The Road To Brazil 2014 via Wellington feat. Mexico

agree with this, although maybe Wood up front and Brockie for Henderson.

That looks like an attacking third that will trackback well enough.

Kosta and Rojas to come on with 10 to go to try and create something.

I don't think Brockie has the work rate required. Think Wood will start as he seems to run all day.

ran all night against the Victory, but Wood will probably start.

Brockie is well overdue a goal....hopefully he's been saving it for a special occasion..

Starting XI

Moss
Sigmund Reid Smith
Tuiloma Vicelich Lochead
Kosta McGlinchey Brockie


Wood

On the other hand history says Smeltz is the business at international level. RH will put him on at some point.

Wood has to start.

Christie selection is bizarre, yet totally expected considering who the coach is.

Edit - Wrote unexpected instead of expected, lol.

Reading all these formations, do people realise we are going to Azteca to park the bus? If we were going to score goals, Marco would start - its very unlikely he will because of injury and they will hammer him so he does not play the home leg.

I see some line ups that just have no starch and will get shredded. Makes me query what some (and its the minority) know about football.

                                        Moss

                      Roux           Reid                  Smith

    Bertos           Sigmund    Dura        Ivan         Lochead

                         McGlinchey         Henderson

                                         Wood

Declan to take charge of away game.

We should be able to squeeze a 13th player on - Rojas as he is so small maybe.

Too much tequila - I'm getting in the mood.

Christie is a joke.... i really hope someone in the media take Ricki and NZF to task during an interview. Isn't the tv3 sports reporter a regular on here.

Please please ask how a guy who has played 1 game in two years, who prior to that played in a second tier league in the states can get picked ahead of a guy who starts week in week out in the J League.

Or how about the fact, if it weren't for Riera going to the NIX, he wouldn't even be a starter at NZFC level.

change your formations to 9-1-0

eh? Christie isn't with ACFC. He isn't with anybody.

Is Christie a relative of anyone involved in selecting the All Whites coach?

I can't rationally come up with any other reason as to why he was selected. Seems very very dodgy.

No Dave Mulligan is the biggest omission 

Misplaced loyalty bro.

Lets be objective. Looking at who is in the squad, how likely is Christie to get near the pitch?? I think its a bit of angst over nothing and he gets free air miles.

Vicelich will start in MF and Christie will replace him about the 60th minute JV. Herbert 101

Christie the super sub!

On the other hand if asked - as he's bound to be - RH will have to give a reason for selecting him. I have a (tequila-fuelled) theory. Christie's without a club, right? So he's been keeping himself fit alone, right? And practicing hard, right? On his own. So what's he been practising? Not passing, that's for sure. Not tactical interplay, ditto. But he's got to have been doing something - something RH knows about. Maybe something RH has told him to do. "Keep doing it, JC, and I'll see you in Mehico mate." So what's this secret thing RH and JC have cooked up between them? Doing Vinnies? Nobbling them by the cojones when they're not looking? Maybe JC has put on 10 kilos of muscle and become super-JC with a previously unseen cannonball shot. He just needs to get into position to use it. Ah, maybe he's become a dead-ball specialist! A super-sub free-kick/penalty dead-eye dick! Who knows? We don't. But RH does. So tell us Ricki. Pleae tell us.

Oh im laughing now shock has worn off

another RH "jobs for the boys "

Christie? Rh is taking the piss surely?

Maybe we need more unattached players .or maybe Turner could get his boots out of the rubbish bin-he does nothing else

That makes 12 players...

Might have a chance then

Must say I am a little shocked at this squad. How can you leave out guys who are regular starters at a good pro level...Keat, Fitzgerald, Howieson and pick guys like Christie and Clapham???   Just don't understand that at all.

Herbert is taking some huge risks. Ivan won't be able to run for a full 90 in either game....who comes in for him?  What happens if those guys on yellows pick up another?   like Reid

How match fit will Smeltz and Rojas be? or for that matter Christie and Lockhead

Pleased to see Roux and Tuiloma there.....the future of the AW's

Don't want Brockie anywhere near the starting 11. He is a flat track A-league bully who can score at that level because he is given acres of room. Higher levels (international and MLS) where you get no space he is totally ineffective....no goals in 40 games says it all. Plus in tight games like these you can't afford one single player to drift out of the game for long periods

I think Ricki will start with

            Moss

Leo  Reid Dura Smith  Locky

        Weemac   Ivan

Costa               Smeltz

         Wood

The key to the first leg is Defend. You need guys who will run and track all match....so no Rory, Brockie,

Actually one thing not mentioned but is very pertinent is the yellow card factor. Last I read we have 9 on yellows so one card means they do not play at home? Discipline will be key key key.

Does the yellow card factor affect who lines up?

You would think that the yellows will be in the back of the mind, but surely you would go for the best result possible in the first game. Not much good saving some players for the home game if we get battered 3/4, cause we will not have a chance.

BOLD = Yellow

Moss/Spoonley/Williams

Reid/Sigmund Durante Smith

Bertos/Roux McGlinchey/James/Clapham Vicelich/Christie Lochhead/Tuiloma

Barbarouses/Brockie Smeltz Wood/Fallon Rojas/Henderson

We almost certainly have cover if people gets except really defensively. Fitzgerald should be on standby as should Keat

Would RH play two defensive CMs with Dura and Vicelich as well as 3 Centre backs?  Siggy would then start alongside Reid and Smith? Super defensive I know, just wondering.

Reid and Smith on yellows worries me immensely.

and Mcglinchey. Why on earth didn't we wipe our yellow cards after the last Solomon islands game?

Me too

Maybe i should email NZF again and see what Mr De Jong has to say now??

Even he must be looking at Ricki and saying, are you sure, Christie, as in Jeremy the guy who can't get a team to play for because 

A) he's not good enough

B) he's been injured for the past two years.

Get on this Campbell Live - this is ripe for some inflammatory questioning.