Both points are valid. Hence why we are in the position we are in today. We dominate Asia in the air and get to the World Cup but come up short in technique when in the WC.

Oh no we are caught in an infinite loop!

If u try and win an argument by saying some one has rocks in their head you have rocks in your head :P

It would be suicide if we try to copy teams like Italy and Brazil at the world cup, we will look like total fools. We just don't have the players to pull it off, most have a poor first touch and mediocre passing, even our better players like Cahill, Holman struggle at the basics. I can understand wanting to see the national team play fluent, technical football but rather you will see a desecration of the beautiful game, we will be a total laughing stock.

This obsession with technique is disturbing. Sure it's important but not at the expense of every other quality that defines a footballer and a team. Perhaps it's something we can strive towards in the next 5 to 10 years (2018-22 perhaps) rather than forcing on players who are nowhere near talented enough. Just do what every other team does and play to our strengths rather than our weaknesses and we might fluke second round of something.

If u try and win an argument by saying some one has rocks in their head you have rocks in your head :P

Think people are being harsh on Robbie, when he went to Leverkusen they hadn't purchased Son yet. I think if Robbie knew about Son, he might have looked at other options. He will get more time and hopefully be a stater soon.

And if you think stamina, physicality etc will get us anywhere, ditto.

If you think technical, fluent, passing football is our greatest strength you have rocks in your head.

The thing, Rusty, is that one of our strengths, I would argue, is that "technical passing style of play". Our aerial advantage and physicality are other strengths, but they have to be regarded as secondary strengths, not a primary strengths. If we try to play a purely physical game (i.e. a non-technical, passing game), we can expect to be systematically hanged, drawn and quartered by a number of good nations, like we were against Brazil.

We mightn't have the "technical passing style" of Neymar, Coutinho, etc. Nor have we the 1-vs-1 ability of those players (and 1-vs-1 ability is something the FFA really need to improve, it was one of our major weaknesses at the U20 World Cup).

But, imo, playing technical, fluent football is our greatest strength. We still have guys who are outstanding at that in Rogic, Oar, Kruse and Bresciano. If we have a fit Sarota (and if we pick Sarota), we can always have 4 players in our midfield of five who are pure class when it comes to technical, quick football. And clearly, against seeded nations and certainly midranking sides, playing that kind of football is our best and potentially only path to keeping possession and creating goal-scoring opportunities.

If we just go with big guys, we might as well not bother turning up.

So, as I see it, playing that brand of football is our best chance. But as others have said, it doesn't mean we don't exploit other strengths. Milligan, while a steady passer, hasn't the technical ability on the ball or the vision of the others. But he positions himself well to support the others and to close down the opposition very quickly. He, perhaps, is more a representative of that idea of physical football. So it's vital that, in Brazil, our CDM pairing always has two of Bresciano, Milligan and Sarota.

Guus Hiddink did a brilliant job at marrying fast, fluent, technical football with Australia's natural athleticism and physicality. You had the on-the ball technical ability and positioning of Kewell, Viduka, Bresciano and Culina. That was combined with the athleticism, physical strength and maximised levels of aerobic fitness of those guys, plus especially Grella, Cahill, Emerton, Chipperfield, Neill, Moore, etc. I think Guus' tactics and strategies are the best example of how Australia should seek to find the nuance of combining technical and physical football. As some are saying, it's not black and white. Guus found the appropriate shade of grey.


By the way, why isn't Brazil 2014 the place for experimentation? I'd have preferred it if we'd experimented a couple of years ago. But we've barely experimented at all. We're not in good stead going into this World Cup. If we play conservatively, we can expect to get smashed (as evidenced by the game against Brazil).

I don't see why we don't just use Brazil 2014 as preparation for the future. Why not focus on the younger, more talented players. Give them freedom to play the way they want. That is playing to our strengths, as I've argued. And see what happens. It can scarcely be worse than playing conservative, physical football and still getting caned.

