I disagree we got this in the bag. Arnie is a winner, the cup is coming home!
I disagree we got this in the bag. Arnie is a winner, the cup is coming home!
Palestine looked significantly lower standard than Jordan., So I don’t know how much we can take away from that.
Ikonomidis was fantastic last night, so much energy and drive compared to what we got out of Kruse. Hopefully that’s that selection dilemma done and dusted.
Like Mabil so much - so pacey, backs himself and full of confidence. Doesn’t always come off, but he has so much to offer. Could definitely see him moving to a bigger club in 2019.
Couldn’t watch it last night so just finished watching the replay.
As others have said we will struggle against the bigger sides but honestly, with all of our injuries, I think that was inevitable.
Goal aside I thought Mabil didn’t have a great game, though obviously still better than Kruse. Ikonimidis provides a lot of pace and guile which is great to see. Grant had a great game stretching play and providing way more than Risdon does.
I wouldn’t mind playing Irvine at ten in place of Rogic throughout the WC Qualifiers. While Rogic is obviously capable of making something out of nothing, I feel like he blows cold more often than hot these days. Irvine is more consistent.
Also Nabbout goes straight back into this team when available for mine.
Also the Palestinian fans were amazing.
Very encouraging to see 3 new names on scores list. Should be great for these guys confidence to stick one in the onion bag.
It looks like being a white knuckle ride the length of this journey, as long as that may be. Game should have been boxed up by the 20th minute at 3 or 4 nil, but the final masking tape didn’t arrive till the 90th. Against any other opponent from here on this pattern will mean games will remain open, unless the Socceroo’s can finally find some goal scoring form.
This looks highly unlikely, condemning us to a re-run of recent years watching chance after chance fall by the way side.
If one straps on the beer goggles, there remains the hope that candidates such as Mabil, Mclaren, Ikonimidis, etc can build on their match time, experience and confidence at this tournament and find that killer touch which will determine how long the Socceroo’s stay in the Middle East is.
Still, nice to have 3 points.
P.S. I don’t think I have ever seen a ref penalise a guy for jumping and winning headers like ocurred with Irvine. And what was with open season on Rogic? Maybe ref was a Rangers fan?(Said blushing while looking at Chris Sutton)
I actually think we might go better against better teams who don’t put 9 players in and around the box
Yeah, everyone keeps saying that we’ll struggle against better opposition. I don’t necessarily disagree, but it’s hard to play against teams that set up so defensively. Did well to put 3 past them.
Fox have done a quick summary of potential outcomes based on the result of the next game:
— Jordan, with six points, have already secured top spot in the group regardless of Tuesday’s results
— If Australia win or draw, they will finish second in the group whatever the result between Palestine and Jordan
— If Australia and Palestine lose, the Socceroos will finish third and have to wait to find out if they are one of the four best third-placed teams to progress to the last 16
— If the Socceroos lose and Palestine win, Australia will finish fourth in the group and be eliminated from the tournament.
So, it all comes down to whether the grasslands are suitable for the Syrian players, or whether he Australian players shoes can cling to the long grass.
Or whether Socceroos wear the REDS strip and play like LiverPOO.
Who does it look like we’d likely come up against in the next round should we finish second?
EDIT: Just had a look. It’s runners up group F which is Japan atm on goal difference. Uzbekistan leading the group with them playing one another in the last game of the group. So anything but a Japan win would see us facing them.
On equal points does it then go to head to head results or goal difference?
Head to Head, which is why Jordan is guaranteed #1.
Thoughts on tonight’s line up? If Nabbout is fit, I’d have him straight in, otherwise I’d be pretty happy with the squad we used last time around. Maybe benching Rogic and playing Irvine at 10 would be one change but even that I’m not overly fussed by.
Well one change is definitely forced. Either Jurman or Luongo in for Sainsbury
Aaron Mooy just made the big time, named as the 3rd best footballer of all time by Mia Khalifa (after Becks & Zizou).
Is there a prize?
HHHHMMMmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm…
Don’t know about a prize, but odds on it’s because he looks like a 6ft tall penis.
Should Ryan have held the Syrian header?