https://www.sbs.com.au/ondemand/sports-series/classic-socceroos-matches-and-world-cup-finals

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Ah cool thanks Graz I’ll check into them.

All 3 of our group games in the 1974 World Cup are available for free on FIFA+

Actually FIFA is bit by bit, at leas the world cup, releasing all the tournament matches.

But yes the others would be handy. 

Can you make copies of these videos in case they get pulled from youtube at some stage? It happens.

The rare times holman and viduka played together, viduka finally looked himself not having to be sole central play maker and feed off aerial deliveries

Wonder if there was a game with holman viduka and kewell together?

Stunned at how good holman was even before he started banging them in. Why did he get so much hate? He really balanced the gg by being able to create in z14

Wonder if he was victim of our first foray into asia and how awkward it can be to break down a deep block, he often played cam too so would have had the most awkward looking moments

If I recall correctly the 74 games were about somewhere on YouTube.... Or extended Highlights? 

Well done guys.
Luv the early days through 90’s - more so IF ‘74 could be sourced we were so part time got to admire the passion the guys had such tuff long times of travelling 

I desperately want the missing games from pims era

The 74 campaign would be good too

Thought I'd quote it with latest games. Top effort. 

Àll on youtube so should be ok

Good!

Hope I can access them!

found a ton more videos from 2006-2010 and added them

watched Australia v germany 2010

first time I watched it since it was quite painful at the time

Watching it without emotions I feel quite differently about it. I've seen a lot of matches between Australia and the 6 world powerhouses italy, germany france spain, brazil and argentina. Most are pretty ugly in terms of the gulf in class, except for England in 2003. I actually think this was mostly pretty good up until the very harsh red card

both goals conceded were pretty poor with schwarzer making a mistake for both and there being no pressure on the cross for the 2nd. We were pretty good at passing our way out of trouble, showing a lot of composure and culina was great at opening passing lanes. We also threatened up front a bit, though were certainly the weaker team. 

Against those 6 powerhouses, I would say the only 2 performances from us which were better were brazil 2006, france 2018 and Argentina 2022. I am missing some of our confederation cup games (that I'd love to get!)

managed to find Oz v Denmark 2022 and added it. English commentators, not sure on the station

needs craig foster to be a fan in commentary box haha

Still interesting to view though.

Ah crap you are right thought it was the confed cup match

The Aus France game was the MCG  fixture in 2001. I was hoping to see the Confed Cup fixture. France were very much playing the modern game even then. They underperformed in the 2002 WC.

It is a very good side. Zidane just makes everything look so easy.

Kewell was probably close to his peak  too. 

In the Japan game, they were were a shadow then of the team they have now.

Not sure if they will do for qualifiers - my assumption is that the continental confederations own the rights to these. But FIFA + is free, and as far as I understand has full match replays for every Women's World Cup finals match, and every Men's World Cup finals match back to 1970.

They also have select leagues shown live (and full replays and highlights) such as the NZ league now too. I just learnt they're streaming select matches from Serie C in Italy, which means I can finally watch Catania again

Thanks a bunch, Grazor.

yeah the whole pim era of wcqs are pretty much gone

I notice FIFA are releasing the occasional full match replay from years gone by on youtube. Hopefully they open up the archives from all the WCs.

as a warm up for the big match tonight added 2 games from the 2001 Australian confederations cup

Australia v Japan
Australia v France

After having a good look at the two games against Ecuador in March, it is really difficult to  select a first eleven, given what has transpired over the last 9 months.

I'm adamant if O'Neill continues game time with his big club in Belgium, he should be in our starting eleven as the 6, along with Baccus near him, and Irvine as the number 10.

  Irvine has a good engine and game sense, but can't pay the rapidfire passing and moving game to keep possession in tight spaces. His handling speed isn't quick enough for this role. Irvine is pretty dangerous around goals in the pen box. We need him in  this area of the pitch more. He makes those late runs defenders don't pick up.

O'Neill reminds me of Vinnie Grella, devoid of the histrionics with refs and ceding fouls in dangerous positions around our goal. He probably doesn't close down space as effectively as Grella - yet, but later in the first game against Ecuador and when he came on in the second game, he roughed them up, winning a lot of hard balls and outmuscling them - like Milligan, Jedi and Grella did. O'Neill looks very composed the ball, and makes eye of the passes from tight spaces, plus  has good vision and range of passing.

We need more players like this if we are going to play through the powerhouses, as opposed to our current strategy of accelerated attacks against the big teams.

I'm not sure of O'Neill's stamina, ability to turn quickly and his pace over the turf, but he can play the Mooy role of controlling midfield general.

Looking at the replay of first Ecuador game the Socceroos played in March 2022, Irvine excelled  as Attacking Midfield. He may have been at his peak then. Looking at  this Ecuador game I'm wondering if the Defensive Midfield triangle in the defensive half of  : 

Baccus..........................O'Neill

...................Irvine


is the best midfield for Aus?

Live when I watched I thought O'Neill did more rough stuff, like Jedi, Grella, Milligan, Mooy,  used to do, but at the 56 min mark of the replay he hasn't done as much as I'd like to see.

Baccus has really improved. He is a bit hotheaded getting some needless yellow cards, but he is really pushing for first selected as a DM. Baccus breaks up a lot of attacks, constantly pressuring opponents on the ball into making mistakes, creating turnovers. He covers a lot of territory.

When the team attacks in the front half  Baccus tends to go forwards creating an Attacking Midfield triangle in a 4-3--3, whilst O'Neill sits.

...................O'Neill
Baccus
..............................Irvine

The technical term is rotating the triangle.

Anyone denigrating Arnie's coaching, tactically he is very good. He also has very well educated players to work with.

In the game against Ecuador, Goodwin's game sense is incredible. He isn't a traditional winger like Mabil or Boyle, who use changes  pace and dribbling to try and beat defenders, creating an overload, but a bit like a midfield general out wide.

Goodwin just seems to play the best option available so often, passing to the best  Socceroo in the best position. He also passes well over range to switch the field of play.  Goodwin is far more judicious about when he dribbles. Like Cahill, he is good at losing markers. Socceroos must love playing with him.

Against Ecuador, Goodwin tracks back well, and is a decent ball winner when the opposition has the  ball.

Yet against Palestine, Goodwin was shocking by his own standards. His worst game ever since just  before the World Cup.

Yeah the comments about the war in the lead up had me worried how focused the roos would be. 

Maybe it was a factor that the Socceroos felt empathy for Palestine? I hadn't considered it.