2018 FIFA World Cup

[Alec]

No Daniel-son

 

[Super Freak]

That yellow card is a problem.

We need Denmark to get another if we're going to be equal on goals scored.

 

[Alec]

Game over, lol.

 

[Super Freak]

Yeah, we're out.

 

[Super Freak]

We aren't controlling the ball that well.

Keep coughing it over too easily.

 

[Jason Simmons]

Peru's style of play in their last two games is the most concerning part for me.

They are a bit unpredictable, playing unstructured. They have created a lot of chances at goal.

So do we and we have only one player who can capitalise on those chances in front of goal and he is riding the bench for some reason...

 

[Porthoz]

I don't have a problem with it personally. I think in this day and age we should be striving to get as many decisions correct regarding potential goals as possible. We have the technology, why not use it? it's not as if it's being employed every 5mins.

Neither do I, but I do have a problem with people watching a replay a thousand fucking times and still managing to get it wrong!

 

[Renegade]

Juric is trash. Get him off and put either Cahill or Arzani on.

 

[Super Freak]

Final 45 minutes.

Just put Cahill and Arzani on and have a fucking crack.

 

[Alec]

Damn Australia sucks

 

[Renegade]

A disappointing end - not that it mattered much in the end as Denmark got a draw so it rendered our result moot.

Craig Foster carrying on like a fool as per normal - I don't doubt his passion and desire for Australia to succeed but the reality for Australia is unless we have another golden generation or an absolute pearler of a group, making the group stages for us is an achievement.

Arzani is our next big thing and I hope he really kicks on. Who knows, another few gems might come out of the woodwork between now and Qatar. Hopefully players like Danny de Silva kick on and fulfill the early promise they showed.

 

[Sproj]

Arzani, Rogic, Mooy, Sainsbury is definitely something to build around, just need to find the other missing pieces and solve the gaping problem of the last 10 years, find a striker to replace Cahill who can provide an actual target up forward.

 

[Renegade]

Arzani, Rogic, Mooy, Sainsbury is definitely something to build around, just need to find the other missing pieces and solve the gaping problem of the last 10 years, find a striker to replace Cahill who can provide an actual target up forward.

Mooy was fantastic in all three games. Risdon actually impressed me as well, gave good width and has awesome stamina.
I found Rogic to be hot and cold in all three games, certainly there were moments where he went through players at will but others where we was completely anonymous. Not sure if it's a concentration thing, I don't watch a lot of Celtic so I can't say either way. I think Luongo needs to try and find a spot in the side and I'm sure that'll happen with Jedinak finishing up soon.

Thought Leckie was really good too. Kruse was disappointing, he offers pace but not much else. Would be moving Arzani into his spot asap. Need a striker like you said - Tomi Juric isn't the answer. Maybe McClaren if he can kick on at Hibernian and move to a bigger club but he didn't really impress me at the Roar so I'm not holding my breath for him.

 

[Super Freak]

What has the football department been doing for the past 12 years?

We should be better than what we were in 2006, but we don't seem to be.

 

[Renegade]

What has the football department been doing for the past 12 years?

We should be better than what we were in 2006, but we seem to be going backwards.

Yeah it's an interesting one, we had a genuinely good side then but we've fallen by the way side since despite more money and greater exposure.

There's a lot of other factors at play though - one of which is we don't really have a defined way of playing apart from physical. This is my opinion but I think the ethnic clubs probably trained the players in their development in a more european style of play that reflected their heritage, the croats, italians, etc - players like Viduka, Bresciano etc all came through the old NSL system. The only outlier was Kewell who was plucked at 15 and developed at Leeds, but he's a once in a generation player.

Postecoglu was right to a degree, there needs to be a greater emphasis on technical ability and playing the ball on the deck rather than strong and fast players chasing long balls - it might work at a junior level but when it comes to the cream of football, brains always beats brawn. My issue with Ange was the system he was trying to instil wasn't going work with the players he had at his disposal - you can't put square pegs in round holes, ie, you can't make players who've played brawn all their life start playing brains. Players have played like this for 15-20 years, they're not going to undo what they've done in a matter of 1-2 years and in a pressure situation they will revert to what they know.

It starts with the juniors, and the junior coaches need to forget about winning things and focus on player development. That's the end goal at the end of all this, not being coach of the under 12 champions but being the coach of 3 players who played for Australi and played in a way that makes you proud.

We will get there though, I know even in NQ the talent identification and player development is worlds apart from when I played there 15-20 years ago, and I was a rep player too. I would be ten times the player if I went through the system they have in place now as opposed to what we did.

 

[Alec]

I'm glad Argentina made it through, I wish they'd stop playing at freaking 4am though.

 

[Renegade]

I'm glad Argentina made it through, I wish they'd stop playing at freaking 4am though.

skin of their teeth. Their reward for making it through... France. phwoarrr hell of a game for r16.

 

[Super Freak]

I'm glad Argentina made it through, I wish they'd stop playing at freaking 4am though.

I am hoping both Argentina and Portugal make it to the QF so we can see another Ronaldo vs Messi match-up.