Singh for sure, Thomas highly unlikely and I'm calling it now, there is no way Rojas is making an appearance against Cost Rica.
Hay will be very keen to get Thomas in. Guy is proven class. Hopefully he can get a few games in for PSV before their season is over. Only thing is PSV are still in the hunt for 3 titles, so will be playing their best team especially in the Eredivise & this month's Dutch Cup Final.
They may not be taking the UEFA Conference League so seriously (next up Leicester City) - so may give Thomas some mins in that first of all. Or with PSV II in the 2nd tier.
But I'm sure Hay will give Ryan as long as possible, to make a decision on his availability.
With Rojas who knows, but from afar it appears he's snubbed the AWs for this tourney - which seems wrong when you last played for them way back in Nov 2019, and there are now a host of young guys fighting for your spot.
Singh for sure, Thomas highly unlikely and I'm calling it now, there is no way Rojas is making an appearance against Cost Rica.
Hay will be very keen to get Thomas in. Guy is proven class. Hopefully he can get a few games in for PSV before their season is over. Only thing is PSV are still in the hunt for 3 titles, so will be playing their best team especially in the Eredivise & this month's Dutch Cup Final.
They may not be taking the UEFA Conference League so seriously (next up Leicester City) - so may give Thomas some mins in that first of all. Or with PSV II in the 2nd tier.
But I'm sure Hay will give Ryan as long as possible, to make a decision on his availability.
With Rojas who knows, but from afar it appears he's snubbed the AWs for this tourney - which seems wrong when you last played for them way back in Nov 2019, and there are now a host of young guys fighting for your spot.
I didn't realise how bad Thomas' injuries really were.
For PSV alone, he's been out for a total of 739 days.
Including spells at Zwolle, he's been out for 1040 days since the start of his pro career. That is insane. He's literally missed 3 years of football in his 9-ish years of career.
I'm not sure how you can expect much out of a player with that sort of injury record.
Best AWs player against Peru in 2017. Had a huge game at the ROF.
Yes that is 4.5 years, an ACL & other injuries ago. But fact PSV have hung on to him, and seem to continually release recovery updates that they are welcoming him back etc etc - I think shows they still value him as having a future there.
Sort of different to Reid at West Ham in his later years, when you sensed they were always looking to off load him somehow
Hopefully he gets a run of a few games/sub appearances before the game, or there's no way we can start him. People underrate how important some degree of match fitness is, can easily get overwhelmed in a big game without it.
Anyway, I think Costa Rica is about as good as we could have hoped for. Good team, but a reactive one, who like to play more on the break instead of dominating games.
We're the underdogs, but it's doable. I never really, honestly felt like the games v Mexico and Peru would go any other way.
Still don't rate McCowatt. Clearly not in our strongest 23. Still not sold on Just or Garbett either.
yeah I'd agree, 23 selected for the WC assuming we make it. Means 8 of the current 31 dont get a look in. McCowatt, De Jong, will be 2 that might miss selection.
Best AWs player against Peru in 2017. Had a huge game at the ROF.
Yes that is 4.5 years, an ACL & other injuries ago. But fact PSV have hung on to him, and seem to continually release recovery updates that they are welcoming him back etc etc - I think shows they still value him as having a future there.
Sort of different to Reid at West Ham in his later years, when you sensed they were always looking to off load him somehow
Reid was my pick as best on the day against Peru in the home match. IMO he was superb.
Good Olympics, but Marco has played much more football at higher levels and really I’d be happy for him to be involved- though it’d be nice to dispel rumors he didn’t want to be involved in.
Who is likely to strike a goal? To be honest de Jong playing off Wood was interesting. They combined well, though hardly in a difficult test. It allowed us to play an alternative style as well as get out wide and cross. He also picked up a goal where Wood had led to him being unmarked. Picking up the scraps from chaos around Wood in the box is surely a useful thing.
What’s our best strategy and team? Will Singh be fit?
I just feel McCowatt is inconsistent and I don’t know his best position- though I haven’t watched him a lot this year. How did we rate his play during the qualifiers?
