Farewell Socceroos!!

[shiznit]

Just heard that you dodgers haven't been able to secure anyone decent for your farewell game before the WC so were gonna get it on in the G...

Hopefully we can spoil the party...

 

[fish eel]

yeah, we need a confidence booster.

 

[shiznit]

yeah, we need a confidence booster.

we will have to see...

its a win-win for us anyway... were expected to be thumped... so we can go out all guns blazing...

and to be totally honest... since Verbeek has taken over you guys... you have looked very conservative... it could be dangerous playing too conservative against us... considering we pretty much play 3 up front.

im not for one second saying were better than you guys... you blokes are where you are for good reason... but if we can keep playing the type of attacking football we've been playing... we can could cause problems like we did against Italy...

on the other hand we could be ruthlessly exposed like we were against Spain in the very next game...

:lol:

well the banter should be good anyway...

 

[Misanthrope]

I don't have a great deal of confidence in Verbeek's ability. We've not exactly romped it in over weak opposition, and NZ are amongst the weakest we'll have faced in recent years.

 

[shiznit]

who do you guys have this weekend in the Asian Cup Qualifier??

were not getting it over here for some reason.... i would have thought since there was no A-League this weekend they would have given us the Fox Sports feed for that game...

i think our friendly v Mexico in LA is the only football game of local interest for us this weekend... and im not expecting too much there...

 

[Misanthrope]

who do you guys have this weekend in the Asian Cup Qualifier??

Indonesia. Judging by the squad Verbeek's named, we're no shoe ins.

 

[fish eel]

who do you guys have this weekend in the Asian Cup Qualifier??

were not getting it over here for some reason.... i would have thought since there was no A-League this weekend they would have given us the Fox Sports feed for that game...

i think our friendly v Mexico in LA is the only football game of local interest for us this weekend... and im not expecting too much there...

The Indonesian game is mid week, played wednesday night, perhaps thats why you dont have it.

 

[Bumble]

and to be totally honest... since Verbeek has taken over you guys... you have looked very conservative... it could be dangerous playing too conservative against us... considering we pretty much play 3 up front.
..

I can see why one would think an approach that worked against the Netherlands and Ireland wouldn't work here...

Oh.

 

[shiznit]

I can see why one would think an approach that worked against the Netherlands and Ireland wouldn't work here...

Oh.

its quite easy to understand actually... while playing conservative obviously has its merits against stronger sides... against weaker sides if you don't dominate early you risk them gaining confidence.

its the same reason why you go from performing well against the likes of the Dutch & youve struggled against sides like Oman.

being totally honest here... NZ shouldnt come anywhere near Australia here... but if Australia play too conservative and NZ hang in there for awhile... they can become very dangerous..

 

[fish eel]

the match will mean much more to the NZ players and fans than the Australians.

 

[hybrid_tiger]

Indonesia. Judging by the squad Verbeek's named, we're no shoe ins.

Daniel McBreen, FFS!!

 

[weasel]

Haven't our preparations for the world cup been pretty lacklustre since the draw was made? Three and a half months away from kick-off and we've only been able to organise a match against New Zealand. And I mean no disrespect to them. Actually, kudos to the Kiwis, their preparation has been exactly the approach that we should have taken, friendlies against WC qualifiers Mexico, Slovenia and Serbia coming up, as well as playing us. You know, with their enigmatic group (Paraguay always flattering to deceive at these tournaments, and Slovakia a completely unknown entity) NZ making it out of the group stages doesn't even seem completely improbable (only highly improbable).

I understand that the asian cup qualifiers have limited our opportunities a little, but you know, next week's game is played on a FIFA date, but instead of taking advantage of one of very few opportunities we have on offer, we're gonna play it with a squad that has three world cup certs, and a bunch of others that are no hope of making it.

 

[Devilous]

I'm starting to get a little worried about the lead up to the Cup now.

No offence to New Zealand but to be frank we shouldn't play them before the World Cup, it will tell us nothing we need to know, offer us nothing in experience towards who we will be facing at the World Cup and New Zealand will go really hard out to beat us, possibly leading to some injuries.

Last time round we played Greece, Netherlands and Lichtenstien. Greece the European Champions, Netherlands one of the better Euro sides and Lichtenstien for a final warm-up/trial for players.

New Zealand have great friendlies leading up to the World Cup, Mexico, Serbia, Slovenia!!

Beyond Indonesia coming up (Asian squad) and New Zealand we still haven't organised any friendlies against similar opposition to our World Cup group teams...

Hopefully we can announce some high quality sides soon.

 

[shiznit]

to be fair to the FFA... the only reason why you have NZ is because no one else would come downunder...

Mexico was picked up because its on a Fifa window and its being played in LA... so its really suited to Mexico. and from what ive heard you guys have an Asian Cup qualifier on that window.

a similar thing happened with Slovenia... we pretty much jump through all the hoops possible to get a game with them.

Serbia was always going to be a friendly... considering there in your group... and Slovakia are in ours...

 

[fish eel]

It's not an easy friendly for the FFA to organise.

A big ask for another WC qualified nation to come here for just one friendly, and then have to go to SA.

Also, for non WC qualified sides, really, why would they bother to come for a one off meaningless friendly with their top team?

It's easy for the Kiwis, and TBH, gives the FFA 2 sets of fans to sell tickets to.....

 

[fish eel]

Haven't our preparations for the world cup been pretty lacklustre since the draw was made? Three and a half months away from kick-off and we've only been able to organise a match against New Zealand. And I mean no disrespect to them. Actually, kudos to the Kiwis, their preparation has been exactly the approach that we should have taken, friendlies against WC qualifiers Mexico, Slovenia and Serbia coming up, as well as playing us. You know, with their enigmatic group (Paraguay always flattering to deceive at these tournaments, and Slovakia a completely unknown entity) NZ making it out of the group stages doesn't even seem completely improbable (only highly improbable).

I understand that the asian cup qualifiers have limited our opportunities a little, but you know, next week's game is played on a FIFA date, but instead of taking advantage of one of very few opportunities we have on offer, we're gonna play it with a squad that has three world cup certs, and a bunch of others that are no hope of making it.

To be fair to Pim and the side he selected though, this weekend and the next arent a FIFA date - it's only a mid week FIFA date, which basically means you'd have guys playing Sunday in Europe and then needing to play here on Wednesday and back in Europe on Saturday.....

 

[Misanthrope]

Daniel McBreen, FFS!!

Oh, he was one of the selections I was happier with. He's been in good touch for NQ and Perth this season.

I was more referring to Kantarovski, North, and the like being in there.

 

[hybrid_tiger]

Mate, there are better quality players in my local all age comp than Daniel McBreen.

 

[fish eel]

I didnt even know McBreen was eligible.

I can never, ever remember him being touted as a possibility before.

I would have picked Joel Porter.

 

[Misanthrope]

I would have picked Joel Porter.

Porter's been a non-entity all year. I don't rate him at all. How long will it take to naturalise Sergio Van Dyk? A striker who can score goals.