'Nix vs the Bling- Match Thread

'Nix vs the Bling- Match Thread

Team for next week




                                       Moss

Siggie         Durante         Mckain      Lochhead

                           Brown- Dodd

Hearfield                                             Daniel

                         Covs Smeltz

Bench
Paston
Ferrante
Gao
Kwasnik



Hard News2008-09-23 11:43:41

looking forward to the game. The best money I invested, was in this seasons season ticket. We have a professional football team here in Welly, lets make the most of it and get behind the lads!

As things are going; I would consider this line up against Sydney.


                                   Moss

Christie        Sigmund        Durante       Lochhead

                                McKain

     Hearfield                               Ferrante

                         Daniel

                                                     Bertos (left winger)
                   Smeltz

Bench:
Paston
Gao
Coveny
Kwasnik

My reasoning;

I have more attacking options off the bench but need to ensure there is plenty of defensive options so I placed McKain in the defensive midfield with the sub option to replace the backline (e.g. if either siggy or plonker is not up to it), if I need to change the backline. Which means I may then drop from a 4-4-2 Diamond into a 4-3-3 formation with Ferrante being a central midfielder and pulling back Bertos in the left midfield from the left winger position. This means I still could either place Gao in midfield and push Hearfield up with Smeltz or just place Convey/Kwasnik with Smeltz. I still have an option of a 4-4-2 or even a 4-5-1 with the players off the bench.

I left Brown out as I think that McKain would do better (+defensive cover) but can't put Brown on the bench as a straight swap with the versatile midfielder Ferrante on the park.

Johnson needs a rest.

Muscat and Mulligan still needs fitness workout and I feel they would be exposed too soon by Sydney. Siggy is better used as a central defender (his position of strength) at this level and would not do any better than Muscat, Mulligan or Christie at right back.

So I have Christie to do the hard work at right back at the moment but he would have to restrict his space to be effective which is why I have Hearfield back a bit, Daniel to drop slightly and to the side for compactness (but also to have Hearfield to run off him as a atttacking change up) and McKain in the defensive midfield as a backing for the central defence should Sig have to cover the right back area as a cover against the counterattck. Then Ferrante could drop into McKains position and Bertos to drop from left winger as temporary caution and leave Smeltz up front. As long as they all know what to do position-wise, it should be no problems to cover that right back weakness.

Drop Dodd, he needs a break and need to make way for Siggy.

I have Bertos as a left winger and not as a midfielder unless stated for the lack in the right back. This is to force him to run at their right back and do some crossing and maybe nab a small chance of a goal to boost his confidence. We need someone to run hard at their defenders. So I picked the left side with Bertos and not to expose our right side with the weak right back. Ferrante and Lochhead can do the support with deep crosses and through ball with Bertos getting the ball to the goal line for more angled pull backs for Smeltz. Also I am hoping that Hearfield and Daniel can stuck a good combination on the right side as well.AllWhitebelievr2008-09-22 01:58:12

                       Moss

Sigmund   McKain   Durrante   Lochead

                  Brown/Johnson

     Bertos           Gao             Daniel

                Coveny    Smeltz

Bench -
Paston
Kwasnik
Mulligan
Hearfield

I like footballfanatic's formation but definitely Tim Brown in defensive mid and maybe Daniel up front (instead of Coveny) with Kwasnik on the wing instead. They could be swapping positions throughout the game along with Gao which would hopefully confuse the Sydney defense a bit.  WillyB2008-09-22 09:42:54

What about this lineup?

                           Moss

Sigmund - McKain - Durante - Lochhead

Hearfield - Daniel - Gao - Barbarouses

              Smeltz - Seule Soromon

Bertos is injured

Pak n Save Masterton to the A-League?

Can't see it.

If you didn't realise it was a piss take, highlighting our need for a striker

Interesting team selection Allwhiteteambelievr.........worth a go with the present situation Roger2008-09-22 14:13:21

Coached 's vs Bling =

rodfarva2008-09-22 14:38:11

Gee... ya got me.

