Palestine scored against iran

Some good points made, Grazor.

The Socceroos are also  a big target. Teams will have prepared  for ages playing us, like they will have done against Japan, South K, Iran and Saudi A. In the WC  there would have been a bigger focus on preparing to prepare for world powerhouses. We were probably  evaluated a game opponents could win in the WC.  Minimal preparation possibly occurred. 

Conversely, Aus is considered a powerhouse in Asia.

Even if Aus doesn't progress far in this tournament, Asia is improving as a federation. Asia's  increasing strength is forcing us to improve. I'd rather be less relatively competitive in Asia,  being lower ranked in the federation, and more competitive outside the federation, as long as Aus continues to qualify for WCs. 

Wow!

Puts things into perspective!

The depth is increasing in the Asian Cup.

Haven't read a lot of comments so far.

Speaking off forum to some mates/family who know a fair bit about football, some good points have been made about the first game Socceroos V India.

I'll state that I've been particularly critical of both Irvine and Metcalfe - when  we had the ball. Why they came into such focus is because we had the ball a lot - 71% possession. 

Whereas in many of the  the friendlies we've played other teams have come at us and played a defensive higher line, ceding space, enabling us to launch accelerated attacks from deeper in the pitch - Irvine and Metcalfe are effective at this. Against compact defences, their lack of technique in handling speed, slows down the speed of bal circulation for the Socceroos.

However some really good points have been made off forum, including some posters on here I discuss football with off forum.

* Australia's defensive performance when India had the ball was very good. Good point I've overlooked.  Despite  Irvine and Metcalfe's weaknesses, both are excellent defensive  players and were against India. The entire Socceroo team was decent defensively. Souttar made a couple of mistakes. Not sure if Baccus was one or not, with Ryan almost having to clear off the line?

*  The Socceroos created a lot of chances - despite so many of them not being good chances. Possibly the only real shank was Metcalfe's, before Irvine scored. He usually uses both feet well, but instead of a one touch left foot shot  ( closest foot to the left sided cross/pass) he inexplicably took two touches- receiving with his right and shooting with his left - with a faulty first touch.

* Metcalfe got into many good positions to be on the end of sequences of attacking interplay, ending in a shot, despite not scoring.

* Irvine, despite having the weaknesses I've elucidated, had composure in  front  of goal when we needed it most.

* India have improved immeasurably since we played them and won 4-0 in 2011. One has to admire their desperate last line defending. They were well-coached and well-organised given we had so much ball. Fair play  to them. We should  credit the opposition for playing well.

* Some of the bigger teams have drawn in the first round - China and the Uzbeks. We got three points. 

Some of the  good points about Aus.

* Baccus 

Given the opportunity to play as the sole screener in a 4-3-3 attacking midfield triangle when we had the ball, with Irvine and Metcalfe the twin attacking mids at the  top of the triangle, he was superb. He covered  an enormous  amount of ground, mopping up and distributing well. I'm a big fan of O'Neill's, but I'm not sure if he can play the sole screener as effectively, by  covering as much ground. Baccus has  the  faster  handling speed we need Socceroos to have to break down compact defences or play through the better teams.

*McGree 

IMO Arnie has to start him in the next game. Impressive performance. Boyle is slightly declining, gets knocked off his feet too much, and isn't able to beat players 1v1 as effectively as he used to. McGree was more effective as a winger than Boyle, and when he interchanged with Silvera as the right sided AM. This was a good  Arnie tactic. India had trouble tracking this duo as they interchanged. Also, McGree swapped flanks  with Irvine, which further confused India.  Good coaching Arnie! McGree is also a more effective passer and mover, and better 1v1 dribbler than  Irvine or Metcalfe in tight spaces. Although isn't as good aerially.

*Bos

Really provides penetration on  the left side with his running with the ball and  attacking 1v1 talents at Left Wing. Goodwin isn't playing as well as he was about 8-12 months ago. If his set piece  delivery and crossing is off, Bos is a more lethal  attacking weapon. In the same body shape as they receive, Bos  can move forwards, without  having to face as side on, even whilst closely marked. Bos is a forerunner of a new much higher calibre, more technically equipped generation of 10 years of SAP and new NC training. Most of the current Socceroos will be  replaced any a new generation of superior players in the imminent future. Bos is the first of them. 

