I get that we usually struggle in the Middle East but that was an underwhelming performance, outside of Souttar's big presence in the box we struggle to create clear cut chances and we know these become a premium against more harder opposition.

No taking away Palestine's heartening performance but they are ranked 98th in the world and we should be doing better at controlling games...and that's with the ball and not just without it!
We have a midfield 3 but they dont seem to function well in possession especially Irvine and Baccus who are exponents of it of being too safe, Metcalfe is decent but this is where Luongo should come into the team or a healthy Genreau as they able to help us play through the middle and get our wingers more active.
Of course an McGree and Hrustic will help with attacking and creativity from the later in the No.10 slot too.

And speaking of wingers, not a single minute played by Silvera, either it's tactical where he's not a left footed winger on the left or Arnie doesnt rate him whatsoever as a dribbling and creative threat because our front 3 did very little to penetrate or create anything reasonable to test Palestine's defence and that's why players like Silvera become important as he offers something different to them.
Once Borrello came on we looked a bit better but overall we didn't create alot in the game and against better defences its something to keep an eye especially where there is a heavy reliance on Souttar from set pieces.

Overall a win is a win but I felt we should have done more with what we got which wasn't used in this game at all.

I agree, im more impressed with the Olyroos group who have players as they seem to have a more flexible skill sets in breaking down defences

I just watched Japan 5-0 and Korea 3-0 China.  Their players basic first touch and pass and move were a mile ahead of us.  None of our players (apart from Souttar) would be even close to making their team. 

  Goodwin lost possession everytime he touched the ball, Irvine & Behich looked up then scared then passed it backwards.  Miller/strain didn't have ability to dribble. Baccus almost zero creativity and problems every where in that team and Arnie tactic.

Other than Souttar maybe G Kuol and Irankunda have enough to make Japan or Sth Korea squads - but know what you mean. Skill differences aside the Roos really didn’t have a good game at all tbf

Japan especially, are another level, I think they are about to hit the elite level. This is what happens when you have a population of 150 million & you spend money on football, they have government backing & a long term vision.

That game was top quality I did see a mini match... China weren't that far off but Korea are a top top team now.

Kuol is a bench warmer for a relegation tier side in holland,and irankunda is unproven at the elite level. They aren't going near any of those sides atm.

Putting aside the Qatar result and the ongoing we keep qualifying for the WC we have been behind Japan for starters even during the GG era whilst watching.
They have always been a foe from those days And a yard faster easily for starters.
They were ding dong battles watching with your heart in your mouth every single minute.
As for the technical ability it was showing back then as well.
One touch brilliant and skill.
Eat us for breakfast.
They have developed the best in Asia for yonks we’ve all seen it.
We are no where near their level no where.
SK not that far behind them at this stage.

Spot on of the 2 young un green horns.

Spot on!!!!

Got cut off after 60 min. Only saw the first 60 min of the game.

In our  midfield triangle the  midfielders Metcalfe, Irvine and Baccus, were often too far from each other.

Irvine was at the base with Baccus at times to play out when we gained possession deep in our own half. Given Palestine's quality pressing, Baccus was often too static. He needed to do some checking - feinting in one direction, and moving in another to  shake his marker and create space.

Metcalfe was often too far forwards towards Duke when we were trying to build up deep in our own half. 

There wasn't enough movement off the ball when we had possession in the first 60 mins. All of these factors enabled a compact Palestinian team to close down Aus's passing lanes when we had the ball.

Constantly  Soccerooo midfielders and forwards were receiving the ball with  their body position facing back towards our own goal. We need them facing forwards.

Things ever evolve on football. Goodwin had some poor touches by his own standards. Did Bos replace him at LW or Behich at LB? Did  Borrello replace Boyle at RW?

Even though it was played in Kuwait, Aus easily accounted for Kuwait when we played them in Kuwait City in the last campaign. It was the same venue against Palestine a few days ago.

When I lived in Kuwait there was a huge Palestinian expat population. This would have seemed like a home game for them. Given the war torn state of Palestine ATM, I can't believe they can have a football team as good as they were against Aus in this game? I take my hat off to them. Palestine were well-coached, well- organised, very determined and apparently had a three week camp prior to this game.

We were a lot better against Kuwait in this phase of qualifying last time.

syria and iraq gave much better performances when their countries were at war too

A lot of this post is true, LFC. I agree.

However, technique is only one factor in football performance. It is the most important too.

There is also; 

mental strength,

communication/organisation,

athleticism,

game sense,

football conditioning.


These factors have assisted Aus make up for the technical inferiority.  Teams like Sweden and Denmark might be a bit like this too - apart from Zlatan.

In Australia what do we expect?

There is virtually nobody playing street football in Aus.

There is little money for development for football.

The country is filled with a large percentage of Eurosnob fans - who supposedly follow football. 

