Socceroos 2018 WCQ THREAD-v HONDURAS FOR SPOT IN RUSSIA (Dates TBC)

[Great8]

I've said for awhile we are pretty average and tonight was another shocking performance but job done. We will get mauled in Russia with this current squad.

Oh, and it's time to end the Sydney experiment. Always a rubbish pitch and one of the most pathetic sporting cultures in the world. They just never turn up

 

[Punchy Bassett]

Vital, will be the most important match of the qualifiers! Hopefully a fortress awaits at Adelaide Oval.

At least the pitch will be right!

 

[Mr_Bojangles]

The amount of 'Next Vidukas' that have bandied about since the big man left the national side.

Remember when Bruce Djite was 'the next Viduka'? What about Eli Babalj. He was put in that pigeon hole too.

Win is a win but a lot of work needed. Degenek is a bomb scare. Thank Christ Sainsbury was put back in.

 

[gaskin]

Almost as unconvincing as a win could be. I don't understand the point of playing Juric if we aren't going to put balls in to his advantage.

I'll take the 3 points but jeez that was bad.

 

[HODGEYROAD]

We are going to finish 3rd and have a playoff vs the Uzbeks.

 

[Pykie]

Irvine is exactly what we've needed in a while. Especially since Cahill turned striker about 5 years ago.

Athletic beast, box to box mid, who attacks the box and is good in the air, can hit a long range shot to. He's a much much better passer than Cahill ever was though.

Will mean we can play Mooy in a deeper role like he does with Huddersfield with potentially Rogic and Irvine in front of him.

I prefer Irvine over Luongo

 

[apollo_creed]

Next game vs Saudi. Lose that and top 2 gone. Win and top 2 just about secured

No it isn't. If we lost to Japan (likely) then Japan would likely have nothing to play for going into the last game against the Saudi's. If we beat Saudi Arabia and lose to Japan away they would only need 4 points in their last 2 games to finish ahead of us.

 

[Tigersfan35]

We looked really flat last night. It was a great effort to pick up all three points.

 

[hey shorty]

He's tried that hasn't worked. If he wants to make it to Russia (should we qualify) it's best he stays here and kills it as he has been.

That's because he's a downhill skiier. He's a very very talented player but is best suited to being a big fish in a small pond.

Hopefully he can kick on from this season whatever he chooses to do.

 

[peternorth]

I thought the UAE (aka the Es) passing was crisp and fast last night. Impressed.

The sideshow bob guys were dangerous.

 

[craigos]

Really need for Sainsbury to be playing regular football. He is by far our best defender but he wont get much game time at Inter. Needs to sort that asap.
Brad Smith said he's looking to play more football next year and would be happy to drop a division, hope Bournemoth let him go though they'll want to recoup the transfer fee (or a loan is probably more likely).
I'd hoped that Jason Geria would have nailed down the right back spot by now but he has a very average season and doesn't deserve to be in the squad, quite indicative of a lot of our younger players. They have an outstanding year and show huge potential then it just fall away, never to return.

 

[bok_party]

Really need for Sainsbury to be playing regular football. He is by far our best defender but he wont get much game time at Inter. Needs to sort that asap.
Brad Smith said he's looking to play more football next year and would be happy to drop a division, hope Bournemoth let him go though they'll want to recoup the transfer fee (or a loan is probably more likely).
I'd hoped that Jason Geria would have nailed down the right back spot by now but he has a very average season and doesn't deserve to be in the squad, quite indicative of a lot of our younger players. They have an outstanding year and show huge potential then it just fall away, never to return.

Sainsbury has made the bench in the last six games. He's one injury/suspension/poor form from a rival from making the starting lineup though.

 

[ioppolo]

Brad Smith's competition at Bournemouth is Tyrone Mings and Adam Smith isn't it? I'm amazed he doesn't get game time ahead of them

 

[hey shorty]

He had a great 2nd half IMO, but his lack of a quality cross smacks of a guy not getting enough game time.

 

[John H]

I have a feeling that we will get crushed and smoked, our team is just average now, while the Saudis under Bert van Marwijk are rising after years of decline.

 

[hey shorty]

I have a feeling that we will get crushed and smoked, our team is just average now, while the Saudis under Bert van Marwijk are rising after years of decline.

They won't beat us at home.

JMac HAS to play in Adelaide.

 

[John H]

They won't beat us at home.

JMac HAS to play in Adelaide.

I wouldn't be too quick to underestimate them as they have improved immensely since Van Marwijk took over. They are very unpredictable, so i dont think we really can predict the outcome, although we clearly have the home game benefit.

 

[Zidane98]

No it isn't. If we lost to Japan (likely) then Japan would likely have nothing to play for going into the last game against the Saudi's. If we beat Saudi Arabia and lose to Japan away they would only need 4 points in their last 2 games to finish ahead of us.

I reckon we'll beat Saudi & Thailand and draw away vs Japan. Playing in Tokyo isn't a daunting away game at all, the atmosphere is friendly / timid. We generally do OK over there. Are you going to the Saudi game in Adelaide?


I am more concerned about the confederations cup with the group we are in. A poor showing at the confederations cup could really affect our confidence in qualifiers later in the year.

 

[Lebbo73]

I reckon we'll beat Saudi & Thailand and draw away vs Japan. Playing in Tokyo isn't a daunting away game at all, the atmosphere is friendly / timid. We generally do OK over there. Are you going to the Saudi game in Adelaide?


I am more concerned about the confederations cup with the group we are in. A poor showing at the confederations cup could really affect our confidence in qualifiers later in the year.

I thought that we had never won in Japan? I can remember a few recent draws though over the past 10 years.

 

[apollo_creed]

I reckon we'll beat Saudi & Thailand and draw away vs Japan. Playing in Tokyo isn't a daunting away game at all, the atmosphere is friendly / timid. We generally do OK over there. Are you going to the Saudi game in Adelaide?


I am more concerned about the confederations cup with the group we are in. A poor showing at the confederations cup could really affect our confidence in qualifiers later in the year.

Will definitely be there, yes.

 

[ioppolo]

The Middle Eastern teams really don't like travelling outside the middle east.

 

[hey shorty]

I wouldn't be too quick to underestimate them as they have improved immensely since Van Marwijk took over. They are very unpredictable, so i dont think we really can predict the outcome, although we clearly have the home game benefit.

It's not underestimating them as such, but in these games home ground advantage is huge for either side.

 

[Mr_Bojangles]

I reckon we'll beat Saudi & Thailand and draw away vs Japan. Playing in Tokyo isn't a daunting away game at all, the atmosphere is friendly / timid. We generally do OK over there. Are you going to the Saudi game in Adelaide?


I am more concerned about the confederations cup with the group we are in. A poor showing at the confederations cup could really affect our confidence in qualifiers later in the year.

******* hell...

 

[Mr_Bojangles]

I thought that we had never won in Japan? I can remember a few recent draws though over the past 10 years.

I was there in 2009 when Pim parked the bus and we barely escaped with a point. Pretty much saw us qualified 16 months out from the World Cup. We haven't won there but we don't seem to ever be overawed their either despite the opposition and their supporters.

 

[John H]

It's not underestimating them as such, but in these games home ground advantage is huge for either side.

Since you are cautiously optimistic, let's make a bet! - If the Socceroos lose against the Saudis, you have to change your profile picture to a photo of a Kangaroo, i'll do the same if we win.