General Football Discussion

AW v Slovakia Tue 15th 11:30p (SS2, TV1)

948 replies · 107,049 views
about 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
AW v Slovakia Tue 15th 11:30p (SS2, TV1)

Peoples Republik of Aucklandia

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about 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
What's our best 11 now with Reid/Smith/McGlinchy/Fallon available.
 
Will Ricki switch to 4-4-2 now we have a decent right back available?
 
If we have no injury troubles this is what I reckon.
 
Paston - assuming the Moss appeal is unsuccessful
Reid/Ryan/Ivan/Smith
Leo/Brown/Elliot/McGlinchey
Killen/Smeltz

Peoples Republik of Aucklandia

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about 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
I'd have Lochy over Smith, and toss-up between Siggy and Ivan at CB.

I rate Fallon, and don't particularly rate Killen, so I'd have Rory in there too.
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about 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Siggy over Ivan At CB. Lochy at left back.

A dog with a bone :)

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about 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
I'd probably go Reid Nelsen Vicelich Lochhead across the back.
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about 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Vicelich or Siggy and Lochy or Smith?

You decide. . . vote now!!
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about 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Just to be different I could even go Reid Nelsen Smith Lochhead.
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about 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

I would go with  Reid - Nelsen - Sigmund - Smith

LondonChris2010-03-14 12:32:55

If we build it, they will come...

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about 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
I would play anyone except Tony L

If you are old and wise you were probably young and stupid

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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
                                    PASTON/MOSS
 
 
             REID   SIGMUND/VICELLICH    NELSEN   LOCHEAD/SMITH
 
                  ELLIOT/BERTOS/VICELLICH    BROWN/MC GLINCHEY  
 
                             MC GLINCHEY/JAMES
 
BERTOS /SMELTZ                                               KILLEN/WOOD
 
                                FALLON/SMELTZ 
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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
 
 
but for me to beat  slovakia  , the smallest team available
 
 
i would play   a  passing  team   3-4-3   the smallest, fastest   available
 
 
if  chris james is avail 
 
                      paston
 
       reid        nelsen     t smith
 
   bertos        brown           brockie 
 
                    mc glinchey                           
 
   james                                       
 
                                    killen
 
                     fallon
 
 
 
mc glinchey is a natural born old fashioned number  10,  the flair small  player, should play on that  position
 
 
for me the best team  for nz based on your current crop of players is a  3-4-3 attacking mindset  if everyone is  fit i would go with
 
1- paston
2-reid
3-smith
4- nelsen
5-brown
6-bertos
7-brockie
8-james  
9-killen
10-mc glinchey 
11-fallon
                                      
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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
It will be a tough game, but if NZ are gona take any points from the group...this is the game I think you guys might.

Have to keep an eye on Hamsik tho, he's a class midfielder, and young Vad Wiess on the right wing, he's absolutely class, wish we didn't loan him to trotters
Tevez_Hates_Utd2010-03-24 14:10:02
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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
guys, we are slightly out of control at the moment as far as threads about AWs games, squads and starting XIs.
From now on can we keep all speculation about World Cup squad and starting XIs to the AWs at the World Cup Forum, and try to find an existing thread if you can. Marius Lacatus2010-03-24 16:05:14
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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
 
Interesting show dedicated to Slovakia v Czech Republic rivalry this past week on excellent UK series on ESPN "World Football Rivalries."
They'll be tougher than many people think- this show pointed out that the Slovaks dominated football in the old Czechslovakia at certain periods, especially in the 1970s when Slovan Bratislava were the dominant club team having beaten Barcelona to win the Cup Winners' Cup in 1969.
When Czechoslovakia won the European Championship Final against Germany in 1976 (when German football was at its absolute peak) seven of the starting eleven and the two goalscorers were Slovak.
Obviously they're dominating their neighbours the Czechs again currently, so expect a team as good as the Czechs were in the 1993- 2006 period when they had Poborsky etc. 
By the way, the "World Footbal Rivalries" series on ESPN (Saturday nights, repeated Tuesdays) is an excellent British production just out this year.
Has featured Brazil- Argentina, England- Germany, Holland- Germany, England- Argentina etc.
Hour long episodes. Hope they'll have Australia- NZ...

Big Pete 65, Christchurch

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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Big Pete 65 wrote:
Obviously they're dominating their neighbours the Czechs again currently, so expect a team as good as the Czechs were in the 1993- 2006 period when they had Poborsky etc. 


