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

Not my issue with it at all - more the fact he doesn't realise that there have been significant changes in personnel and formation whihc have made NZ more solid unti then it was when all those results he mentions happened in 2009.

Oh, I see, you expected JOURNALISM from The Sun.  Well there's your mistake right there. Smithy2010-06-10 12:33:12

If anyone doubted that, last night was a great example of how limited our squad really is.

Yep we really need to be healthy, heck can you believe its less than a week till the all whites first game.

129 hours to go !! Result : 1-1

2-0

Am getting just a little bit f***ing excited!!! especially because I don't have work from the 14th on!! Come on Boys

El Tel lost the plot a long time ago, he's an old erse who brings out sh*te songs whenever England are in tournaments! End of.

F*ck im excited.

The fact of the matter is that we have improved greatly since 2006-2007, where some of those defeats came. That point in time was somewhat of a football revolution for New Zealand. We wre very light heading into the Confederations Cup last year, and it showed. Nelsen missed the tournament, and as the FIFA rule change hadn't come into play, we also didn't have Fallon, Smith, Reid, and McGlinchey. That could potentially near-half our starting lineup. We've improved even from the Bahrain games late last year.

This past month has proven that we can compete on the world stage if we play more matches against strong(er) countries. We have not been disgraced in any of these matches. One could definitely argue that we deserved better against Australia and Slovenia. The world media haven't seen a lot of us and will write us off. I expect them to, with good reason - someone has to be the so-called whipping boys. But qualification for the World Cup this year can only help us in future tournaments, where I think we will be far better prepared for than ever before. We as fans for this tournament will be realistic and hope for a result or two. Football is that kind of game. The Jabulani, playing at altitude, nerves, pressure, the works.

The squad this year you can see can really be split into two tiers - there are players in the squad who's value in this World Cup will most likely be on the training pitch and supply water bottles. We can field a starting line-up that would have to be one of our most well-credentialled teams for a long time (at least for the young folk). Our challenge is to unearth more players who can step up and be worthy, and this hopefully should come in time.

As for the Slovakia game, it's more or less their first World Cup since gaining independence. They might start off a little tentative, and so will we. The draw has worked out alright for us, so long as we hit the ground running. To me, Slovakia are not anything special. The Slovaks will obviously fancy their chances against us, but then again, so will we (against them).

Bring it on.

It's not more or less, it is their first World Cup (in fact first major tournament) since independence.

I agree that they aren't anything special, personally think it's up for grabs in this game if we can play well for full 90 minutes.

hopefully Skrtel starts, if so id back Fallon to get a Brace, scoring from headers 

I've analysed a lot of Slovakian footage lately, they like playing possession with balls, and teasing the opposition. They're also pretty good at shooting but generally down the throat of the keeper. We should be able to give it to them. Hard.
AJ132010-06-11 00:18:39

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This is easily the most important of the 3 games. If we manage by some miracle to win this I would give us a chance against Paraguay and even Italy. If we lose - especially if we lose badly - the next two games might be a bit hard to watch.

Slovakia are very good at keeping possession it seems so I doubt well have the ball much - nothing we aren't used to, though, and our game is pretty much tailor made to counter that.valeo2010-06-11 00:28:27

Wouldn't say they're very good at keeping possession at all - they much prefer to counter-attack, that's probably their one strength.

For a football purist think this could be a painful game to watch, but as long as we keep our heads think we'll be well in it.

I don't give a sh*t what El Tel or Tommy Smyth with a Y or anyone else says... I fully reckon we can beat Slovakia. At worst we have a 50-50 chance. Yes we will need some luck, but this All Whites side has proven they can score goals in which case the hardest part will be holding on to a lead, but what I'm hearing from these current All Whites is that they believe, and I have to say - I believe as well. 

Its amazing how much expectation levels have risen!

What I was trying to say there (in between trying to type an essay due tomorrow and getting my 2 year to sleep) was that I have supported the All Whites for a number of years and if I'm honest my expectations of them has been more hope than belief (aside from Oceania games). But the last 12 months has seen a major shift and I think the time is right for us to show the world we can compete with the big boys (much like the Aussies have done within the last decade). I dont hope we can beat Slovakia, I believe we can.

