Socceroos World Cup Qualifiers Third Round - Australia V Japan/Saudi Arabia

[kaiserchief13]

What an utterly depressingly negative thread.

We were outplayed by the better team last night. Reality check: we were without a full team of 1st team picks going into camp. Not many international teams win in those circumstances. We were unable to avoid likely defeat given the scenario.

Hrustic was a marvel and almost single handedly carried us across the line. He is our best player now by a margin. Despite all the rubbish against him Duke was pretty good as well.

Duke was good but headed an easy chance straight at keeper? Also Hrstic wins by default best player of team

 

[GOALden Hawk]

The decline of talent over the past decade was starkly on show last night. Yes we had some players missing but so did they and our progress as a football nation is a broader issue that will come into focus when we inevitably miss Qatar.

But then there is the separate issue of the performance last night. It’s literally a must-win WCQ at home against our biggest rival and we play with all the intensity of a friendly against Tahiti.

The selections were widely ridiculed pre-game by all, and correctly so. Jimmy Jeggo is no star, but he has played a role off the bench all campaign and is a solid midfielder with experience. But suddenly Stenness and Metcalf are better than him?

Our best midfielder is clearly now Adjan Hrustic. With Mooy, Rogic and Irvine out surely you have him attempting to pull the strings in the center of the park? But no, Arnie decides to play him as a false striker feeding off the little scraps Mitch Duke gives him. That decision alone should be enough to sack him.

Then there are the baffling subs, with Maclaren given 5 minutes to work a miracle.

Plus the game plan and offensive movement is clearly broken. Aimless long balls to Duke was plan A, B and C. And way too often we would simply slow down in possession rather than taking the game on with quick passes and dribbling (Boyle early doors aside and Tilio late on).

There was a perfect example late in the first half where we had the ball near our 18 yard box with Japan out of position at the back. 15 seconds later Sainsbury and Degenek were passing the ball to each other in our own half, without Japan having touched the ball in between! That clip summed up our whole campaign.

 

[GOALden Hawk]

Watched a great little doco the other day about Canadian football and how much they've improved in recent years. Can only hope we take some sort of notes from their example

What was it called?

 

[GOALden Hawk]

Also Iraq beat UAE overnight and play Syria on final day. If they win and UAE lose to South Korea we are playing them instead.

 

[kaiserchief13]

The decline of talent over the past decade was starkly on show last night. Yes we had some players missing but so did they and our progress as a football nation is a broader issue that will come into focus when we inevitably miss Qatar.

But then there is the separate issue of the performance last night. It’s literally a must-win WCQ at home against our biggest rival and we play with all the intensity of a friendly against Tahiti.

The selections were widely ridiculed pre-game by all, and correctly so. Jimmy Jeggo is no star, but he has played a role off the bench all campaign and is a solid midfielder with experience. But suddenly Stenness and Metcalf are better than him?

Our best midfielder is clearly now Adjan Hrustic. With Mooy, Rogic and Irvine out surely you have him attempting to pull the strings in the center of the park? But no, Arnie decides to play him as a false striker feeding off the little scraps Mitch Duke gives him. That decision alone should be enough to sack him.

Then there are the baffling subs, with Maclaren given 5 minutes to work a miracle.

Plus the game plan and offensive movement is clearly broken. Aimless long balls to Duke was plan A, B and C. And way too often we would simply slow down in possession rather than taking the game on with quick passes and dribbling (Boyle early doors aside and Tilio late on).

There was a perfect example late in the first half where we had the ball near our 18 yard box with Japan out of position at the back. 15 seconds later Sainsbury and Degenek were passing the ball to each other in our own half, without Japan having touched the ball in between! That clip summed up our whole campaign.

Ryan Grant. All he does is pass backwards whenever he gets the ball. Too many players with his mindset, not enough attacking instinct and has been a problem for probably all time. Even in 2006 all Jason Culina did was pass backwards and sideways

 

[Angry Red Bull]

Duke was good but headed an easy chance straight at keeper? Also Hrustic wins by default best player of team

At upper level you are taught to head the header powerfully to feet line of the keeper to deny keeper chance. He got the power but was short of keeper because he was a little further out than thought. Miscalculation. It meant it popped up in front of keeper making it easier than harder. Unlucky not poor workmanship. In hindsight he would have been better to angle the ball away to corner and use skid of the wet to help. The other chance he had was a shot on goal that he redirected and almost scored. That wasn't just luck....he knew the shot was coming and turned himself side on as it was so he could do exactly what he did. That's what good strikers do. He is a good striker. A lofted through ball in second half he was able to angle his header softly behind him to a trailing player whilst running full pace toward the goal in opposite direction. That is exceptional skill.

