Hopefully he comes good, more evidence that we need a bigger league and a 2nd division when we're relying on players in the Olyroos and even Socceroos with so few minutes. Fuck the metrics.

Ryan has looked promising and I'm glad he's been called up even without senior minutes, will be watching that space.

I really wonder what goes on post match. I think our players and coaches have a culture of making excuses and it hinders them in a lot of what they do. At the same time the result fulfilled the need so why would they care so much? 

Beggars belief that Kalik, Timotheu and De Silva weren't selected. Throw those 3 in and all the issues with this team are sorted. 


Does anyone know if Kalik and Timotheu were blocked by their clubs??

Beggars belief that Kalik, Timotheu and De Silva weren't selected. Throw those 3 in and all the issues with this team are sorted. 


Does anyone know if Kalik and Timotheu were blocked by their clubs??

No idea. Seems nobody's asked.

pity our journalists suck when it comes to picking out detail like this. 

Has arnie given reason why de silva wasnt picked? Seems like tgis olympics was aleays destined for him given how many years he's been involved in our junior sides. Would have loved his ability to keep the ball in this team which we are sorely lacking. He and genreau as 8's ahead of oneill would have been perfect. Even Pasquali

Geez looks like another classic Arnie adventure in asia. 

Glad Ryan is playing but CB is a bit concern. Main thing is the fittest and best available should be playing and I'm not sure whether the current bunch are that. Timotheu dropping off the radar is a massive disappointment while Souttar simply isn't available. 

Timotheu has barely played this season you muppet. 

Our problem remains that we have very few Aussies 21 or under that are playing regularly. Massive, massive problem. 
Every single player in an olyroos squad should be a seasoned campaigner of at least 2-3 seasons of regular first team football. Our boys have nearly all barely played all season, and even then the kids that haven't been playing aren't very good. 
That Mourdoukoutas is an atrocious defender. If there aren't 6-7 better cb's coming through the system than him then we're in big trouble. 

Heck i'd select a bunch of the Joeys squad ahead of older and less talented players. None of them are playing but at least there's heaps of them with potential. Piscopo aside there really haven't been any decent performers. Even then Piscopo has been largely anonymous, set peices awful, doing nothing most of the game but then coming up with a killer pass at a crucial point. But at least he can deliver a killer pass..!

how is the different to to more than half the team muppet?!

Are you racist of any chance with that Toure score? He wasn't at his best but hardly the worst for me that belonged to either Duncan or Baccus.

Haha take your medications mate.

yep great comeback mate... really proved my point wrong with that didnt you...

Not racist. His performance was abysmal.
Couldn't beat anyone, couldn't put a pass on, couldn't get a shot of any kind on target. Looked the same in his other games.
And as for Baccus, who put the past on the secondary assist to Piscopo for the pass to Silvera? Look again

Silvera isn’t in the squad. He is currently trialling with LAFC in the MLS. That was Najjarine. Pot kettle stuff. 

Dylan Ryan looks like he could be a decent player. He looks like a player with talent, just not playing too much. Perhaps a stint in Belgium or something would be beneficial.

Baccus got the ball, put it through to Piscopo who put the ball through to Najjarine. Watch the replay properly

not wrong bacchus is abysmal so too Duncan and Bouman and id hate to see more of metcalfe or Laws if these guys are starting over them. No excuse for Kalik and De silva not getting selected (unless Kalik was vetoed by club)

Qatar drew Japan (1-1)
And Saudi Arabia beat Syria 1-0

So looks like we play Syria on Saturday night, if not mistaken

Will we beat them??

Which length will the grass be?

Investigation already in place. 

We've got shaky defence and they're slippery. I can assume any attempt to be robust will be met with falling and screaming. 

Just get your heads on straight for once and play directly! Our goals have been from quick movements all tournament. 

100%. When youve got an attacking lineup like ours (and a pitiful defence and mid) should just be playing direct on the counter. Would love a attacking lineup of...

Italiano     Piscopo     Nemjarrine 
                  Folami 

Lot of speed there. play like man u on the break and direct.

Would be a bold rotation but the conditions have eaten away at every team. If Syria don't rotate our pace might just catch them off guard. I really want to see Folami and Italiano should feature at some point. 

Duncan has had a torrid time but I still think there's a lot of value there and he's one of the youngest. O'Neill needs to rise and lead. How I want to advance! 

Glad to see Qatar didn't get out of the group.

Iran beating China 1-0 and South Korea beating Uzbekistan 2-1 but Uzbekistan finishing second over Iran on group GD.

poetic justice 

Toure was playing a role which was difficult on the day, he had little support which didn't help him, remember this is his first full season is a pro so we can't so much at this stage.
It would be interesting if Folami was given a chance or if Arnie should have considering Pierce Waring who is known for holding the ball up but lacks in forward runs.

Baccus was overall quite poor, to me he has a ceiling if anyone was to have him in the side unless he can improve his game in the future, no coincidence he and O'Neill are part of the two worst sides in the a-league started against Iraq.