Subpage under development, new version coming soon!
Subject: [NT] Friendlies
Predictable result. Both the loss and that New Zealand's offense struggled. If the senior team can't score goals, it's unlikely the U21s will be able to do it. :)
Soundly beaten in midfield. Scotland had the upper hand in tech vs. defending & in pace. Ball recovery was tough for New Zealand, and even when someone got it, they often didn't get very far before they lost it.
Not enough service for Priorie, and the balls he got typically weren't ones he could run onto, but instead had to come back for. I probably should have loaded the left side a little more to draw more play that way (not sure it would have worked out well considering that was the side Buchanan was zipping up and down).
I changed the line-up a number of times, and it resulted in a blown order. Walker & Pince switched spots instead of Stanley coming on for Walker. Despite Walker having an ATT order and no midfield skills, he actually played very well at DM, and provided some of the better balls forward. Strange.
Crockett played well, making a number of good stops. No one else really had much opportunity to shine.
Think that's 4 losses in a row. Nice to start the WC on a roll. :P
Soundly beaten in midfield. Scotland had the upper hand in tech vs. defending & in pace. Ball recovery was tough for New Zealand, and even when someone got it, they often didn't get very far before they lost it.
Not enough service for Priorie, and the balls he got typically weren't ones he could run onto, but instead had to come back for. I probably should have loaded the left side a little more to draw more play that way (not sure it would have worked out well considering that was the side Buchanan was zipping up and down).
I changed the line-up a number of times, and it resulted in a blown order. Walker & Pince switched spots instead of Stanley coming on for Walker. Despite Walker having an ATT order and no midfield skills, he actually played very well at DM, and provided some of the better balls forward. Strange.
Crockett played well, making a number of good stops. No one else really had much opportunity to shine.
Think that's 4 losses in a row. Nice to start the WC on a roll. :P
Thanks for the match Seca.
I appreciate the work that you put in looking for U21 players so that this match could go ahead.
Being Scotland boss for 4 seasons means that i've seen most of these guys progressing through the seasons and i was quite excited to finally watch them as a team.
Best of Luck to you and New Zealand at the WC, hopefully we can both perform aswell as we did last time round.
Cheers.
(edited)
I appreciate the work that you put in looking for U21 players so that this match could go ahead.
Being Scotland boss for 4 seasons means that i've seen most of these guys progressing through the seasons and i was quite excited to finally watch them as a team.
Best of Luck to you and New Zealand at the WC, hopefully we can both perform aswell as we did last time round.
Cheers.
(edited)
I have been watching the New Zealand youths. With no disrespect intended, there just aren't a lot of top prospects coming through. Part of this is the small number of managers. But New Zealand has also suffered from a disproportionate number of their promising youths being keepers. And an alarming number of those promising youths that aren't keepers have been bot-ified. :(
It was a little tough filling the holes around Priorie and Findlay. Players in the 125 000 $ to 312 500 $ value range are incredibly difficult to scout. I really appreciate those who who responded to my appeals - in particular Al_Thore and Wivak.
Your U21s look good - hard to be definitive as Buchanan had a pretty big influence on the match. Still, I think you'll do alright if you play in the tournament.
Expectations were low for Scotland in the WC last go round. Much higher this time. :) People like me will be expecting you to make some noise in your group. Best of luck next week.
It was a little tough filling the holes around Priorie and Findlay. Players in the 125 000 $ to 312 500 $ value range are incredibly difficult to scout. I really appreciate those who who responded to my appeals - in particular Al_Thore and Wivak.
Your U21s look good - hard to be definitive as Buchanan had a pretty big influence on the match. Still, I think you'll do alright if you play in the tournament.
Expectations were low for Scotland in the WC last go round. Much higher this time. :) People like me will be expecting you to make some noise in your group. Best of luck next week.
Our poor young fellas didnt look too flash did they?
I have only ever got one decent keeper youth pull, but I sold him to buy a striker. I have been waitng a while now for a decent youth of any sort to take over training in replacement of Root ( he is staring to take too long to pop now). It dosnt really look like I have one in my school at all. Maybe one I have with alot of talent but hes only going to be a formidable pull.
Well done finding a team for that match anyway mate
I have only ever got one decent keeper youth pull, but I sold him to buy a striker. I have been waitng a while now for a decent youth of any sort to take over training in replacement of Root ( he is staring to take too long to pop now). It dosnt really look like I have one in my school at all. Maybe one I have with alot of talent but hes only going to be a formidable pull.
