Group F: Brazil, Croatia, Australia, Japan - Page 3

Cloete · 07-06-2006, 03:47 AM

I think Croatia are way overrated though. They really don't have a team that's anything special.

They have a solid backline but they lack ALOT in midfield and are really nothing great up front at all. They had a great qualifying but I think Sweden must have been poor to lose at home to that team. It really doesn't offer anything special in attack IMO.

Simon · 07-06-2006, 06:41 AM

Just thought id bring up my current dislike for average Australian who has all of a sudden become a football expert. It's great people are taking notice of the game in the country now but a lot of people who dont know a lot about football seem to have unrealistic expectation. Like people ring up the radio when they are discussing it and they are like "yeh go Aussies, yay, Harry Kewell hes so good" etc... they dont really have much idea and they are gonna be majorly disapointed when we dont win the cup.

Rant over.

Blewy · 07-06-2006, 07:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by broncoman

Just thought id bring up my current dislike for average Australian who has all of a sudden become a football expert. It's great people are taking notice of the game in the country now but a lot of people who dont know a lot about football seem to have unrealistic expectation. Like people ring up the radio when they are discussing it and they are like "yeh go Aussies, yay, Harry Kewell hes so good" etc... they dont really have much idea and they are gonna be majorly disapointed when we dont win the cup.

Rant over.

I know what you mean..

I had a discussion with a guy at work the other day who knows absolutley nothing about football yet he was telling me that Australia will go very close to winning it.. I asked him why he thinks that and he said because "Harry Kewell has the experience of playing in front of big crowds".. I Burst into laughter and walked off...

Simon · 07-06-2006, 07:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blewy

I know what you mean..

I had a discussion with a guy at work the other day who knows absolutley nothing about football yet he was telling me that Australia will go very close to winning it.. I asked him why he thinks that and he said because "Harry Kewell has the experience of playing in front of big crowds".. I Burst into laughter and walked off...

imo its become a lot like Melbourne cup time every year when every person in Australia is a racing expert...

Great Birtannia · 07-06-2006, 08:26 AM

I'd say Schwarzer, Neill, Grella, Cahill and Viduka are all more important to the side than Kewell is. Bresciano and Culina not far behind. I'm looking forward to the game tonight. Hopefully we see Beauchamp, Kennedy and I wouldn't mind having a look at Patafta for the hell of it.

Simon · 07-06-2006, 08:35 AM

Bresciano is the key man imo, when hes at his very best he is our best performer.

dontcloseyoureyes · 07-06-2006, 08:46 AM

Bresciano plays at his best when he's got Kewell alongside him. Means he doesn't have to play on the left, and can roam around a little more in the middle of the park, where he's at his most dangerous.

ash chaulk · 07-06-2006, 09:04 AM

i believe we'll make the 2nd round tho

FaaipDeOiad · 07-06-2006, 09:05 AM

My favourite claim is that Viduka will win the golden boot, personally. I'd back Schwarzer to do it first.

Anyway, Kewell at his best is still probably the most dangerous player Australia has. However, there's several players who are more consistent and more likely to have a big impact in any given game. Kewell will certainly be a more dangerous proposition if he's not getting so much attention because the likes of Bresciano and Cahill are performing.

bugssy · 07-06-2006, 09:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blewy

I know what you mean..

I had a discussion with a guy at work the other day who knows absolutley nothing about football yet he was telling me that Australia will go very close to winning it.. I asked him why he thinks that and he said because "Harry Kewell has the experience of playing in front of big crowds".. I Burst into laughter and walked off...

funny that, that has happened at my work too... its very sad sometimes, but it is good that more people are taking notice of the sport but yes they wilbe very dissapointed.

BoyBrumby · 07-06-2006, 11:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cloete

I think Croatia are way overrated though. They really don't have a team that's anything special.

They have a solid backline but they lack ALOT in midfield and are really nothing great up front at all. They had a great qualifying but I think Sweden must have been poor to lose at home to that team. It really doesn't offer anything special in attack IMO.

I'd underestimate them at your peril. They also recently dicked Argentina. They'll defend deep & counter quickly. The coach's son is supposed to be a real talent & with Australia's er, combative, defending I can see Rangers' queen of the swan dive, Prso, winning free-kicks galore.

FaaipDeOiad · 07-06-2006, 01:26 PM

Pretty worrying stuff for Australia tonight. 3-1 seems like a good score, but a 1-1 draw was on the cards for a long time, and the play was generally shoddy given the quality of the opposition. Defence looked really loose again, much like in the first half against Holland, and against a more capable attacking side we might well have conceded a few more goals aside from Neill's blunder.

Elsewhere, Aloisi and Kennedy were the most impressive. Aloisi played a good 90 minutes and could have scored a few times, and Kennedy looked really dangerous the whole time he was on, and is certainly a much better option than Archie Thompson for mine. Kewell had some good touches in the first half on the rare occasions he got into the game, and Emerton was poor in the first half but good in the second. Cahill was quiet, as was Sterjovski despite the goal, and Skoko.

It's not a hugely important game obviously, and we weren't playing our first team, but it's a big concern heading into the world cup when a team like Liechtenstein gets behind your defence half a dozen times in 90 minutes. They were actually pretty solid at the back, and scoring 3 times is a nice effort, but defending has been the obvious focus of the buildup for Australia from the start, and it doesn't seem like there's been huge improvements.

Matteh · 07-06-2006, 01:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by broncoman

imo its become a lot like Melbourne cup time every year when every person in Australia is a racing expert...

It's like when England actually win the Ashes everyone suddenly becomes a cricket expert...

