Soccer: Three up front a challenging proposition

All Whites striker Chris Killen. Photo / Getty Images

The thought of an All Whites side with three strikers up front is a difficult one to get the head around.

In years gone by, this would have been fanciful. Memories of Noel Barkley leading the line by himself, trying to carve something against four defenders, are hard to ignore.

Others could interpret three up front as a generous assessment of the real situation - a lone striker with a couple of guys running in support if they can.

But the present All Whites look as if they will genuinely play three strikers at the World Cup - and it might just work.

Against Australia last week, Rory Fallon, Chris Killen and Shane Smeltz troubled their markers with their height and power.

Fallon, in particular, was a difficult proposition and cleverly used the ball with head and feet. He might have gone into the game on the back of limited time for his club Plymouth Argyle but he looked as menacing as he did against Bahrain and must play in South Africa.

Just as encouragingly, however, was the fact team-mates gave the strikers the ball. The All Whites aren't skilful enough to craft their way to goal via a series of passes. They need to adopt a more direct route.

What we saw against Australia wasn't route one football, either. That would be unkind. There was a good balance of possession and directness.

Three up front gives New Zealand outlets. Any ball pumped forward is likely to at least be in the vicinity of one striker.

All three of Fallon, Killen and Smeltz, as well as promising youngster Chris Wood, who will see plenty of game time in South Africa, can maintain possession.

"There's no doubt they are the best strikers we have had for a number of years," says former All Whites striker Harry Ngata, who played as a lone striker more than he would like to remember. "They give the team options and they can adopt a direct approach. The only thing is that Smeltz seems lost at times. He's not getting quality ball in areas he likes and it's not really his game."

Three up front will also draw fouls against them, which will present set-piece opportunities. With New Zealand's tall timber, set pieces might be their best chance to score.

Three up front also demands opposition defenders adopt a degree of caution for fear of being caught short-handed.

Of course, all of this needs to be put in context. New Zealand will do well to score more than one goal in South Africa and countries like Italy won't fear the All Whites.

Their defenders have handled much better strikers and they have the skill and ability to maintain possession for long periods. They will also work out that New Zealand aren't as technically gifted as other sides and will press higher to put pressure on the back three.

But the All Whites would do well to remember their strength is up front so they might as well use it.

There's no point going to South Africa and putting 10 players behind the ball in the hope of minimising damage. It will win no admirers overseas nor do much to excite a New Zealand public clinging to the hope they can do something special in South Africa.

New Zealand's 3-4-3 formation also presents opportunities to opponents. Three at the back is rarely employed, especially three relatively slow defenders like Ryan Nelsen, Ivan Vicelich and Ben Sigmund, and it provides an invitation to exploit space in the corners which will force wing-backs Leo Bertos and Tony Lochhead further back than they would like.

It could also leave the midfield short-handed.

If Bertos and Lochhead play too deep, it will leave acres of space in between the defence and three strikers.

"Playing with three up front is going to work really well," Killen said recently. "It shows how far we've come. Down the years, going into a big competition, we would have played one up front and put men behind the ball. But now we've got good depth, and a good squad."

They do, by New Zealand standards. If their best players stay fit, and that's a big if, they might not startle the world but they might not be the pushovers everyone expects them to be.