* Jones

Far better at RB then credited for by many fans. The Indian LW ( Chett ?) would have turned almost any  full back inside out, if he was given more quality service. If he played for Aus, given the service our wingers receive,  he'd terrorise any defence! Aus as a team unit starved him of service. I'm biased, because I've coached Atkinson for  very short periods some time ago. Pleasingly,  he has improved his 1v1  defensive skills recently. I thought he should be number one RB, but Jones was good.  He  was positionally sound and composed on the ball.

Depth

We've also got more depth.

The Socceroo subs played better than the starters they replaced.

Didn't see the entire game, but in the highlights, Syria looked better than the Uzbeks.

Both looked like tough opposition for the Socceroos.

What one has to credit - is the team Arnie put out on the pitch against India, was close to our best defensively - when they have the ball.

For our better ball players and effective passes and movers in tight spaces, which was the scenario against India - Bos, Arzani, Hrustic, Tilio, McGree, Nisbet, Mabil, Ikon and DDS ( the latter duo maybe a few years back) -  probably don't have the defensive capabilities? Having said this, McGree and Bos are good when the  other team has the ball too. 

Vietnam scoring against Japan - I think the depth is fast increasing in Asia!

India, Syria, Tajikstan have all improved from what I've seen this Asian Cup.

Trying to watch full game replays and highlights from overnight Asian Cup games on Paramount+  but keep getting video unavailable and error message. Are other people having this problem or is it just my internet? I'm busting to watch Japan Vietnam replay grrr

Goodwin is showing his age. He was never very fast, always of marginal pace for a winger, and so any loss of pace will affect his game immediately. 

Boyle much quicker, but a pure pace player and likewise vulnerable to the progress of the years. 

 Haven't looked at last night's - yet.

 Have had a few problems with replays - fast forward and rewind.


It will probably be too late - but will look late tonight at Viet V Japan game. Will respond to your post then. Hopefully,  Paramount works.

yes Arnie has made us a reactive.. and defensive side..

But you know why the good teams beat us? they just let us have the ball and we give it away in our half and they score, We are very easy to counter.

They KNOW 100% we cant break them down. So they sit back and wait for our mistakes.

All the best coaches know its not about reaction its about control. Control the game. We have no control... just pray someone has some individual brilliance to get us over the line. Very similar to how man united play atm.

Thanks DC google helped with the mystery e.g. https://www.reddit.com/r/techsupport/comments/17roxpw/paramount_plus_error_3005/

What Depth?! They lost 4-1 with no chance against Iran. More like the gap is wider

Actually It is their A team that they could have.  Kubo is a super sub cuz he isn't fully fit and Mitoma is still injured.  The rest is their A team against Vietnam.

Some big early upsets at AFCON. Vietnam performance and result the surprise so far. India lifted but we were poor. The goalless draws weren't exactly expected. Big session today with South Korea-Bahrain, Iraq Indonesia and Malaysia Jordan.

Former Newcastle Jet Lee Ki-Je is starting at leftback for Korea tonight! 

I've always found the SK team fascinating with the mix of domestic and European players. Mids from Red Star Belgrade and Al Ain. If we don't win it I hope they do. They're bloody due! 

Sounds like excuses. Japan, SK, SA and Iran easily beat the crappy teams. It's Arnold's selections that are really killing us. He has his lover boys that he refuses to not pick. How Duke is anywhere near the Socceroos is beyond me and don't get me started on the goal keeper selections. We're good at setting up but finish like a drunk in a brothel 

Two alright chances for Bahrain so far. 

Just  tried Paramount Plus for replays. Had no problems.

Had just had Stan stopping a few times prior too. We have Broadband connection too.

Hope it works  for you, Olderroo. Japan V Vietnam was pretty spectacular too - 4 - 2 to Japan. What a game!

I think Duke has been very good.  I  can't find faults ATM - in Ball Possession and Ball Possession Opposition.

A few other senior players may be declining, even since Arnie planned for the Asian Cup. What he is confronted with is some younger players have improved faster than he expected.   Some younger Socceroos, or potential Socceroos, have made some unexpected progress in the last month or so. 