McCowatt and Just have been infinitely better than De Jong et al at club level, so if De Jong could be dropped for Rojas it's not a debate for me. If you had to take one of the two out for Rojas, though, it'd probably be McCowatt - haven't seen how he fits in at international level yet. Seems like even Hay doesn't know where/how to play him
McCowatt and Just have been infinitely better than De Jong et al at club level, so if De Jong could be dropped for Rojas it's not a debate for me. If you had to take one of the two out for Rojas, though, it'd probably be McCowatt - haven't seen how he fits in at international level yet. Seems like even Hay doesn't know where/how to play him
Champness also at risk, of missing a 23 man squad. Interesting that Hay gave him no minutes in either the semi or final. Greive's emergence will have seen Champness drop down the forward pecking order. They have some similar qualities (tricky feet), but Greive seems to have a far greater football IQ. He's already pretty crafty around the box, often drawing a pen.
Just, McCowatt & De Jong all subbed on in the final but no Joey C, who is also not getting playing time now in Turkey.
Great to have these problems regarding who gets in and who falls out.
Will be interesting to see if any Reids of Smiths come out of the woodwork with NZ passports and suddenly want to be involved.
25 yr old Jack Iredale (mentioned on other threads) has played 29 games for Cambridge United (16th) in League One this season, as a LB/left sided CB. His Scottish born mum competed for NZ at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. https://us.soccerway.com/players/jack-iredale/493215/
But I think it's all getting a bit late in the piece, for last minute allegiance switches. He maybe not be much of an upgrade on likes of Pijnaker, De Vries, Wilkins or Sutton anyhow.
League One is a decent standard and he would be worth a look at least.
Lewis went to Scodhorpe at that level and couldn't make the grade / hardly played so surely Iredale is on Danny's radar, especially if squads are extended to 30.
McCowatt and Just have been infinitely better than De Jong et al at club level, so if De Jong could be dropped for Rojas it's not a debate for me. If you had to take one of the two out for Rojas, though, it'd probably be McCowatt - haven't seen how he fits in at international level yet. Seems like even Hay doesn't know where/how to play him
Champness also at risk, of missing a 23 man squad. Interesting that Hay gave him no minutes in either the semi or final. Greive's emergence will have seen Champness drop down the forward pecking order. They have some similar qualities (tricky feet), but Greive seems to have a far greater football IQ. He's already pretty crafty around the box, often drawing a pen.
Just, McCowatt & De Jong all subbed on in the final but no Joey C, who is also not getting playing time now in Turkey.
Champness I think is one of our most exciting attacking prospects. I remember a few years ago he absolutely tore up the A-league. He just needs to find his feet and improve his football IQ a little bit, but the raw talent is there, I can definitely see it. He has the ability to create something out of nothing, so I'd 100% include him in the squad going forward and perhaps use him as an impact sub at first.
Oh & forgot to add elsewhere. Minor thing perhaps but Rojas (Chilean parentage) is a fluent Spanish speaker. Remember him handling the Mexican press pack back in 2013. Handy bonus when looking to do some analysis/spying of the Costa Ricans maybe!
Boxy & Tuiloma probably tienes poco Espanol tambien, from playing with heaps of Latinos at their MLS clubs.
Not sure how much you know about Costa Rica as a footballing entity but you’re probably about to find out. They do have Keylor Navas in goal. Joel Campbell used to play for Arsenal. Brian Ruiz was pretty good for Fulham and Sporting CP not so long ago. Celso Borges has over 150 caps in the midfield. Bryan Oviedo is another name. Francisco Calvo used to partner Michael Boxall at CB for Minnesota United. Former Welly Nix winger Kenny Cunningham is from Costa Rica though at 36yo he’s long since out of the picture. But hold up we’re getting ahead of ourselves with all that (don’t worry though, the Costa Rica scouting report is already in preparation).
