In my opinion, the formation is the problem as teams have worked us out
This formation (4-2-2-2) is also not helping our young Kiwi players that aspire to play internationally as none of our international teams use that formation
Hay prefers 4-3-3 and 3-5-2 (or variations thereof) and will be getting more and more reluctant to call up Phoenix players when they become available in the future because they are not used to either system
Either 4-2-2-2 needs to go or Talay needs to go
This formation (4-2-2-2) is also not helping our young Kiwi players that aspire to play internationally as none of our international teams use that formation
Hay prefers 4-3-3 and 3-5-2 (or variations thereof) and will be getting more and more reluctant to call up Phoenix players when they become available in the future because they are not used to either system
Either 4-2-2-2 needs to go or Talay needs to go
I am not competent enough to say if 4-2-2-2 is what we should play or not. However, I do not think that "Hay will be reluctant to call up Phoenix players" because they are not used to Hay's preferred system. Hay will call them up if they are available because he needs to win games to get us to the WC, and he will call up players he can get. The AWs simply do not have enough opportunities to play together to have memorised their preferred setup as a second nature. If the clubs the non-Phoenix players are at do not play Hay's favourite lineup, would they also be not selected?
Exactly. Lewis, Elliott, Old, Paulsen, Sutton & Waine all went to the Olympics under Hay. I've probably missed someone. Payne's known Danny for years. They know how he sets up, and for March OFC tourney Hay will be calling up Nix players for sure.
Covid is the major issue as to why the Nix will struggle this season, not the formation. And crazy to say Talay should go. He's the best coach Nix have had, and hopefully in season 2022/23 will get a chance to show it.