Kevin Fallon: Complacency the enemy on approach to final shot

Coach Ricki Herbert and the All Whites' street cred is on the line. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Opinion

If New Zealand coach Ricki Herbert and his team want to retain their street cred they have to win tomorrow's big game in Wellington against Bahrain.

The New Zealand public has certainly backed the occasion and without a doubt Wellington is the place to be for the followers of the round ball.

A sell-out crowd will not be expecting to return home disappointed.

The 2010 World Cup campaign has crept upon football fans throughout New Zealand chiefly because there has been no real build-up apart from a few token games against the island teams which we are expected to win.

Now we are - as the advertising slogan goes - "one shot from glory".

Unbelievable really, and I don't believe Fifa will ever give us that kind of run in ever again. Effectively beat Bahrain and you are at the World Cup finals.

Everything looks to be in our favour, we are at home, in our stadium backed by a big crowd, in our playing conditions. It all looks to be too cushy and therein lies the danger.

Football has a habit of kicking you in the pants when you think you are home and hosed. Bahrain from the first leg were certainly the better team on the day, missing a half dozen good goal-scoring opportunities.

Although their away record of three wins in nine World Cup games is not daunting they have also drawn three away games. A draw on Saturday will put them through. Their biggest fear will be cold, windy, wet weather and that is always a possibility in Wellington.

This is a game that will hinge on tactically correct decisions with regards to team selection and the deployment of the players that are at Herbert's disposal. Our version of 3-4-3 in Manama appeared to be a success - but was it, really?

We looked disjointed, with players playing in unfamiliar roles and positions. This is no time to experiment with wingbacks and maybe men. We have to run out in Wellington confident that every player on the pitch can fulfil his role.

That could mean a change in tactics from the first leg. We don't have a massive complement of players playing at the top level so it should not be too difficult to pick the right XI. Another decisive factor is to pick the players who are on form.

For Herbert the problem boils down to what is he going to do with Leo Bertos? At club level recently he has boosted his confidence by leaving him out and playing Costa Barborouses, not the best World Cup preparation.

Every football fan in New Zealand knows that Bertos is, and always was, a good incisive attacking winger who gets crosses in for the likes of Rory Fallon, Chris Killen and Shane Smeltz.

Another mystery for me is what has happened to that tough tackling, terrier-like, midfield player or fullback David Mulligan? Sure he had a bad day in the Confederation Cup marking Spain's David Villa, but he won't be the last to suffer against one of the best attackers in the world.

Mulligan could be the answer to our tactical problems, as he can play fullback with Ryan Nelsen, Ben Sigmund and Tony Lochhead or he can even play wide or central midfield if tactically we need to change.

Another unknown quantity is Mark McGlinchey - he looks like a player who could fit in out wide or in a central position and could be another interesting tactical option.

The scene is set and I believe that New Zealand will qualify if they play a more familiar, aggressive, 4-4-2 formation.

I see former Black Caps captain Stephen Fleming spoke to the team on Wednesday.

What a bizarre waste of time. They should have had him talk to the lads tonight, at least that would ensure a good night's sleep ahead of the game of their lives.