Bit late Bot!

Wish he wasnt

I’ve been a big critic of Leckie but credit where it’s due, he’s been one of the best players in the league this season.

I’m actually really surprised how well he’s performed at #10. You wouldn’t think he has the attributes for it. 

He's been great for City since the middle of last season, looking really assured centrally of late. I was calling for his head last year, and I know he's not the shiny, exciting new hotshot we all love, but I'm happy enough with his selection as one of the senior heads. 

88 international games. 13 Goals, 6 assists.
540 WC minutes - 0 goals, 0 assists.
528 Asian Cup minutes - 0 goals, 1 Assist.
213 Confed Cup minutes - 0 goals,  0 Assist.

That's 1281 minutes of tournament time for one assist, against the power house that is Oman.

In this WC qualification cycle he played 864 minutes for 4 goals and 1 assist. His last goal was 515 days ago against Nepal (in the AFCs second round, vs Nepal), in which time he's had one assist. In the last 568 minutes of match time he hasn't scored, and assisted once.

You can say he's the greatest player in the domestic comp at the moment, it doesn't change the fact that internationally he's just not up to the standard.

100%. He is average at best. Never liked him since WCUP 2014. 

I don't disagree with you that he has very little end results from his play for the national team and I don't think it is ideal he is in the squad. However who would you replace him with?

Arzani, easily.

After that Piscopo, Tilio, Folami, Ikon,  Francois, Silvera. 

Arzani - no end product. Maybe next cycle, definitely not now.
Tilio - Probably 6th choice behind the 5 in the squad
Folami - nowhere near
Ikon - Currently one of the worst marquees in the history of the league

McGree.
Brimmer.
Hollaran
Wales

Again I’m no Leckie fan and have been very public on here in criticising his selection in the past, but:

McGree - already in the squad
Brimmer - is a CM, not a winger 
Halloran - decent A-League level player but there’s a reason literally no one is calling for him to be in the national team
Wales - lol
Tilio - Leckie literally starts ahead of him at their club 

Alfred makes a great point, it’s not like there’s a super obvious alternative. At least he offers leadership to the squad. 

I would look at Tilio even if Leckie has started ahead of him at club level, although the last three games they have both started.
Not sure how Ikonomidis is going but maybe he could be considered.
There might be an option of going with one less winger and taking Taggart or another midfielder. A number of players in the squad could play RW if really needed.

Honestly a number of up and coming players could've replaced him, my point in all this is he's a been found wanting internationally, and shouldn't be in the team.

( I hope I'm wrong about this, but it does seem like a dud selection at the moment based on the stats)

I think Leckie should have been converted to a Right Back a long time ago.

His lack of finishing acumen and lack of insight as part of an attacking unit  would not be an issue if he were to play RB.

I don't know if sucking at finishing or being crap in attack, are good indicators of a good defender. He also has poor technique and little tactical ability. What makes you think he would be a good defender? because he used to be able to run fast.

Not much love here for Leckie - and those that do rate him don’t seem bothered about defending his selection either. He is in squad for his fitness and workrate basically 

He’s there because he fully deserves to be there. I do think that after the World Cup, he should be gradually phased out.

He's got the skills Matt McKay, without the tenacity.

I'll say that again.

He's got the skills of Matty McKay without the tenacity

People give crap to Matt Mckay but he played pretty damn well at 2014 WCUP vs Dutch

Honestly didn't see him that whole game. I do remember him running around like a headless chicken in the Asian cup final. 

Funny you brought that game up though, if I remember correctly Leckie was presented a 1 on 1 opportunity with the keeper, 8 yards out in front, 2-all,that was ripe for a head, or a volley, and he decided to chest (that's right, chest!!!) the ball to the keeper?

Yep. Chest. Cross came quickly and guess he didn’t have time to dive head first to header at goal instead 

I rewatched it, it wasn't.

I think he's been living off the outside foot cross he did at Asian cup when we won. Not many wingers have those sort of stats these days not many assists or goals. 

He would of made an exceptional RWB, probably even better than Emerton.

Probably, would have been better then Cafu or Dani Alves 

yeah....and off the fact he basically had a better European career than any Socceroo since the Golden gen.

Aaron Mooy says hello 

Anglophiles say hello back

Dare say Mooy played less premier league games than Leckie did Bundesliga games - I'm guessing by some margin?

Not saying he is a a "better" player - purely talking about the career he had (and I even said "basically" indicating you could argue Mooy or Jedinak had equally good or better since the GG)

Can't talk about careers without mentioning international careers.

I purely responded to the fact he was only there based on one cross.

People quickly forget that his club career outstrips almost any other player since the golden gen and it's off the back of that he was chosen for so long

Now he is chosen for his leadership, professionalism, tireless pressing, keeping shape, not shirking defensive duties, causing turnovers, aerial threat and the fact you can't have a squad made up only of kids that have played 0-3 games for the NT because they are forum darlings despite many people not seeing a single game of theirs in their middling o/s leagues and careers.

Christ. 

Leckie vs Arzani

And I'm sorry to break it to people but defending from the front and set pieces are our only REALISTIC route to goal in 2 of our 3 games.

I know fans love playing fantasy football and dreaming of scenarios where they place an action they have seen in one game into another scenario but these are real life tough professional battles about to take place. Not a Sunday avo in Sydney's outer burbs with 379 people half watching!

Aha If I said something like that I would be "bitter" hahahahahahahah

Aha oh I'm bitter

(Just for shits & giggles) Leckie vs Tilio

again Tilio better at dribbling past players than Leckie. Leckie again better in defense. But Tilio much better in terms of creativity and shots on target than Leckie. Will never forget Tilio screamer vs Argentinia at Olympics

So many of you guys are like fashion chasing teenagers desperate to follow a trend.

Leckie has huge deficiencies in his game and it's sad that he IS one of our regulars
BUT
Leckie is not the problem and it's not his fault nobody else has done the hard yards in their careers to take his place from him.

Arzani or Tilio etc would be a FUCKING DISASTER for anything more than a desperate last 20 minutes chasing a game scenario.

I don't know what world you guys live in

But we want goal scorers and attackers that can beat defenders 1v1 and maybe - you know - actually WIN a WCUP game! Not just defending and playing conservatively over and over as is the usual

but your NOT going to get what you dream for thats the point - but most will blame GA.
The other point is WHY useless Leckie is still there is because no young un has shown game to game to take his spot !
This WC is going to show where we're at player wise once and for all (barring an exception or 2) NO matter who the coach is.

Is Leckie what you dream of?

Because unless we try new things that's what we're stuck with.

Australians especially Australian coaches they love guys that are physical and that can run, we don’t value technical or creative players like in other counties do.
Thats a fact for following the game here for the last 15 years or so and I don’t see it changing anytime soon unless a culture shift happens which I can see it happening sadly.

You dont feel there has been a culture change already?

I mean we are developing more of them no doubt about that, its just what people prefer and like especially in under pressure situations and little has changed if im honest.

We still have that conservative nature of valuing runners or physical players full stop, simply because we dont believe we can compete on a technical level with the countries and teams around the world which is a shame because Ange showed what happens when you trust players to play a more progressive style you can get results but we haven't learned alot since the Asian Cup at home in 2015.

Maybe we have an outdated view on coaching here in Oz preferring the physical types and new generation of coaches coming through the system who value this kind of technical players need to brought in the a-league system? But who knows why its like this anyway.