New Zealand U-23s - Quali Whites

AucklandPhoenix

I know people don’t want to play Bindon there but:

It is crucial we have a good defender there.

Most of the creativity from the back will come from Libby on the other flank anyway - don’t need two ultra attacking full backs when we are going to be doing a lot of defending

There are basically no right full backs who are up to standard and taking someone like Ingham as an overage fullback is a joke.

Outside wood and Libby, realistically our two next best overage players are Singh and Boxall.

Singh hasn’t played for a long time, wouldn’t be match fit so I would choose Boxall and partner him with Surman, with Bindon on the right and Libby on the left.

Defense sorted.

Agree apart from, is no way Minnesota will release Boxall. They are struggling big time in the MLS at the moment, and the last thing they will do to let their premier CB (sometimes captain) disappear for 2-3 weeks.

Singh started penultimate game of the season for Hansa Rostock, scored then got sent off. He will be likely trialling somewhere at the moment. Certainly keeping fit, as he badly needs to find the right club. The last thing he can do is turn up somewhere not fit to trial.

But it's that need at the moment to find a club, that seems to likely rule him out of the Olympics. However yes if he was available and keen, I'd pick him and move Bindon to RB as he has big match temperament in spades it seems already. He's played at RB more than Sutton. Then Hughes partners Surman at CB. Though the fact Bazeley didn't Hughes to Vanuatu makes me think this is not going to happen.

So if Singh is unavailable yeah you pick Payne and hope he's fight for the Olympics, and then take one of Kirwan, Roux or Ingham as standby o/a RB. That's if the tourney rules allow an o/a player on standby.

We will find out tomorrow. I imagine today is alot chat at Albany and medical assessment of Payne's hammy.

imanixsupporter

you can't expect Boxall to be there, his club is not obligated to release him for starters. And if Boxall doesn't go, then taking Bindon out of CB and replacing him with the likes of Hughes might be a significant weakening of the central defense, though who knows, maybe Hughes rises to the occasion despite his inexperience.

Sheridan might do as good a job at RB as Hughes would do at CB, or better. Sheridan showed no signs of being as defensively suspect as someone like Callan Elliot, it might go alright. 

AucklandPhoenix

I know people don’t want to play Bindon there but:

It is crucial we have a good defender there.

Most of the creativity from the back will come from Libby on the other flank anyway - don’t need two ultra attacking full backs when we are going to be doing a lot of defending

There are basically no right full backs who are up to standard and taking someone like Ingham as an overage fullback is a joke.

Outside wood and Libby, realistically our two next best overage players are Singh and Boxall.

Singh hasn’t played for a long time, wouldn’t be match fit so I would choose Boxall and partner him with Surman, with Bindon on the right and Libby on the left.

Defense sorted.

Sheridan got 1 start for the Nix. A tough one, away to the Mariners at Gosford. He looked good on attack, but Jacob Farrell and Torres gave him a rough time on D. Sheridan was subbed off at 60 mins, and never started another game for the Nix.

Bazeley ain't going to pick him as starting RB for the Olympics. It's way too high risk. It will be Payne if fit, or someone from Sutton, Kirwan/Roux/Ingham (all o/a). Based on his selection yesterday I think he will leave Bindon at CB.

AucklandPhoenix

I know people don’t want to play Bindon there but:

It is crucial we have a good defender there.

Most of the creativity from the back will come from Libby on the other flank anyway - don’t need two ultra attacking full backs when we are going to be doing a lot of defending

There are basically no right full backs who are up to standard and taking someone like Ingham as an overage fullback is a joke.

Outside wood and Libby, realistically our two next best overage players are Singh and Boxall.

Singh hasn’t played for a long time, wouldn’t be match fit so I would choose Boxall and partner him with Surman, with Bindon on the right and Libby on the left.

Defense sorted.

People don't want to play Bindon there because he's not a RB in the slightest. Might as well play Surman there. Reading experimented with it due to lack of options, he wasn't good there, and they moved him back to CB. Bazeley saw they'd tried this, and thought he'd try it as well. If we play him there, an entire avenue of our already weak attack ceases to exist

I love the fact that we have young players, with A league matches under their belt, being called to inexperienced. This u23 side will surely be the most experienced team we have ever put together.