Im partial to Daniel in the central mid - playing slightly advanced of a defensive minded midfielder (maybe Brown or McKain). If we stick Daniel in there he is bound to give away some free kicks and get caught on the ball from time to time, but he is the only one who has shown the ability and vision to pass creatively & incisively, to carry the ball forward occasionaly, commit players and create space elsewhere. Worth a crack I reckon.

Agree with this except for getting rid of Kwasnik form the games he's played he's looked bad and so if Daniels not on one of the sides Bertos should play there (if he is fit that is). And Costa upfront with Smeltz

Bertos aint fit. I would like to see that formation also, but would change kwasnik for Hearfield, have Coveny (even though I am not a great fan of his,) up front for 50 mins and if we are not in front, give Costa a Run

Agree with what you are saying. Disappointing that Bertos is out though because the "Magic Three" Haven't started together yet this season

play COv and let him put his money where his mouth is

Pass the hat around and get him a one way ticket to Townsville.

Can't send him to the Goldie, wouldn't want him enjoying himself

I am actually looking forward to Sunday's game. Where we are now we have nothing to lose. We are in last place, so can't drop any further. I hope the team take that mentality to the game and try and have fun. Scrap the league table and enjoy the games from now on in. I think the "fans" should do the same 

If what people are still saying about Bertos. . .

If Bertos is still injured, then I would have Gao as the left winger trusted with the same role and have Brown on the bench. If we are overrunned in the right back position and not looking to attack as much then the option is avialiable for Siggy to go RB, McKain to go RCB, Brown subs on as DCM. The decision to pull either Hearfield or Christie becomes tactical on who is not pulling his weight on the Right side. There would no real need to pull Gao back from LW with Brown coming to DCM, nor to pull Ferrante to DCM from LM and still maintain 4-4-2 Diamond without going to 4-3-3. Although the option of 4-3-3 is there to use to exploit a weakness on the other side. 4-3-3 is an option to pull out for the last 15 minutes if all sub options are used or ineffective.

Personally I like to see Hearfield work with Christie and Daniel as well as giving McKain more responsibility in ball distribution from the DCM/CM with Daniel rather than Brown as he is on form and Brown is coming in a bit too cold for a Defensive Midfielder (correct organised positioning is more important for DCM than for ACM). Still enough flexibility in the team formation shape and room for attack.

So without Bertos . . .

                                   Moss

Christie        Sigmund        Durante       Lochhead

                                McKain

     Hearfield                               Ferrante

                         Daniel

                                                           Gao (left winger)
                   Smeltz

Bench:
Paston
Brown
Coveny
Kwasnik

AllWhitebelievr2008-09-22 16:58:14

It is Bertos saying it, not us, it is on the end of this interview this morning

http://www.radiosport.co.nz/ThisWeek/20815.wma

Hearfield? From What i have seen he has been pretty bad and his shots go straight at the keeper with no power.

Well as least I agree with you for having McKain as DCM and Daniel as ACM. Both are the players that can pass better than the others. And this is an important point of the midfield which we need to address now.

The backline is OK but it depends on who you have on the bench and what strategy you are thinking if the same thing goes to custard as in the previously weeks. e.g. RB being weak, Sigmund may not be up to it like the others but should be fine in RCB and that should be a given position that he can cope with. I personally think that RB is a position for the industrious player which i think Christie is rather than Sigmund. Sigmund debut game should be where he is in the position of strength, i.e. in CB. and not RB for competitive confidence sake. The debut game experience is very important as it can affect the long term thinking for the season. He must have the best possible experience on his debut. And should mean making a way with another person's problem in the short term. IMHO.

Dodd needs a clean break from midfield to be integrated back to the backline, it shouldn't be the short-term to chop him out of the midfield and thrown him back to the defence when the whole team has trained with siggy and christie in the backs and him in the midfields up to this point. Even though he is actually a defender, I doubt that he has been trained for long enough this season as yet. He could be easily shown up in at least the beginnings of the first half by Sydney. So I think not to confuse him for the next game and leave it for the game later. Considering the other defenders in their roles, Dodds may still be used in the midfield rather than defending again. So I leave that defending notion out straight away. Don't want to confuse him or unsettle the other players unnecessary until we explored better choices. It takes time to reintegrate back to their former positions, however at the moment I don't think we need to as yet. A match break can do the same wonders for him to tidy up his game and I think that what he really needs first and foremost.