Cloete · 07-06-2006, 04:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BoyBrumby

I'd underestimate them at your peril. They also recently dicked Argentina. They'll defend deep & counter quickly. The coach's son is supposed to be a real talent & with Australia's er, combative, defending I can see Rangers' queen of the swan dive, Prso, winning free-kicks galore.

There's no denying they're a good team but I just think they're a bit overrated.

Certainly a top defence and Stipe is no mug at all, but does Prso, Olic and Klasnic really scare me? I'd have to say no. Kranjcar has put on a bit of weight and I don't think he'll perform. The screams of nepotism will overawe him when he underperforms just a bit and they really don't offer much else in midfield.

I can see how the like the counterattack though. Very strng backline and not much in midfield means they want to get it out as quickly as possible. Only player I worry about to give penalties is Moore, Neill has turned into a very good player while Moore still has a tendancy to dive in.

There's no denying they're a good team and that they'll be difficutl to beat, I just don't think they're as good as everyone thinks player for player. Their '98 team had alot more class, particularly in midfield. Should be great to watch anyway.

ash chaulk · 07-06-2006, 06:24 PM

we looked dodgy down back how much room are we going to give up. Popovic not his best. Glad the A-League boys got a run and Kennedy looked good liked his work always applying presure and a good goal.

07-06-2006, 03:47 AM	#31 (permalink)
Cloete International Captain Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Suncorp Stadium Posts: 7,004	I think Croatia are way overrated though. They really don't have a team that's anything special. They have a solid backline but they lack ALOT in midfield and are really nothing great up front at all. They had a great qualifying but I think Sweden must have been poor to lose at home to that team. It really doesn't offer anything special in attack IMO. __________________ CWXI Regular - Member of CW Black Blacks ftw

07-06-2006, 08:46 AM	#37 (permalink)
dontcloseyoureyes BARNES OUT Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: WILDCARD, BITCHES Posts: 27,716	Bresciano plays at his best when he's got Kewell alongside him. Means he doesn't have to play on the left, and can roam around a little more in the middle of the park, where he's at his most dangerous. __________________ The one, the only CW Black Code: 47.3 W Coppinger to Heads Smacked the ball straight into the groin of Iwuajoku who has fallen over, miraculously with the ball still caught in his scrotal area! Out! TO OUR FOREFATHERS

07-06-2006, 09:05 AM	#39 (permalink)
FaaipDeOiad Hall of Fame Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Australia Posts: 18,682	My favourite claim is that Viduka will win the golden boot, personally. I'd back Schwarzer to do it first. Anyway, Kewell at his best is still probably the most dangerous player Australia has. However, there's several players who are more consistent and more likely to have a big impact in any given game. Kewell will certainly be a more dangerous proposition if he's not getting so much attention because the likes of Bresciano and Cahill are performing. __________________ I know a place where a royal flush Can never beat a pair

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07-06-2006, 06:41 AM	#32 (permalink)
Simon Request Your Custom Title Now! Join Date: May 2002 Location: Canberra Posts: 25,596	Just thought id bring up my current dislike for average Australian who has all of a sudden become a football expert. It's great people are taking notice of the game in the country now but a lot of people who dont know a lot about football seem to have unrealistic expectation. Like people ring up the radio when they are discussing it and they are like "yeh go Aussies, yay, Harry Kewell hes so good" etc... they dont really have much idea and they are gonna be majorly disapointed when we dont win the cup. Rant over.

07-06-2006, 08:26 AM	#35 (permalink)
Great Birtannia U19 Captain Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Australia Posts: 687	I'd say Schwarzer, Neill, Grella, Cahill and Viduka are all more important to the side than Kewell is. Bresciano and Culina not far behind. I'm looking forward to the game tonight. Hopefully we see Beauchamp, Kennedy and I wouldn't mind having a look at Patafta for the hell of it.

07-06-2006, 08:35 AM	#36 (permalink)
Simon Request Your Custom Title Now! Join Date: May 2002 Location: Canberra Posts: 25,596	Bresciano is the key man imo, when hes at his very best he is our best performer.

07-06-2006, 01:26 PM	#42 (permalink)
FaaipDeOiad Hall of Fame Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Australia Posts: 18,682	Pretty worrying stuff for Australia tonight. 3-1 seems like a good score, but a 1-1 draw was on the cards for a long time, and the play was generally shoddy given the quality of the opposition. Defence looked really loose again, much like in the first half against Holland, and against a more capable attacking side we might well have conceded a few more goals aside from Neill's blunder. Elsewhere, Aloisi and Kennedy were the most impressive. Aloisi played a good 90 minutes and could have scored a few times, and Kennedy looked really dangerous the whole time he was on, and is certainly a much better option than Archie Thompson for mine. Kewell had some good touches in the first half on the rare occasions he got into the game, and Emerton was poor in the first half but good in the second. Cahill was quiet, as was Sterjovski despite the goal, and Skoko. It's not a hugely important game obviously, and we weren't playing our first team, but it's a big concern heading into the world cup when a team like Liechtenstein gets behind your defence half a dozen times in 90 minutes. They were actually pretty solid at the back, and scoring 3 times is a nice effort, but defending has been the obvious focus of the buildup for Australia from the start, and it doesn't seem like there's been huge improvements.

07-06-2006, 06:24 PM	#45 (permalink)
ash chaulk International Captain Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Perth. WA Posts: 6,649	we looked dodgy down back how much room are we going to give up. Popovic not his best. Glad the A-League boys got a run and Kennedy looked good liked his work always applying presure and a good goal.

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