Subject: National Team

If Andy gets injured today, then you're dead Aussie :p

Don't know what to say here to not make it asking for trouble so I'll just say nothing at all :p.

Lucky you, Andy is ok, and had an amazing game. Btw if you have some time - watch it, my tactic was...odd...;)

World cup qualification draw has been made. Was expecting to get a disgraceful draw -> we avoided that. Was hoping to get an extremely favourable draw -> we avoided that too.

The group is a 6 team group, giving us 2 extra games to qualify ahead of those in 5 team groups. Given from memory last time the difference happened those in 5 weren't compensated in any form for being in a 5 man group, thus making it pretty much impossible to finish in the top 2 3rd placed teams to qualify. So spewing for them :p. Maybe that sounded harsh but we've been through this kind of pain before and it's good for once to be sitting on the other side.

Anyway the group is:

Belgie (eeek)
Australia
Osterreich (not the 3rd seed I was hoping for, although not the worst result either, close to it :p)
Republica Dominicana
Guatemala
Ghana


Last 3 teams are pushovers and the last two are 10+ victories. Goal difference going to help us here, even if we split the wins with Osterreich. So not a terribly convenient draw but it's still a lot better than we've been in past seasons and we avoided getting in a 5 team group :). Basically means if we pick up 18 points from the bottom 3 teams, those in 5 team groups have to beat 3 of the 4 teams they play in their group both times which is unlikely for a 3rd placed team to do so.

Well, having Belgium in the group should at least rule out the possibility of any unnecessary upsets.
Comes down to a show-down between us and Austria.

Boy, I envy the leagues which picked up the brand new nations... Lëtzebuerg, Īrān & Cuba!

May the best team win. At least we will have earned it.
.
(edited)

We got Ghana and Guatemala, that's not too bad of a substitute, apart from not gaining massive ranking points.

Well we're ready for New Zealand. Knowing the qualification is in the bag took pressure off in deciding for this match. Not really sure how this pans out, as we're missing to name a few, Ando,Broxton,Storey and quite a few others have form issues. Broxton's always been a very handy player to have at your disposal and it's a real test to find anyone who can possibly match him when it comes to how well rounded he is.

Anyway with that aside, this is a match we always want to win and it's the last opportunity we've got to use a 1st XI side against a proven WC side before we have to take on Belgium (eeek). Using this match as a qualification match in many ways as I haven't had to do too much thinking during the last season as we were chipping away at ranking points.

I'm sure Seca's after the win today as well, could be one of the last chances NZ get to beat us with their sudden decline in key users and they've got a very tough ask to qualify with whoever gets elected manager.

30minutes or so until the game, if someone finds a way to cure Broxton and Ando, please do so quickly :p.

*stuffs ando and broxton full of pills* :P

A solid win, although somewhat shaky after Mangos got injured and Nikas got subbed off. Figured they would try to protect the wings giving us space in between the wing defender and their outer central defender. Then tried to punch passes straight through that gap as their defense tried to press forward leaving our strikers with the freedom to get a shot off.

Seemed to work quite well. Defense might need a bit more tweaking, a few too many soft goals. Corner which the keeper should have jumped for, and their 3rd goal which was after a slow reaction by the keeper. Their almost equalizing goal in the 90th came from a stupid clearout from Howarth rebounding off Beauchamp followed by a mistackle from a slightly injured Mangos ;)

Still a win's a win as they say. Looks like I found a new spot for Willis too :p.
(edited)

Niiiiiice! :)

I played him on a similar position in this game.

As for the draw...I'm taking part in elections in Belgie. :p

Would be awkward for myself if you won but enjoyable no doubt :p.

Mind you how odd that would be for me - playing against Willis, Maras and rest of guys ;) Already had similar situation in u21 WC final, when I was playing against Deroo and Gaever :)

for sure, although you'd have a fair indication of what we're capable of doing than I would of Belgie :p.

This week was meant to be an U22 game against Egypts 1sts. I had a request the other day from Egypt asking us to go in with our 1sts so they can test their tactic out on a strong side. I went half way and we are now going in with our 2nd XI. Didn't want to risk our 1st XI from getting suspensions.

So we'll be using our 2nd XI this week instead of our U22's, most of whom will get a full season under the new U21 system later in this season anyway.

So, a free week for Maras[form] and Willis I suppose? :)

Willis would actually like to have 2 weeks of NT holidays...:PP

That's not Willis talking, that's you talking :p.

Are you suggesting that I'm lying?

:p