have to agree... quite the long ballers

Didn't watch it. Really wanted to but I've pulled so many all-nighters now that people at work were starting to comment on how bad my eyes were looking, haha.

As for calling it "boring", well I guess ultimately Paraguay didn't get a win and can't really call the All Whites boring as they were obviously just as boring themselves. But the All Whites probably should've played an attacking game to get through to the next round.

Either way, well done NZ. A good WC result for a small nation, and especially one that doesn't consider football it's main sport.

Doh! you play to your strengths not the oppositions. We have a great defence and a reasonably good forward line, the midfield is where we need to improve.

With 85% of the players available for the next cup and players like Bertos, Wee Mac, Brown, Rojas, Clapham (who will play the A League at some point I'm betting) and even Daniel available we can work on this.

Forgot Daniel was a Kiwi citizen now.

Yeh they were boring, but they got through undefeated.. against a Paraguay team I thought would run rampant over them.

Australia played boring up until the last two games of the cup... maybe it's a regional thing

I was reading the live commentary on my phone during the game, and every single entry was Paraguay taking chances on goal. So I figured NZ were parking the bus severely. Must be extremely exciting for their fans.

Thats a bit rich from Paraguay considering they didnt score a goal against them...

I must admit he's not far off. It was one of the worst games to watch as a neutral. Thought NZ might give it a crack at some point but never really had ago even in the second half.

NZ's games have been absolutely dreadful to watch as a neutral. I fell asleep in all 3 of their games.

But it probably doesnt matter to their own supporters as they only want results which is fair. Plus they dont have the talent to attack and outplay opposition so why not play to your strengths and just defend?

In that case why bother to watch after the first one?

Because ive tried to watch every game at the world cup?

Fair call, NZ are boring.

The results are amazing and that is what has saved it for me. Absolutley amazing achievments all 3 games.

But 3 shots on target in 3 games isn't that flash.... but because of their status I forgive them.

Seriously what the fuck do you have against New Zealand..

Every single one of your posts in regards to them and the phoenix has been negative.

3 shots on target 2 goals 1 save not a bad return if you ask me.

You're confusing "brutal honesty" with "hate".

He says it as it is, whether you or anyone else likes it is another matter. A spade is a spade as they say. Truth hurts too as they say...

In a game they probably had to win to achieve the next round, they did not have 1 shot on goal. As much as I am behind the Kiwi's at this tournament, the boring tag is probably apt in this case.

You didn't see the game then as we had 4 shots on goal

I don't think he is in this case.

I have nothing against New Zealand as a nation or football team.

I don't agree with the amount of New Zealand related BS is pushed down our throats as Aussies, though. I take exception to being told that NZ should be my second team by default, just because they are our closest neighbours at the world cup.

New Zealand have been boring during this world cup; It's an undeniable fact. They have been thoroughly outplayed every single game they have been in throughout the group stages. Grabbing a lucky draw against a woeful Italy is nothing to crow about.

As for Phoenix, I see them as more trouble than they're worth. That's my opinion that I enjoy voicing. Deal with it.

I think its a bit rich from Paraguay aswell. It wasn't us time wasting and slowing the game down for the last 10 minutes sitting on the 0-0. What people don't seem to get is that we didn't have the technical skills to spend time on the ball against a team like Paraguay, and more often than not they could easily keep the ball as they are so much better at retaining possession than us.

The long ball and committing players forward for the last 20 minutes is as attacking as we can get. We don't have the midfield or the playmakers to pass our way through a side so that was it. Paraguay certainly didn't commit the players forward they did in the earlier games, very rarely did they attack in numbers or any of their back four push on even with the huge amount of ball they had. This makes life incredibly difficult for a team as technically limited as us to break them down - I think Paraguay need to bear as much responsibility as NZ for the 'boring' game.

4 shots AT goal. Not ON goal.

To Quote another post of YOURS.

Fair call.=d>

Well, we all know they weren't going to knock the ball around like Argentina and unlock the defence with cutting through balls.

They play to their strengths. They know what they have, and they use it. You see it in football all the time. Hull and Blackburn are two good examples.

It was successful, and I'm pretty sure thats all that counts to the NZ fans at this world cup.

I don't think its regional.
Most posters on this forum call Pim's team shape & tactics boring, but compared to Herbert he's a daredevil.
The strength of NZ is their height. So Ricki had tightened the defense but having 10 men parked in your own half and hoping that a breakaway every 30 minutes or so will give your mob a set-piece where their height and strength may result in a goal were his " tactics ".
This obviously leads to football only watchable by NZ fans.... if Rickie had attacked like he said Paraguay's midfield and attack would have given a far different result.
Paraguay had already qualified for the last 16 and they only needed a draw.
One NZ shot in 90 mins would have given Paraguay the confidence just to run the game time down without really pushing too much, and this is what concerned the Para coach.

Edited by redcup: 25/6/2010 03:50:28 PM

It's a fantastic return if it's in 1 half of football, or 1 game at the most. But only that in 270 minutes of football is bad, no matter who you are. In saying that, I think New Zealand did very well not to get thrashed by Italy or Paraguay.

\:d/