Flying Kiwis – August 16
Winston Reid – West Ham United (English Premier League)
Alrighty, welcome back to Flying Kiwis, the first edition of the 2016-17 season. The aim of the game is to go in depth highlighting the weekly exploits of New Zealand’s finest footballers, supplementing it all with tweets, quotes and highlights as much as possible. We only focus on the top fellas because below that it’d mostly be scores and bores, you don’t get too much exposure in the conference leagues after all. Plus for now it’s only men’s footy since women’s stuff, even with more and more kiwis playing in overseas leagues, is just so under-reported. Hey but we’ve got plans for a special edition Football Ferns Flying Kiwis at some stage soon so keep an eye open for that one.
First of all, we’ve run three Flying Kiwis previews already – single player preview thingies that are well worth a read if we do say so ourselves. Especially as they lay the foundation for these ones too.
Winston Reid, 2016-17 Season Preview
Chris Wood, 2016-17 Season Preview
Bill Tuiloma, 2016-17 Season Preview
Moving on now. West Ham had to wait a little longer than the rest of the Premier League as they kicked off on a Monday night in London, away to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. Not the easiest start to the season as they haven’t won there since 2002 when Paolo Di Canio scored a brace.
This was a game in which all the focus was on the home side, with Antonio Conte taking charge for the first time in the Premier League – he named only one new signing in his starting XI which was in contrast to West Ham who started Andre Ayew, Havard Nordtveit and Arthur Masuaku. You could kinda tell there were a few new boys in there too, things were just a little disjointed from the Hammers. It didn’t help that Ayew went off injured after 35 mins either, replaced by another new lad in Gökhan Töre. Interestingly it was James Collins who started at CB next to Winston, not Angelo Ogbonna. Dimitri Payet was only fit enough for the bench after an extended break.
The first half was goalless but not without drama. Branislav Ivanovic drew a quality save at the near post by Adrian, while Eden Hazard was doing this weird thing where he actually tried hard. It was working for him too. Winston did his usual thing of hanging deep and his first bit of real defending almost cost his team a penalty as Mark Noble gave the ball away and Oscar came running right at him. The arm was out from Winnie, but there wasn’t a huge amount of contact and he gave the Brazilian a proper bugger off flick of the hand to let him know what he thought of it. The ref himself thought nothing of it. The Daily Mail went all freeze frame with it, have a geeze:
Another Adrian save, this time off a Willian free kick (it was Winston's foul), kept things at 0-0 into the break but Hazard was tearing Michail Antonio to shreds at right back.
That continued immediately after the restart as Antonio was held off by Costa whose shot drew a low save only Antonio couldn’t clear it, giving the ball straight to Cesar Azpilicueta and then fouling him for a penalty within 40 second of the half beginning. Hazard buried it from the spot.
Antonio was replaced soon after and Payet came on with 23 minutes to play. The Frenchman made an instant difference. He gave the Hammers that focal point to attack through though and within ten minutes he was ripping a free kick off the wall and out for a corner. From that corner, which he took, a half clearance fell to James ‘Ginge’ Collins and he thwacked it into the net for the equaliser. Probably an undeserved one but that’s not their problem.
Their problem was Diego Costa. The Spaniard/Brazilian picked up a yellow for dissent in the first half and a lunge at Adrian, who’d been caught with the ball at his feet, saw him leave six sprig marks down the goalie’s shin. The ref called it accidental and left the striker on the field. With a minute to go he was left with way too much space on the edge of the box, a mix-up between Collins and Masuaku, and he slammed it low inside the far post for a dramatic winner. Yeah… stink.
Chelsea came back strong after conceding and Winston pulled off his two best moments of what was otherwise a mostly average game, sliding in for a crucial interception from a Hazard cross and rising high to win a defensive header a few minutes later (though Pedro almost scored on the volley as Masuaku didn’t close him down quick enough). But with a valuable point there just about in reach, they were left with nothing and didn’t Mr Conte love it!
