New Zealand U-23s - Quali Whites

I'm for keeping O'Keefe. Think he's been good (despite the howler) and think personally he's looked better in the games that I've seen him than Gleeson.

Any replays on sky of our game at a reasonable hour??

As good as our fullbacks have done joining in attacks and getting forward we're very vulnerable down the flanks.  Kosta has tried to get back and provide cover but Thomas has been pretty exposed.  He's a little loose and does let guys get inside and goal side from time to time.  Personally I think playing all of Smeltz, Kosta and Marco is too much against Brazil, I think we need another midfielder in there, drop one of Smeltz or Marco (Kosta personally has been the standout for me) and play it a bit tghter.

A word on Marco having watched both games live.  He's looked lively and he has a great touch but I have been a bit concerned.  He spends a lot of time looking good while not beating players and his passing has had less impact than you'd hope.  I don't think he's actually created a chance and he's tended to beat the same man three or four time and then lose the ball. Kosta was a lot more direct and that made a difference.  Additionally Marco tends to be a bit soft - he really noticeably pulls out of 50/50 tackles.  He's a small guy so I don't expect blood and thunder but he does need to be brave when he's the size he is.

Wood's option taking has been a bit disappointing but his size and ability make him essential to the way we're playing.  He has missed some decent chance though.  

Payne has been a standout, very composed in a tough position and wee mac was a good pick in the centre of the park.  I think we've got more out of him than we would with Winston out of position at RB or with three at the back.  Personally I think Emblen has done a great job - this is the first NZ team you could argue are playing modern football - no mean feet.

 

To be honest my memory is vague. It was behind the Ikea somewhere (relative to the station) haha. 

JD, think your a bit tough on Marco. He's been involved in quite a few of our goals and near misses through the build up matches and actual competition. 

We definetely need another holding midfielder against Brazil. I would drop Smeltz and replace him with a DM. Not sure who it would be??? Smeltz has looked out of sorts....he is a goal poacher and does not really suit that high AM position. He is not nimble or mobile enough to play the AM role.

Watching the Brazil vs Belarus game Belarus got lots of players behind the ball....basically two lines of four defending. It frustrated the hell out of the Brazilians. Their goals game from three pieces of magic from Neymar. You can't really defend against someone like that. But if our midfield is as open as we were against Egypt then Brazil will have a goal feast. Belarus did an OK job of holding onto the ball at times. We need to do the same....if we spend the whole game chasing then they will wear us down.

We won't win but a 0-3 would be respectable. Brazil has also conceded 3 goals so far and at times look a little shakey at the back....it would be magic if we scored. A big thing will be composure, the guys can't be overawed.... we have youngsters like Thomas and OKeefe who are basically amateurs. Nelsen needs to make sure that everyone is in the right mental shape.

Been watching the games here in Europe with football friends. Rojas has made quite an impression on everyone. The vibe is that if he looks OK playing for NZ when they are under the pump for most of the games then how would he go surrounded by a good team. I would not be surprised if he recieves some kind of offer from somewhere in Europe. Bloody Melbourne V could end up getting a transfer fee!!!!

A word on Emblen. I was critical of him in the build up....but him and Zoro and Blanco have got the team playing a nice style of football that suits the talent we have.(Ricki must be away somewhere watching the syncronised swimming)

Should be an Amazon-ing game tonight. Hope the #olywhites don’t Felip-e out at the number of George-di’s at St James. They won’t Senna anything like it before and will need to be Brasília-nt to even Sal-va-a-dor-raw. I’m toto-ally confident they will Pele their hearts out and Recife-y the demons from Coventry.

 

White Light/White Heat

We're gonna walk this, 3-0 to the Olywhites.

I think you would have to have a pretty short memory to think that Gleeson has been out-played or outclassed by O'Keefre. An injury in the form of a groin strain does not equal 'shakey play'. O'Keefre has played well, apart from one mistake, but Gleeson was keeping against Fiji when they qualified, I think he deserves to get the chance to keep in the real thing.