Of course we have Hearfield where Kwasnik is. And chuck Kwasnik with Smeltz up front should be fine. Again, I wouldn't be in a hurry to place Cov upfront with Smeltz, simply because I wouldn't bow to his moanings and goanings. I would want to see hunger but not for himself but for the team.

So if I alter your team formation with some management to improve it, we end up with this;

                                    Moss

Christie       Sigmund        Durrante        Lochhead

                                  McKain
        Hearfield                                       Gao
                                  Daniel
       
               Kwasnik                    Smeltz


Very much the same to one of my many tactical options off the bench if you read my post. I have explain why I would be cautious with dropping Dodd in the defence after being midfield so soon and why i prefer Sigmund as RCB and not the troublesome RB.

If Siggy is the answer to RB, then do it later on, but make his debut game his best first up before slotting him in a position that noone is grabbing tight on to. I would like to see him combined with Durrante and even McKain in front as DCM because it looks very soild from a central defence POV.

Christie will do OK, as I rather have someone that is proven a bit in that position first than place a potentially good CB player in the deep end of the RB. Sigmund may not have the speed for this level in RB but is OK for speed in the CB. Just ask a certain Brazilian CB from last year what it was like being turn inside out and what it did to his confidence. I wouldn't wish the same for Sigmund if we could help it.

So that is my reasoning for now and why I would change what you have to suit it.

Then you have a very doable formation IMHO

. . . probably because it is one of many tactical options with the bench players in my post. AllWhitebelievr2008-09-22 19:06:14

What I'd like to see:

                                       Moss

Siggy         Durante         Mckain      Lochhead

Costa                    Ferrante                   Gao

                                 Daniel           

                       Covs           Smeltz

What I think I will see:


                                       Moss

Mulligan         Durante         Mckain      Lochhead

                           Dodd    Johnson

Hearfield                                             Daniel

                      Kwasnik         Smeltz

Hearfield has been in an OK position-wise and made good runs. I purposely have him dropped slightly for Daniel in front as ACM with McKain supporting from the DCM position, plus I have Smeltz to be slightly RCF rather than CF to give Hearfield those available passing options. Smeltz moves away from Gao to give him needed space and to get on the end of ball some long/medium ball service from either Ferrantes, Lochhead, Gao,and Mckain and be on the end of short/medium ball service from either Daniel, Hearfield, Kwasnik and McKain.

As long as McKain, Lochhead and Daniel does not venture too far away from Ferrante then we should be fine for his passing options down the left side.

As for Hearfield shooting, at least he in the right position to do so, unlike other players. Anyway, shooting can be worked on easily enough, that is a matter of what angle and technique he uses. With either Daniel or McKain or even Smeltz setting him up accurately, there is no reason why he can't get on the scoresheet since people have underestimated him and so drop away from him, giving him more space.AllWhitebelievr2008-09-22 18:52:28

All white believer while i love your posts and you obviously are a decent football brain any chance you could do a quick headnote at the beginning of your posts to save us lazy buggers having to read the whole thing?

For those of you who say put McKain in the midfield  - his passing to date has been cack

whats wrong with hearfields shooting?

Did you watch yesterday?

One terribly muffed shot doesn't mean he can't shoot at all. I've even seen Tevez take an air swing before.
valeo2008-09-22 20:20:30

His passing isn't that bad when you have to consider that the ball receivers in the Midfield are positioned badly. However with McKain in the DCM position, he will have better passing options. He can't do any worse than Dodd. Dodd has largely been in the wrong place to receive and give. I can see McKain do much better. IMHO. McKain has plently of midfield experience as well so it's not hard to slot him there. He needs a bit of space to express himself I feel.

i'd consider McKain in cm

Ditto everyone else in the squad. At least he is comfortable on the ball, has a decent first touch and is not afraid to actually pass the ball forward.

The passing might be rubbish but it also has as much to do with the supposed receivers giving sh*t leads and instead of a genuine run a couple of steps then standing and waving their arms in the blind hope it will land right at their feet.

I'd be keen to see McKain and Brown as the CM pairing with Daniel on left and Bertos down the right.