Reid had an 81% pass success for the game but misplaced a few that he shouldn’t have – a trend that ran through the whole team with Chelsea playing pretty hungry. He mostly did what he had to do at the back, though whether it’s an early season thing or not he seemed a little slower than usual. West Ham were missing a few key players so they’ll expect better next time. See, Winston said so himself:
Slaven Bilic: "When you lose a game and concede late, of course you are disappointed. Apart from the first 15 minutes until we equalised, they were much better than us. They were better on the ball, in pressing and much more aggressive than us. They had the individual class of Eden Hazard, Diego Costa and Willian. We came back into the game. We played well after 1-1, but we made the mistake in the middle of the park. We gave the ball away and conceded a cheap goal."
HITC Sport Player Ratings: Winston Reid – 7
“Patchy performance from Reid but he got more right than wrong. His form has not been great in 2016 and he must rediscover that assured presence or West Ham will continue to look goals. Made a few timely blocks and interceptions but not the Reid West Ham fans grew to love.”
Dunno what to say about this:
Up Next: There’s a Europa League qualifier in Romania vs Astra Giurgiu, 5.00am Friday, and then they’re at home for Bournemouth at 3.00am Monday (NZT)
Chris Wood – Leeds United (English Championship)
So the Garry Monk Era hasn’t started off on the best foot, fair to say. Following their opening loss to QPR, in which they were kinda embarrassingly picked apart, they played twice this week: Once in the EPL Cup away to Fleetwood Town and then at home to Birmingham in the league, Monk’s first official home game. We’ll play this in chronological order and begin with the cup.
Fleetwood are a division below so this was one that Leeds were confident about, highlighted by the fact that Monky picked a very strong line-up that included Chris Wood and also new signing Pablo Hernandez who was unavailable for the QPR game, still waiting on clearance. Problem was they went and conceded from an early corner just as they did in their league opener. Soft stuff too, plenty to work on with the ball somehow failing to be cleared. Leeds had a couple chances to hit back, Hernandez sending one over the bar, but the weaker team were more than worth their lead.
Woody had a sneaky chance in the late in the half which saw him tackled for a corner before getting a shot off and then he was unable to get a touch on a diving header. A couple crosses that didn’t quite get to him as well. Leeds were starting to get on top and they carried that into the second half with Wood nodding one over the bar. This was a game where he was nice and involved at least, he almost set one up with a fine cross to Hernandez but the former Swansea winger couldn’t bring it down. When Wood drove an effort wide from a low cross, it started to look like they were going down to a frustrating defeat and the nerves visibly grew. Woody fluffed a great opportunity at the far post with the goal beckoning and time almost up… but then his strike partner Marcus Antonsson dug them out of trouble with a swift turn and shot in the midst of a scramble in the box and they’d sent it to extra time.
In extras, Antonsson again proved the hero when he got in behind the defence, chested a ball down and was chopped in half as he tried to take it past the keeper. Penalty. Up stepped Chris Wood and he drove it hard into the bottom corner. Lovely pen and Leeds were up 2-1.
Except that the home side still fancied themselves and again took advantage of some non-committal defence to make it 2-2. Bloody Leeds just couldn’t keep from stabbing themselves in the foot. Luckily for them it was only the equaliser and they took this thing to spotties where Wood blasted his first kick down the middle for the lead and the rest of his teammates were flawless as well. Rob Green saved a crucial one and Leeds took it 5-4 in penalties. Into the next round where they’ll play Luton Town.
It wasn’t any more than a five or six outta ten for Wood in his 120 midweek minutes, though his clinical finishes from the spot will be worth a bit of confidence. The question from that one was whether Monk would persist with Wood as a target man or stick him alongside a partner such as Antonsson, their best from the EFL Cup game. Kemar Roofe another option there, which shows that wasteful games like he had here don’t need to be tolerated.
