Socceroos Thread

[Sedat]

Re: Socceroos Thread

Wow! I honestly though that Honduras would beat us. After some of the crap we have served up during this campaign it was great to finally have a resounding win! Its an unbelievably open World Cup field - No Italy, Netherlands, Chile, USA. Hopefully now we get a decent group and get to the knock out stages

Desperately need a cutting edge up front. Defence is solid, midfield is ok but we are shite in the box.

[Twodogs]

Re: Socceroos Thread

Gil and all the AFL media lemmings will be shattered that the champagne will have to stay on ice for another 4 years. Bunch of inbreds.

They don't care as long as the actual tournament is over there somewhere. The only way the WC would impact seriously on AFL would be if they bought it to Oz. Pretty much everyone who loves both sports can love both sports. We are very lucky sports fans in this city.

Actually if anything Socceroos and the A-League save the AFL from indulging in its own worse excesses. If the AFL had anything to do with it they would have 24/7 364 day intense media coverage. The A-League comes along and at least generates more oxygen than just the AFL would like to generate all by itself.

[jeemak]

Re: Socceroos Thread

And we are honestly a pretty ordinary squad - Ange has worked wonders making strawberry jam out of pig shit. Guys like Mooy would have not even been on the park in 2006 and he is just about our best player in 2017.

It's funny, some of the quality a player like Rogic can show with midfield touch and the absolute shite he dishes up as well makes our squad hard to get a read on. Most players seem to have some really good moments, and some absolute howlers with first touch being a massive issue.

Under significant pressure it was really messy at stages, but the squad managed to lift as Honduras tired. Hopefully it develops some quality over the next 12 months.

[Twodogs]

Re: Socceroos Thread

It was a good effort in the end, after a very messy first half low on chances.

Not sure what to do with Ange going forward. If willing I'd suggest he hang up the boots post Russia rather than before.

From his actions and comments so far he looks to me to going for all or nothing. At the end of this exercise he will be out of the role or completely in charge with all his perceived or real enemies (I'm sure he has a list) out the door.

He's made himself virtually indispensable but he's proved he will walk away before. FA need to make up their mind.

[Eastdog]

Re: Socceroos Thread

Great result in the end as I thought Honduras in the first half did quite good. Was very nervous but once we got that first goal we were on our way.

[The Adelaide Connection]

Re: Socceroos Thread

Semi final at best. Ukraine in the quarters was winnable (very difficult) but there's no way we would have got past the Germans in the semi. Still a top 4 result would have been the stuff of dreams.

I think we will win comfortably tonight. We lack a cutting edge in front of goal but almost always manage to score 2 goals or more at home. Honduras are a very average team, and should we qualify we should bow down to both Panama and Mexico for ensuring we avoided the USA in this tie.

There is a massive opportunity for 18-21yo emerging Australian strikers to grab a world cup berth next year if we can get the job done tonight.

He is not a striker, but Riley McGree should be well in the frame for a birth in the final squad. After getting into the Adelaide lineup part way through the season last year he became about their best and most influential players (granted in a disappointing year for the Reds). Was rewarded with a spot in a few of the Australian senior squads (including making the final cut for a few of the qualifiers, but no game time) and has featured regularly for the under-agers. Was also brilliant in the Asian Champions League games.

He got picked up by Brugge, hopefully he is able to see some game time which would put him in the frame.

I should admit bias (I taught him and also had him in a few of my school district State carnival soccer squads), but he is a legitimate talent (the best I have seen at junior level) and a ripping kid to boot.

[Topdog]

Re: Socceroos Thread

And we are honestly a pretty ordinary squad - Ange has worked wonders making strawberry jam out of pig shit. Guys like Mooy would have not even been on the park in 2006 and he is just about our best player in 2017.

You are vastly underrating Mooy here. Really only Bresciano was a better midfielder than him from the 2006 team.

[Topdog]

Re: Socceroos Thread

It's funny, some of the quality a player like Rogic can show with midfield touch and the absolute shite he dishes up as well makes our squad hard to get a read on. Most players seem to have some really good moments, and some absolute howlers with first touch being a massive issue.

Under significant pressure it was really messy at stages, but the squad managed to lift as Honduras tired. Hopefully it develops some quality over the next 12 months.

Rogic needs consistent game time. He will be a very good player but his early career has been severely hampered by injury and then form. Seems to be starting regularly for Celtic now.

[Twodogs]

Re: Socceroos Thread

What a list of outstanding football rich nations.

Wait for the calls for a revamping of the qualifying structure to follow.......

I think FIFA are way ahead of you. They were planning for 48 team World Cup finals since before this qualification even started.

[Twodogs]

Re: Socceroos Thread

You are vastly underrating Mooy here. Really only Bresciano was a better midfielder than him from the 2006 team.

There's a funk in the football world right now. There's nobody of the same quality coming up to replace Messi or Ronaldo.

When Zinadine and Ronaldinho were running out of legs Messi and Ronaldo were snapping at their heals but no one is coming up behind those two.

[Axe Man]

Re: Socceroos Thread

I think FIFA are way ahead of you. They were planning for 48 team World Cup finals since before this qualification even started.

You think FIFA is bad? Imagine if the AFL ran the world cup - no way would the USA, Italy, etc miss out - they would make sure all the biggest teams qualified. Minnows like Iceland would probably have been made to play all their ties away. There would be no random draws to decide the groups either - all games would be decided on the basis of potential TV ratings.

[Twodogs]

Re: Socceroos Thread

You think FIFA is bad? Imagine if the AFL ran the world cup - no way would the USA, Italy, etc miss out - they would make sure all the biggest teams qualified. Minnows like Iceland would probably have been made to play all their ties away. There would be no random draws to decide the groups either - all games would be decided on the basis of potential TV ratings.

Oh man, you're so right. Waiting fifteen minutes while a human looks at the goal line technology* and decides whether it's a goal or not on the basis of a flat 2D image shot from the wrong angle.


*wait, wut?

[Topdog]

Re: Socceroos Thread

There's a funk in the football world right now. There's nobody of the same quality coming up to replace Messi or Ronaldo.

When Zinadine and Ronaldinho were running out of legs Messi and Ronaldo were snapping at their heals but no one is coming up behind those two.

Messi and Ronaldo are insane talents. There are plenty that match up with the talent of Zidane and Ronaldinho.

[Remi Moses]

Re: Socceroos Thread

Stuttering 1st half with plenty of stop start moments , but plenty of positives in the second .
Great to get through, and although it’s not a patch on the side a decade ago, it’s great to be at the biggest sporting tournament in the world .

[Bornadog]

Re: Socceroos Thread