Slovenia were too good for the All Whites this weekend, giving the Kiwis plenty to think about going into their first World Cup game on June 15.
The New Zealanders were brought firmly back down to earth after their 1-0 victory over Serbia a week earlier with a 1-3 loss to the more clinical Slovenians.
Discipline will be crucial for the All Whites and they’ll have to do better in that department: two of the goals came from free kicks and the third was a shot that should have been stopped by keeper Mark Paston,
The Kiwi style of play is very much a crash and bash one and this will open them up to fouls and cards from the diligent World Cup refs.
Here’s hoping they have some more tricks up their sleeves as they often appeared one dimensional and although Rory Fallon’s head can provide goals, a few more options would help keep the opposition guessing.
New Zealand are now in South Africa and have one match match before facing Slovakia, a training game against Chile in Nelspruit on Wednesday.
It will feature three periods of 30 minutes and Herbert will give fringe players a run. He has already indicated defenders Ivan Vicelich and Ben Sigmund, now on the outer with Winston Reid and Tommy Smith having come in, will start.