In this Palestine WCQer, there was virtually no mainstream media coverage.  A combo of ABC TV, local Murdoch tabloid, The Age and  Aus Guardian, had virtually no coverage. There is almost more publicity about England's fortunes than the Socceroos! In The Aus Guardian there is more column space given to the Euro Champs than Asian WCQs.

I know.

I can't get over how they  have been able do this? 

Training in their own country and playing domestic club football must be so difficult.

Yeah well that explains a lot. They have been there for 3 weeks getting ready for the game, where we had 2 days - you could see they had more energy & it affected our play dramatically. Goodwin probably our most consistent players of recent times, had his worst game in a Roos jersey. If this was the first game of qualifying in Melbourne, I can guarantee we would've smashed them - maybe not by 7-0 like against the Bangers, but it would've been a convincing win. We just don't seem to travel & play well. Plus Arnie should've mixed the starting team up as well - as much as I like Irvine & Baccus, O'Neill & Luongo should've started that game. Bos should've come on for Behich & Silvera for Goodwin. Circati should've got at least 5 mins in one of those games FFS!!!!

I'm  not sure how much O'Neill has been playing at club level at Standard Liege, but he has impressed me a lot with his assured performances as the DM for Aus. In the last 30mins did he come on? 

I'm not sure that O'Neill checks better than Baccus, but his midfield generalship has been excellent for the Socceroos. He has played a lot of one and two touch passing effectively, shows for the ball industriously and effectively,  and has been a good ball winner.

There was also quite a lot of  overall mistimed tackling from the Socceroos in midfield. I also didn't view enough intercepts in midfield, made from effective reading of play.

Mooy, Milligan and Jedi read the game well, making heaps of intercepts.  

I agree about Goodwin - one of my favourite players. He is  a team leader and usually has terrrific game sense and execution. Goodwin was demonstrative and gesticulated about his own performance, being frustrated with himself.

 He had a shocker by his own standards apart from his crossing and set piece delivery.

Goodwin mistimed tackles (  usually a very good ball winner for a forward). He also had a few poor touches and turned over possession in tight spaces.

I think Boyle has dropped in standard too from when he first came into the team.  Unlike a power forward like Leckie, despite often winning free kicks, Boyle is knocked over too much.

Apart from his aerial prowess, and I defer to the great man Arnie's judgement, the coaches coaching at club level might disagree with Arnie's preference for Souttar over the other three  Socceroo CBs - Rowles, Circati and Burgess. Palestine did have some big boys up front and played some long, high ball stuff. Also, Ryan , Souttar and Rowles have played quite a lot of big stake football recently in the Middle East. Useful WC and WCQ experience.

Strain was also struggling at RB. Miller might have been the better option anyway.

The Socceroos might have been overly confident too.

Another factor was Metcalfe is a hard working and athletic AM. Ditto Irvine.

With Rogic and Mooy recently retiring, Hrustic and Robertson not being selected, plus we can add Daniel Da Silva,  and a resurgent Dan Arzani,  both in the AL, these guys have a high level of technical skill and sometimes vision in midfield. They can do things that are brilliant, and they can be creative.  They can operate effectively in less time and space than most of their Socceroos counterparts who played against Palestine.

Against Palestine we had little creativity/technical brilliance  on the pitch, compared to what these  aforementioned are capable of. The Socceroos starting eleven against Palestine was a hardworking unit, but possibly devoid of a bit of flare.

Sometimes when a game plan isn't working, or even when Plan B and Plan C have also failed, a bit of individual brilliance can change the game. We had little of it on the pitch - although I missed Bos when he came on.

Can't remember who he played against for the Socceroos?

Circati looked very composed. I was very impressed!

Against smaller teams, physically, I like Rowles and Circati  as our CB pairing.

Kuol and Irankunda have the touch and technical skills like some Japanese and Korean players though which Roos are lacking by comparison. Kuol can bring down a ball with soft touch and get a shot on target against Argentina at Wcup at least

Oddly Decentric I agree with 99% of this post and cant question any of the points you make ---- only thing I want to contribute is:

"The country is filled with a large percentage of Eurosnob fans - who supposedly follow football. " - not sure how this has any relevance? You might wanna dig a little into Middle Eastern football viewership habits for comparison (or 99% of any other Asian or African country's for that matter) ... 

Less said about the Palestine game the better I think... 3 points in the bag move on......  it happens sometimes, you win ugly.

D2, thanks acknowledging my brief comments......

Sure there is alot more making up a player as you point out thats a GIVEN full stop period IF you ever get to high levels even at Prem1 Club.
Some have it all naturally others have to work on certain principles they lack.

Mental Strength - as mentioned depends on the person period, some need it trained in them some just perform like clockwork and thrive in big games, some lose the plot.

