England are the Arsenal of world cup football, they always start slowly limping to early draws or even defeats then they shine in the last group game by thrashing the easy beats and qualifying for the knockout round, they then usually get an easy draw before reaching their level in the quarter finals and bowing out.

Actually Arsenal are the opposite in terms of the most comparable competition aren't we? In the CL we would tend to start strongly and cruise through first 4 games securing progress, then not take the last couple seriously and end up 2nd, then face a big team and go out. Same end result but a different start.

Burnwinter wrote:
Biggus wrote:

Indeed, it's great now that we've got a virtual free spot in every world cup.

At least while Asia stays shit. Once that dynamic ends we'll have to migrate back to Oceania and start tonking the Kiwis again.

You are hardly thrashing asia though. Struggling at best.

Struggling against who?
Theres only Japan and Sth Korea the rest are rubbish.

They barely beating teams like Iraq, Oman, Jordan etc.

Meh performance in qualifiers don't mean shit, they got there easily in the end.

Clrnc wrote:

They barely beating teams like Iraq, Oman, Jordan etc.

At the moment they're winning against those sides fairly comfortably home and away when it counts. Not making mincemeat of them, but winning.

By 2018 it will be interesting to see if we have a generation coming through. Particularly defensively we look like we might be very short.

Japan will steam roller every one in Asia if they develop a decent striker.

Burnwinter wrote:
Clrnc wrote:

They barely beating teams like Iraq, Oman, Jordan etc.

At the moment they're winning against those sides fairly comfortably home and away when it counts. Not making mincemeat of them, but winning.

By 2018 it will be interesting to see if we have a generation coming through. Particularly defensively we look like we might be very short.

Don't see it as "comfortably". Everybody thought Australia will steamroll everyone in Asia but they struggled badly in Asian Cup, and all the middle eastern teams can at least give OZ a game. The new generation Aussie is having now is abit underwhelming to me. Most of their stars are too old now.

All true. However we're going to this World Cup and the next one's five years away. We're not contenders, so we've just got to look at the group and try to get out of it as usual.

Plenty of time to regroup and work out who the real new generation will be after that.

Well you'd imagine the climate in Brazil would be against teams from nth Europe.........

Yes, I guess this'd be the opposite of a cold dark night at the Britannia:

Good result for the Aussies in the U20 World Cup, and could easily have won it from the highlights reel. Positive signs. Next up El Salvador. I have no idea if they're any good.

4 months later

A League starts this weekend. Phoenix are at home to Brisbane 5pm Sunday although missing half their team with the NZ team being away so they have drafted in some youngsters on very short 3 week contracts. Not sure why this league starts during an international window when every other league takes a break!

Playing 5 a side myself on Sunday evenings at the moment so won't be able to make this game which is annoying. They are not back in Wellington until December with the next couple of home games taken around the country to Napier and Christchurch. Hopefully be able to get to more games this season. Only went to about 3 last year as they always seemed to be early Sunday evening.

Burnwinter wrote:

Palmer's given up on the FFA, he has bigger fish to fry—will be running the Commonwealth as of next July:

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-10-11/palmer-refuses-release-muir-agreement-details/5016340

Really cringworthy that this fat stupid fuck has been elected to political power.
It just illustrates exactly what I say all along- There is a fatal flaw within the democratic system as it allows the likes of him to hold a place in parliament.
I reject the concept that the public are infallible and will always choose wisely.
My vote is useless as it will be nullified by the legions of apathetic semi literate fucktards.

I know very little about that fat fuck, as you so eloquently call him, but i do not think he would have gone that far if he is stupid. Is he an Aussie Berlusconi?

Well I don't think his private life is as perverted as Berlusconi, but he amassed his enormous wealth through political cronyism.

He's nothing like Berlusconi, really. Not similar politically or in personal style, and no media empire either.

Osieck is gone after the France thrashing—seems legit to be honest. We're going to be slaughtered at the World Cup, it's going to be far heavier going than the last two.