But the way we lost is frustrating...
It's simply not good enough to hoof the ball forward as soon as we get it back.
There was hardly any passing game, which led to hardly any chances created.
Even Messi would find it hard to get on the scoreboard in an AW's shirt, with that sort of service...
Fact is we don't play football, eg: Holding possession, passing triangles, One-two's... None of that at all...
Until our mentality doesn't change, nothing will.
The way to go for NZ Football from here:
Start to play more offensively minded football, string some passes together and don't just defend for 90 mins.
We might still lose games, but perhaps we'll look a bit better
Everyone has been full of ideas of what we should have done but with the exception of Reid and maybe a fit Marco, you have the same team with the same limitations. Just cause people say 'we should try playing football' doesn't mean those players all of a sudden become magical footballers. Do you think Ricki really said to them 'every time you touch that ball, even if you are in 20 yards of space, send it as long as you can'. Do you really think if Ricki did as everyone suggests and said 'play football' that the performance would have mystically changed? Get your hand off it if you believe that is true.
Getting ass raped 5-1 vs 3-0 is still a loss. Nothing changes. Yes it's frustrating but we were never going to be in this game when you objectively look at everything EXCLUDING our tactics or players. Altitude, vs a team ranked 20 something and a poor build up. People aren't thinking and just venting. At least be honest if you are. To be competitive against that side we needed about 5-6 player upgrades (sans Marco and Reid) to have been competitive. Common sense should tell we don't have that or have historically produced that so it's all just bullshit 'coulda shoulda woulda'
Accept it and move on.
Obviously all we did was bash the ball forward. That's not trying to play football.
If you're not prepared to try and create some sort of passing game you will get wins against the Solomons and Tahiti perhaps but
you'll never have a chance on the bigger stages.
Of course Ricki wouldn't have told them "to smash it up front asap," but we're talking about fully paid professionals here.
Surely one can expect a wee bit more than that.
I guess sitting so deep doesn't help when attacking either...
1: Ricki didn't tell them to play that way as you suggest
2: The players are professional footballers as you suggest
3: Everyone would like to see them play a certain way, but they did not as you suggest
If the coach didn't say to play that way, and it's recognised they are pro footballers who did not play probably how they should, then surely that if these are the best we have, then it's a fair stretch to say that we were just not good enough and they were better than us? With that in mind, and these are our best, then how does NZF saying "Start to play more offensively minded football, string some passes together and don't just defend for 90 mins." change anything.
The problem is the quality of player we produce and all the best intentions and game plans and tactics in the world will not make two shits of a difference if the players are not good enough to play that way.
Now if you had said "NZF have to put better systems in place to produce a better quality of footballer so we have the ability to play better football" well then you would be onto something