Can't agree with this part, looks rather like a bit of surprise that they have finished over Czechs in qualification group. Czech team has better players as such, but had some problems with their coach changes during the qualifications that influenced final result. They didn't show anything special in qualifying round, don't see them perform particularly well in South Africa.
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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

Big Pete 65 wrote:
Obviously they're dominating their neighbours the Czechs again currently, so expect a team as good as the Czechs were in the�1993- 2006 period when they had Poborsky etc.�
Can't agree with this part, looks rather like a bit of surprise that they have finished over Czechs in qualification group. Czech team has better players as such, but had some problems with their coach changes during the qualifications that influenced final result. They didn't show anything special in qualifying round, don't see them perform particularly well in South Africa.


Absolutely spot on.

Slovakia (and Slovenia too) got an incredible piece of good luck when being drawn with the Czechs (change of generations, nowhere near the team they were 5-6 years ago) and Poles (FA absolute shambles, no great players either) as the 1 and 2 seeds in their group. Put Slovakia in any other qualifying group (barring perhaps the one where Greece was the top seed) and Slovaks would have been absolutely nowhere near the World Cup.

Seen them play in a couple of qualifiers, they are a fairly limited and pedestrian side. Nothing to be scared of there for the All Whites.
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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Big Pete, I'm not going to worry about seven ex-Czech come Slovak from the '76 team when they are about in their 60+ years old.

But seriously old history is not going to scare us. The 93'-06' Czechs were only good because they played together like a club by playing about 20+ friendlies a year until their budget blew out and the country was divided. But they still didn't get in the 2006 World Cup despite their high FIFA rankings. Seriously they (slovaks) are good enough to get to the World Cup but really don't think they are as good as you might think.

Of course we have to watch our backs and go hard from the whistle.
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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago


But seriously old history is not going to scare us. The 93'-06' Czechs were only good because they played together like a club by playing about 20+ friendlies a year until their budget blew out and the country was divided. But they still didn't get in the 2006 World Cup despite their high FIFA rankings. Seriously they (slovaks) are good enough to get to the World Cup but really don't think they are as good as you might think.

Of course we have to watch our backs and go hard from the whistle.


Wow.

1. Czechoslovakia disbanded in 1993.

2. The reason Czechs were good from the separation to until a couple of years ago is because they had some very, very good players - Nedved, Berger, Poborsky, Smicer, Koller, and they played very good football. They were the best team at EURO 2004, it's a shame they didn't win it. Have absolutely no clue where you got this idea of them playing '20 friendlies a year like a club team' and the budget blowing out. Most of those players have moved on now, they have a binch of new guys who aren't anywhere near as good and that was felt in their latest qualifying campaign.

3. Czech Republic did play in the 2006 World Cup, but got knocked out after the group stages.
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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
After Rosicky scored a beautiful, beautiful goal that should go in that great world cup thread you started EG.  Can't remember who it was against.  Not USA as they lost 3-0 to them (or did they beat them 3-0? Who knows).
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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
loyalgunner wrote:
After Rosicky scored a beautiful, beautiful goal that should go in that great world cup thread you started EG.� Can't remember who it was against.� Not USA as they lost 3-0 to them (or did they beat them 3-0? Who knows).


It was against USA, I remember the goal. It was also the only game in which the Czechs scored in that tournament.

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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Oh, lol, I was still think about the time in 2002 and not 2006. I didn't keep up with them after that. I was exaggerating about 20+ friendlies but I did recorded at one stage the Czech Republic did have the highest number of friendies in a year which contribute to their high rankings. I obviously had my wires crossed on the Czechs and the Slovakia divide. I do get my time and dates back to front.

