The Road To Brazil 2014 via Wellington feat. Mexico

Penalty areas and sidelines etc are a step too far when constructing a formation but we can all just assume.

I know this sounds negative but I read articles like this and we REALLY do not deserve to go to Brazil.  Some country who is actually taking this seriously should be there...

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11117092

our position at the bottom of the pile in terms of professional football mean that it's pretty difficult to find a pro club if you've been cut by the phoenix.  he's trying, but it's not happening for him.  

if you were herbert, what would you do? lochhead is our best left back.

this isn't you JD, but some of the lochhead knockers are getting tiresome.  he's always been good for the phoenix and nz.  not great, but good.  until last season where he was poor. 

in the past we have had players like ferris, ridenton and tommy mason at left back.  at other times,we had to convert a centre back.  lochhead was a big step upon those guys.

btw, no slight on ferris, ridenton and mason. ferris was a midfielder played out of position. ridenton was a right back.  mason was outstanding at national league level, but not up to scratch internationally

I league starts on Sept 21 lochhhead. Get amongst it

I suggested earlier in this thread playing 4 centre backs across a back 4 with Smith at left back.  

We buy this fatalistic stuff from Herbert all the time (there is no-one else).  We bought it for the Phoenix until people actually started questioning him and realised it's just because he had run out of ideas - I think it's the same thing for the All Whites.  You cannot tell me that if you picked this team up fresh that any other coach in the world would line up 3-4-3.

Not one other player has been tried at left back other than Hogg for one game over about the last 6 years.  You cannot tell me that Lochhead has been so good there that his place does not deserve to be discussed when he is facing going into November's playoff with 3 or 4 competitive matches under his belt.  That alone should be enough to see his place questioned!

Herbert has always been willing to try ASBP players in midfield but never in full back positions.  Why is that?  Is there literally no-one in the country who cannot put some pressure on in that position?

Lochhead has basically retired as he's not willing to leave Wellington to find a club but that doesn't seem to affect his spot in the side, I just don't understand how is position isn't coming under some scrutiny.

that's a good point JD

You are pulling some names out there Reg

Agreed with JDs point. I know TV and I like the 4-2-3-1 for the AWs and I guess if you used the back 4 you floated JD (Durante, Winston, Sigmund, Smith) I would feel infinitely more comfortable about things (Siggy scares me) but this 3-4-3 lark will be done with the hour after Herbert has gone. It worked for us once in a time where we had players for that. We are now 4 years down the road...

It's quite depressing reading....

Tony Lochhead - unattached

Ian Hogg - unattached

Luke Rowe - unattached

James Musa - unattached 

Tim Myers - Rubbish

                            Moss

Bertos        Reid            Smith        Lochhead

                          Vicelich

Kosta                mcglinchey            Rojas

               Wood                Smeltz

I would actually be happy if we lined up like this in November.

Lochhead should be out of consideration. You're right. But this is Ricki we are talking about..... I also think that Bertos played pretty well last season at RB. I would sub off Ivan with Durante when need be.

That NUFC line up is interesting. 

Not sure about Kosta and Marco playing RM/LM, or at least Kosta any way. They have both played very effectively up front and I'm not sure about their tracking back and defence. 

And that leaves Vicelich with a lot of defensive work to do and a lot of ground to cover. I'd prefer us to have a right back and Leo be at the RM position. It leaves us with Tommy and Winston dealing with everything in the box too...no Siggie or Dura... 

He's not a RB nor he is a RM (I'm talking to you Ricki) 

Lochhead - unattached = no thanks

Bertos - not starting for Nix = no thanks

Roux - will be starting RB for Mariners = yes please

Smith - left back because who else is there and at least he has the pace

Wood up front by himself ? I prefer to not watch the long ball for 90 mins

4-2-3-1 isn't a long ball game son.

When have the All Whites ever not played the long ball ?