Edited by quickflick: 30/9/2013 01:42:00 AM

There are way too many "unused substitutes". I was hoping Robbie Kruse would get back-to-back starts. So long as he becomes a starter within the next few months, his move to Leverkusen is justified. Mark Schwarzer, on the other hand, has made a huge blunder. I don't imagine it'll affect his chances of playing at the World Cup. But it will likely affect his chances of playing well at the World Cup. And God knows we're going to need him to play well. I get that Schwarzer wanted to play for Chelsea because he wanted to stay with his family and he didn't want his family to have to move. But frankly he should have just kept his family where they were (kept his kids in the same school) and he, himself, should have gone to another EPL club or somewhere in the Bundesliga. Just for a year. And spent weekends with his family. Lots of us have spent far greater periods away from our parents/kids and have gotten on just fine. As a keeper he just needs to be in the top league (even if it's a poor team) so that he keeps his form up. Warming the Chelsea bench won't do the trick. All he needed was to do this for the season leading up to the World Cup, then he's fine to play for Chelsea or whomever.

Is Rogic injured? Holger suggested he's not fully match-fit. Even if he is, he's not getting enough game time or being used properly at Celtic. I always said it was an appallingly bad move. Playing in the Champion's League should be an added bonus, not the main attraction of a club. A lot of our players seem to have the wrong priorities. Rogic would be far better off in Germany or Holland. I hope he moves there soon. But then again, maybe he's one of those players who can produce the goods for his NT, even if he's doing (or getting) nothing for (or from) his club.

Still, well done Matt Ryan, Matt Leckie and Dario Vidosic. They've all made good moves, it seems to me. And they seem to be doing well.

He's got to get his groin right first, all else is academic.

It could be really bad. Last thing Babalj needs is to be on the outer at at AZ and then to wind up in the A-League again. It's too stop-start-ish.

Tout à fait! Bonne traduction. Je suis d'accord. Pour ce que ça vaut...

AZ manager Gertjan Verbeek has been sacked. Wonder how it'll impact Babalj...

First time in 7 matches Basel have dropped points... and at home. Well done Vidosic and Sion. Luzern have an easy game (on paper) tonight against Thun. Hopefully Bozanic can bag a couple to become top goalscorer.


[youtube]h53lWKZfXy4[/youtube]
[youtube]22UnqUjRtoQ[/youtube]
[youtube]ROOnALwzKFI[/youtube]
[youtube]LWqK8PDViVU[/youtube]




Edited by playmaker11: 29/9/2013 09:15:45 PM

Another huge Saturday for our Aussies abroad http://osaussies.com/saturday-wrap-51/

Edited by Voice ofReason: 29/9/2013 10:13:01 AM

Good stuff!

3rd year advanced at uni and lived there for a month and a half.

Nice u speak French?

He goes around him, and hits the post unfortunately. Shame! Magnificent (work?) from the Australian Fc Sion player. That may be the turning point of the game.

Balader is a strange verb.

Sounds like he was on the right track at least :)

Here is the quote

55e: VIDOSIC!!!!! Il se balade, et ne trouve malheureusement que le poteau. Dommage! Magnifique numéro de l'Australien du FC Sion. Voilà peut-être le tournant de la rencontre...

Whigh translated means

5th: Vidošić!! This ride, and unfortunately that is the post. Shame! Magnificent number of Australian FC Sion. That may be the turning point of the game ...

The score updated fairly quickly after that on my live score updater so I just assumed he scored. Still sounds like he did somethig g almost right lol

looks like you are right I was trying to read live commentary in FrenchI saw the oword 'VIDOSIC!!!!!!!!'
Then the score updated but I dont speak French my bad

:oops: :oops: :oops:

Edited by grazorblade: 29/9/2013 07:26:25 AM

That is a start and 60 minutes for Oar, and although Vidosic seems to have played the full 90 for Sion, soccerway doesn't have him down as a scorer.

Vidosic scored oar played sixth minutes

Ryan Williams also scored what I think is his first goal in what i think is his first start for Oxford Utd in League Two on loan

That's my team your talking about :(

FN Neil Lennon, FN Celtic.

IF He's to loan though, it will need to be south to England. Not much point moving across, even IF he sees more match time. He's no Irvine, his status already as an older player is greater and whatever he's shown thus far may be enough to attract loanee suitors at Championship level.

But thing is, whether he would see 'any more' game time in the Champ, via loan, is the big question!

It always falls back, it's the choice of club and the choice of manager. :/



Damn, IF he had scored then there may've been more pressure on Son's place in the team! :o

92nd minute, Kruse on his own 1-1 with the keeper, low shot goes just wide to the right. Probably should have went for the near post like his goal from the last game. Probably his only chance of the game.

Kruse on in the 82nd minute, Leverkusen up 2-0.