certainly making the better start  making all the plays now

wouldnt say end to end..more like middle to our goal non stop pace!

Lochy down  cut to head from contesting header .off to get patched up ...6 mins

Live stream someone please

The SA side keep boo-ing their tall centre back guy !! Whats that about?
..weak shot from SA Moss covers easily 7mins



Whew!!! SA put it in but offside 9mins
RedGed2009-06-18 06:46:42

[QUOTE=RedGed]The SA side keep boo-ing their left back guy !! Whats that about?

share with me Boro.... just got up! RedGed2009-06-18 06:48:47

Pienaar shoots... but straight to Moss   16mins  
  AW's still not settled and not retaining possession for long. RedGed2009-06-18 06:50:32