Goal scoring is a matter of numbers. Japan had some 15-20 such chances inside the box and didn't score either. Are they all poor?

Hrustic was really good to a level of challenging as best player on the pitch IMO.

Our midfield let us down a couple of inexperienced debutants that didn't step up but did their best. Gave Japan control.

This talk that the A league is rubbish is disappointing. Virtually all our current crop came through junior football to A league then a foreign posting. More money there and is part of our development pathway that happens. No dishonour in that

 

[Dixie Flatline]

Hrustic was good, but he kept looking for contact and the referee was having none of it the entire game. Duke was better than I expected him to be, but it's clear to all and sundry that Arnold's game plan was straight out of the 1980s with long balls hoofed in his general direction in the hope he could flick it on to someone running past him. Japan's defenders are far too organised and wily to fall for that trick. Would have liked to have seen Australia run at the Japanese players from time to time. Tilio had one decent passage of play when he was able to dribble past a few Japanese players - too bad it was 40 yards from goal and not closer.

Arnold not putting on Maclaren until the 85th minute and Folami until injury time was just poor management. Folami has had a very impressive season with the Victory and having him and Tilio on the flanks in the second half could have made the Japanese full backs play more defensively instead of getting forward to support the attack. I guess Fornaroli came on the pitch earlier than Maclaren because Arnold felt that he was a like for like replacement for Duke, whereas Maclaren is a poacher in the true sense of the word and requires fast ball movement for chances to open up for him.

I don't think Boyle played all that well and should have been replaced a lot sooner than he was. Qualification on the line and Arnold gives Metcalfe (2 caps before last night) and Stensness (on debut) the job of trying to control midfield. Unsurprising that Japan had so much space and time to draw up their attacks last night, especially in the first half.

 

[Dixie Flatline]

 

[Dixie Flatline]

Italy out of the World Cup after losing to North Macedonia 1-0 overnight in the semi-final play-off. Italy missed a bucket load of chances and North Macedonia scored from basically their only shot.

‘Destroyed and broken’: Italy to miss World Cup again

European champions Italy will miss the World Cup. Again. The unthinkable happened in Palermo on Thursday as the Azzurri were beaten 1-0 by North Macedonia.

www.theage.com.au

 

[ioppolo]

Reigning Euro champions missing a world cup, impressive.

 

[TheGreatBarryB]

North Macedonia gives us fans hope ..never know in a one off game. Better than playing a leg in South America if we get that far of course

 

[kaiserchief13]

Italy out of the World Cup after losing to North Macedonia 1-0 overnight in the semi-final play-off. Italy missed a bucket load of chances and North Macedonia scored from basically their only shot.

‘Destroyed and broken’: Italy to miss World Cup again

European champions Italy will miss the World Cup. Again. The unthinkable happened in Palermo on Thursday as the Azzurri were beaten 1-0 by North Macedonia.

www.theage.com.au

Haha. At home too, wonder how mad the fans are

 

[kaiserchief13]

North Macedonia gives us fans hope ..never know in a one off game. Better than playing a leg in South America if we get that far of course

Got to be able to score a goal though to win

 

[NYRB]

In a 1 off game or knock out game it gives the weaker opposition a chance to qualify, no doubt.

Thats why Australia should not be ruled out despite last nights loss.

 

[TheGreatBarryB]

Got to be able to score a goal though to win

Well you never know…Macedonia didn’t look like scoring all night.

 

[NYRB]

For some reason at the moment, I wouldnt fancy Australia in a 2 legged home and away, against : Peru , Uruguay, Paraguay or mathematically Colombia.

 

[NYRB]

the key thing with our trip to Saudi Arabia coming up, what will be our motivation there?

Will it be a case of testing different tactics out? Im guessing it may be a chance to test some different things ahead of the key qualifier in June. With the qualifier being played in Qatar, it may be a chance to give more of the current prop of players experience in these conditions (Saudi and Qatar are quite close geographically speaking)

 

[Bleedblueandgold]

The

Really bizarre behaviour by those guys tbh.
Questioning players' availability when it was only Macleran being unavailable for the Saudi game and it had no bearing on last night's result since he was there.
Apart from him, guys like Mooy, Rogic and Leckie were unavailable due to covid or injury.
Unsure who else they were referring to.
Also Ryan being questioned post-match about whether he really wanted to be there. Absolutely disgraceful question for a player like him whose performances and commitment to team over a long period of time speaks for itself.

