The Road To Brazil 2014 via Wellington feat. Mexico

Christie = beaver

I had a huge sniff around West Hams forum at 2am and google news and found nothing. His Twitter feed as of 3am, says nothing other than "how is everyone's Wednesday" - not the tweet of a guy injured.

I see Stuff have just loaded an article but they will have the same phantom source as Burgess at the Herald (story got pulled) and others.

I call bullshit still and it's nearly 7pm in the UK so would be news on the net somewhere if it had legs.

Energy24.7 reported it about 9 pm saying one of the players brothers reckoned reid was out. See "Vs Mexico 1st Leg Thurs 14th 9:30am" page 4. This was before it came up in the news...

If Reid is out it has to be four at the back. Having a back 3 with Sigmund and Durante is far too weak. Shame we didn't call up Fitzgerald, a Japanese first div centre back would have been great cover.

If Reid is out we are fully f@#%ED

OMG !!! The BRILLIANCE of RH >>>>>.....now I see ....c'mon down ...Plodder !!

if he recovers in time  or not Herbert needs to call up a central back to cover up  with fitzgerald or boxall in asap,  as far as i know is the professional approach of things

Time to prepare our a**s

I had a huge sniff around West Hams forum at 2am and google news and found nothing. His Twitter feed as of 3am, says nothing other than "how is everyone's Wednesday" - not the tweet of a guy injured.

I see Stuff have just loaded an article but they will have the same phantom source as Burgess at the Herald (story got pulled) and others.

I call bullshit still and it's nearly 7pm in the UK so would be news on the net somewhere if it had legs.

http://www.nzfootball.co.nz/index.php?id=11&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=2618&tx_ttnews[backPid]=10&cHash=8e585ab240

NZ Defensive line up very interesting now!

Surely RH will call someone else in, like Boxall.

Ivan is match fit, Lochhead hasn't been playing for over a season. If Lochhead wanted to be in the AWs he should have played winter football in Wellington and now be playing for an ASBP team. He hasn't bothered because he knew his old mate would pick him regardless. Experience counts for nothing is you are not match fit. I'd rather play Storm Roux after a full A League pre-season and four games for CCM than Lochhead at RWB. He also has speed, and is a good tackler. There's no way Lochhead or Bertos should be playing as defenders against a pacey Mexico. Both will be easily undone.

With Reid out his replacement has to be Vicelich, with Sigmund in the wings as a sub if Ivan tires. The less time Sigmund has on the field the better as he is too volatile when tiring and liable to get a red card for a harsh tackle in the pressure cooker of Mexico City.

Of course had Ricki not wasted valuable space on Lochhead and Christie, we could have had Fitzgerald (Japan first division) or even Boxall in the squad.

Am Im too cynical in thinking, that his injury will come right, and he will able to play for West Ham.

Even if Ivan was not match fit (and this is a pointless argument on my behalf but illustrates a point) his experience and composure are exactly what is needed. Yeah Lochhead is not match fit but he has done a job before and a known quantity at international football. Hell if I could squeeze 30 min out of Ryan Nelsens knees I would because you know exactly what you will get. Across 180 min of football, I would bank on him to do the job on experience vs a young up and coming guy that's playing youth football in France that is very much an unknown quantity internationally. Yes Tuiloma has talent, yes he is match fit and yes he is the future but on 2 home and away games, you don't throw the rookie in and wonder what might have been on a rookie mistake.

Its the same reason people do not want Sigmund to start or play (you even say yourself above) - he is match fit, he is experienced but because he is a known quantity on the international level of what he is likely to do, people do not want him. Its the same reason why Ricki picked Christie. Been there and done a job before = known quantity.

West Ham aren't allowed to play him during the international window as NZF have called him up, and if they did they would be docked points, and probably fined too.

So Roux not in te moix then according to this...funny thing to say anyway given Smith and Durante would have been part of a back three anyway  So this says Siggy or Tuiloma....

"Herbert will finalise his team when the All Whites assemble in Los Angeles on Sunday, but he believed there was cover for Reid in the defensive ranks.