Maybe Smelts will finally get a shot away from the box edge tonight. Less rugby conversions, more shots that are vertically on target and threatening would be nice also.

Just got told O'keefe has the inside running over Gleeson...will be spewing if Jake doesn't get a run. 

Mmmm....stats for our group so far - Brazil have conceded three goals, NZ only two - good stat that to relish for another hour or so, then "apres moi, le deluge...."; However Brazil have scored six so far against the same sides as us, whilst we've only managed the one scrambled affair...

> My prediction: 5-0 to Brazil (same as last time in Beijing)

TEAMS:

 

5 changes for Brazil, couple of teenage debutants, including the keeper, Olywhites unchanged lineup

Yep Rojas will be in Europe before you know it ..he's pulling it all out of the box tonight.

looks like Mrs Smeltz won't be getting that move to Rio......

We cant let runners go unmarked if we want to keep a respectable score line

Tommy Smith does some random shit, hes so often beaten and all he can do is try body check their runners, or just give up before he even gets going. He did this too often in the Solomons too

Thanks to nike for the new boots, they're giving him good grip!

Rojas glued to that Brazilian! Lol ! Boots got hooked up there..

 

HT Brazil 2- 0 NZ

 

O-3...Brazil never really got out of 1st gear. Got into the lead and just cruised, didnt attack the goal much. NZ ran and ran but the class difference was huge. Half time shot count was 4 to 1. Possession 68% to 32%. Rojas did really well to lose Rafeal on the corner of the box with some smart footwork and got in a firm low strike...goalie saved it but it was probably heading just wide

 Kind of odd starting 11. Why 2 strikers?...Smeltz spent the whole game jogging from side to side watching Brazil pass it around. The problem was we were getting over run in midfield. Half time Mears replaced Thomas and Howieson replaced Kosta. After 80 mins Lucas replaced Rojas.  New Zealand had a few bright spells late in the game and won a few corners and got a few half shots towards goal. They tried hard but were guilty of spending too much time on the ball and were often dispossesed. The BBC commentator struggled to contain how bored he was by the end...very unprofessional.

Brazil have some Ferkin amazingly talented players!

 

I think New Zealand did well in the 2012 Olympics. You have to remember that these young New Zealand players are the future for the All Whites ie 2014 and 2018 World Cups

Would appear that wasnt Smiths fault after all, cant tell from internet replay who it was (first goal) ... gah

Taking Smeltz was a strange decision considering the attacking talents in this side. Did Dakota Lucas even get on in the entire tournament? (Didn't watch Brazil game)

Didn't see the game either but sounds like we didn't disgrace ourselves at least. The Guardian's match report said:

As a contest, the game was long since over but, creditably, New Zealand refused to fold and Michael McGlinchey was slightly unlucky to see a goal-bound shot blocked. Meanwhile, Tim Payne, a Blackburn Rovers reserve, belied his lack of senior experience by impressing in a defensive midfield role for the losers and could well be one to watch at Ewood Park next season.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2012/aug/01/london-2012-olympics-brazil-new-zealand

Good to see that bit about Payne, and I think overall this tournament showed that there is a lot of potential in our youngsters. Emblen also did a really good job with tactics and playing style in the end, I think we'd all like to see the AWs adopt a similar approach.

Nice to see Payne getting praise, playing out of his normal position makes it even better. It will be interesting to see where he plays for the Rover's academy/reserves this season.

Hes in the first team ;)

I've just seen the goals, I think the third goal should have been given offside, since the player that made the run for the diving header was offside.

Was wee mac.  Stood and watched him man make a 1-2.  Think some blame has to go to Tommy too.  He got dragged over to Nelly's player.

Was marginally offside, but pretty hard to tell live.

The foul that Myers gave away was so stupid.  Player facing away from goal, and passes the ball back to half was.  Zero need for it.

It was offside, and actually reasonably clear

Considering how poor NZ was in some of the warmup games they ended up doing OK in the actual tournament. With a bit of luck they could have got a point out of the Belarus game. More importantly Emblen got them playing a style of football that suited the skills of the youngsters....without doubt these guys are the future of NZ football and will provide the backbone of senior AW teams.