Comms/organisation - again some do it naturally some need it drilled in them buy come NT levels they should know what their job is period otheriwse wtf you doing there.

Conditioning - now this is a huge one for me for years and years and mentioning the Japs, quicker sharper faster and run till the 90th + ET like bolters.
We have never matched them in conditioning and fitness - never, the GG managed them or more so countered this with physicality back in the day and fortunately we had some pretty handy players to get a win here and there but overall they have always been so much fitter, available for close 1 2's there is always a free player to recieve the ball whereas us ?
We lack in this area greatly. Just look at Irvine - I'm actually amazed he's a regular compared to many here but it also tells us the level of player we have in such a important position.

What do we expect in Oz - your right we have so so many barriers compared to other nations we compete against, political, the divide, AL, NPL, lack of $$, the other codes whereas we're no4, the eco system but above all we're a complete cluster F of a code that is so so frustrating, the new dawners vs bitters we fight amongst ourselves instead of as 1.

Street or park football - well the modern age eh and fifa etcetc, my days pre GG and their times, we all after school would be at the local ovals/playing games you name it, we did street football those days but having ovals.
My local you would see 20/30 of us sports nuts there - the football crowd, the cricket crowd, the ruggers weren't much about but we'd play forcings back with the eggball.
You learnt variety of skills, I was handy at football cricket and learnt how to kick that damn eggball, how to get the ball torpedo in flight.
All these things taught you skill whereas today the youth spend time on fifa or cod - this is a huge prob for sporting development.

$$$'s in Football - well thats been a given for 40yrs as we know, thats what I irk about those getting stuck into the bitters and ol Clubs, manymany put their own hard earned in - there was no handouts whatsoever (if very little) and look what became, says alot many still standing right now might I add people should thank they have !
Hopefully JJ keeps up the good fight by the look of it, we can only hope.

Eurosnob - is not a huge factor regards to the big picture, their kids are invested in their local or NPL Clubs D2, they are paying regos etcetc, they are investing in the eco system mate, don't read into all the bitter goss.....
Besides you don't need them open their arms and attend APL games, they just won't full stop period, I struggle going, I haven't since 2yrs at least pre covid.
I can't relate they are not the way I feel about a football club, they just don't rate it period, its their choice D2 and imo its alot to do with our eco system and divide amaongst the entire game that leads into your last point the Media.

Imagine IF our game was run by 1 the FA, like the FA in the UK right down before their National amateur tier.
Imagine the links each level is known clealry and understood.
Imagine each damn State Fed worked as 1 same same each State.
Then we'd be 1, then our game would be strong as a unit, look stronger and media would have to take notice - FA having a united media machine with the State Feds/NST/NPL yadda yadda.

I degress I've been dreaming this way for the last 30yrs+ even recalling JWarren banging on about our plight long before - I had hopes early Lowy but he fucked it made it worse overall with even more complications, now APL on its own another complication and we carry on about the standard of our NT players lol......
Seriously the game itself needs to get its shit together more than anything else, you can sense JJ knows this mentioning in the NST presser about competing with Japan SA and the likes.......
Our NT imo are so hit and miss I really wish it was so much better but its ok no more no less, our CB is 2nd highest goal scorer ffs what does that tell you.
Too many excuse's for me, Palestine were there for 2wks, are we surprised considering their circumstance, we couple of days, gtfo they are pros, Club football is 2/3 games a week, travel here travel there.....
You guys talk the talk but its alot of analysis paralysis bs and excuse's to me, if your good enough you cut the mustard and you need to deliver, you beat your opposite and more, give ball create, read the game defend win ball back get it into the mixer please someone shooot f ya was the ol saying.
Considering we lack the skill/technical skills our fellas in that case should look to be the fittest footballers on the planet ! Thats one thing that should be driven for you to make the NT.
You got to be fit as !
Run run run - those Japs do it why can't we ?!

Kyogo Furuhashi has been top scorer for 2 years and current player of the year in the SPL where many of our players are.  He hasn't been been able to make the starting eleven for Japan till recently.  NONE and I mean NONE our players get a look in playing for Japan.

I don’t think the size of the population is a major factor but the other three are. 

That's why a midfielder like Luongo or Genreau would have been handy to use, these players are able to play between the lines and connect the midfield to attack more effectively.

And Yes Bos replaced Goodwin and didnt do that much different to Goodwin, a player like Silvera who have been useful so its a surprise he wasnt used at all.

Is Arnie's coaching too rigid? Or does he need to be more flexible with the players he has available? 

A wins a win, but Arnie should've brought Bos on for Behich & Silvera on for Goodwin. Luongo & O'Neill should've started instead of Irvine & Baccus in this game. 

Yes with Mooy & Rogic retired & Hrustic injued, someone like Luongo was important to get control of the ball & run the game, the midfielders we had were more box to box.