Problem is that these great friendly results amount to 4/5 of f**k all while increasing the expectation levels dramatically.

I'd be:

Tegal2010-06-11 03:49:31

What's definitely important to me is that we play well.  If we play well and get beat then them's the breaks, we're up against top sides.  Bu tif we don't play well (Confeds cup-esque performances) then I'd feel pretty disappointed.  If we do play well then anything that follows, goals, points etc would be fantastic

So what is the grand scheme that Ricki is cooking up??

The whole preparation with the 3-4-3 in the warm ups has been designed for this Slovakia match. The Slovakia has been using the usual 4-4-2 formation in their warm ups, which will play into our hands for a win. (basically we have placed all our eggs in the basket)

But if Slovakia uses the 4-2-3-1 formation (but hoping that their strategy experience at the tournament, is weak), then we may covert to a 3-3-1-3/3-3-2-2 (maybe hurting us a tad) as we look to secure midfield control. The chances would then look likely to grind out a scoreless draw. But a lucky goal have worked against play before.

But our whole tournament may be hinging on this match alone, as it is our best looking chance to get points.

For the Italy and the Paraguay games, we may change the formation a bit to cater for different formation and way they play.

The Italians will guess we are using the 3-4-3 as for the warm ups and for the Slovakia game and is likely they will use the 4-2-3-1 formation. We can counter this a tad by a 4-3-2-1 (xmas tree) formation [minnow countries has previously stuff up top countries with this] which may give us a chance for a scoreless draw. The Italians are known to be slow in the scoring dept in the beginning matches in previous tournament and look to smash through the wings but since Piro is out for this game there would be less creativity in the centre and with an aging team they can be stoic enough to grind out a horrible scoreless draw.

By the time we meet Paraguay, I am hoping that we wouldn't need to do much (if we won against Slovakia and grind out a scoreless draw with Italy) because I think that they would won against Italy and also beat Slovakia, so they are through as number one if they just draw with us and not risk injuries. They could, of course seek to win this game, but they maybe happy for a draw and slow things down. If we draw with Slovakia and Paraguay won against Italy, then we lose to Italy and Paraguay win against Slovakia, then Italy would have to win against Slovakia to ensure they get to the next round and we then have go for a win while hoping that a goal difference and an Italian draw would be favourable for us. Paraguay may still want to win depending on the results of the other group and who they face in the next two knockout stages.

I seriously doubt all it would happen this way. But it makes you think, if the results in the first two games in our group tilts our way.AllWhitebelievr2010-06-11 04:37:35

I agreed.

Imagine if we do get runner-up and Denmark won Group E rather than Netherlands, then Winston Reid would be up against his old teammates and have some intel on them. Wouldn't that be crazy?

Not really.

It's more that we feel like we belong there, that we aren't there on false pretences, that we are a genuine threat, not making up the numbers.

Just a question. I know it would be one of the biggest upsets in World Cup History (or at least I think it would be), and without wanting to raise any false hopes - do we actually have any chance of BEATING Italy??

I know people talk about Italy being all defensive in the early stages of (and right throughout) the World Cup. If we managed somehow to fluke a goal then would it actually be possible for us to then somehow find a way to hold on?

I know I'm dreaming here but is impossible nothing?

Probably not the right place for this but[as an example] I have a nephew in Australia, born there to Kiwi mother and Scotts father. He is only young but playing at a high level - we don't hear too much about that type of player - in Aussie with a definite Kiwi connection. We are seeing a lot of it in rugby league now [admittedly from a demographic that is not largely represented in soccer/football]. Perhaps we need to start trawling the aussie leagues for these types of players?

LOL. Product whore.

Hey!  Less of the product!!

Whatever, frenchie.

The point is that we have the inside scoop on them rather than the other way round and Winston could end up being involved with the strategy meeting with management at that stage. I would like to better the Australians 2006 effort just to heckle them. It would be a NZ Footballer's wet dream.

105 hours to go.BELIEVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sorry, it was the Thierry Henry avatar that you have. . . . you Italian mischief.

I'm not Italian either.

Are you anything??

English Dad, Maori Mum, so i'm a bit of both.

OK.

Are you related to Fallon or Christie or anything else that you have to declare while you are at it??