"We've got Tommy, Ivan, Ben Sigmund, Andrew Durante and Bill Tuiloma, who played there for us [against Trinidad and Tobago] on the recent trip," he said.

"Winston's replacement will come from one of that group." Herbert said "

That's because Roux's not a CB.

I think we have got to play an attacking game now. Try and get an early goal. Play Smeltz and Rojas and replace with Brookie and Barbouroses when they get too tired. Play Henderson aswell.

Helpful advice for the AWs #253:

Radio NZ saying he's out for 8 - 10 weeks.

Do you think that will be enough?

You've obviously never been to Mexico City. The high altitude is energy sapping. Anyone taking the field must be match fit or they're a liability. Lochhead will be a liability, experience or not. At least Ivan can probably do 60 minutes. I would then go for Tuiloma for that frantic last 30 minutes.

We also have to attack. Without Reid there is no option, we simply can't try and park the bus. I'd throw two strikers up front and pump balls to them. That's why the fast Roux would be good as a wing back. We won't be able to pass our way through midfield. I'd certainly play Rojas if he's fit and behind the strikers. We can't allow them lots of time and space to launch attacks. Pin them back, make them worry about committing too many going forward. An away goal or two will be priceless. Three - one and it's still alive for Wellington. Three - nil and it's tie over. Then in Wellington we have to throw everything at them and hope it's blowing a cold gale.

Hah!  I get it....prepare our anai.

A while back I was having a good laugh about the Socceroos getting majorly stuffed by first Brazil and then France. My wife told me don't laugh we have not played Mexico yet.

Has this got the possibility of being a major thrashing?  What will this do for the image of football in NZ if we get thumped by a Mexican team which left out all its star players?

 The loss of Reid really is the last straw. I would imagine Siggy will come in for Reid. We will be then fielding 3 defenders....Locky, Dura and Siggy who made up the worst defence in the A-league last year. Shielding them will be a 38 yo Ivan who will give his all but now has the speed of my Granny. Midfield backup is Clapham who is nothing more than ASB quality and the famous Christie. I can see lots of goals

the thing that is weird as a journalist nose that i am, is very simple,  the situation went from renting a expensive private jet from west ham at london to Los Angeles  to this freak injury at the training camp..--dont know dont have probes   its fishy  2

Ah, yes, well, hmmm...

I understand they plan to fly in the day before so that they are not killing everyone training at altitude. I can't comment if that's the best move or not but you can bet they will get a massive shock 20 mins in.

Lochhead is one of the fittest about. He may not have match fitness but he will run all day for us. I think that much has never been questioned about him

I would ask Ivan to give the full 90. Milk it out of him there and if he needs to replaced by 'lessor' footballers at home, its easier than chucking them in against it at Azteca. Again, his experience and calming influence can not be replicated by anyone else.

I think there is merit to the route 1 football you talk about. I agree that football through the midfield will not work for us. At least if the ball is in the air, we can't lose possession and I'd rather it be in the air at their end of the pitch than on the deck at ours. I just hope to god we don't play a high line of defence.

Ever heard the phrase 'barking up the wrong tree' Jav. I know your hearts in the right place, but you're talking fantasy here.

Meanwhile at NZF HQ...

Whichever team goes through will have had the most shambolic qualifying campaign of any team to make it to the World Cup. We'll be part of history either way!

While it really sux that Reid is out, let's be honest, his non availability will not have the same impact that the non availability of the experience of Ryan Nelsen would have had before the Bahrain game. Let's get behind the team,  all of which will give 200% when they take the field. Go the All Whites!

Sunflower said:

While it really sux that Reid is out, let's be honest, his non availability will not have the same impact that the non availability of the experience of Ryan Nelsen would have had before the Bahrain game. Let's get behind the team,  all of which will give 200% when they take the field. Go the All Whites!

Your name really suits you Sunflower.

 Smith and McGlinchey are out with a virus, Was on sports radio and has been posted on the forums on fourfourtwo. Are we truly Fked?.