Members #16 Posted June 22, 2006 Members Share Posted June 22, 2006 Go Australia.... Go home USA! We're #1, we're #1 HA! :wave: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members fernmeister Posted June 22, 2006 Members Share Posted June 22, 2006 Some good games tonight. Australia will go through if Croatia are anywhere near as crap as they were the other day. Ecuador are the surprise package, but Argentina are still the team to be. The Germans are playing like the Dutch and the Dutch are playing like Norwegians. Brasil are playing like an over 35s team (maybe because they are!!!). France will fail to get out of the group stage again. Spain are being flattered by the rubbish teams in their group. Mexico are the biggest disapointments thus far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 4Kenoath Posted June 22, 2006 Members Share Posted June 22, 2006 Looks like we got a decent ref from the Premier League this time. Going on form, it'll be an upset if Oz lose to Croatia...those guys can't score a goal, but you never know when the floodgates will open.If we get through, I think we play Italy, which might be pretty interesting as well. They haven't been in such great form either have they? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members fernmeister Posted June 22, 2006 Members Share Posted June 22, 2006 Originally posted by 4Kenoath Looks like we got a decent ref from the Premier League this time. Going on form, it'll be an upset if Oz lose to Croatia...those guys can't score a goal, but you never know when the floodgates will open. If we get through, I think we play Italy, which might be pretty interesting as well. They haven't been in such great form either have they? Some teams have come unblocked in the final games so far. However, Croatia just look so impotent up front, I doubt it. Against Brasil they defended well but only had two decent chances. Against Japan they were unrelenting crap, despite scoring. If I had to bet, I would imagine Australia will take it out 1-0 in a tackle-fest, with a second-half goal and at least three times as many chances.In fact the only test I see is Australia's fitness, especially the defensive players. I know all the press about Guus's training regime, but the Croatia match will show if the programme has done the job.Italy played better in their first game than their second, but they can win when playing badly. In fact they can go all the way to final playing patchy football. Unless they improve I can't see them making it to the semis, but then again, I said that in '82 and '94! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 4Kenoath Posted June 23, 2006 Members Share Posted June 23, 2006 Originally posted by fernmeister In fact the only test I see is Australia's fitness, especially the defensive players. I know all the press about Guus's training regime, but the Croatia match will show if the programme has done the job. Their fitness held up again in a physically demanding match. They haven't flagged in any game. Two comebacks in the last 10 minutes of two game to qualify...says it all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members fernmeister Posted June 23, 2006 Members Share Posted June 23, 2006 hmmm, the australians were looking pretty tired to me at the end. one thing that was interesting was that all the australian subs were defensive players (in part no doubt because they were chasing the game). either way it was a great game marred only by some truely horrid referring (which was no doubt what you were anticipating with the ironic premier league ref comment). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 4Kenoath Posted June 23, 2006 Members Share Posted June 23, 2006 The ref definitely had a poor game...again, with crucial decisions. I think they need more training before WCs to deal with the pressure better, cause there are too many poor, inconsistent performances from the whistle blowers. Sure Oz were tired at the end...it was a tough game, but to finish (score) twice in the dying moments of two games when behind (the Jap game in horrendous heat), to get through to the next round is telling. There's a large degree of mental toughness in that. These guys are playing as though 'we're tired, but they're feeling worse...never give up.' If they beat Italy, it's that attitude which will make it happen. Guus has managed their collective belief in themselves well. They believe they can beat any team here, and came off the Brazil match very disappointed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Remedy Posted June 23, 2006 Members Share Posted June 23, 2006 so any thoughts on the line-up against Italy? Id love to see Harry on the left Bresciano start in the middle Kennedy start up front Emmerton has a red card, what will Guus do? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 4Kenoath Posted June 23, 2006 Members Share Posted June 23, 2006 Originally posted by Remedy so any thoughts on the line-up against Italy? Id love to see Harry on the left Bresciano start in the middle Kennedy start up front Emmerton has a red card, what will Guus do? Apart from that red, the team I think will pick itself. It's great they haven't suffered any major injuries to the likes of Kewell who's finally putting on the form we know he's capable of.Definitely Schwartzer for goalie...Kalac had a poor game. Guus' first tactical blunder but we got away with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members #16 Posted June 23, 2006 Author Members Share Posted June 23, 2006 Originally posted by 4Kenoath Apart from that red, the team I think will pick itself. It's great they haven't suffered any major injuries to the likes of Kewell who's finally putting on the form we know he's capable of. Definitely Schwartzer for goalie...Kalac had a poor game. Guus' first tactical blunder but we got away with it. Harry is finally playing the way he used to for Leeds!MUSTARD! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members fernmeister Posted June 23, 2006 Members Share Posted June 23, 2006 Originally posted by Remedy so any thoughts on the line-up against Italy?Id love to see Harry on the leftBresciano start in the middleKennedy start up frontEmmerton has a red card, what will Guus do? i don't think emerton will be missed that much. sterjovski will fill that role. kennedy, sorry, i think he is a donkey. who would he start in place of??? bresciano really makes a contribution, but the problem Guus has is balancing defense and attack. at the end of the game he had played all his jokers, but i don't think australia can play like that for 90 mins. guus like to keep his attacking options open, he did that with S korea and he is doing it again with australia. i'd expect a somewhat defensive starting line up then the attacking players to come on in the second half. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Remedy Posted June 23, 2006 Members Share Posted June 23, 2006 I agree about Sterjovski on the right filling emertons role, hes playing awesome.youre prob right about Kennedy too(who to replace) I dont think hes a donkye though, lol so Oz will beSchwarzer Sterjovski, Moore, Neil, Chipperfiled Culina, Grella, Bresciano, KewellCahill, Vidukasomething like that?Id love to see Harry on the left, but maybe he'll be upfront with the Duke and cahill in midfield. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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