Turns out he would and Leeds went pretty attacking against Birmingham, treating the home fans to a diamond midfield with Hernandez playing through the middle and Ronaldo Vieira the only defensive mid. New signing Luke Ayling got his first start at right back. Wood alongside Antonsson at the head of it all.
The early chances all fell for Antonsson this time, he overran one, was talked before another and then smashed one off the crossbar. Threatening stuff there but with an undermanned midfield the worry was that Brum could counter through them. Yeah… they did. 15 minutes in they took the lead thanks to Jacques Maghoma who supplied the finishing touch to a rapid break. What started with Wood playing Antonsson into the box with a slick pass ended a few seconds later with Maghoma dinking the ball over Rob Green for a goal at the other end.
Hey but they equalised before long. They weren’t put off their attacking intents and Hadi Sacko made a nice little run onto Alex Mowatt’s pass – though his shot from a tight angle only went in because of a clumsy keeping error by Tomasz Kuszczak. 1-1 at half time.
Both teams kept threatening though Birmingham’s best chances were coming because of Leeds turnovers. And set pieces, of course. It was from one of those that Michael Morrison slammed home what would prove the winner in the 55th minute. A cross in towards the far post that nobody in a large crowd could get decent contact on and it fell for Morrison who could hardly miss. Queue some widespread frustration from the fans.
YEP: “Whites head coach Monk reacted by bringing on Kemar Roofe for an ineffective Chris Wood whose withdrawal brought cheers from a frustrated Elland Road crowd.”
So that was the end of Woody’s week and his side may have had a run of corners and a few scattered efforts towards the end but Birmingham controlled it fairly well and the full-time whistle brought a loud series of boos. Two losses in two after being promised a top six finish, obviously there’s pleeeenty of time left to fix that but it’s not a pleasant start and Wood, to be brutally honest, is yet to really affect very much at all. Early days but Leeds are sitting second bottom right now.
Garry Monk: “I did not like that softness and I told the players that. When you are on the pitch you have to be a man, you have to put your body on the line and suffer. We gifted that game to Birmingham and I will not accept that. We did not have the determination and desire we needed in the second half. We have a young group of players, but you are in a man’s world and you have to do more than that.”
YEP Player Ratings: “Chris Wood - Didn’t look at all dangerous and his touch let him down too often. Jeered by the crowd when he was substituted, which won’t help his confidence. 4/10”
Then Noel Whelan let loose on BBC West Yorkshire: “Well Wood wasn’t having the best of games. His touch was off today, far too heavy with his first-touch, trying to do too much. We put Roofe on in place of him and he played alongside Antonsson. Nut as much as he’s got lots of energy and enthusiasm for the game Roofe he’s just not a centre-forward. Hence why we need another good striker.”
Up Next: A quick turnaround to put things straight, home to Fulham on Weds 6.45am and then away to Sheff Weds at 11.30pm Saturday (NZT)
Tommy Smith – Ipswich Town (English Championship)
Since Smithy is no longer available for All Whites selection, his place in Flying Kiwis is a little more tenuous. The fact is he was a guy drafted into the NZ fold, not a lad like Chris Wood who grew up wanting to be an All White and with his club situation a fairly serious one, he has every right to focus on that these days – it’s where he makes his living after all and if they can maybe possibly get promoted then that living will be mighty fine. Just a shame it was all handled like trash.
Anyway, some will choose to read him as a villain now, others might not read this section at all. If you’re one of the former group than this is a pleasant bit of writing coming your way. Smithy has lost his starting spot to new signing Adam Webster, who came across for an undisclosed fee from Portsmouth (apparently something close to three quarters of a mill). Given Mick McCarthy’s wallet is sewn shut with cobwebs, that they paid any fee at all represents a solid investment. Webster has started alongside Christophe Berra in both league games so far and was brilliant in their opener as the Tractor Boys claimed a 4-2 win over Barnsley. Grant Ward scored a flippin’ hat-trick only six days after signing from Spurs! He didn’t even start the game, he was a half-time substitute. Dayumm, son. Webster wasn’t as good the next game as they lost 2-0 away to Brentford, to be fair. But still, Smith was left watching from the bench for the duration of both.