Well done finding a team for that match anyway mate
Ach yeah. pretty much as expected. Future for NZ NT isn't looking the happiest!
I have been waitng a while now for a decent youth of any sort to take over training in replacement of Root. It dosnt really look like I have one in my school at all.
Considering 3 of the 11 starters were off your team, that is a little discouraging. :)
Considering 3 of the 11 starters were off your team, that is a little discouraging. :)
Future for NZ NT isn't looking the happiest!
Just need 1 or 2 impact players coming through each season to keep the senior team competitive. And that is true this season - Priorie and Findlay both look to have nice NT careers ahead of them.
Might get a little dicey in a few seasons, as it looks like there will be a period of big attrition when the original players (who are all lumped together in age) may become unproductive en masse.
It's tough. I've only pulled 2 trainees for myself in the past 5 seasons, and I invest fairly heavily in my academy (my academy makes money ... just not trainees for me). If 1/2 of New Zealand's managers have an academy and 1/3 have a good one. Well, it makes sense the youth team is thin. :)
Just need 1 or 2 impact players coming through each season to keep the senior team competitive. And that is true this season - Priorie and Findlay both look to have nice NT careers ahead of them.
Might get a little dicey in a few seasons, as it looks like there will be a period of big attrition when the original players (who are all lumped together in age) may become unproductive en masse.
It's tough. I've only pulled 2 trainees for myself in the past 5 seasons, and I invest fairly heavily in my academy (my academy makes money ... just not trainees for me). If 1/2 of New Zealand's managers have an academy and 1/3 have a good one. Well, it makes sense the youth team is thin. :)
Booked with Denmark this week. A fairly tough opponent, but one New Zealand has traditional done well against.
We are all set for the Denmark match. A result would be great. After bleeding ranking points for nearly two months, anything positive would really go a long way.
The starting line-up features most of the usuals. The bench is all "next wave" players, a few of which will get a run.
The starting line-up features most of the usuals. The bench is all "next wave" players, a few of which will get a run.
Underway against Denmark. Similar tactic as what was used against Argentina in the WC. Normal cast of characters - except for Campfens. Trying him out in a new spot.
*Sigh*
Another week, another embarrassing 1-sided defeat. :( Bad right from the start. Watts blocks a shot that was going wide, bounces to a striker who says "thank you very much" and hammers it home.
There are some things that seem clear to me having watched NT matches the past season and a half. One of them is that the team that plays the more aggressive defensive line wins a large proportion of the matches. Doesn't seem to matter if you play 3 or 4 or 5 or 7 in that line, or if there are offensive players flush & clear of it - push the line upfield, and you are in business. Pins the ball in the opponent end. Makes the opposing strikers run half the length of the pitch with the ball, which is very difficult to do without having a bounce somewhere not go your way. The only disincentive is cards, but look at a match like today ... the cards don't necessarily come to you.
That was the story again this match. Denmark pushed their 4 up even with the ball, and New Zealand couldn't do anything. The defense couldn't hit Richards or Sansom with an outlet pass. Richards and Sansom didn't lead or put balls over the top of the defense. Gilbert, when he did get the ball, couldn't break tackles.
Denmark's defense was surprisingly quick with the ball. One of the other drawbacks with a tactic like this is that defenders usually run more with the ball, leading to tackles by opponent strikers. But that didn't happen to Denmark today. Was actually more of a problem for the New Zealand defense.
The 11 fouls, 7 yellow cards are 2 red cards didn't help, but the result was secured before players started hitting the showers. Richards was in (for the first time in ages) due to Atkinson & Root being unavailable (and his form is up some). Even without the sending-off, he was playing awful. The few offensive chances (throw-ins, corners) New Zealand mustered went through him, and he showed absolutely no touch.
Kelly was also bad (also before the sending-off). I guess it's his form. I usually feel I have no choice but to play him anyway, but Campfens, with 4 levels less tackling, played just as well (if not better) in central defense.
Campfens was surprisingly good in his role. But he was a rare bright spot in another dark performance.
Another week, another embarrassing 1-sided defeat. :( Bad right from the start. Watts blocks a shot that was going wide, bounces to a striker who says "thank you very much" and hammers it home.
