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Socceroos vs USA 2026 World Cup match thread 🇦🇺 🇺🇸

patjennings said:
Well you give him no credit - just returning the favour.
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You are saying drop Beach because he might make a howler. I’m suggesting that Maty has actually made such a howler in his previous WC match and doesn’t make a lot of match winning saves.
In my view there is no compelling reason to drop Beach.
 
Villa Dan said:
And you drop both goal scoring players that's baffling in itself in any sport and promote 2 players who struggled in the domestic league 🤔
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A big part of any player’s skill set is ability off the ball.

In any given game a player averages 3 minutes on the ball. Strikers a lot less, Centre Backs and Central Midfielders more.

The other 87 mins players’ off the ball running to support their ball carrying teammates, and defensive positioning off the ball is paramount.

Leckie, when a bit younger was one of the best Roos in the aforementioned.

Villupillay is better than Iran in this aspect of the game.

Popa’s plausible strategy was to get these guys doing the donkey work and bring on a previously unfit Volpato, and Iran, to close the game out. It didnt work in this game.

Also, to simply value a player on leagues they play in, doesn’t extrapolate to international football. Sometimes club teammates cover for their deficiencies.

Moreover, some players, like Mark Milligan, is a Socceroo great, whilst essentially being an AL player. Ditto Matt Spiranovic is one of the great Socceroo CBs.

Scott McDonald, a Scottish league legend, couldn’t succeed at international football.
 
ClockworkOrange said:
You are saying drop Beach because he might make a howler. I’m suggesting that Maty has actually made such a howler in his previous WC match and doesn’t make a lot of match winning saves.
In my view there is no compelling reason to drop Beach.
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No - I'm saying that Beach is young and inexperienced and may be questioning himself. Paraguay like us tend to sit back. there will not be two close lines of defence straight in front of him with no room to sweep. Ryan is a far better sweeper and a better organiser and that is what we will need against Paraguay.
 
That said - Ryan or Beach may have a howler - and it may cost us. But better in the long run that Maty at his age does it and it doesn't scar a younger prospect at the beginning of his career.
 
Decentric said:
Before most continue to excoriate Popa, and the Roo players’ first half performance, consider this.

A recent post I saw valued the teams on Transfer Market, or something similar.

Turkey $750 million
USA $650 million
Paraguay $250 million
Aus $127 million.

Overseas club coaches and player agents have consistently valued our players much lower than our opponents in the WC.

I don’t mean Aus should give up, but ask yourselves, is there any possibility your expectations are too high, given the relative monetary value of Socceroos compared to the other 3 teams?
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Way too simplistic to equate quality to transfer valuations given leagues and natiinalities inherently have higher values, sometimes regardless of the player. For instance english players are consistently in the top valued players in the world yr after yr after yr. Rashford for instance was the highest valued player in the world for a few seasons, we all know though that he was never in discussion for best in the world. Conversely our league and players seem to be constantly undervalued.

And furthermore our players are mostly young and on an upward trajectory. We knew how good Nestory and Toure can be, Herrington, Beach, Bos etc also but now the world is getting to see.
 
I see no reason to drop Beach. I don't think he did anything wrong and held one save which I doubt Maty would have... meaning it could have been pushed back into the mixer.

I hope Popa has learnt that Irankunda, Volpato and Metcalfe must start against Paraguay.
 
rebelliousfeminist974 said:
Surely Heather Garriock and Football Australia would start to think about replacing Popovic at the conclusion of this match.
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Even before we'd played a game at this WC he was given a contract extension till the end of the Asian Cup, so Feb 2027. The SBS panel was interesting. In the pre-game show Harry Kewell was supportive of Popa's strategy, while Kevin-Prince Boateng was critical, saying we should play our best players, and take it to the opposition from the start. I was agreeing with Harry before kick off and with Kevin-Prince after the final whistle.
So Popa out, Kevin-Prince Boateng in next February!
 
Keeper66 said:
Can you stop comparing these players to Matilda’s players? With all due respect, they are meaningless comparisons.
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Burgess has been a lot like old Matt Jurman for Roar and old school Alana Kennedy for the Tillies ;).

Does so many good things but his mistakes tend to be the game changing ones.
 
Quicky said:
Popovic and Foxe. Greatest defensive minds goin 🤣
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Add in our next head coach Milligan...

Who would have us playing forward facing, positive football in which we lose some games but do score multiple goals.

I would love to see how games would play out under Milligan's guidance and selections.
 
patjennings said:
No people are frustrated by Popovic because he is a one-dimensional manager.

People hated Arnie because he was defensive when needed but showed with his tenures with CCMFC and SFC that with the right players he is far from a defensive manager.

Melbourne dominates the digital and print analysis space and so defaults to supporting their own (even if he is a Sydney United player). His tenure in Melbourne and the contraction of football journalists mean that the relationships built there do not question him - whereas Arnie was questioned incessantly.
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True, and I agree, but people keep bringing up their club history as evidence that they’re unfit for the job. The only way to change this is overseas success, as we see with everyone backing Big Ange at Spurs and now Arnie with Iraq, but shitting on them here (remember Craig Foster’s interview with Ange?).
 
Pasquali said:
How many own goals is Burgess gonna concede for us. The funny thing about it, is I remember in not just the japan game, but other games where he came close to doing the same thing
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I can't recall other games when it's nearly happened. Being down there means stuff like that will be inevitable but this own goal was more or an error than an accident unfortunately. He's still been a rock most of the time.

Sliding doors that Herrington clears it with ease.
 
The trouble with player assessment is that one moment seems to tag them.

Trewin with one firm pass and suddenly he's the midfield RWB solution. Burgess with an own goal removes double digits of solid outings.

Beach with 8 saves and he's the messiah. Okon with a great game and he's Xavi. I'm glad they had a top against Turkey but until players have over 10 good displays for Australia then they're not proving their case.

Irankunda and Circati are doing it. Others are potentially on their way.
 
Bunch_of_hacks said:
Id drop beach this game too. Ryans sweeping will come in handy this game with Paraguay looking to counter
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We're probably asking for another crucial Ryan error by starting him but I agree.

These changes and omissions have startled the squad but the final 35min showed the will is there.

I think we were hungover on the europhoria of the win. We desperately need sport psychologists in the camp to get players in the right mind that winningnwas brilliant but you're not invincible.
 
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