Individually there were some standouts. Payne looks to have a very good future. To convert to DM and do an OK job in a big tournament like this shows he has the goods. Rojas and Kosta were positive and played some good football in short spells. Okeefe did OK after screwing up against Belarus. Wood has a good physical presence but needs to target the goal more.

The player that I found really interesting was the RB Thomas. He still is a bit raw at this stage but he made quite a big improvement over the whole campaign. He looks the goods on attack....gets down the line well, combined well with Rojas and has an excellent cross. Defensively he made a couple of errors but was often left exposed by the guys in front of him. Considering he is still only 18 and playing against quality opposition he did an OK job. Is he one of Declan Edge's youngsters?. I would be more than happy for him to be in the Nix's Academy....they could work on him for a season. He looks like he could potentially make it in the A-League.

Thomas is 20, don't listen to Dewhurst......

Does play for Edge at Melville, but orginially an Auckland lad, likely to be leaving Melville after their relegation I would guess

I think I read somewhere on here that one of the Waikato kids said no to a Nix academy spot, my guess was Thomas but just a guess. 

Adam Thomas is best suited to a CB role but he does need to bulk up. Too slight and gangly.

I had heard through a semi-reliable sauce that Thomas was pulled back to Waikato from Auckland City because of an agreement to play in Edge's teams that he coached in a team that played at the same level as him. He wont set the world on fire too much more.

Really impressed with Ian Hogg and as much as I did not rate him 18 months ago, I have been converted having seen him play very well and composed over the last year.

I think some of the praise for Hogg has been a little over the top but he was well able to handle himself at that level and didn't look out of place.  Considering every other player on the pitch (bar Thomas) is a professional that says something.  I certainly don't think he's a step down from Lochead but he's not the second coming of Roberto Carlos either.

I see now Emblen is out of a full time job. No longer coaching at Waitak. He wants to stay on as an international coach which was not compatible with coaching Waitak. I had doubts about him at first but he ended up doing a good job with the Olywhites. Ryan Nelsen said he thought he was a good coach as well. So where to now for Mr Emblen?

To me its a shame the Nix made the decision to appoint a complete novice(Greenacre) as assistant coach. According to Greenie Rickie approached him ages ago about the job...from what I heard everyone knew it was Greenies job when it was advertised. IMO if the whole thing had been more open then there is a possibity that Emblen and possibly Trani would now be the Nix assistant coach.

Emben would be an excellent assistant coach at the Nix. He has lots of experiance, he knows the NZ scene very well and has done plenty of work on the youth scene. He has the background and experiance to quickly move into the head coach role one day. Instead we have a trainee coach in the role....another dumb-arse descision by Herbert IMO

Hang on.  If Emblen was assisstant coach for the AWs then we would have no coach during international windows.

And everyone has to start their coaching career somewhere.

If Emblen, or anybody else, didn't apply for the Phoenix asst coach job simply because they "heard it was Greenie's job" then  they didn't deserve to get it anyway.

 

Would seem strange to advertise a role if it was locked in for someone else.

Trani still has a job at adelaide when the job was advertised.

I still would argue strongly that the Nix have not appointed the best person for the assistant coaches job. (2nd best Advertising the job would probably been a  legal requirement under employment law). I am sure that if they had wanted someone of the calibre of Emblen or Trani then something could have been worked out. Trani had been on the outer at Adelaide for some time and it was obvious that he was going to be demoted sooner or later. I'm sure Emblen, knowing that there were difficulties at Waitak, would have jumped at a full time assistant/academy coach job at the Nix. Especially if he knew that the head coach job was a possibility when Ricki stood down. He could have reduced his AW role until later in his career.

What really bugs me is the "jobs for the boys " nature of this. We have given an important full time coaching position to a complete novice while an excellent local coach with 3 national titles and extensive knowledge of the local game is left coaching 5 year olds.

What really bugs me is posts like that. Draw a timeline for a start.