There are some things that seem clear to me having watched NT matches the past season and a half. One of them is that the team that plays the more aggressive defensive line wins a large proportion of the matches. Doesn't seem to matter if you play 3 or 4 or 5 or 7 in that line, or if there are offensive players flush & clear of it - push the line upfield, and you are in business. Pins the ball in the opponent end. Makes the opposing strikers run half the length of the pitch with the ball, which is very difficult to do without having a bounce somewhere not go your way. The only disincentive is cards, but look at a match like today ... the cards don't necessarily come to you.
That was the story again this match. Denmark pushed their 4 up even with the ball, and New Zealand couldn't do anything. The defense couldn't hit Richards or Sansom with an outlet pass. Richards and Sansom didn't lead or put balls over the top of the defense. Gilbert, when he did get the ball, couldn't break tackles.
Denmark's defense was surprisingly quick with the ball. One of the other drawbacks with a tactic like this is that defenders usually run more with the ball, leading to tackles by opponent strikers. But that didn't happen to Denmark today. Was actually more of a problem for the New Zealand defense.
The 11 fouls, 7 yellow cards are 2 red cards didn't help, but the result was secured before players started hitting the showers. Richards was in (for the first time in ages) due to Atkinson & Root being unavailable (and his form is up some). Even without the sending-off, he was playing awful. The few offensive chances (throw-ins, corners) New Zealand mustered went through him, and he showed absolutely no touch.
Kelly was also bad (also before the sending-off). I guess it's his form. I usually feel I have no choice but to play him anyway, but Campfens, with 4 levels less tackling, played just as well (if not better) in central defense.
Campfens was surprisingly good in his role. But he was a rare bright spot in another dark performance.
Bad right from the start. Watts blocks a shot that was going wide, bounces to a striker who says "thank you very much" and hammers it home.
Don't forget who's paying mr. Watts' bills. ;)
The game wasn't as onesided, as the two red cards could have made it. You still have a strong side with great offensive players. I imagine you've just had a strain of bad luck lately, today included.
Don't forget who's paying mr. Watts' bills. ;)
The game wasn't as onesided, as the two red cards could have made it. You still have a strong side with great offensive players. I imagine you've just had a strain of bad luck lately, today included.
If there's any consolation you did better than we did today, but I can imagine how frustrating it is. I'm pretty frustrated at losing one game 5-0. Believe that's my worst result in the history of my management of the side and is certainly nothing to be proud of especially when shot count was 12-9 their way.
No wonder! Did you promise him a better seat on the plane? Hot towels after matches? His own personal ... cheerleader?
For shame! :D
You are being kind. The match couldn't have been much more one-sided without tilting the pitch on a 45 degree angle.
For shame! :D
You are being kind. The match couldn't have been much more one-sided without tilting the pitch on a 45 degree angle.
Hmmm. Maybe I'll go watch your match. Seeing your pain might make me feel better. :) Shoddenfreud?
It is frustrating. A guy like Gilbert could get 4-5 shots a game with one of the default tactics. His positioning in this match at times wasn't ideal - he would have had a better day tucked into the seam that opened up, rather then up against the touch line.
I have to start over. First thing I do after next week's match is arranged (sounds like it might be against Norway) is delete all my tactics and begin fresh.
It is frustrating. A guy like Gilbert could get 4-5 shots a game with one of the default tactics. His positioning in this match at times wasn't ideal - he would have had a better day tucked into the seam that opened up, rather then up against the touch line.
I have to start over. First thing I do after next week's match is arranged (sounds like it might be against Norway) is delete all my tactics and begin fresh.
I'd save them first probably, just in case you find why things weren't working and use them again. Good to see Turkiye finally get beaten by their own wall tactic but it wasn't the same efficiency as past games and I went away a little disappointed from that one.
Still our game had 3 of 5 goals come from fumbles, 1 from a keeper being stupid and running out of the box to try to claim a ball he never had a chance to and should have waited for the midfielder to get closer to goal and the 5th goal was a bit of a 50-50 that fell their way (which happens). Still probably didn't deserve the win nor claim to have but 5-0 was seriously harsh and it frustrates me a bit when our defenders fumble and the opposition doesn't.
(edited)
Still our game had 3 of 5 goals come from fumbles, 1 from a keeper being stupid and running out of the box to try to claim a ball he never had a chance to and should have waited for the midfielder to get closer to goal and the 5th goal was a bit of a 50-50 that fell their way (which happens). Still probably didn't deserve the win nor claim to have but 5-0 was seriously harsh and it frustrates me a bit when our defenders fumble and the opposition doesn't.
(edited)