Can you link the highlights? Search on FIFA+ just does not work.
Edit: never mind, https://www.plus.fifa.com/en/content/new-zealand-v-japan-game-1-international-friendly-highlights-2024/be8a1586-9ad5-401d-8a60-57eab0afa19c
Marking for the 2nd goal in particular was pretty poor, they had no clue The player was even there.
Japan are a much better ranked team so 2-0 doesn't seem too bad, but we really need to be able to create something going forward because we offered nothing in the final third all match. For the most part the defence was good we just need to find ways to deliver that for the full 90
The 2nd match should be the real litmus test, having just had 90 minutes of up close experience against them. I want to see us find some solutions up front that actually means we test their defence a few times
This game really didn't make much of an impression, did it? Just saw a 9+ mins highlights vid on NZF YouTube. Showed one decent chance the Ferns created. And obviously showed just how soft the Japanese goals were. Michaela Foster in particular with some of the worst ball watching/losing your marker you'll ever see in the lead up to the first goal.
Is everyone just completely apathetic to the Ferns after this latest coaching drama?
I basically jinxed the Ferns. Wilko came on at the start of the second half and played poorly giving the ball away often. The second goal was very, very poor. The starting XI wasn't bad but as the older players came on for the younger starters, the Ferns got worse and worse.
The Ferns got forward often but either played poor balls to our forwards or played them to Wilko who messed up time and time again.
Hannah is a great artist and flat track bully, but she is no international footballer. Like Naylor she needs to be put out to pasture.
This game really didn't make much of an impression, did it? Just saw a 9+ mins highlights vid on NZF YouTube. Showed one decent chance the Ferns created. And obviously showed just how soft the Japanese goals were. Michaela Foster in particular with some of the worst ball watching/losing your marker you'll ever see in the lead up to the first goal.
Is everyone just completely apathetic to the Ferns after this latest coaching drama?
Think plenty have been apathetic to the Ferns after the World Cup, jumped on the bandwagon, realised they weren't very good, hopped off again.
But also games like these do nothing to foster support - 2am against a much better team that we aren't going to score against. And yes I understand that there are other reasons for scheduling such matches (i.e. preparing for France and Canada).
I watch heaps of NZ football/futsal national sides but even for me it was a hard nope - not worth losing sleep for.
image.jpg2.85 MBClegg giving the fans what they have been clamoring for. I have not seen us being this intense in our pressure and aggression for years. Loving it. Steinmetz and Taylor winning heaps of ball and not giving the Japanese players any room or respect. Took until the drinks break at 25 minute mark(27degrees today over there) for them to turn up the heat on us. But largely we are taking it and giving it back to them. We have proper defenders today and speed out wide and in Clegg and Hand two forwards that are making great runs and at pace and then they are controlling the ball and being positive with it. I’ll say it now, I doubt we would have had this performance if Kimklova was there. Hand Mayne the reins!
Oh well, a few individual mistakes and some very accurate finishing from the Japanese. Still, happy with the majority of that. We played better than many other matches we have played for years. More of the same at the Olympics please with Clegg, Green, Neville, Steinmetz and Taylor starting.
Oh well, a few individual mistakes and some very accurate finishing from the Japanese. Still, happy with the majority of that. We played better than many other matches we have played for years. More of the same at the Olympics please with Clegg, Green, Neville, Steinmetz and Taylor starting.
Looks like Wilkinson could be on the outer for the Olympics, which is probably not a bad thing. But we dont need Clegg, Paige Riley, Rennie, Hand AND Jale, and one has to miss out, probably Rennie.
Good to see more forward intent, but unfortunately the defence was a bit open - things didnt work when Bunge came on. Leat is no Paulson and our positioning when playing out from the back was suspect, made it too easy for Japan.
A great goal from Milly Clegg. There was a lot of good pressure and play in the first quarter of the match, and we dealt well with Japan's pressure in the 2nd part of the 1st half.
It's just too bad some defensive lapses ended up quickly changing the game in the 2nd half, where they just moved up several levels that we couldn't match them.
Again Japan were just too good, but the positives are that we saw some decent attacks and pressure early on in the match and also it's just great to be testing ourselves against a highly ranked opposition in the lead up to the Olympics - the team surely has a bit of a better idea of the levels they will be up against next month.
Disappointing defensive lapses and goalkeeping in the second half. Still, a more positive game and a goal. Kate Taylor seemed to work in better with Steinmetz in the midfield.
