Australia to be first to Qualify for the World Cup?

[chaminda_00]

I reckon our side is alot better then the one we had in 2006. If you look at that side we had little depth. Apart from the top couple players, the rest were nothing special. Especially up front and in defence. Our attack and defence isn't that bad just lack International experience. If you look at the leagues the guys are playing at it is a lot better then what we had in past. Though like always not everyone is getting game time, but that is nothing new.

 

[Burgey]

I hope you're right mate. I really do. Would love to see them excel.

 

[Ausage]

The loss of Dukes is massive. Surely McDonald will come good soon, wont he?
I hope we don't fall into the trap of getting desperate and sticking Cahill up there.

Our biggest problem imo is we have a hugely injury prone midfield without much depth in the squad. Kewell, Cahill and Grella are out every second game, and Emerton has a long term injury so who knows how he'll do when he comes back.

Quietly cheering for the Blades to get promoted to the Prem, so we might see D Carney ply his trade there. The experience would be invaluable for him.

Still our defense is solid. I think we'll be competitive on that alone, and really who at this stage can say we're not a hope of making the second round?

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

Quietly cheering for the Blades to get promoted to the Prem, so we might see D Carney ply his trade there. The experience would be invaluable for him.

Even if they do get promoted, I seriously doubt he'd even go back to them and I doubt even more that he'll play for them. Barely had a minute with them for the last 6 months, no wonder he forced a loan to Norwich (who have since primarily benched him ). IMO he'll be on his way out of England at seasons end unless Norwich want him.

 

[chaminda_00]

Our biggest problem imo is we have a hugely injury prone midfield without much depth in the squad. Kewell, Cahill and Grella are out every second game, and Emerton has a long term injury so who knows how he'll do when he comes back.

What is wrong with our depth in midfield? Valeri, Burns, Garica, Carney, Sterjovski, Troisi, Wilkshire, Jedinak etc. It as good as it ever has been. You don't have to be playing in the top leagues of Europe to be a good player. Most of the guys that made our so called depth in the last World Cup were playing in similar leagues and most overseas players we had previously played in similar leagues.

 

[Ausage]

What is wrong with our depth in midfield? Valeri, Burns, Garica, Carney, Sterjovski, Troisi, Wilkshire, Jedinak etc. It as good as it ever has been. You don't have to be playing in the top leagues of Europe to be a good player. Most of the guys that made our so called depth in the last World Cup were playing in similar leagues and most overseas players we had previously played in similar leagues.

None of them are bad players per se. But all are a class below the 4 I mentioned and I don't see us going very far in the WC with a midfield of Sterjovski, Valeri, Garcia, Wilkshire. I guess rather than saying we have no depth, I would have been better off saying we wont do well without our very injury prone first choice midfield.

 

[Johnners]

Can't believe you're forgetting about Bresc.

 

[chaminda_00]

None of them are bad players per se. But all are a class below the 4 I mentioned and I don't see us going very far in the WC with a midfield of Sterjovski, Valeri, Garcia, Wilkshire. I guess rather than saying we have no depth, I would have been better off saying we wont do well without our very injury prone first choice midfield.

Name me one side in the world that can lost their top four midfield players and still preform anywhere near their best. Even sides like Brazil and Spain it takes a while to build combinations, which is way their earlier qualifiers aren't always great as they usually build new combinations after a major tournment.

 

[Ausage]

My bad Clapo. He's a champ, just doesn't get injured alot (AFAIK/remember), so he didn't figure on my good, but soft list.

Name me one side in the world that can lost their top four midfield players and still preform anywhere near their best. Even sides like Brazil and Spain it takes a while to build combinations, which is way their earlier qualifiers aren't always great as they usually build new combinations after a major tournment.

Oh no question. I'm not arguing that point, only stating that the big problem we have is our midfield is very injury prone. We're more likely to have to rely on our backup than other teams and I hope it doesn't bite us in the backside.

 

[Trumpers_Ghost]

My gratuitous attempt to prevent this thread from disapearing before the "big" game tommorrow.

I may not even be watching it. As I've temporarily relocated to the sticks, I no longer have foxtel, and am not too sure about Pubs in my town (there are 2) showing the game.

Also on a cricket matter, I also don't think I can see the IPL. Channel Ten in their wisdom have removed it from their regular channel (were it was shown last year) and put it on their new HD channel, which it "has no intention in the near future of introducing to my area." This is ****. I wish to have ten executives in the nets without a bat and box.

Go socceroos.

Archie Thompson must not get a game. At all costs. Even if it means fielding 10 players.

This is just crap! Long live Archie, King of Melbourne!

 

[luffy]

Cause Archie has played awesome when playing for Australia lately...

 

[Trumpers_Ghost]

Cause Archie has played awesome when playing for Australia lately...

Point taken, BUT methinks the real problem with that A-League squad is lack of quality midfielders and no cohesion/experience playing together.

Put him in a proper Oz team and you would see a real difference in his output. He can't do it alone in these Asian Cup qualifiers. He needs to be fed quality balls, and have his interplay with midfielders sorted out through camps and training sessions. (one a week/fortnight would be a good start and dramatically improve this team).

 

[luffy]

What about the times he's played with the full strength side?

Performed well than?

Stick with Keneddy, me thinks.

 

[speirz]

Can't believe you'd consider Thompson tbh. Sure he's the best in the A-League, but the likes of McDonald, Kennedy, Djite and even Burns or Rukavytsya are for the most part already better players, and also the future of the side.

On another note, anyone else heading to the game?

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

I'd head up if I didn't have uni until 6:30.

Thompson is rubbish.

 

[luffy]

He's good when he plays against other rubbish players though.

Have to give him that much.

 

[Trumpers_Ghost]

I sense much negativity towards King Archie in this thread.

Just a couple of points:

- I mentioned that he would play better in the full strength team, not that the team would play better.

- Yes, he has played well when in that lineup (was best afeild until hacked down against China last year)

- With regards to sticking with Kennedy (absolutely, just wish his German club could appreciate his value), Archie is a totally different type of player. In an Australian settup he wouldn't be playing up front, more like as a (reserve) wide forward-midfielder in a 4-3-3 formatation. He is one of very few Aus players who can skip past opposition at pace and has an eye for goal (not in Kewell's league, but better than Nathan Burns ATM). Handy attacking player to have in reserve if the situation needs some late pace or whatever.

Anyways, Archie ain't even in the squad.

The player I can't understand being there is Jacob Burns. He plays in a pub League in Eastern Europe, and when I've seen him play he appears to have absolutely nothing. I cringe whenever I see him on the team sheet.

Expect tonight they'll go with an attacking version of their 4-3-3 formation which will again mean only 1 true striker. I think Verbeek will probably go with Macdonald, but I really think Kennedy's hight would give us better structure. Likely team:

Schwarzer

Wilkshire
Neill
Beauchamp
Chipperfield

Valeri
Cullina
Cahill

Bresciano
Macdonald
Kewell

Expect to see Kennedy at some time (or Macca if they go the other way)

Go Roos

 

[ripper868]

Thompson is about as good as a piece of fish that has been left on the pier for 2 years in direct sunlight.

Australia to win 2-1 after going down 1-0 in the first half.

 

[Johnners]

Cahill won't start, or at least he's highly unlikely too.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

MacDonald will start, no question IMO. Kennedy hasn't played a game for his club since last year, Macca's Celtic's leading scorer.

Do the math.