From what I'm seeing from younger Aus players outside the Socceroo squad, unless many of them get injured, or make bad decisions at clubland, few current players in the current Socceroo starting eleven will be able to hold their places, apart from Bos.

Iran beat Palestine 4-1 more convincingly than us.

Japan had problems with Vietnam too. The latter went up 2-1 in the first half. 

1-1 bahrain south korea

2:1 South Korea with a great shot. We need to shoot more ourselves. 

If we draw Japan at some point that keeper is someone we want to pressure. 

What is really impressing me with Japan is how good their players are in some facets of technique.

If we divide technique up into:

1. First touch.
2. Striking the ball - a) heading, b) passing with the feet, c) shooting with the feet.
3. Running with the ball.
4.1v1 attacking skills.
5. 1v1 defensive skills.
6. Handling speed - speed in receiving and passing the ball on.
7. Two footedness/ ability to play on both sides of the body.

This is Football Aus's definition of technique ( based on France, Spain, Netherlands and Germany), with a few more specific  refinements.

In 1, 2c, 3, 6, and 7, Japan are a class above everybody else in Qatar Asian Cup. And  probably most other football nations around the world too.

Even in the  aspects of technique where they aren't decidedly superior, they are still good in everything else.

 For Aus to beat  Japan now, everything has go right in the Socceroo game plan, whilst Japan have to have an off day. If we play at our best and they play at theirs, they will be far too good for us. Unless  they  to fail to execute their tactical game plan  they lose concentration or have extraordinary bad luck.

With Japan's technical superiority and both sidedness in feet and body, it is much harder to force Japanese players on a less favoured side of the body when jockeying, delaying or showing.

Their possible half second per player advantage in handling speed, means they can move the ball much quicker than other teams - shifting opposition teams out of shape.

Their slick first touch superiority, coupled with both  footedness when receiving, enables them to operate better than other teams in confined time and space. Whereas Aus was lucky to finish 11th in Qatar,  Japan finishing 9th is probably their norm, or even them underperforming. They must be close to the standard of Portugal, Croatia and Switzerland, maybe even Netherlands, at this point  in time. 

Other aspects of game based performance are game sense, communication, organisation, football conditioning and mental strength, where Japan may not have such an advantage. Australia may have an edge in these aspects.  The differential in technique is depressing though.

Of the last three games against Bahrain, Palestine and India (Asian Cup), the defensive  performances were very good  in the first  the first and third games.

Given South K ( a quality side) only beat Bahrain 2-1. This isn't better than Aus playing them a few weeks ago.

A few stats and positives from Aus V India -

 * India had few chances  to score. Aus defended well - both by having the majority of possession, hence other team can't score - and when India had the ball. Souttar misjudged a high ball, which enabled the Indian captain to head powerfully just past the post. That was their only and best chance - I think? Hence, Aus kept its 4th successive clean sheet. The entire Socceroo team defended well.

*  Aus created a lot of scoring chances - despite few being really good ones. Metcalfe messing his big chance up, was possibly the only really good chance we had in the first half. Many shots were half chances.

* 71% possession is very high by Aus. Not sure about territory? We appeared to  have territorial dominance too.

* India have improved. Their last line defending was outstanding.

* In the source I used ( Guardian?) the Socceroos accrued  nearly 700 passes, compared to India nearly accruing 300 passes - close to 1000. For those who enjoy denigrating Aus football, this is a very high and impressive stat. There was very little Contested Ball Phase (  Defensive and Attacking Transitions). 
Others may know better than me, but close to 1000 passes, with Aus's 700, equates to latter rounds of the UEFA Champ League. Despite the modest opposition, India playing a deep defensive line/Partial Press, Aus kept the ball well.
Early years of the A L clubs averaged about 350 passes per game. In Scottish clubland they  currently average 400 ish per game - meaning teams spend a lot of time fighting for the ball, with neither  one team or the  other in clear possession. This stat is analogous to park football, or pub football.

Despite many facets to improve, Aus wasn too bad against India. 

Watching Iraq/Indonesdia on AFC Hub on Youtube. What's this sexy voice I hear in the commentary? Simon Hill. thought I'd never hear this sexy man again after I left Australia 10 years ago.

no homo