Tactically, in the second game, Ecuador again Squeezed Intensively and Full Pressed for most of the first  65 mins mins. Aus was under great pressure in time and space restrictions for these 65 mins.

In build ups progressing  forwards, often the advanced Socceroo players received the ball, whilst facing their own goal. This is hard.

Coincidentally, at the  53 min mark O'Neill came on and Rowles came on at 62 mins. The positive impact they had on the defence was extraordinary. The defensive shape was much better.  Also, Aussies in more advanced positions started receiving  more balls facing forwards.

Didn't matter who Rodriguez came up against, Wright or Rowles,  the Aus CBs at least matched his strength. Rodriguez, after being so dominant, faded out of the game. 

O'Neill looks like he has already played 100 games at DM, such is his supportive off the ball movement in support of ball carriers.

Basically he ran the show as a midfield general as Ecuador's gas  reserves were drained from their full blooded, energetic Squeezing and Full Pressing game, which sapped their  energy reserves later in the  match. Not only that, O'Neill thrived on the rough stuff, outmuscling all of his Ecuadorean opponents.

He passes well with both feet with the inside of the foot,  plays the harder  outside of the foot passes in tight spaces with his right foot. None of the tight angles or limited space worried O'Neill at all.  His vision is good too, passing to  teammates over range.  O'Neill slowed the game down and sped it up, importantly providing rhythm changes. This guy has to be a dead set Socceroo starter ATM, given his display against Ecuador. At this point in time he is the first player I'd select in the midfield.

A fe w people  off forum  thought both Devlin and Mc Gree, both who I didn't notice much live.

 Devlin

From watching the replay,  Devlin struggled. He tackled well when he read the challenges, but often he didn't anticipate possible ball winning actions. He is also is a bit too right foot dominant, both in tackling, receiving and passing. Hence, he is easier to jockey on to a non-favoured side of the body.  He also tackles  off the wrong foot at times. Once he covered really well though. As Degenek attempted a sliding tackle, missed and left a  huge hole behind him on the right flank, Devlin   tracked back and covered it well.

Devlin's cause wasn't helped by Ecuador playing at their highest tempo, all of the time he was on the pitch, but O'Neill was decidedly better as a DM or midfield screener. Devlin did not  show for the ball like O'Neill. However, O'Neill can still improve more in this facet of the game. Losing the marker by  feinting, by checking (  faking in one direction, then running in the other to open  passing lanes), could  improve.

McGree

I think he may have been the Socceroo most hacked and fouled by the Ecuadorean defenders.

While often receiving in unfavourable  body position, with him facing his own goal, not the opposition goal, he was under immense pressure, because of the quality of the Ecuadorean off the ball pressure. He did quite a few useful things over the 90 mins though. This was  apparent later in the game as the Socceroos attacking players received a lot more ball with their body position facing forwards.

Cummings in this list is a reflection of how poor our depth is at CF more than anything. And that I don't rate Maclaren at NT level. Would love to see someone like A. Kuol, D'Agostino, M. Toure break through at their clubs. 

I don't think Volpato would have any trouble at NT level personally, more depends on whether he picks us. 

I'd just play Strain. Also hoping Miller keeps getting minutes at Hibs. 

100%. Infact when I saw the team sheet it's the first thing I noticed. 

Cummings is out  of his depth at international level. Duke and Borrello are much more useful as central strikers.

When the other team has the  ball  both close down space really well, creating counterpressing  turnovers in the the attacking third/half. They've also  scored  handy goals, demonstrating composure around the goals.

Maclaren is one of my favourite players. However, he has excelled at club level in AL M from having teams develop  a game plan around him.  Unfortunately, he isn't able to win the ball for himself, without  being the focal point  of a team's game plan at international level.

He isn't robust enough physically to hold the ball up and be a target player.  Maclaren  isn't  a great 1v1 exponent either with ball winning capacity, or, dribbling around defenders. His Socceroo peers admire his finishing prowess, but he doesn't create enough  opportunities for himself, or assists for team-mates  at  international level for the Socceroos.