McCowatt and Just have been infinitely better than De Jong et al at club level, so if De Jong could be dropped for Rojas it's not a debate for me. If you had to take one of the two out for Rojas, though, it'd probably be McCowatt - haven't seen how he fits in at international level yet. Seems like even Hay doesn't know where/how to play him
Champness also at risk, of missing a 23 man squad. Interesting that Hay gave him no minutes in either the semi or final. Greive's emergence will have seen Champness drop down the forward pecking order. They have some similar qualities (tricky feet), but Greive seems to have a far greater football IQ. He's already pretty crafty around the box, often drawing a pen.
Just, McCowatt & De Jong all subbed on in the final but no Joey C, who is also not getting playing time now in Turkey.
Honestly agree re. Champness. He isn't tidy and hasn't completely figured out how to use his flair yet. Just feels quite raw and unsure of his game even though he's 24.
McCowatt and Just have been infinitely better than De Jong et al at club level, so if De Jong could be dropped for Rojas it's not a debate for me. If you had to take one of the two out for Rojas, though, it'd probably be McCowatt - haven't seen how he fits in at international level yet. Seems like even Hay doesn't know where/how to play him
Champness also at risk, of missing a 23 man squad. Interesting that Hay gave him no minutes in either the semi or final. Greive's emergence will have seen Champness drop down the forward pecking order. They have some similar qualities (tricky feet), but Greive seems to have a far greater football IQ. He's already pretty crafty around the box, often drawing a pen.
Just, McCowatt & De Jong all subbed on in the final but no Joey C, who is also not getting playing time now in Turkey.
Champness I think is one of our most exciting attacking prospects. I remember a few years ago he absolutely tore up the A-league. He just needs to find his feet and improve his football IQ a little bit, but the raw talent is there, I can definitely see it. He has the ability to create something out of nothing, so I'd 100% include him in the squad going forward and perhaps use him as an impact sub at first.
In terms of similarity, I’d say Champness is closest to Rogerson, but if it’s a 23, it’s probably one or the other as opposed to both. In the last week or so Champness played 138 minutes to Rogerson’s 118, both were available for all 450 minutes, so close enough numbers. For June, it’ll probably come down to who’s doing better for their club, though Rogerson will still be in season in June whereas Champness won’t be.
Great to have these problems regarding who gets in and who falls out.
Will be interesting to see if any Reids of Smiths come out of the woodwork with NZ passports and suddenly want to be involved.
25 yr old Jack Iredale (mentioned on other threads) has played 29 games for Cambridge United (16th) in League One this season, as a LB/left sided CB. His Scottish born mum competed for NZ at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. https://us.soccerway.com/players/jack-iredale/493215/
But I think it's all getting a bit late in the piece, for last minute allegiance switches. He maybe not be much of an upgrade on likes of Pijnaker, De Vries, Wilkins or Sutton anyhow.
I've seen him play and apart from the obvious starter (Libby) the only other kiwi even near Iredale is Sutton at LB.
He's playing at a better level week in week out then most other kiwi pros are too.
I watched the game back. Always interesting to watch it without the emotion and assess the performance objectively.
Fair to say the first 30 mins with the ball were actually very average. The back three (esp Nando) really struggled with their passing accuracy and tbh this improved accuracy and ball speed was central to our dominance in the second half after the guys relaxed. Shifting the ball to isolate fullbacks is central to our strategy. This means two things: 1) I expect us to play direct for the first half spell v CR and hit Wood with runners off him while the nerves settle and 2) Bell and Stamenic are going to have to really show for the ball and “own” the transition so we don’t get sucked into route 1) for the entire game.
I think the 3-4-3 is our best shape by miles given our personnel. With a 4-diamond -2 Wood gets dragged wide. I think our passage to goal is likely from wing backs pushing high and delivery into Wood so the 3-4-3 enables that while offering protection. Therefore Singh is going to have to play wide up front and/or tucking in behind Wood. With the diamond we have struggled to play down the middle so it’s a dilemma for Hay how to fit the players into the shape. Whereas Ricki made the shape fit the players.
At this late stage the main thing is actually combinations and executing a game plan. Talk of Thomas or Rojas et al coming in is just not sensible given our squad. Maybe in 2017 you’d bring them in cold but not now. Given in professional football the game if often won or lost on execution of tactics and a strong understanding of the role each player has in the team the focus should be on optimism what we have.