He did get a game in the EFL Cup though. Smithy started in what was mostly a second string team with only six players would retain their place for the Brentford game. That was at home to Stevenage and, well, they lost 1-0. Ben Kennedy scored the only goal. So if he was hoping to force his way into the side through undeniable cup form, that avenue’s gone up in flames.
Mick McCarthy: “I think Stevenage were excellent, deserved to win and I thought we were awful.”
McCarthy has said that Smith and Berra, who have been partners in defence for the last few seasons, are now playing more or less for one position, such is how high he rates young Webster. EADT expands on that here:
“[Smith and Berra] have been virtual ever-presents in the centre-back slots over the last three years, so it came as some surprise when McCarthy splashed out £700,000 – plus highly-rated academy product Matt Clarke – to bring in Webster from League Two side Portsmouth. Hailed as a ball-playing defender, the 21-year-old – who was capped by England at Under-19 level – should add a different dimension to the team. McCarthy wants his players to be able to play the possession game, as well as going direct, this season. Webster’s right-footed too, so could add some natural balance alongside Smith or Berra, both of whom are left-footed.”
But here’s some good news for the lad as he waits for someone to get injured. A new contract signed a week before the season began.
Of course, the other reason to keep a close eye on Ipswich is because Monty Python Patterson may just be a chance at making a senior debut this season. Monty was one of a few players to sign professional deals from the Ipswich academy in the off-season and he played a part in a few pre-season games as well (once he got back from NZ duty).
Up Next: Away to Wolves, 6.45am Weds & home to Norwich, 11pm Sunday (NZT)
Bill Tuiloma – Olympique de Marseille (French Ligue 1)
Back at OM for the new season, Billy T has started things off with the reserves but that’s all good. You’ll wanna read his season preview to get the full scope but Tui is as close to the first team as you can get without actually being there. In short, there are five midfielders in contention and he’s fifth on the list… but Abou Diaby is constantly injured, Lassana Diarra is rumoured to be leaving and Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa and Zinedine Machach are as inexperienced as Tui is.
With the team at full strength (relative to where they are these days, anyway), it was Diarra and Diaby that started their Ligue 1 opener against Toulouse. Machach replaced Diaby in the 61st minute. Nothing else really happened, to be honest. A few cards, a couple routine saves and that’s roughly it as an uninspired OM XI had to settle for a 0-0 draw. Actually, to be fair Remy Cabella did hit the post and Bafetimbi Gomis drew two very good saves out of the Toulouse keeper but still a very tame beginning for the team who have now won only 1 of their last 17 home matches. Toulouse’s goalie, Alban Lafont, is 17 years old too, good for that lad. This game was live on kiwi telly on BeIN2 as well, which is always promising.
But for now Billy will begin things in the reserves, where he played 16 times two seasons ago in helping the side get promoted to the CFA division, which is the fourth tier in France and features 72 clubs split into four groups. OM2 are in Group D.
Tui was joined by Gael Andonian, Jeremie Porsan and Antoine Rabillard who all are in similar positions to him as fringe first teamers – Andonian played in defence, Porsan and Tuiloma in the midfield and Rabillard started up front. And unlike their senior team, the reserves got themselves immediately on top with a third minute goal to Eddy Silvestre. Playing Monaco II, this was OM2’s first game of the season too and they marked it with a solid 2-0 victory, the second goal coming with 11 minutes to play and it came via the very bloke we’re talking about. Billy T getting his season up and running with a notch in the goal tallies. Shot bro.
That’s Bill playing the big switch before the first goal as well. He also nearly sets up a goal with a header back across after a corner kick as well. He’s in yellow boots wearing number 6, if you need the hint. A beautiful header for the goal as well.
