Qualifier v Fiji??

Qualifier v Fiji??

Whatever happened to the rescheduled qualifier v Fiji??

It's on Wednesday November 19 ML

Just heard the AW squad for this will be announced today.

Hoping for the call LF1 ?

We're probably all a chance.

Stefan might get a run in goal.

You're a shoe-in for left back after successfully taking care of Jimmy and Damo a couple of weeks back at Kaiwharawhara...

Me > Tony Lochhead 

Will any Phoenix players be in this squad? Or just NZFC players.

I would think the fringe players, may be not the regular starters.  I'm just guessing though.

I'd prefer it if we went as strong as we can to get the ranking points, but can understand why we might not.

Could be a chance for Draper.

Naenae Masters > Wellington Phoenix

Could be as sign as to who will play in goal v Newcastle.

Brockie, Pevs, NZFC players who might be a chance of a Phoenix spot next season.

Is Esala Masi gonna get a run for the Fijians?

Squad out at 12.30

Goalkeepers:
Glen Moss (Wellington Phoenix � 8/0)
Jacob Spoonley (Auckland City � 0/0)

Defenders:
David Mulligan (Wellington Phoenix � 21/3)
Aaron Scott (Waitakere United � 0/0)
Ben Sigmund (Wellington Phoenix � 7/1)
Steven Old (Unattached � 18/1)
James Pritchett (Auckland City � 8/0)

Midfielders:
Leo Bertos (Wellington Phoenix � 21/0)
Cole Peverley (Hawke�s Bay United � 0/0)
Jeremy Christie (Wellington Phoenix � 14/1)
Allan Pearce (Waitakere United � 1/0)
Jeff Campbell (Waitakere United � 19/3)
Jeremy Brockie (Team Wellington � 8/0)

Forwards:
Greg Draper (Wellington Phoenix � 0/0)
Costa Barbarouses (Wellington Phoenix � 0/0)
Kris Bright (Kristiansund Ballklubb � 0/0)

Let's be cheeky and suggest that this also doubles as a Phoenix trial for several players

The AWs are the nix youth/reserve team?

No, the reserves are what we put out for the park kick-around against Waitak on Saturday.

Forwards:
Greg Draper (Wellington Phoenix � 0/0)
Costa Barbarouses (Wellington Phoenix � 0/0)
Kris Bright (Kristiansund Ballklubb � 0/0)

I like the sound of this!!!

What, in your role as an Australian supporter ?

You won't be far from it TBH.

Out of the squad for match:

Tim Brown (suspended)
Mark Paston
Tony Lochhead
Shane Smeltz
Ryan Nelsen
Chris Killen
Simon Elliott
Duncan Oughton
Jarrod Smith
Chris James
Andrew Boyens

This is good decision and great development news for the second tiers players.

I'm thinking of a complete start for all the players needing to have international debuts and having the more experienced players on the bench. Although it is not a must win game for WCQ, it is a must win debut game for the new players.

I'm thinking of an very inexperienced side with not the usual 4-3-3 formation. International trend of top countries is to ensure experience for the uncapped players and give them a international playing standard to overtake when there are extra games in hand to experiment and develop with.

                                         Jacob Spoonley

Aaron Scott (vc)     Ben Sigmund       Steven Old        James Pritchett


Cole Peverley                   Jeremy Brockie                 Costa Barbarouses


Greg Draper                    Allan Pearce                          Kris Bright



Bench:

Glenn Moss
Leo Bertos
David Mulligan
Jeremy Christie
Jeff Campbell

This could be an exciting and tough game for them. I expect a full international experienced Fiji side to play against. The 4-3-3 is given because of the number of inexperienced players tend to make that formation and it presents more space to show their attacking wares and see how solid we are at the back without the experienced players.

Fiji haven't played a full international side for a long while, pretty much since they lost the opener against us.  I wouldn't be surprised to see them using a mainly U-20 side as prep for the U-20 qualifiers next month,

Also, Chris Bright wide as one of 3 ?  Pearce as the Centre man ?  Can't see it.

Brockie up front through the middle I think, with maybe Draper as back-up. I predict captain will be The Seamonster.

As it has been announced that this is an NZ based side I can only assume that Kris Bright is therefore currently playing his football in Dannevirke.

Yeah you are probably right. I just threw it together because I like to see a 4-3-3 attack to play around with. The 3 men up front can interchange their positions, just to see who clicks with who well enough. Maybe swap Brockie and Pearce about in a pattern change and experimenting even more. It depends on what Ricki wants.

What do you suggest? Back to the boring 4-4-2? I can't see the game played as safe. It's time for a bit of adventurous and experimenting, might not get a chance to see anything new and innovated later on when it may actually count for something.

TBH I haven't seen much of the playing style of each forward to construct a decent idea on their combo. But I thought, hey throw them up and attack in numbers to see what clicks.AllWhitebelievr2008-11-10 15:12:06

I'd expect something like:

                  Moss
Scott     Siggy Old         Mully

  Soupy      Pevs           Plodder

Boom Boom - Bright - Pearce

If they want to start Bright and Drapes they would need to go to two up front, but I'm not sure I see it.  I suspect some people still believe that Bright is 'the best target man in New Zealand'... I've yet to be convinced.

Disturbingly close...

You'd start Bright ahead of Brocks?  On the basis of what, the awesomeness of his club's name? Smithy2008-11-10 15:43:06

Hmm, just read your entire post and saw your comments re Bright. Smithy2008-11-10 15:44:08

I had Brocks in, but then realised I was short of two Booms, so pulled him.  Maybe Pearce out for him, but they do seem determined to groom Pearce in to an AW's spot.

Bright to start, he averages better than a goal a game for his club, a pretty handy strike rate. Much better than Drapcloes who alot of people are picking to start who has barely clocked a minute of competitive game time for how long!

Will this game be televised?

All the others have, so you would think so. Hard News2008-11-10 17:44:27

Kris Bright - 21 goals in 19 appearances

I can't understand how players (Draper/Bararouses) can be selected for our senior national team when they can't get a game at club level.