With Cummings and Maclaren's scoring prowess in the AL, it is hard to believe that Duke and Borrello, look to be better options as Socceroo strikers.  

One of the phenomena Arnie alluded to in interviews is that there are only three decent pitches in Scotland. I'd surmise it is Hampden Park and Rangers and Celtic's home grounds.

It is a bit difficult to extrapolate performance on dodgy Scottish pitches to international football where the Socceroos play their games. Devlin is apparently going well in Scotland, but at international level, is nowhere near as good as O'Neill as a defensive screener/ DM. O'Neill  plays AL football.

Devlin isn't going well ATM.  Mostly Sitting on the bench. The only guy doing well at Heart is Kyle Rowles 

I agree we dont have alot to work with in terms of No.9s however I was impressed with Borrello as a false No.9 and showed more than Maclaren who doesn't do alot outside of finishing.

If there is some optimism for the future there is future No.9 prospects to look out for, Max Caputo (who scored he's first goal yesterday), Luka Jovanovic who are 17 and Archie Goodwin who is 18 have scored goals this season whilst there is someone like Noah Botic who is leading the new prospects having scored 5 goals this season.
So there are future options to look out for too.

Archie makes room for himself (especially for headers) by fouling the opposition - a la Cahill. The difference is that Timmy would do it before the ball was delivered, Archie does it while it is being delivered. A lot of his goals will be chalked off unless he gets a bit smarter in that area. But he does know where the net is.

I don't mean to sound like this is an attack, but do you even watch much football? 

You have very strong opinions on football related matters but some of the mostly basic things that are happening you are not even aware of.

I find it odd that you'll be invested enough to analyse a game a week after it's done and take notes but don't even really know what's happening in the sphere of Aussie football currently or historically sometimes. This is not an criticism or playing the man, I just find it odd.

I noticed this the most... Devlin went hiding almost when playing out, where as Aiden always made himself available and is just more a presence in that midfield imo. 

I'll be surprised if Aiden is still here next season.

For a second there I thought you were addressing the FA :P

correction :)

:)

I don't think it's an issue that Strain or Miller play in Scotland. It doubles the games on offer (if playing) in a league of comparable quality to the AL, but with two very good top teams. I don't share your view about the SPL and don't think it should influence NT selection. 

I like Borello and Dukes WC won me over. I tend to agree re: Cummings. The cupboards bare at CF so looking forward to see how the younger players progress. 

A hadn't given a lot of thought to those younger players but definitely a group to keep an eye on. Novello another option perhaps too. Who is your pick of the bunch? Botic is hard to pass by given his recent form. 

Right now I would say Botic, but also the likes of Mo Toure and Alou Kuol who we can’t forget as well.

Agree on both. A. Kuol needs to sort out his club situation. Stuttgarts doing him no good. 

Fair comment, TSF.

I have also studied the history of football quite assiduously, as well as trends in international football including which coaches brought new  playing styles to the game, like Lobanovski, Maslov, Michels, Hererra, Platini, Cruyff, Van Gaal, etc. I'm sure I have gaps though, like most. I've also  undertaken a lot of semi-pro  coach  education, including on the ground sessions, regularly,  with top coaches in Aus, and  Dutch coaches.

The only club football I currently watch is FTA ALM. I don't have a club team to support with parochial interest.  If I had a pro club based here, I'd become a member and attend every game. Whilst Fox was still covering AL football, I used to watch most  AL M games, or segments of most games, until about a year or so ago.

I think overseas club football is too dominated by money. It is like rich men playing each other - oil sheiks, America billionaires, Russian oligarchs, etc. So I'm not prepared to pay money to watch it.

When it comes to international football, I'm  very  interested. I study it assiduously at times. I like replaying Socceroo games, because I have a parochial interest - unlike other pro football.

 My views are not unsubstantiated though. I'm using football specific performance criteria to  analyse players/teams  with a degree of objectivity.  Others  can sometimes use a player's club, and try and extrapolate it to what they are doing in the international sphere. It  doesn't  work like that.

Ta.

I think it was better off the ball movement  from O'Neill, but he could have still done more work to shake the two Ecuadorean markers who were slightly  in  front of him, closer to our defensive goal as wewere playing out. They were blocking our passing lanes.