Up Next: The reserves play at Martigues, k/o 4.00am Sunday and the top team take on Guingamp at 1.00am Monday (NZT)
Marco Rojas – VfB Stuttgart (German Bundesliga II)
After 18 months on loan at FC Thun in Switzerland, Rojas is back at Stuttgart now and he returns to a club that’s been relegated in his absence. Which… might not be the worst thing for him as the lower level may afford him more opportunities to prove his worth to Stuttgart.
For the first time in 41 years, Stuttgart are playing in Bundesliga II and that’s meant a new manager and several new players – hell they’ve even got a new chairman out of it all. The players are the ones that tell the tale though, their top scorer Daniel Didavi left on a free. Following him (but for very decent fees in return) were two of their most promising players: winger Filip Kostic and striker Timo Werner. Serey Die and Lukas Rupp left for top flight teams in Switzerland and Germany and then Antonio Rüdiger, their best defender, was sold to Roma in Italy. Lots of holes to fill and with that their chances of bouncing back up at the first attempt are going to need some reinforcing.
Still, they’ve managed to bring in several players that they hope can thrive under new boss Jos Luhukay, who himself will be hoping to stem a trend that’s seen the club roll through ten managers in eight years. They strolled undefeated through eight pre-season games so that’s a good start.
For now the Rojas opportunities are going to have to be earned by impressing for the second team. That’s okay, a few months ago it didn’t feel like he had much of a future at Stuttgart at all but their relegation has probably saved him a shot. Players aren’t as easy to come by in the second tier and if there’s a diamond in the rough in the reserves then that’s all the better. And he’s getting his chances there too, starting and playing all 90 minutes in Stuttgart II’s last two matches so far this season – which sadly have seen a pair of heavy losses that have them running second to last.
He didn’t play in their opener, which they drew 1-1. Stuttgart II are in the fourth tier of German footy, which is split into regional areas across five divisions with national playoffs at the end of it. It’s the same level that Stefan Marinovic is playing at with SpVgg Unterhaching, where he’s played every minute and won all five games (with just the one clean sheet) to have his team first with a game in hand and a perfect record. Unterhaching play in the Bayern section and Stuttgart II in the Sudwest (Southwest).
Up Next: Stuttgart II vs Saarbrucken, 12.00am Monday (NZT)
Ryan Thomas – PEC Zwolle (Dutch Eredivisie)
After knee surgery and a subsequent set back ruined most of his 2015-16 season, it’s great to see that Thommo’s been back in action, working his way through pre-season as much as he could and now hopefully something close to 100%. It could take a while to get back into match rhythm but just seeing him involved again is straight up choice.
Thommo was on the bench for the season opener as they drew 1-1 away to NEC Nijmegen. Not the best result given how much their opponents, recently promoted, had struggled in pre-season but Reagy Ofosu was able to cancel out Queensy Menig’s first half goal for the PECers. Annoying that, in a game that Zwolle fairly clearly dominated, with considerably more shots and possession. Striker Anass Achahbar had missed a wonderful chance to make it 2-0 early in 2H and if he’d converted there it could’ve been a different outcome. Thomas came on for the last 20 minutes and was stoked to be back.
And the comeback continued as he was named to start on the weekend as PEC hosted Sparta Rotterdam. It was a more offensive formation too, PEC playing in a 4-3-3 with Thomas on the right of the midfield – playing in behind Youness Mokhtar who is on loan from AC Milan and is apparently pretty hot property.