Still I understand that the Slovakians has an aging striker, a 22 year old midfield captain and one notable star in the central defence. Then I only read it from an US article so what does the Americans know about football?
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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
 Wouldn't take several of their players too lightly-
In midfield: Hamsik has been Napoli's top-scorer the last few seasons in Serie A (he's 22 but has been in Serie A since age 17.  Man Utd and Inter are pursuing him- he's been compared to Paul Scholes), Stoch (Dutch champions Twente), Weiss (talented Man City teenager);
 2 Bundesliga strikers Jendrisek and Sestak ( Sestak: six goals in 5 qualifying games), Lille striker Vittek is decent, Jakubko (FC Moscow)
 In defence: fullback Cech (West Brom),centreback Skrtel (Liverrpool- fit again after season's absense), Pekarik (Wolfsburg, Champions League), Durica (Lokomotiv Moscow- a success on loan to Hannover this season) 
In Goal: apparently Legia Warsaw keeper Mucha is pretty sound, other keeper plays for Nantes in France.
Overall, their players play at a higher club level than ours (apart from Ryan).
Slovakian club Artmedia Bratislava had some success in the Champions League in 2005 (thrashing Celtic 5-0).
John Adshead a few days ago in a Q & A on the Stuff website tipped Slovakia to do well, said they could even top the group over a fading Italy.
Big Pete 652010-05-21 07:13:37

Big Pete 65, Christchurch

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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Like I said, Slovakia's nothing special - Hamsik is overrated at this stage of his career, but could become a very good player if he keeps his head right.
Skrtel is nothing special, and everyone else is a mix of journeymen and youngsters. As a sum of parts, they are a very, very average product for World Cup standards - they are a class below both Italy (even if they aging and nothing special themselves right now) and Paraguay.

Slovakia is our best chance of points, just like we are for them. Won't be an easy game for us, but like I said, there is nothing to be scared of - we can play against them.
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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Stoch is class. Small, but class.
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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Stoch on Chelsea's books too, isn't he?
Slovak goalie Mucha recently signed for Everton...

Big Pete 65, Christchurch

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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
SToch had a good season in Holland I think with McLaren's Twente.

Normo's coming home

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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
 
On loan from Chelsea I believe...they'll probably want him back next season.

Big Pete 65, Christchurch

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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Big Pete 65 wrote:
Stoch on Chelsea's books too, isn't he?
Slovak goalie Mucha recently signed for Everton...


Yeah, Mucha has signed for Everton with the end of this season. Fortunately or not - it backfired at him quite heavily, having played way below from what he showed before signing the contract in winter.

Only real class player from this side is Hamsik, although he didn't show too much during the WC qualifiers, plays better in club football so far.
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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

Only real class player from this side is Hamsik, although he didn't show too much during the WC qualifiers, plays better in club football so far.


Surrounded by better players at Napoli, that's why he looks better when he plays for them.
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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
el grapadura wrote:

Only real class player from this side is Hamsik, although he didn't show too much during the WC qualifiers, plays better in club football so far.


Surrounded by better players at Napoli, that's why he looks better when he plays for them.


Viable point.
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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Ah, will we have Dewhurst and De Jong as our commentators in South Africa on Sky?
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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Please, for the love of Paston, No!
You know we belong together...

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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Yep, you betcha we will. They will be there, so it will be slightly improved, but it will still be them.
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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Ah, will we have Dewhurst and De Jong as our commentators in South Africa on Sky?
I think your right, Dewhurst is off to WC for 6 weeks so he's one confirmed for the commentary
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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
darkhorse wrote:
Ah, will we have Dewhurst and De Jong as our commentators in South Africa on Sky?
I think your right, Dewhurst is off to WC for 6 weeks so he's one confirmed for the commentary
Fard - I'm staying over there. Fred is worse. Complete rambler

Founder

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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Feverish wrote:
darkhorse wrote:
Ah, will we have Dewhurst and De Jong as our commentators in South Africa on Sky?
I think your right, Dewhurst is off to WC for 6 weeks so he's one confirmed for the commentary
Fard - I'm staying over there. Fred is worse. Complete rambler


On the commentary they were going on about DJ's official officiating role at SA (match commissioner or whatever it was) so it doesn't *sound like we'll be *hearing from him!



*World class piece of double punnagery there. Or not! 
E + R + O

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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Based on watching the NZ vs Pitch Invaders and Cameroon vs Slovakia game I'm confident we can draw with Slovakia at the very least.  They dived a fair bit which the ref was having none, as a team are very short and they all appeared quite weak getting pushed off the ball easily by Cameroon.
Supporter world's best and worst football teams: Waikato/WaiBop, Kingz, Knights, Phoenix, The Argyle, The Whites & the All Whites

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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

Distribution of picks by Yahoo sports users.
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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Would love NZ to win, but my head tells me a draw against Slovakia. Hope my head is wrong this time.
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almost 16 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
OP mentioned "Moss appeal".
 
Huh? Aren't we like 18 months too late for a Moss suspension appeal?

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