Southern Football (incl Southern United)

all the best Tristian, thanks for the memories.....Matt Joy for captain now

Have we signed any new players yet?

With Jake ( American), Gannon and Tristian all gone and there was already a free contract, who's coming in??

IMO - Captain should be a good RW player- Connor!!

Gannon gone?????

Apparently gone up north already! Wellington I'm told.

maybe get the players to decide. could either get them to write their selection on a piece of paper, or discuss as a group, it's the players who have to play with eachother, so you'd think it'd be wise to let them decide. i'd imagine TC would take it.

http://www.asbpremiership.co.nz/index.php?id=1938

Horner confirmed as Captain. Pretty depleted squad. Hard to see them getting up here.

What a weird looking team.  Big blow about Joel, he's been the Otago player of the year so far.  And the article says Ridden is unavailable and Regan is injured, but where's Matt Joy gone in all that?  Too much xmas pudding maybe.

And happy new year everyone.  It's been a good one for me - back from holiday and at peace with the world again - and a job transfer to Oz next month.  How was yours?

According to Rab's article Joy and Ferguson are travelling, which is a big relief.  Hope RM has applied his brain to this one - we can't afford another loss, and surely the first objective for the second worst defence in the league is not to concede.  I would go with a 3-5-2 (call it a 5-3-2 if you like) for this one:

Little

Joy Horner Fitz

Tom Ryder Victor Sam Ferguson

Hancock Jimmy

Bench - Burgess, Colicott, Day, the two kids

Looking forward to seeing this one in person - looks on paper like we will get done, but with Otago you never know.

If that's true it's a blow for us but, really, it's not a good move for Matt at this stage.  Surely it could only be Waikato or Canterbury that want him: the former is not a step forward at all and while the latter is, how much game would he get?  Matt is still a very raw talent IMO.  While he's good in that combative defensive and long ball role, his technique, distribution, spatial awareness and attacking presence really need a lot more work.  He's still quite young so he can do it, although he's never struck me as that focussed and I'm told he's only an average trainer.  He's one of those guys that could clock up 100 games for Otago and be a local legend for sure, but is he really any more that that?  If he does want to advance I think his best bet is to stay put for now and play every 90 minutes of the remaining games for Otago.  Then he should get out of Dunedin over winter and play in Wellington or Auckland.

all the best team for your game tomorrow....do otago proud

Yeah I'm with you roundball...but why did you delete your post about Joy taking up a contract elsewhere?  Has there been a development (or lack of one)?

Think the score today will be Manawatu 4 Otago 0

Just got here muggy old day watching warmup

Burgess looks a tad slimmer

Some of our guys look tired alreasy

Only see 12 players!

Gonba find out whats goin on

didnt spot 2 youth players they had a game earlier so will be tired i guess - think one got a bit injured

cant see horner

because he missed the bus apparently...

was he on the piss sat night???

we can so win this they have had the better of the ball but we have defended well and been busy in midfield they have the wind second half and it has picked up a bit matt joy and now scotsman on tightropes after yellows and they have to be careful good to see aajay get a run hes had some nice touches - good goal aaron burgess!

halftime

thanks for the updates Nat

regan mom at this rate surely we cant lose it now

defence has been massive keep holding them out boys

NatPevin I can confirm from a reliable souce (Twitter) that Horner was stuck in Queenstown as flight cancelled. Sounds like Otago Utd doing well without him 4 up at this stage.

yikes this game has gone mad...4-0 and theyve had 2 sent...we have this 11 heroes today...mom regan or (yes) burgess...burgess tired now tho bring govan on

joy and jude have been immense manawatu totally outmuscled and they couldnt handle it

awww crap ah well we win but gonna be hard next week after that

Close to 4 nil got it round the wrong way :-(

Manawatu are pants, at least you guys got close to some good results against good sides, plus beating Wellington, Manawatu really have done nothing.

Been out celebrating  - what a great effort and result, built on really solid (amazingly it was Hornerless) defence, a good shift from midfield, and clinical finishing.  Probably the last time I'll see Otago play for a while. Thanks for the memories lads.  Anyway some ratings:

Little 8.0 - didn't have a lot to do because the defence were so good but he played a massive part organising them anyone could see that.

Connor 7.5 - was tight and aggressive in first half, got done a bit in the second as fitness fell away - big shame about red didn't need to lunge in.

Joy 7.5 - he gets better every time I see him - he was too organised and big and strong - big pity about the red it would have been 8.0 otherwise - like Tom he didn't need to fly in like he did.

Fitzpatrick 8.0 - really impressive, strong and organised like Joy but really good on the ball.  Murray has find a way to play him more his energy is terrific.

Ferguson 7.5 - best I've seen him play I think - got done a bit and I was worried he was going to get two yellows as well - he  needs to be fitter to recover better but he was really fiesty.

Ryder 7.5 - a good shift, a bit out of position at times but can't fault the effort and pacy threat at times.

Da Costa 8.0 - on the back foot a lot but just kept going - was really intelligent positionally and had great distribution at times.

Cunningham 7.0 - was in and out of the game and lacks sharpness, but he hasn't played much so no big surprise there.  Very silky skills at times and will get better for sure if he gets game time.

Gannon 7.5 - did a lot of positive things, for me his movement and distribution really caught the eye at times.  Like a lot of the boys he ran out of steam a bit but hung tough and hung on like a true Aussie battler.

Coldicott - 8.5 - my man of the match because of two really classy finishes.  Was in and out of the game - at times does nothing except get offside and frustrate you - but then he explodes into action and scores just like that.

Burgess - 8.0 - a slimmer, much improved, post christmas version (must have pounded the greenbelt over the break I think), he worked much harder and although he goals were both pens he was clinical with them and deserves a lot of praise for his work rate.  Yes that's Natpevin eating his words.

Goodnight all.

Did I read right that there were 5 red cards? Is that for real? Were they deserved or the ref on a power trip?

Jeff I think the ref had a good game. It wasn't in any way a dirty game - very well contested at all times as you'd expect a wooden-spooner to be, but he let it flow and played the advantage well.  But there are those situations when the law book says 'do this - and that will happen' and for me it was just like that today.  The straight reds are the ones you look at.  Connor was last man in the box - it was a needless foul and a red.  The Rufer one was a late, foolish, tired, frustrated and dangerous challenge  - it could have caused a bad injury.  The young lad played quite well and will learn he can't do that.  Mosquera's was late too, but his had some nasty intent mixed in as well - it was a red in my book no question.  Very entertaining game.

So any thoughts on the lineup for the weekend's game?  Connor, Joy and Ferguson (4 yellows now) are suspended - what a nightmare situation, but a nice opportunity for Mansford perhaps.  Is Morrison gone?  Are any new players on the way?  I think Sam Mepham can play right back at a pinch.  I'd go for a 4-5-1.

Little

Mepham Fitzpatrick Horner Mansford

Da Costa

Ryder Gannon Cunningham Coldicott

Burgess

Subs: Evans, Ridden, Day, Hancock, Govan

Could be nice odds at the tab

Yeah, you'd think Otago win $10+ easy.  And with Burgess in such scintillating form...