Smith is actually left footed so would make a good left back. You could then put Reid and Sig or Durante as CB, get rid of Lochead as I reckon that's the only reason he has been proficient as a left back is because he's left footed. The fact he has no club should just automatically rule him out. (He can say what he likes about offers but if they were real he should've taken them!!)

Half the problem with a lot of the people we've had at left back, is they're right footed so they naturally use their right foot when they should actually be using their left foot. I know that at a top level you should be proficient using both, but there's a lot of NZ players who are naturally right footed, so when playing on the left side they try to get the ball on to their right foot to pass or cross because it's something they've always done and they're not proficient with their left foot.

Has Brockie jumped Smeltz in the forward pecking order? Think I'd have Brockie ahead of Kosta and possibly ahead of Smeltz...

                            Moss

Bertos        Reid            Smith        Lochhead

                        ?????

Brockie      mcglinchey/Rojas/Kosta         Rojas/Kosta

               Wood                Smeltz/Kosta/Rojas/Brockie

The centre of the park seems really light with McG and Boxall??? Dura?? Killen...

Haven't seen anything from Keat to suggest he can do that role for us and he isn't starting anywhere is he? Boxall seems like he might be playing there perhaps? 

Feel like I'm leaving someone out...

Let me try to explain.....

Will a Ricki Herbert team playing 4-2-3-1 play the exact same way as a Murinho 4-2-3-1 ? The answer is no.

Lets remember last season.  A total shambles. No player knew what their job was. 

In conclusion, we can safely say the whatever "formation" RH sets out, we will still end up doing what we normally do. ie hoof ball/lone striker/park the bus/huge gaps in midfield/Ricki nervously sipping water. Changing our formation will not solve our problems. A new coach will.

Payne out. Clapham in

Hmmm I think you are right that a new coach is now due. Ricki has done well but the term 'use by date' is probably a fair term to use with him. The fact that the 3-4-3 is still the main option kinda shows that he is not open to a modified solid back 4 (again JDs suggestion). Nelsen talked about how good they played under Emblen at the Olys and enjoyed what he bought to the table and seems to be the next person in that seat. He tends to favour youth so under him, a few older players may not be around as long as Ricki has kept some of his older hands. I'm ok with him getting the job as well I think. His sides tend to play more 'football' than other coaches that I have seen going.

In regards to formation, I'm not sure I agree because a back 4 of Durante, Sigmund, Reid, Smith with Ivan and Payne (or another alternative, James/Keat) in front of those 4 and allowing McGlinchy Rojas and Kosta to roam in attacking roles with Wood as the striker will probably allow us to play a bit of football but also stay strong defensively. That team there, I think has the goods to play football. You are going to ask the back 4 to stay as a back 4 and not get forward as much but then you have an exciting 3 in front of the back DM 2 that can play, are quick and have a deft touch. The reality is, as much as we have striking options, Wood is the starter. Smeltz has the pedigree but is injured at the moment. Brockie is not an out and out striker in my opinion and I really do struggle to find a natural position for him but if I was to play him, it would be in that McGlinchy, Kosta, Rojas line. Killen no longer commands a 'pick me first' role and Leo and Lochhead are pieces shoehorned to fit a formation with Leo doing more defensive worked than needed and Lochhead doing more attacking work than needed. By the same token, if we played a back 4 or Durante, Reid, Smith and Lochhead. I would be happy with that as well knowing Lochhead would be a pure defender and not getting forward.

I'm not the coach and I don't have to live and die by the choices but Ricki must surely be mindful that a loss will send NZF back into the financial dark ages so he better be bloody sure that what he does pick, is the best he has got.

Eager DM?
Playing with winning VPL team in a tougher comp. than Clapham NSW state league  

Why are you comparing Clapham to Eager when they play different positions? It's like comparing Moss to Smeltz

Why are you comparing Clapham to Eager when they play different positions? It's like comparing Moss to Smeltz

?

I thought we are looking for a dm?