I have not watched the SPL or SPFL for  a few years, and it was a very physical league.

According to Arnie, and Kuol  it is still overly physical, with a lot of big lads. Arnie implied most of the  pitches aren't  good enough to play technical football. However, I take the point that Martin Boyle has played his club football on Scottish  pitches and has been a qualified success as a Socceroo.

Another phenomenon about Scotland, acknowledging the fact they  play more games than the AL, which is good for development, is they haven't qualified for a World Cup for 25 years. Hence, the Scottishbasedroos, in all probability don't play against many players with World Cup Finals or Euro Champ Finals experience week in, week out, at club level.

I'm sure there are a number of players in Celtic and  Rangers who have had international success, but I'd surmise not a lot more players outside those two teams are successful international players playing in successful national teams. 

Having said that, how good are Scottish club coaches? How well are they trained?  Few would have the same quality as Arnie, and could  make different decisions about players' ability.

If our Aussie players play in the Netherlands, the coaches are usually extremely well-trained. The may extend to Denmark too. If they play in Japan, South Korea and the USA, there are a number of their domestic players who play in big international  tournament  final comps.

So you haven't watched Celtic lately to see how Anges's coaching style may have evolved? If you had you would have seen a fast, skillful, physical and highly technical team playing attractive football on pitches which are usually of good quality.

I suggest you should take a step back and base your opinions on what you see rather than blindly rely on someone else's opinion which may or may not be correct.

Yes, Scottish football is physical. overly physical? No. With VAR there would be red cards in every match if it was.

Qualification for World Cups is much harder in Europe than Asia. We live in the present not the past. You do realise that Scotland beat and outplayed Spain 2 0 last week? They lead their European qualifier group.

I would suggest that the requirement that SPL managers hold European licences ensures they are well trained.

In professional leagues, coaches are judged by results nothing else. If they fail to get results they get sacked.

European WCup qualifiying is harder but the gap is getting smaller. Roos beating Peru to make Qatar and reaching 2nd round proved that. Scotland beat Spain in a friendly- Roos beat Denmark in the actual WCup! 

No.

Scotland beat Spain in their European qualifier. It was as far from a friendly.

Spain is ranked 10th in the World. Denmark is ranked 18th.When is the last time Australia beat, in a competitive match, any nation in the top 10?

You can't take anything from Celtics loss to Sydney. It was on a goodwill tour and a friendly. To suggest Sydney are anywhere close to SPL standard is delusional.

Decentric has learnt a new word:- "Assiduously". Hope I spelt it correctly.

What Scotland beat was Spain's B team, that wasn't their best lineup.

From my observation with the Scottish league, outside of Celtic and Rangers who are of course strong I cant the same with rest of the league with confidence because I don't think the standard of football is good when comparing to our league here.
I think most a-league teams especially the best ones try to play football through all thirds of the pitch and do it well quite well and often we see improved in players for that reason we just need to play more games as Arnie has conversantly said but also we need promotion and relegation which will raise the level alot more especially the bottom teams and push the higher teams to get better as well.

Its true they play more games and have pro-rel but I haven't seen the evidence from the players that have there to have improved as players, and questions me the logic in playing for those teams if they dont progress to higher level league in Europe. (No offence to the Scottish league when I say this by the way) it's a physical and intense league and have plenty of passionate fans in tough places which is ok when playing more games than here but i dont see much the improvement as players on a technical and tactical level.

Prime example was Devlin to O'Neill, when watching the game closely you wouldn't tell that O'Neill has played in overseas in recent times given how impressive he has been for Melb City, he was showing for the ball alot more even under pressure from Ecuador's physical press and was one of our best players in that series, whilst contrast to Devlin who is combative and brave as he usually is but he didnt show enough for the ball with the same consistently and struggled to impose himself into the game.

My point is you cant estimate what good coaching can do to a player, we have got good coaches here that have helped improved the standard of play but the players have to be careful when moving to different leagues in Europe particularly if the standard is questionable because the end goal has to be improvement as players and therefore raise the standard for the national team.