World Cup Squad Discussion

I would like to see if Mulligan could do an ok job in Browns place. possibly a chance against serbia.

I think if Mulligan is ever going to get a look in its now. He'll be champing at the bit i imagine to get a run.

Can we nip this in the bud now.  Reid is not, and has never has been, a midfielder.

Barron is the obvios choice for Brown's spot IMO, although Mulligan and Christie can push for it.

Hate to say it but i thought Barron was crap.

When? He didn't play last night.

He was terrible when warming up behind the goal though Simon.

Yeah, pretty average warm up from the NZFC lad.

We should drop him then.

hope clapham gets a run at some poinjt,see if hes good enough at this level

I was surprised he didn't replace Leo rather than Reid.

neither is Manny Mus..oh hang on


but more seriously, I'd rather see Reid at the back


still Ricki has been known to ...

 I would like to see this..

                      Paston

            Reid     Nelsen   Vicelich
                               
                  Elliott    Mulligan
Bertos            Clapham              Smith         
                       
                  Wood    Fallon


2 dm who can pass and a cm who I'm dying to see

Smith as a wingback, jeez that was a good cross...and jeez his mugshot is misleading, he is actually quite a solid looking bugger.

Wood with Fallon has some serious potential.


                           
   


               

smittyz112010-05-25 22:52:23

How you can leave Killen out is beyond me.  Did fairly well last night and in the second leg vs Bahrain he was outstanding.

You don't need Wood and Fallon, and definitely not at Killen's expense.  He's the guy that will get the goal if one of the big lads clears the high ball into some space, and he can clean up in the box too.   

I know but we need to work other combinations aswell. these games are about seeing players working well together. we know Killen is going to start everygame in SA, and I want him too, I just want to see a few other players get some serious time before the WC. Just so we know who can/can't play where with who etc come Slovakia.

We have 2 more games to try things, so why not try to change things up.

sorry I didn't mention above is a formation to try against Serbia, not my prefered starting 11.

Clapham is 23 out of 23 in that squad.  He's not going to get a second of football in Sth Africa.  The players who should be geeting time are those just outside of the first 11, i.e. Barron, Wood, Smith, Reid,  and Mulligan.  Clapham is there for experience, he's probably trained three or four times with the All Whites, there is nothig to be gained by starting him in one fof our two warm up matches. james dean2010-05-26 00:00:19

good point, we have tremendous depth when it comes to AM's

BBS - yep it's never going to be a like for like swap.  Another option is a 4-4-2 with a solid back 4 that doesn't really push forward (so maybe smith and Reid out wide), inside out wingers (Leo on the left and maybe Brockie or McGon the right) cutting in and getting into the space behind the strikers and two defensively minded  midfielders, Elliot and Brown.  It's very compact and I can see it playing to our strengths.  Smeltz would then be an important option off the bench

give the man 30 min against serbia,slovenia or chile. sink or swim, hes good enough or hes not. we mac has been quiet of late, could be a good wakeup for him. He would have been no worse than boyens replacing leo.  I like your 442 lineup though

Yep, I agree.  I'd like to see him get a chance with just one of Killen/Fallon as well.

With the loss of brown it will be very interesting if Ricki decides to stick with his favoured formation or not.

Manny had played in midfield for Green Gully.

ok el Grap, clearly your box is well stacked with football facts

So any knowledge on who is actually going for brown? Or is he still in with a shot..

Peverley in yes?

Peverly is on the way to SA to train with the squad until Brown is confirmed either way.

On his way to Austria on flights tomorrow.

Your right HN, my bad. He'd probably be a bit lonely in SA at the moment.

I know I'm a bit late, but I've been having log in issues for the last few weeks. However, I thought I'd weigh in on a couple of the debates going on here. wolfman2010-05-28 20:02:32

We are desperately short of depth in our squad. I believe Ricki would have gone away hoping that injuries meant that he would not need to go beyond a core of 15 players, because that is all he has got: the starting 11 vs Australia plus Wood, McGlinchey, Reid and Smith. The others are way off the pace at World Cup level - they are there as injury cover and becuase FIFA pays for 23.

So, the most likely cover for Brown should he not make it back for the World Cup - Vicelich in front of the back three partnering Elliott, or McGlinchey and Elliott if Ricki wants to me more attacking - perhaps as a change in the second half.

For those people mulling over the decisions made recently by Reid, Smith, Fallon, McGlinchey etc., an interesting article to put in perspective the complex nature of national boundaries and qualification for countries in our global village!!

http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/newsid=1219988/index.html#subotic+serbian+wanderer

Mulligan.

+1

Ricky was just on Sky TV Europe's pre-World Cup round up. They reported on Chris Killen missing Serbia to get married. He said 'well, we haven't been to the World Cup for such a long time we're not gonna waste it.'
[Stevo, looking at your signature are you planning a trip to Japan???] edward l2010-05-29 04:52:51

Barron.

Clapham.