Four...

So therefore that statement really concerns if Australia are going to play out with all our opposition applying a full field press.

I think Williams is out injured.

Its too hard to predict what the Socceroos will do with Ange, versus that level of opposition to say who will impress or be the key players.
My feeling is that the opposition will be concentrating on keeping a very high line to make sure Cahill never gets a chance to head the ball in the box.
Because of that I feel we are potentially in enormous trouble, they will all try to pressure really high because of the fear of Cahill and Kennedy.
If Australia tries to play out with out Rhy Williams hitting the 50 meter through balls then I see a potential disaster.

Unfortunately, no Australians are stars to watch out for relative to others at the World Cup.

They may be the best players we have, but that is all they are. We have no players who are regular starters with clubs in the last 16 of the UEFA Champs' League, or play regularly in the better teams in the big five leagues of Europe.

Only Vince Grella was selected as one of the best 50 players at the 2006 World Cup by the FIFA Technical Committee. We had none selected in 2010 or 1974.

We need to be realistic in Brazil.









Edited by Decentric: 23/4/2014 07:01:49 PM

Edited by Decentric: 23/4/2014 07:02:13 PM

#AngeOut

Cahill
Oar
Ryan
Jedinak
Bresciano

... are our key players.

The rest of the starting XI is really up for debate still, with perhaps only Davidson a definite starter. Hopefully players like Leckie, Sainsbury, Spiranovic and Good stand up and show the World they're quality players. For Leckie in particular, this is a chance to join a top tier Bundesliga club. Even Oar, with a solid showing could find himself at a bigger club. Rogic too.

I'd love Neill to be selected solely to see the reaction on here.

Given the size of the appendage about to be inserted in our footballing rears, I think the only Aussie player to watch will be Matt Ryan.

At 36 years of age he will be too old and too slow to control the small, fast asian forwards. Taking him would be a tactical aberration.

Og already has a contract for next season so he is still a decent shout for the Asian Cup.

That is exactly what Ange himself has said.

Yep

5 ACTUAL players to watch.

Matthew Leckie
Tom Rogic
Curtis Good
Matthew Spiranovic
Jason Davidson

You're basically preparing for the Asian Cup, Neill and Og won't be a part of the team there so why should they be here?

If Wilkshire and Spiranovic can't run the defence with their experience then we're pretty well fucked regardless and Lucas Neill can't change that.

Furthermore why would you deny a young lad the experience of going to a World Cup and aiding his development for selfish old prick like Neill?

looking forward to seeing oar, leckie and mat ryan at this world cup, some respectable performances and they could all be on the move to bigger clubs

this

IMO Neill will be there.

As much as this WC looks to be a changing of the guard etc, if we take over 4-6 centrebacks in the squad I'm sure Ange would want at least 1 older/senior head (even if not to play, just to keep the younger guys in line). And the list of centrebacks that would fit that criteria is very small - the only real candidate that comes to mind is Og.

What a lazy and poorly researched article.

Lucas Neill as a player to watch? Dreamin'!

Lucas Neil has about as much chance of going to the World Cup as Robbie Kruse.

5 Australia players to watch at the World Cup



By DENNIS PASSA, AP Sports Writer

Updated 4:49 am, Tuesday, April 8, 2014

Australia won one of its group games in South Africa four years ago, but will find it difficult to repeat that feat with an inexperienced squad that is being groomed for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.


SYDNEY (AP) — Australia will be returning for its third consecutive World Cup with its toughest assignment to date — Group B matches against defending champion Spain, 2010 finalist Netherlands and Chile.

Despite having a squad containing some new, inexperienced players, Australia coach Ange Postecoglou is undaunted by the task facing him.

"If there is an opportunity there for us to create some headlines and shock the world, we'll take it," Postecoglou said.

Here are five players to watch:



___

TIM CAHILL

At 34 and playing in his third World Cup, midfielder Tim Cahill is expected to be the heart of the team in Brazil.

Cahill is the all-time leading scorer for the Socceroos with 31 goals, his last two coming in a friendly against Ecuador in London in March.

Playing at The Den, where Cahill started his career with Millwall, Australia led Ecuador 3-0 at halftime but lost 4-3 after goalkeeper Mitch Langerak was sent off in the second half.

Despite the disappointing result, Cahill could not hide his enthusiasm over the team's opening 45 minutes.

"The first half was some of the greatest football I've ever seen from the Socceroos, and I've been around for a long time," he said.

___

MILE JEDINAK

In a team mostly lacking in star power, 29-year-old midfielder Mile Jedinak holds the distinction of being Australia's only currently fit player involved regularly in the Premier League.

The Crystal Palace captain has made 43 appearances for Australia.

___

TOMMY OAR

Tommy Oar has moved quickly up the football ranks, joining the A-League's Brisbane Roar at the start of the 2008-09 season and being named the best young player in the country the following year.

The 22-year-old winger first played for Australia against Indonesia in 2010 but didn't make it to the World Cup in South Africa. His did score against Japan in a 1-1 draw in last year's qualifiers, however, keeping Australia on course for the World Cup.

Playing for FC Utrecht in the Netherlands gives Oar the advantage of seeing many of the Dutch players he'll face in the first round.

___

LUCAS NEILL

Lucas Neill may not even make it to Brazil for the World Cup, but the Doncaster defender has been a mainstay in the national team.

The 36-year-old Neill has recently fallen out of favor despite a stellar career which included 15 years playing in England. He also participated in the penalty shootout in the playoff win over Uruguay that earned Australia a spot at the 2006 World Cup.

Neill was heavily criticized in Australia's consecutive 6-0 losses to Brazil and France for his defensive lapses, although he's a big-occasion player who could help settle the squad in Brazil.

Neill, who was captain in 2013, wasn't included in the squad for the last friendly.

___

MATHEW RYAN

Mathew Ryan is the likely first choice to fill the big and well-worn shoes of Mark Schwarzer, who turned down a chance to play at a third World Cup when he retired from international football in November.

The 21-year-old Ryan moved from the A-League last year to Club Brugge in Belgium, where he has improved under the tutelage of Michel Preud'homme.

Ryan played solidly in a friendly win over Costa Rica and kept a clean sheet in the first half of the friendly against Ecuador in London when the Socceroos led 3-0 in the first 45 minutes. His replacement, Mitch Langerak, was red-carded early in the second half for a crude tackle, and Australia lost 4-3.

That could be the deciding factor in who gets the No. 1 jersey in Brazil.

http://www.seattlepi.com/sports/article/5-Australia-players-to-watch-at-the-World-Cup-5384549.php