Back after a long weekend away so missed all the action. But thought I'd offer my congratulations to the lads - seems they could have at least earned a point with the disallowed goal near the end. Great to see Mepham on the pitch finally - seems Ridden is ahead of him in the midfield mix now, which is pretty interesting. And Fitzpatrick is a back up forward now, not Govan? That's also an interesting move from Murray but I guess he did score a few goals for Cavy over winter. Train hard this week lads - the Bay are definitely beatable without Harley!
Southern Football (incl Southern United)
Does anyone know if the Otago v Canterbury game was filmed?
would be nice to see footage from the game
Yes game was filmed, looked for it on You Tube as normally loaded on there, do not think is comes with commentary.
the league seems to be very average this year
I'll be in a position to give an informed decision when I go watch Hawke's Bay play us this weekend - can't wait!
Nat keep us updated this weekend
Will do! Full rundown from the warm up to the aftermatch post mortem.
Good to see Jude getting game time after a successful winter season. Jude and Horner should both be starting
Good to see Jude getting game time after a successful winter season. Jude and Horner should both be starting
I heard they were mighty pleased with Jude and his high energy and intensity when he came on against Canterbury, but I don't think you can start him up front Cavy - after all he's a centre back isn't he? So he's a great bench option in defence and also as a target man up front it seems. They do have some real concerns about the lack of co-ordination in defence I'm told, so maybe Horner will travel in the weekend to give the boys some beef and focus back there. But at whose expense? That is a tough call. I saw the video highlights vs Auckland and all the defensive boys looked really really tight and good. Joy hardly put a foot wrong, Connor was his typical in-your-face self, Prattley had things well sorted for both himself and the other three, and the wee Scotsman did really well for 80 mins until he looked a bit tired (so that's a coaching issue - sub him for goodness sake). But then, just like that, the defence were really bad against Canterbury, or so I'm told - that is hard to understand.
Play good teams you play well, play shit teams you play to there level.
It's the same old same old with all Dunedin teams
Alright finished work, off to Napier - staying with an old mate, knocking back a few beers, watching some EPL and looking forward to seeing the boys upset Hawke's Bay! Did anyone else see the Canterbury Otago highlights on YouTube? It's HD even. Worth some discussion I think - c*&p I hope we don't defend like that tomorrow! But if Stevens and Ryder can repeat their efforts we have a chance.
Keep us up to date NatPevin good man
second half just started its nil nil good game but a bit quiet now we should be up cant say too much more my phone is low report later
as soon as i say that they score average defending from us
halftime team talk didnt work they are all over us phones almost dead
we are tiring in the heat now they could score again here
he needs to bring mepham on for gannon i reckon
burgess looks tired too bring jude on up front we need a goal
wouldnt have taken colicott off hes tiring but can still produce the magic anyway sams on
Charged phone up in car driving home we should have had a point today more later
It was a great day out yesterday. Nice sunny skies, a decent surface and only bit of a breeze. We did really well right from kick off. Great movement in midfield from Day and Gannon playing a nice mix of long and short. Ryder and Coldicott's pace was ever a threat and Stevens was electric at times. At the back we looked very tidy - all of those lads defend well, but I was worried a couple of times about our lack urgency to close down space when we lost possession. We don't look that flash anywhere on the park straight after the the transition actually. It's like the boys don't react when they lose the ball. It was an even half but I think we edged - hitting the post and just missing on a few close strikes - even the Hawke's Bay supporters (who were good value) didn't deny we perhaps deserved to be one up at half time. Don't know what RM said at half time but the lads at the back weren't switched on to a pretty routine chase and cross just after the half started. Like I said before it seems a lack of urgency at times or an inability to sense danger coming. Anyway Hawke's Bay's tails were up after that and they did very well to work hard, frustrate and close it out. Their second goal was a sucker punch, but once again if the lads at the back had been a bit tighter (not pointing fingers - you know who you are) and alert they could have snuffed Lovemore out easily. Good to see Sam get a bit of a run - he got stuck in and tried to get the boys driving forward. His fresh legs were needed and it was good RM saw that - don't know if Day was more tired than Gannon or Colidicott but he was on a yellow I guess. Jude made an impact as well - he's really intense and he put the shits up their defenders big time. I wonder if RM would consider using him from the start to soften the defenders up and then bring Burgess on. Burgess still carries that threat but looks as if he can only run hard for half and hour - often he wasn't working anywhere near hard enough off the ball. I think Jude could charge around like an rhinoceros for at least 60. It was a great effort from the lads and they will be gutted to lose because of a couple of pieces of lazy defending. Prattley cuts a very frustrated figure these days. Oh and a great surprise to see Pete in goal. He is still quality.
Pretty good write up there Nat, the report on ASB website also talks favorably of the Otago performance especially in the first half, do Hawkes Bay film the games?
Must admit though if Jude ever starts up front for Otago I will never watch another game. That is ridiculous, running around clattering people is not how a centre forward plays, maybe in despreation last 10 of games but not from start????
Why was Evans playing ahead of Little? Was Little injured? I noticed he hasnt been taking goal kicks must be something to do with that. Probably dont lose too much with Evans coming in anyway. Still think Prattley should be a left back not centre, which is probably why he hating his football. Also no Hancock on the bench?
