What about dam levels?

Ange  has gone through three different phases with  the Socceroos.

Initially he used a 4-2-3-1 in BPO and the defensive midfield triangle version of 4-3-3 in Ball Possession.

Then he went to a 4-3-3 attacking midfield triangle.

He had a game or two with a 4-4-2 variant when he used Juric and Giannou as twin strikers in one game, with Luongo out on the wing.

His last phase has been his 3-4-2-1 with a midfield box formation.

I'm not sure why he  doesn't use a combination of the 4-2-3-1, the 4-3-3 attacking and defensive midfield triangles, and also the two more conventional 3-4-3s, flat midfield and diamond shaped midfield, in the one game?

He seems to fixate on one formation for a match. Instead, given the team has worked on a number of combinations during his tenure, it could be an idea that Ange changes formation during the  same game. If one  game plan using a specific formation is not succeeding then he could change to another.

ATM  the opposition is setting up to play against us by basing a game plan around  negating the current 3-4-2-1. Then predictably we play it.

Great post D, Foz and Lucie Zelic talked about it last week in their podcast too, they mention the world's best teams play more than one system during the game and think it's our next step for us a football nation.

Ange has used five different formations in his tenure.

The trouble is he tends to not mix them up in the one game.  He tends to play one formation for a succession of games.

I suppose he would respond that he  tries to play one formation well. His Plan B with Roar and Victory was to execute Plan A better.

Given he has gone through various phases with the Socceroos most players would be familiar with a number of  formations with the national team.

Patrick knew

My English colleagues are laughing at our situation in a positive way. They're just nervous about their own situation against Slovakia tonight. I remember last time we beat Iraq at the death while Jordan ended up holding Oman which wasn't needed in the end anyway. Getting anxious about this game. Just gotta get the job done.

Can't help thinking about it the way CitySam said.

They have to score quite a few against Thailand. If Saudi Arabia do amazingly against Japan and go through on GD, they deserve to go through.

This isn't similar to the qualification campaigns of yore when we were genuinely unlucky. We've played shit this campaign. So they can turn up now or suck it up.

It's painful to witness. After winning the Asian Cup and navigating a tricky first round, the round seemed to be easy enough for us to get through. We've blown it on so many occasions.

Guys, it's time to be talking weather. I don't think Melbourne had a good day today. And judging by what is smashing Adelaide right now, tomorrow won't be good either. If the pitch is a pool and game doesn't proceed then what happens to the points?

I don't see 4 goal margins happening in this weather.

Im pretty sure the thur or fri match between Cro and Kosovo was cancelled after 20 or so minutes and they replayed it the next day. 

So maybe we get it cancelled and we see Saudi and japan play before us? :D

I was watching an EPL show where they were talking about stoke city manager mark Hughes using the same formation as ange is and using the complete wrong players in the complete wrong positions, and with a team that didn't suit the formation, but he kept persisting with it, because it is the style at the moment and big teams like Chelsea use it etc.. Very similar to what's happening with the roos and our old mate grumpy ange.

Kinda like when Spain /barcelona had success with tiki taka. Every fuckin man and his dog tried to re create it.

When I started my coaching in Azerbaijan we had a team with a 6'4 tall peter crouch style striker, our head coach was adamant that we could be Barcelona, but the point is certain styles don't work with certain teams.

This team for.example didn't suit tiki taka, and tell you what after 5 games we changed, ange has had enough time to change after realising it doesn't work, but he hasn't. 

The diffence between good managers and bad managers, is their ability to change tactics if you're getting out played, its not working etc and admitting when they picked the wrong player and changing it.

Remember 2005, 0-0 in a must win after 37? Minutes and very little flair going forward Guys Hiddink takes off Tony Popovic and brings on Harry Kewell and reaped the rewards... Now imagine if ange had the balls to admit he fuxked up? Tell you what, the Japan game coukdve been very different if we come out at half time, changed our formation, put Timmy on, took Smith off and ange admitted he fucked up, but instead he stood there, arms folded and grumbled to the press post match. 

Today's game day, I hope ange can put his ego aside and show some balls for once. 

For the sake of the fans.

Sorry for typos etc, auto correct doesn't work on these forums for me and I tend to hit 5 keys at a time constantly

I remember around 9 months ago this whole forum was going nuts for Ange to try a back 3. When he did against Iraq we were all so happy until we saw the results. 

If you have the players who can, by all means. We don't really. In the Bundesliga, Frankfurt, Schalke and more have employed this brilliantly. It's scary to watch as the opposing side.

Smith came off injured against Saudi but I can't recall any time he's made a sub due to lack of performance. Franjic in the cup final was hurt and carded I believe? The same case was against Chile.

I had so much hope for Ange after he changed things around with different phases. I suppose each phase had some success and he wants to be able to say the back 3 works and then he'll weirdly move to something else. I love Ange but is this some massive egoistic issue? I'm really puzzled on how we need to move ahead with all of this.

Agree wholeheartedly. 

I can't recall a time where he's done that either, ange seems to have a weird ego, I recall his time at victory was a little bit iffy too.

One thing that bothers me about ange is he has a formation and a philosophy for a game and sticks with it no matter what, he never throws a spanner in the works, if you're losing a match or its just not working, any coach worth his salt will atleast try and change things up.

It seems like ange is always trying to look "revolutionary" 

I was saying in the other thread, we should stop trying to copy other peoples success (Spain, Chelsea etc) and styles and work on our own styles and success.

Slovakia scored in the second minute so they can stop being nervous and proceed to "just knowing"

England are playing absolute garbage. It's easier for me to see similarities in how poor Australia can be when I see other teams do it. 

Czech Republic is getting roasted by Northern Ireland. I'm a dual Aus/Cze. Where does this shit leave me. Watching England fail at it can only get you so far in life. And the cants equalised as well

If Slovakia and New Zealand get in I can't decide whether I will cheer for the Almost Czechs or Almost Aussies. Knowing my luck they'll get the same fukn group anyway

What is gamespersonship?...

-PB

A gender neutral phrase for gamesmanship.

Is this you posting as Paul C or Paul B? I find it difficult to tell the difference. 

wat

I personally prefer gamesassistantrefereeship

So what are my chances of getting wet at the stadium tonight? Seats about halfway up the lower tier

High

ange did switch between the 433 and the 442 diamond in game a couple of times

Best pack a poncho then

not surprisingly for melbourne,  the weather is going to be shithouse.

wet and cold.  7 or 8 degrees.  not as cold as it has been.

so far thailand have travelled poorly losing all 4 games with margins up to 4-0

the weather will be a wildcard as will the confidence (I think ange can be affected by confidence)

but I think 3-0 is a typical score. 5-0 is unlikely

Just opened the Sydney Morning Herald and Daily Telegraph on-line and not one mention of the game. Under sport, the SMH has 8 prominent articles, being 3 rugby league, 2 rugby union, 1 cricket, 1 AFL, 1 boxing. A massive day/game for the national football team to qualify for the worlds biggest sporting event....somehow it falls below TWO rugby union articles.

The game has a long way to go in media strategy, but in any event, surely it is an intentional strategy not to promote this game. Why would people in Sydney care more about racism in Collingwood than Australian qualifying for the world cup.