Not that he showed it here. Zwolle were poor and they went down 3-0 to leave them with one point from their first two games – both of them very winnable too. Rotterdam had lost 3-1 to Ajax in the first round of games, they too being a promoted team. Having only lost once in their last 18 games against promoted sides, they’ve now lost two in two weeks. Loris Brogno opened the scoring five mins before half time and then, to make things extra worse, Aussie Craig Goodwin (once of Adelaide Utd) made it 2-0 midway through the second stanza. Zwolle CB Dirk Marcellis had thought he’d equalised soon after the break only to have his celebrations cut abruptly short by the offside flag. Gutted. By the time Brogno added his second, Thomas had been subbed off and the game was long since heading to a predictable conclusion. Zwolle had thrown plenty at the reigning second tier champs but nothing that stuck in the net. Disappointing stuff given their next game is hardly a sitter either: PSV, the defending champions of Holland.
Oh but there was one reason to laugh, as commentator and former Cambuur manager Henk de Jong was soaked by the sprinklers during his pre-match live cross. The PEC field is an artificial one, so this has happened a few times before. The crowd actually expect it and they definitely enjoy it too. Notice the flag kids were bloody loving it.
Up Next: A tough one, at home to PSV Eindhoven at 5.45am on Sunday (NZT)
Jake Gleeson – Portland Timbers (American Major League Soccer)
Things are a little different on the American soccer calendar, with the MLS running through the European off-season. So while the rest of these fellas were either putting their feet up with some well-deserved rest or stumbling around Papua New Guinea with the All Whites, Jake Gleeson was busy making a massive career breakthrough.
It began towards the end of the last season of Flying Kiwis. Having spent most of his time with the Timbers either as a backup or out on loan with a feeder/reserve team, Gleeson got a rare opportunity in the playoffs when regular keeper Adam Kwarasey was taken ill. Coming in at short notice, Gleeson kept a valuable clean sheet in what would be his only MLS appearance of the season, though he did from then on find himself on the bench as the Timbers went on to win the championship.
This 2016 season saw him begin the campaign in that second goalie spot where he left off but very early on Kwarasey suffered what’s been labelled a freak accident when he jammed a finger in the dirt during a game. It meant a full month for Gleeson as the starting keeper and that period extended with a setback or two on Kwarasey’s part.
And Gleeson, mate, he took that opportunity with two massive, gloved hands. Save after stunning save earned him a real cult following, as well as winning the MLS player of the week in just his second week as a starter. Numerous save of the week nominations followed, winning that thing in late-June. Having played 5 total MLS games in his career prior to this season, he’s now played 16 in a row, making 72 total saves as the Timbers’ form has been a bit rocky – injuries in the defensive line in front of him a big part of that. Still, they’re positioned to make a run at the playoffs all the same.
The debate began early as to whether Gleeson’s big save ability trumped Kwarasey’s more steady hand and solid distribution but after three months of the big kiwi between the sticks, a decision was made:
And with that Gleeson became the clear number one keeper for the defending champions in the MLS.
Jake Gleeson: “It’s a confidence booster to know that the club and Caleb and the coaching staff have confidence in me. It’s taken a while for me to get to this spot, but nothing really changes. It’s the same mentally day in and day out.”
That’s the backstory, now here’s how things have been recently. The answer is… not as good as hoped. For the defending champions, this season has been average and a 2-0 loss to DC United means that they still haven’t won a game on the road. There are six draws in there so it could be worse but right now it’s their home form keeping them poised in the final playoff spot in their conference.
The kick-off was delayed in DC because of the heat, and there were drinks breaks in both halves. Coming from the notoriously un-sunny Portland, they really didn’t cope. They conceded twice in the first half and it would have been worse had they not had a kiwi keeper making saves like this:
Honestly, there is no reasonable explanation for him getting to that. That’s in keeping with his season where he’s made save after save in front of an error-filled defence that recently added former Newcastle CB Steven Taylor… who scored an own goal nine minutes into his debut for the second team and was subbed off with the T2 side down 3-0. They went on to win 4-3. Anyway, here are the highlights of the DC game. A few Gleeson stunners in there.
Up Next: Seattle Sounders vs Portland Timbers, 1.30pm Monday (NZT)