Hey X - that wasn't a put down for Jude. He's actually not a dirty player and doesn't clatter people at all - he's just very physical and a good aerial target - and actaully quite skillful and fast for a big guy. A big guy up front alongside a little guy like Stevens or Hancock often works doesn't it? They should do something because as much as I like Burgess he just doesn't put the hard yards in. Having said that Jude's intensity might be what they need at the back with Prattley moving to LB as you say - he looks like a shadow of his former self at times he's lost that spark. Honestly there were times when the back four needed a rocket yesterday they were so sleepy. I don't know why Little wasn't there I couldn't find out.
Just found out that Liam Little had work commitments and could not attend the match. It's not a large loss at all because Peter Evans is a bloody quality goal keeper. I too would like to see Tristan Prattley at left back, his natural position where he can attack more often than not and put his great left foot into use. I believe we are lacking a midfielder with experience that can call the shots from the middle of the park and show some composure on the ball like Michael Cunningham was doing.
Has the great Aaron Burgess time come? Will Otago win a game?
Good questions those Cavy - I'll down in Welly in 2 weeks for the next installment. I reckon we can beat them this year.
Video highlights are up:
Very poor defending for the second goal
All Otago that first half
Defensive lapses cost them
Very poor defending for the second goal
Good to see both goals again with the benefit of slow-mo. First one Tom and Matt fail to deal with the guy at the back post - it's that simple. Gannon doesn't track his man's run into the box either and that doesn't help because both Tom and Matt get sucked in by his run and the guy at the back post has a free header. I wouldn't blame Ferguson too much because a guy with Lovemore's pace is always going to beat guys and get crosses in.
Second one is blooper stuff isn't it. Much worse than I remember it. It's just a hoof from their keeper and a totally free headed flick on!! Matt should be winning those headers - but then Tristan and Tom are nowhere near tight enough on Lovemore.
I'm on a tactical mission now. Have another look at the Canterbury second goal. One of their CFs shows for the ball and Matt does the right thing in tracking him. The other CF makes a nice angled run in behind Matt and the ball gets played to him (classic training ground move - we used to call 'hole in the pocket'). Tristan doesn't even get near him. Hope the coaching team are looking at these videos and noticing a theme. This is what happens when you play a LB at CB and don't tell him to get tight on his man and goalside - maybe it was a half-arsed attempt at an offside trap. Just because he's our best player doesn't mean he doesn't need some coaching from time to time.
i think any new zealand player who thought they were the complete package would own an alarming lack of perspective...
i think any new zealand player who thought they were the complete package would own an alarming lack of perspective...
Reg my comment was directed at the coaches. Tristan is most likely very aware of his weaknesses when being played out of position, but might not know exactly what's going wrong - just that it makes him look bad. But after seeing the second goal against Canterbury again I realise a similar defensive error was then made against Hawkes Bay - the coaches need to fix that because what's the bet Paul Marshall has seen them too?
ah, sorry mate. was just talking in generalities anyway, having met quite a few players over the years with no apparent weaknesses
when was the last time Otago won a game?
Waitak up next, Allen Pearce vs Craig Ferguson, oh dear
Waitak up next, Allen Pearce vs Craig Ferguson, oh dear
I would be interested in the low-down on Ferguson. How old is he? Like 28 maybe. He has some pace still and a nice left peg. And he's still got the accent I'm told, so he could have played for a half-decent team in Scotland as a kid. And if he did, he's probably come up against better than Pearce in his time. Still, back to this Sunday's reality. MIght be time for Tristan to play in his spot. Now that Hogg is overseas is there a better natural LB in the national league?
Why was Evans playing, surely if Little was working he could have got the latter flight to Napier????
Nat/Cavy you both say that he (Evans) is still quality but surely he's past his best by date by 3 years is he training?
Think Tristian needs to stay at centre back and leave Ferg there, well the backline is fine all we need is are couple of hard nuts to put the fear into teams . From what I have seen so far is the oppersition do it to us and get away with it but we just seem to take it.
Where were Ants and Govan surely you need to take another striker away with you, when we conceed we have to chase the game which means you need to score, no strikers means no goals!!!!
Richie and Duncan doing great job from what they have to work with, my pick is we will be much harder team in a couple of years, the only problem is can we handle the next 2 seasons??????
Hey Rooster - I only know what I saw in the weekend and Pete was as good as ever. Made a couple of really sharp saves and I couldn't blame him for either goal. Rooster there is something really wonky in defence - it's not all fine mate just look at the goals we have conceded and how we have conceded (youtube). The defence looks OK when the lads put their nads on the line, make tackles and good clearances. But honestly the shape was all wrong at times. I don't know what they can do - maybe get Horner in there because he wouldn't allow that nonsense. He'd get them organised and much tighter and switched on. It's actually Tristan that looks like a fish out of water in my opinion and that's not a personal criticism because he is a very very good player - I just don't think he understands the role of a CB. And surprise freekin surprise, because he isn't a CB! I agree with you about Hancock and Govan. Jude puts himself about and gives 110 and I admire that - I think he's probably as good as Govan up front actually, but he's no forward at the national league level. Hancock truly is at that level; so where is he? Burgess doesn't have the fitness to play more than 45min at National League level I reckon. So something has to be done.
NatPevin your last post is gospel could not agree with you anymore
Is this brookside's son