Looking forward to see what Rukavytsya can do for the squad :)

I'm not a Holman fan, but he played well last night and took his goal superbly.
Bit disapointed for Scotty Mac, but he has had numerous chances on the international stage now and he has never delivered.
Carle has been struggling to get game time at a poor Championship side so no surprises that he is left out, although I think he burnt his bridges with Pim when he refused to play against China a couple of years ago so that he could go to a family BBQ.
No suprise with Jade North either - he is rubbish.

What's the bet that Kennedy starts against Serbia just to prove once and for all that at the World Cup Pim doesn't really care about winning.

You guys still don't understand a 1-4-2-3-1 system do you?

With the appraich there should be players upfront when attacking i.e. the CF is the constant target upfront with attacking options running off the CF right and left.

The problem is not the system but the players, as this is the system used by most European countries, including Holland, England etc. If we hand more class in defense we might be able to play a 1-4-4-2 or 1-3-5-2, but we don't and the reality is we need to focus on defense and work from there.

Our biggest problem ATM is the amount of field we choose to play in and lack of tempo i.e. 2,3 and 4 touches before passing. From the defensive line to front man we need to be tighter and provide better passing angles. Watch the game last night, may times Neil had to sit on the ball wating for a runner. We need these guys off the ball and pressing up the park ASAP.

Sack Verbeek!

First off, there's no need to include the keeper in naming a formation, ie. 1-4-4-2 :d

Second, we certainly do understand the 4-2-3-1 system and our main irks don't lie with the system. It's just that we're shitty that Pim has no alternative systems.

I checked Facebook, its offical everyone thinks that Pim is a skin eating Douche from Dutchyland and needs to be kicked in the balls.









What, Isn't Facebook a reliable source anymore?

3 strikers, 4 goalies. WTFFFFFFFFF?

A few people in here need to take a cold shower. Carle has done jackshit everytime hes pulled on the green and gold. Hes a show pony. Looks all fast and flashy but doesnt deliver, the primary reason hes been pulling splinters out of his arse in the championship. Will be farcsical if he signs for sydney fc. If he stops tooling off and pulls his headin he may have a future in the european lower leagues where scoring goals from the midfield may be a start. Pim has been able to see right through him.

Geez, i feel sorry for Macca. Totally a victim of Pims system that hes been playing for yonks.Unlucky!!

Ive eaten my humble pie. Holman was half decent last night despite sum shit passes he delivered sum decent ones for a change.Still runs around though like a chook with its head cut off.

North, the less said the better.

It's a bitch that Carle's been axed. Thats one decision im not happy with.

it's pretty much guarenteed he'll sign for Sydney FC now. http://www.tribalfootball.com/crystal-palace%E2%80%99s-carle-expected-join-sydney-fc-861161

Good on you Pim. This is a level of straight-forwardness that is very hard to dispute. Respect.

As much as I cannot wait to cheer on Nicky for the Sky-blues, if he is the 4th best option for Pim in his CAM role, then he cannot go to SA. End of. Look down this list (accepting that Oar and Holland are only going so there is someone to kick the balls back from behind the goal in training) you have to say, fair enough: Vince Grella, Carl Valeri, Jason Culina, Mile Jedinak, Tim Cahill, Brett Holman, Dario Vidosic, Mark Bresciano, Brett Emerton, Richard Garcia are all great players. In the midfield role (ignoring the DMs) Emmo, Cahill, Bresc and Culina are on the playing sheet every game they are fit. Nicky's direct competition to be their reserve: Holman, Dario and (to an extent) Mile are all in top form after great european seasons. 2 of them scored last night and all 3 were just screaming their quality.

Also gotta bear in mind that there are 3 more to be cut (in addition to Oar and Holland). Eugene is probably one of them at least 1 of of Vince Grella, Carl Valeri, Jason Culina, Mile Jedinak, Tim Cahill, Brett Holman, Dario Vidosic, Mark Bresciano, Brett Emerton, Richard Garcia won't be in the final 23 in any event. Probably Garcia I reckon.

Carle, Scotty and Jade will be around for the next world cup. We might be playing a 442 diamond by then, in which case Carle and Scotty could be our killer weapons. Who knows.

Carle will go to FC no doubt. Wasnt solid enough for WC cup stage im afraid, so im not sad to see him out. Can produce at times but not when it counts, has had chances. As for Holman, he took his chance last night, end of disscusion.

