Socceroos

[kevrenor]

Australia's Socceroos have beaten Thailand 2-1 tonight in front of 24,540 at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, but were on the back foot after 15 mins when a break-away goal by Teerasil Dangda rocked the crowd.

Two late goals by Josh Kennedy (58') and substitute Alex Brosque (86') gave the home side a welcome 3 points.

In the other group game Oman held Saudi Arabia to a 0-0 draw.

The journey to a third consecutive FIFA World Cup heats up next week in Saudi Arabia.

As for performance, hmmmm ...

 

[pjennings]

So a shit performance sees us go top of the group.!!

I think some of the older players need to know that they are not automatically going to make it to Brasil. After that performance maybe it is a good time to make the point is now. Lucas, Luke and Timmy would be the first two three should hear the point. And we need a revamped - more creative midfield

----------schwarzer----------
Emerton--og--spira--zullo--
kruse---Williams--jedi--mckay--
------holman---kennedy-------

I do not like Cahill as a striker in the national team. He plays best when coming from deep. That said he doesn't play the DM role and doesn't seem to set up others. Depending on the game situation I'd bring him on in place of Jedi with 30 minutes to go to play in the hole behind the strikers.

That team looks to be much more about playing football than lumping in long balls. Funnily enough, 5 of the 11 made there name in the HAL

 

[midfielder]

Not our best game by a long way...

 

[kevrenor]

As usual Tony Tannous gives a good analysis:

http://www.theroar.com.au/2011/09/03/socceroos-given-an-almighty-scare-by-unlucky-thailand/

 

[Atomic]

does anyone else think that Rose deserves a shot at left back? Who's in front of him as far as selection is concerned?

 

[kevrenor]

07/09/2011: Australia moved top of Group D in their AFC World Cup qualifying campaign with a 3-1 victory over Saudi Arabia at the Prince Mohamed bin Fahd Stadium in Dammam.

Josh Kennedy scored either side of half-time to give the Qantas Socceroos a 2-0 lead, before the hosts found a reply through Nasser Al Shamrani.

Luke Wilkshire converted a late penalty to seal the three points.

With Thailand beating Oman at home the Group is taking on an interesting look.

 

[pjennings]

I know this is fanciful as Holger is not going to go away from his 4-4-2 with two screening midfielders but Ange's fantasy team got me thinking. Always a dangerous thing!!

Ange's Fantasy XI got me thinking about a 4-3-3 line up for the Socceroos, the squad now and going in the future. Ange had one at the base of his midfield trio, I have two. Though I woukd see this as a fluid situation.

The team I would like to see for the Saudi game is largely older but playing a different formation


-------------Schwarzer-------------

Wilkshire---Williams-Neill---Zullo

---------Kewell------McKay-------------

-------------Cahill-------------------

Emerton-------Kennedy-----Holman----

I don't expect all of the older guys to be their in Brazil, but would like to try that formation and then progressively add younger players into the formation.

I find that to come up with teams and squads I like to look at a team of newer players and a team of tried and trusted. Then throw in some extra names. Taking Ange's fantasy team and losing the older players you would end up with a team like:-

-------------Federici-------------

Herd----Williams---Spiranovic--Zullo

----------Jedinak----McKay----------

----------------Burns------------

Holman-------Kennedy-----Ruka-----

An older team could be

-------------Schwarzer-------------

Wilkshire---Neill---Ognenovski-----Carney

--------Culina-------Bresc-------------

----------------Cahill------------

Emerton-------McDonald--------Kewell----

You could also throw in likes of Coe, Langerak, Leckie, Brosque, Valeri, Oar, Sarota, Vidosic, Rose, DeVere, Kruse, Brosque.