But notice how, for only 39% possession, South Korea had almost as many Shots on Goal and Shots on Target? And ofcourse more effective shots and goals. Those stats look good for us, but it wasn't looking that great within the first 65-70 minutes of the game where we struggled for any shots and effective possession in the front third. South Korea would have lead us in those stats for most of the game. Most of our best chances and therefore goals were in that late period, with the subs on and we going all-out with the Koreans sitting back and tiring. And many of those 'Shots on Target' were either blocked by Defenders or straight at the keeper, which he managed easily. Perhaps four of those shots on target, he had to tip away for a corner or palmed away including the one that lead to Cowburn's goal. We were pressing high, sitting in their back third for most of the last 10-15 minutes of the match, more than we had the entire game and that's when we were finally more effective in the final third, with numbers in the area against a tiring, ever deeper, defence. I think even some of the Koreans dropped in concentration late in the game, with such a lead, we up against it and the conditions and tournament schedule kicking in along with their long periods defending on the counter. That lead to some errors which we failed to capitalise on - they were basically inviting us to match their goal count.

Well they aren't quite the best of the talent in the pool and if all the top talents were selected, then the A-League clubs would have had all-out war with the FFA again, as lads like Daniel Arzani, Ivan Vujica, Ryan Strain, Nathaniel Atkinson, Lachlan Wales, John Koutroumbis, Rahmat Akbari, Jacob Italiano and a host of others were selected too. These players and others should feature in the coming Tokyo 2020 campaign. And George Blackwood has seen more opportunity with Adelaide United, but with more opportunities he hasn't improved enough and is starting to show why he struggled with the opportunities he had at Sydney and why they let him go. Meanwhile, speaking of talent and AU have unearthed a number of talents in the absence of Blackwood and some first teamers, including Stamatelopoulos who seems a much brighter talent. There were some injury absences too, like Joe Calletti - though one wonders how his smaller stature may've gone in these games too, given how De Silva had a mixed time of it. Calletti has played and coped at ACL level before.

Our youth NTs often seem to struggle with the poorer pitches overseas, but that's never an excuse as both teams have to deal with it. We're almost always too slow with our ball movement and switching and that allows opposing defences to settle and adjust too easily. You wonder with some more dynamism of some of the above players in the team, if that may have addressed some of the static issues.

Milicic needed to be bolder here too and back Popovic as the #9 upfront with Champness or Hrustic on the wide left, to have late runners and more numbers and passing options, rather than the wingers and wing backs sitting back for the crosses into the box, often dealt with or Blackwood not a capable enough presence to make more of it, especially with three defenders around him. Easy to say from the armchair though and he had to rotate players with the tight schedule of this tournament. Milicic would have preferred and lined up to get more out of the Vietnam game and to be resting some key players and further rotating for this evening in anticipation of group progression. But their falling short last game, upset the plans for this game, the most difficult in their group. 

I think this is a really good point. Not just in regard to popovic but in general. I'm confident Milicic is going to be a very good manager in the long term but he also needs to release the shackles on these players. At U23 level it is time to be going out to win all matches. Do what you need to do and what you believe in Ante to get the results

We really did out play Korea for large parts of that 2nd half (sadly after we were already just about screwed) and had more than enough chances to actually win the game even with the shitty defending. If they came out like that from the start it could have been different.

Also, how the fuck did Izzo not come out and get that high ball for the first goal? thats nothing to do with 3 at the back or whatever. its just shit keeping and put us under pressure immediately. Just walk out 7 yards and catch the ball. it went almost vertical. Shit like that makes a difference.

If Izzo is our best U23 keeper things are looking bleak in that department

Lol, Izzo is the best keeper in the HAL.

If Izzo is our best U23 keeper things are looking bleak in that department

Lol, Izzo is the best keeper in the HAL.

Nope

Who's better than Izzo?

Uzbekistan lead Japan 3:0 at half time. 

Anyone know much about former Perth player Matthew Davies who now plays for Malaysia? 

Qatar 3:2 over Palestine.