Why are there so many morons on here criticising Verbeek after his excellent record as Socceroos coach?

Unless you have been hiding under a rock you'd have to realise that there is no point taking Macca in this system. If we need to chase a game late on with a second striker, it makes sense to use the pace of Rukya or Visosic to run at tired defenders. Cahill as a second striker late on would also be more effective than Scotty. Macca is great but cannot offer the same advantage, even if he is more clinical than Vidosic and Rukya.

Also, while I rate Carle and not Holman, again it comes down to the system we play. Carle has moments of brilliance, yet he has overall been fairly ineffective for the 'roos. Holman certainly has potential, however I would rather see Culina push up and Valeri or Jedi come on than Holman.

We can't play attacking football consistently well enough to match the great teams; we'd just get torn to pieces. So it makes sense to play to our strengths.

and seriously what are your qualifications? Coached at elite level?

I don't necessarily agree with all Pim does (ogenenovski/griffiths), but I don't proclaim your 'expertise

I've been a Holman critic, but last night he was superb and to suggest his goal was a 'tap in' well that clearly suggests you didn't see it or like most Holman haters you cut and paste the same old Holman dribble time and time again.
Nick and Scott didn't get their chance? Spare me, its no excuse. Dario Vidosic and Rhys Williams have been given little time and it hasn't stopped them from blossoming into great international players for Australia.
Stop taking what Jesse Fink says as gospel and open your mind somewhat, you'll be amazed what you find.

We better not be chasing any games in the World Cup, because we don't have the quality on the bench to win us a game.

So I'm guessing the next five cuts will probably be Galekovic (obviously), Lowry, Garcia (may be retained over one of the CB's), Holland & Oar.

rokkto - was that directed at me?

What game was I watching last night? Looked to me like we chased the game with our second team...

Yep and look who we were playing.

I can't see Holman coming off the bench and scoring against Germany, Ghana, or Serbia.

Anyways, I just don't know how McDonald cannot be in the squad! his proven he can score in big games against big teams at club level.
We only have two striker in our squad.

no pope, the guy named 'seriously. on the front page...foul mouthed tosser

Australia should be coached by a bunch of teenage keyboard warriors.

This way, Nicky Carle and Scott McDonald can bravely lead the line in a very defensive 2-2-6 formation, which of course will mean that we'll defeat Brazil 19-0 in the final.

I don't know why this hasn't happened already...

Agreed. I try to mentally screen people like that out, they just insult the intelligence of the rest of us.

Although he has NEVER proved he can be influential let alone score in a system with one striker. McDonald can be a great player - but he doesn't suit this system, no matter how much he tried. He'd be ineffectual if he was to go to SA.

Correct, totally agree. Gee there are a lot of tools that get on here. Imagine if we didn't make it to the world cup there would be old school soccer riots!!


Really wanted Scotty to do well but 16 games and no goals isn't good enough, system or not. It will be interesting to see if the next coach can get some goals out of him.


Thanks for your honesty Pim even if some wankers want wishy washy comments most Football supporters know where your coming from.

Pim must be an ice addict to not include Macdonald. Seriously the blokes been the countries top scorer at club level, i feel for the bloke he should have chosen Scotland he would have surely played in the starting 11.

As for lolman the guy has the worst passing and vision in the game. Seriously the two goals Australia scored last night were cheap. No way will they be given that much time and space against teams like Germany and Serbia.

First round exit the realists all know that now its certain.

Hehe. Yep. :cool:


I feel a little sorry for McDonald, but he just doesn't fit into Pim's formation. Should we compromise our entire gameplan for one player?

Pim's record speaks for itself and I trust the formation we have.

People may see our wins as 'flukes' and call him the 'luckiest coach in the world' but I honestly think there's method in Pim's madness.

Anyway, you don't have to put up with him for much longer. The World Cup will be over soon and you'll get a Craig Foster formation in no time at all.

Ok, so you tell me who we are going to bring on to try and get us a goal if we need it? and if Kennedy isn't playing well? theres no other strikers. and don't say Harry, because he should be on the left.

I think most people agree that McDonald does not fit into the lone stricker role, fair enough.

So what happens when we are down a goal in the 80th min, would it not be of benefit to have Macca coming on to partner Josh?

I think Pim is a very decent defensive coach but if we go out of the world cup because we are afraid of taking on the game and changing our tactics when needed it will be really disappointing.

Rukavytsa or Vidosic.