Yes I agree the Steinmetz / Taylor defensive midfield pairing seemed to work well. Fantastic goal by Clegg and all round good play. She did well with headed flick on's from long throws and with her positive runs (better than Wilkinson has shown for a while). Showed that Bowen and Stott are our best CB's. Was important though to give other a run. Moore's long ball is very good and is what started our goal movement, so is likely #3 CB for the Olympics as Bunge looked pretty rusty and a bit down on confidence, as hasn't played for a while. Always know what you are going to get from Bott at RB and thought Neville did ok at LB. Forward mix is interesting. Clegg and Page-Reily the obviously one's for Olympic selection. Hand was pretty anonymous (not at the level we saw at WC). Wilkinson can still offer something different off the bench. Rennie I think will get better being in a pro club environment. And Jale was playing more as an AM. Would have really liked to see how Fraser went against this Japan team. First half was pretty good. Scored a goal obviously (Yay), but importantly went toe to toe with Japan, controlling long periods of play and forcing them into errors at times. Unfortunately fell apart in the second half. We really do make a habit of conceding at key times. (like either side of half time). This squad of 24 now reduced to 18+4. So two players will get dropped. Now this tour is over. Will we soon find out what's going on with Klimkova ?
Japan squad of 24. Other possibilities are Satchell, Pijnenburg or Longo, but i think there would have to be injuries before they are considered. So 2 have to be dropped from Olympic squad totally, plus 4 reserves.
So we are looking for 9 from the following 14 Barry Bunge Moore Neville Foster ------------ Cleverley Green Taylor Kitching ------------- Hand Paige-Riley Wilkinson Jale Rennie
I think we can do without Kitching, Rennie and Wilkinson
We need only three from Bunge, Moore, Barry, Neville and Foster. I'd take Barry and Foster, and Moore. So no Bunge or Neville.
Sheaff (or maybe Edwards) will be one of the 4 reserves So my 3 other reserves would be Neville, Kitching and Wilkinson
Japan squad of 24. Other possibilities are Satchell, Pijnenburg or Longo, but i think there would have to be injuries before they are considered. So 2 have to be dropped from Olympic squad totally, plus 4 reserves.
So we are looking for 9 from the following 14 Barry Bunge Moore Neville Foster ------------ Cleverley Green Taylor Kitching ------------- Hand Paige-Riley Wilkinson Jale Rennie
I think we can do without Kitching, Rennie and Wilkinson
We need only three from Bunge, Moore, Barry, Neville and Foster. I'd take Barry and Foster, and Moore. So no Bunge or Neville.
Sheaff (or maybe Edwards) will be one of the 4 reserves So my 3 other reserves would be Neville, Kitching and Wilkinson
I would make this Ali Riley and Hannah Wilkinsons farewell tour. They deserve to be a part of this.
Clegg Green Fraser Hand Steinmetz Taylor Riley Bowen Stott Bott Esson
Wilkinson Jale Paige-Riley Kitching Cleverly Rennie Neville Bunge Moore Barry Leat
Sheaf/Edwards 3rd keeper
I wasn’t impressed with Fosters positioning or tracking on defence and she needs to improve her speed to play internationals.
I would say Cleverly, Rennie, Bunge and maybe Jale would miss out if Mayne is selecting the squad.
Could Whinham be a bolter???
No to Whinham - a few good A-League games a season ain't the standard required for Olympics.
Rennie and Jale both ordinary at club level and for Ferns - happy for them to miss out
Isn’t this awesome to be going who are “we “ going to have to leave out, rather than scratching around for players who are only playing club football in NZ !!!
Previously we were talking about these players who I would be happy to have around the team if needed. (May have played for the Ferns before or could do in the future)
Just from the Nix Main, Elliot, Robertson Whinham, Wiz, Longo, Van Der Meer, Lake, Errington, McMeeking Edwards, Danielli Plus others I may have missed from the academy etc
Other ALeague W teams- Candy, Anton, Tall striker from Canberra and other ex Auckland fwd, Adelaide fwd
Previous or future ferns Percival Satchell, Naylor Ex Nix players with back injuries- Alfeld and Rolston Fern mums- Hassett and Chance. Pjenberg (spelling?) at psv Cup final winning striker from Auckland who is soon to be at the Nix Perez?
Plus all the College players.
The scene is completely different to just a few years ago when the Ferns current clubs listed as 3 kings and Setoun, and Cashmere tech.