I don't think we should underestimate Sheridan and his readiness personally. One could argue he is better placed that previous players picked - has professional minutes under his belt - trains with the first team etc not to mention the fact he will have familiarity with the CB inside of him and other players in the team which can only be of benefit.

Tomorrow will be interesting.

This will be an altogether very different experience to Tokyo 2021. That was Covid sans crowds. No real atmosphere. Olywhites also got a bit lucky drawing Honduras, Sth Korea and Romania. This time it's a much tougher group. For Guinea it will almost be like playing at home. There is a huge West African diaspora in France.

The Marseille Velodrome is one of the toughest venues for opposing teams. It's a rough immigrant port city. It will be a very intimidating crowd. Players struggling to hear each other, basically playing off instinct and the training ground. The French team will all be starters at minimum Ligue 1 clubs. Some at bigger European teams, riding off a wave of home town support. The crowd will be their 12th man, not that they will need it.

I remember a young inexperienced Stamenic in 2022 (he was playing Danish 2nd tier at that stage) basically getting stage fright, when AWs played Peru in Barcelona. A big crowd 99% behind the Peruvians. Hay hauled Stamenic off at HT, after he'd made a number of mistakes in the first half. You go from the Central League to that, it's very very tough.

Left field idea if Payne won't be fit in time. Tuiloma. Has played RB a number of times in the MLS and for the AWs. Speaks French, knows the country, and even had a few years in Marseille. Has played in plenty of big games & stadiums. Charlotte unlikely to stop him from going.

Not sure how fit he'd be though for the gut busting up & down full back role.

FYI - NZ play their pool games in Nice (Guinea) & Marseille x2 (USA & then France)

Sutton was captain of the team when they went through qualifying iirc.
I think he will definitely be in the squad. If he starts at RB or not I guess will remain to be seen. The fact that LKH was at this latest OFC tournament suggest to me they might play 3 CBs at the Olympics. That will change the dynamic of who the right sided wingback is. And would probably suit both Sheridan or Sutton there.

I think the fact Bazeley didn't take Sheridan to Vanuatu shows he's not in the running to start at RB, or even be in the 18 man squad. Possibly in the 4 reserve players. But Baze took Randall, Conchie, OVH, LKH & Sutton - so lets assume they are all in the 18 man squad. The one player NZ couldn't really afford to get injured in Payne, did get lame. 

Andrew Voerman has yes said LKH will go to France as a 3rd CB. But that doesn't mean they will neccessarily start all 3 pool games with 3 CBs. Surman & Bindon will be a strong pairing. But can see it being 3 CBs against the French, especially if it is Sutton at RB, and there are questions on how he will go there.

coochiee

I think the fact Bazeley didn't take Sheridan to Vanuatu shows he's not in the running to start at RB, or even be in the 18 man squad. Possibly in the 4 reserve players. But Baze took Randall, Conchie, OVH, LKH & Sutton - so lets assume they are all in the 18 man squad. The one player NZ couldn't really afford to get injured in Payne, did get lame. 

Andrew Voerman has yes said LKH will go to France as a 3rd CB. But that doesn't mean they will neccessarily start all 3 pool games with 3 CBs. Surman & Bindon will be a strong pairing. But can see it being 3 CBs against the French, especially if it is Sutton at RB, and there are questions on how he will go there.

It's not like there are questions about Sutton that don't exist about every other option, not sure why he's getting an "especially" when based on what we've seen recently he's far better suited to RB than Bindon is.

Sutton is a naturally left footed player. I don't remember him  ever before playing at RB, so big ask to switch there only weeks before tackling some of the world's best young players. I thought Bindon has been pretty sound when moving to RB for the AWs. And he's just a better player all round than SS. But I don't think Baze will go with TB at RB now.

And yeah I get the love in, on Surman & Bindon as a CB combination. They are clearly a potential long term AWs pairing, and yes it's Tyler natural & best position.

But if Payne is out, then Bazeley has a serious problem now at RB. I think he'll focus on the best alternative defensive solution down that flank. Less so if it's going to a locked in back 3/5 for all 3 pool games.