 

[AJ_2000]

Italy out of the World Cup after losing to North Macedonia 1-0 overnight in the semi-final play-off. Italy missed a bucket load of chances and North Macedonia scored from basically their only shot.

‘Destroyed and broken’: Italy to miss World Cup again

European champions Italy will miss the World Cup. Again. The unthinkable happened in Palermo on Thursday as the Azzurri were beaten 1-0 by North Macedonia.

www.theage.com.au

This just highlights it could be a lot worse!

 

[AJ_2000]

That's a fierce clapback

 

[Hamingja]

Italy out of the World Cup after losing to North Macedonia 1-0 overnight in the semi-final play-off. Italy missed a bucket load of chances and North Macedonia scored from basically their only shot.

‘Destroyed and broken’: Italy to miss World Cup again

European champions Italy will miss the World Cup. Again. The unthinkable happened in Palermo on Thursday as the Azzurri were beaten 1-0 by North Macedonia.

www.theage.com.au

Checks date

Nope it's not the first yet.

The stats are like my FM games. It does happen in real life sometimes!

 

[Elmer_Judd]

The
Really bizarre behaviour by those guys tbh.
Questioning players' availability when it was only Macleran being unavailable for the Saudi game and it had no bearing on last night's result since he was there.
Apart from him, guys like Mooy, Rogic and Leckie were unavailable due to covid or injury.
Unsure who else they were referring to.
Also Ryan being questioned post-match about whether he really wanted to be there. Absolutely disgraceful question for a player like him whose performances and commitment to team over a long period of time speaks for itself.

MacLaren is playing for Us (Melbourne) against MacArthur tomorrow lol

This whole country before club rhetoric may work for countries in Europe and South America, but it doesn't apply to players here, let's be honest.

So proud of my club Melbourne City for standing their ground, we have been pillaged enough during international games anyway, and the Socceroos suck these days and we are the villains? Lol

 

[Bleedblueandgold]

MacLaren is playing for Us (Melbourne) against MacArthur tomorrow lol

This whole country before club rhetoric may work for countries in Europe and South America, but it doesn't apply to players here, let's be honest.

So proud of my club Melbourne City for standing their ground, we have been pillaged enough during international games anyway, and the Socceroos suck these days and we are the villains? Lol

There was an agreement by Arnold not to start him as favour to Melbourne City?

 

[Angry Red Bull]

Hrustic was good, but he kept looking for contact and the referee was having none of it the entire game. Duke was better than I expected him to be, but it's clear to all and sundry that Arnold's game plan was straight out of the 1980s with long balls hoofed in his general direction in the hope he could flick it on to someone running past him. Japan's defenders are far too organised and wily to fall for that trick. Would have liked to have seen Australia run at the Japanese players from time to time. Tilio had one decent passage of play when he was able to dribble past a few Japanese players - too bad it was 40 yards from goal and not closer.

Arnold not putting on Maclaren until the 85th minute and Folami until injury time was just poor management. Folami has had a very impressive season with the Victory and having him and Tilio on the flanks in the second half could have made the Japanese full backs play more defensively instead of getting forward to support the attack. I guess Fornaroli came on the pitch earlier than Maclaren because Arnold felt that he was a like for like replacement for Duke, whereas Maclaren is a poacher in the true sense of the word and requires fast ball movement for chances to open up for him.

I don't think Boyle played all that well and should have been replaced a lot sooner than he was. Qualification on the line and Arnold gives Metcalfe (2 caps before last night) and Stensness (on debut) the job of trying to control midfield. Unsurprising that Japan had so much space and time to draw up their attacks last night, especially in the first half.

Agree with most of what you say. Hrustic was looking for freekicks far too often.

I think Tilio is a very talented prospect. Goes direct most of the time which is way better than simply retaining possession without advance. Love his play on the ball. Players like that can break the game apart

Stensness and Metcalfe both were outdone by opposition. No Shame with their level of inexperience.

Boyle was a little disappointing but the service wasn't great.

When you are beaten on skill, on possession and in midfield your game plan necessary resorts to longer balls. Has to

 

[Hawks1994]

What was it called?

Terrific question. I don't recall the actual title, but it was just a short (20mins) youtube video on a football channel I watch. The channel is called HITC-Sevens though if you want to have a look