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

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Pykie

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At the end of the day, if we don't qualify it's squarely on Ange's shoulders imo.

We don't have the best team we've had in the past 20 years, but I'd argue it's better than the one we had at Rio. We've got more players in top leagues than we did back then.

This 3 at the back formation has (almost) cost us a spot at the WC. We just don't have the correct players for it and we are so easily scored against by absolutely inferior opponents, it keeps them in the game.

Thailand had around 3 or 4 positive movements, they all could of resulted in goals tbh, it leaves us far too exposed at the back.

The Confed Cup was essentially a poisoned chalice, we'd played like absolute dogshit up to that point with 3 at the back, Ange had even reverted back to the old system (the one we ******* won the Asian Cup with), but 1 or 2 decent performances against top international sides with that formation gave him the confidence to use it in the run home.

Playing players with zero club football continually in the side, Kruse hasn't scored at international level for 2.5 years and Brad Smith over Gerbach (who has performed fantastic for the side every time he's played) is absolutely criminal.

I mean, why use it AWAY to Japan when you only need a point and then a home win against Thailand?!? Absolute madness.


FFA doesn't have the balls too, but if we had any standards at all, Ange should be given his marching orders this morning. Bring in Graham Arnold for a short stint if need be.
 

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UnitedWarrior93

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Well done Saudi Arabia, deserved to go through.

We should've put 6-7 past the Thai's last night so only ourselves to blame, pathetic.
 

John H

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Congratulation to Saudi Arabia. When it comes to Syria, it will be a easy match. The only threat from Syria comes from one payer, the star striker who have scored the most goals in Syrian football history, Omar Al Somah, 1.93 m tall and plays for the Saudi club Al-Ahli.
 

Big_Luch

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Can't believe the critics of ange, on paper this is the worst socceroos side I've ever seen.

Late 90s had Okon Zelic Muscat Vidmar Bosnich etc, early 00s had prime Kewell Viduka Neill Moore Popa Emerton etc even the late 00s had Cahill Wilkshire Neill Holman Kennedy.
This team has Mooy and Rogic that's it. It's incredible this team can even win games let alone dominate sides.
More than enough talent to get wins against uae, Thailand and iraq away.

If those 90s stars qualified through Asia we would've been done months ago
 

Pykie

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I have worked and lived and traveled around Saudi Arabia for 4 years, great people. The misconceptions we westerners have about the people and about the country are incredibly sad and frustrating to me.
I've worked there for a period, my sister was a teacher there.

I'm not sure there's many misconceptions tbh.

A country where a female can't; get a drivers license, go to the doctor alone, have a child out of wedlock without being arrested is an international backwater.

The Saudi men are absolute pigs, they'd put a woman to death in their own country for being raped and impregnated, then travel to places like Morocco on holiday and hit as much gear/alcohol as possible and knock up every local in site, then return back home, clear conscience. They do the same when they travel to Abu Dhabi to an extent.
 

hey shorty

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Congratulation to Saudi Arabia. When it comes to Syria, it will be a easy match. The only threat from Syria comes from one payer, the star striker who have scored the most goals in Syrian football history, Omar Al Somah, 1.93 m tall and plays for the Saudi club Al-Ahli.
Thailand only had 1 threat, and he wasn't even the one to score.

We are in trouble even if we get through.
 

iluvparis

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In a year we have suffered the sad passing of Les Murray, I feel it would be only fitting if we lose a qualification playoff to an American team on away goals.

How many playoff losses did poor Les and Johnny W have to sit through with tears in their eyes :'(
 

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We got what we deserved.
Over the course of 10 games with 5 at home you have plentiful chances to create your own destiny.
At the end of the day we are a mediocre international side with major flaws in our tactics.
Should be able to get passed Syria but playing in Central America will be a challenge in itself. Regions where even Mexico or USA struggle in away countries in hostile conditions.
 

Total_Juddshanks

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Well that's the answer isn't it :rolleyes:
Let's not have talented youngsters in the squad- let's fill the team with Aboriginals.
Ok let's not look at a racial group who are massively overrepresented in the quickest and most skillful AFL players and seriously underrepresented in soccer.

Everyone gets a bit queasy talking about race and physical performance, but if you look around the world at different sports (say basketball, swimming, distance running, sprinting) it's obvious that some racial groups just tend to have more individuals with natural physical ability of certain types. If you look at what proportion of the quickest and most skillful AFL players are aboriginal, it's pretty obvious they have some genetic advantages in terms of fast twitch muscle fibres and hand/foot/eye coordination which soccer is failing to draw on.
 

Great8

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why is it a load of shit? There were 9 other matches in this round of qualifiers to be in control of their destiny, like Japan were.

Japan and Saudia Arabia got 6 points out of Thailand too. Thailand got 2 points out of this whole 3rd round campaign....1 of them off AUS.

Frankly, Ange has tried to play wonderball with a bunch of plodders and crazy starting XI selections. And the same old problems exist with scoring goals. The shoe-horning of players into wingbacks (Gersbach is the only recognised one) has been a massive failure, as has the insistence to play out from the back at all costs.

He needs a game plan that suits the personnel.
I do think if possible all games should be played at the same time
 

wadistance

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USA should qualify on their own
Games against Honduras, Panama and Trinidad to finish off
Honduras have USA, Costa Rica, Mexcio
Panama have Trinidad, USA, Costa Rica

Mexico and Costa Rica are the best in that group, so to not have to play them is a huge bonus for USA. Trinidad are easy beats
looking dicey at the moment!
 

craigos

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Well, what an interesting night. Firstly, Yarra Trams were putting on "additional trams". Ok, the first 3 passed us full and then we waited another 15 minutes (around 20+ all up) for a tram. So we got to the ground around 7:55 so thought it'd be ok. Nope, took another 10+ minutes to enter the ground. I have no idea why but it was ridiculous.

Secondly, Mooy is our only world class level player. Cahill should only be used as a bench player for the remainder of his career, whether that is much longer, I am not so sure. None of our players are willing to make runs if they don't think they'll get the ball. My seats were like front row so I couldn't see crap so spent a lot of time watching off the ball movement (18 yard box second half attacking), Leckie was the only one to make some runs that weren't some token divvy 4 stuff. Kruse was lazy af, at least 2 or 3 times he should have been storming into the back post when the ball was on the opposite wing but would just walk. He'd only been on for 10 minutes so can't have been fatigue.

I could go but it's still so frustrating. We have that many shots on target I think Ange shouldn't be coming in for us much heat as he is but at the end of the day, his reluctance to change tactics/style has definitely cost us automatic qualification.

At then end of this, it's probably a blessing to have these extra games. If we make it we have to be in better shape for the World Cup than we are now.
 

Topkent

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More than enough talent to get wins against uae, Thailand and iraq away.

If those 90s stars qualified through Asia we would've been done months ago
No no we don't. We have a bunch of lower European and a league players with 3 EPL/SPL players. We are crap.
It's amazing we weren't played off the park 5-0 in the confeds cup yet ange mad us look really good.
 
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