Socceroos vs Venezuela/ Colombia Nov 25

[Keeper66]

Given where we were after 2 Arnie ( who I also supported as coach) games in the last round of WCQs, I think Popa did a remarkable job to turn the Roo campaign around. There was an element of luck, but Popa lost none of those last 8 games.

I'm not even sure what the record is now, but I think the Roos won 5 and drew 3. Or was it won 6 and drew 2?

Surely, that is a major achievement? Qualifying directly to the World Cup in a tough Asian group?

I'm surprised there is so much criticism of coach with such a good record in big, key games on G and G?

There has been an element of luck, which has disappeared a bit in the last 3 friendly games against USA, Ven and Colombia, but Popa has also tried many new, and quite young players in these friendlies. Fair play to him.

So given his mathematical success, which is immutable, and irrefutable, I'm surprised he has so many detractors on G and G?

Mind you, Arnie had a lot of detractors too, but his tenure was probably before the inception of G and G. In general, G and G posters are quite positive and tend to be proactive as opposed to being reactive.

I can go back as far as Pim Verbeek and consider he had far too many detractors too, given his relative success.

I'm wondering if sports fans in general are more negative than the general pop?

I also follow cricket too. Offline in person (and I know a lot more cricket fans, than football in person, through Cricket Tas Members), I think cricket fans in person may be more positive than online cricket fans.

Whirlpool has a huge cricket forum. Gee, a lot of them are negative!

I don't think it's so much the results that people on here (and elsewhere) are criticising, it's the way that Poppa has the team playing, combined with (and maybe partly because of) the players he is selecting.

My memory is that people on here were critical of how he had the team playing after the NZ and Canada matches, even though they were wins. My criticism is, simplistically speaking, that we are very defensive, we defend too deep and don't put any pressure on the opposition, and we are very slow at getting support forward when we do win the ball and consequently are unable to very often construct any meaningful attacks.

The bottom line for me is, I struggle to see how we can get any positive results at the World Cup playing like we are playing now.

 

[WhatAmIWatching]

I agree the Squeezing intensity needs to increase - IMO.

Popa may have a reason why Aus's Squeezing is only moderate, and why he wants to retain shape all the time and minimise intensive Squeezing.

I also argue that an experienced pro coach , like Popa, knows a lot more about football, than most fans on a forum - most of us who haven't coached at semi-pro or pro level. Or played at the semi-pro or pro level.

I've known you post for a long time, PJ. I don't regard you as a negative, reactive poster. You might be a bit more subjective about the quality of the players from your club though!

Jose Mourinho (the special one) has a brilliant record and definitely the knowledge but there is no way I will watch one of his teams play these days because he plays boring football. Popa is Australia's clone of Mourinho. Having said that, we can watch Australians play both locally and overseas and we know what they are capable of. And Popa is not exploiting those abilities. I will concede that he has tried many players to build depth and to test them and he does deserve plaudits for that.

 

[Quicky]

Given where we were after 2 Arnie ( who I also supported as coach) games in the last round of WCQs, I think Popa did a remarkable job to turn the Roo campaign around. There was an element of luck, but Popa lost none of those last 8 games.

I'm not even sure what the record is now, but I think the Roos won 5 and drew 3. Or was it won 6 and drew 2?

Surely, that is a major achievement? Qualifying directly to the World Cup in a tough Asian group?

I'm surprised there is so much criticism of coach with such a good record in big, key games on G and G?

There has been an element of luck, which has disappeared a bit in the last 3 friendly games against USA, Ven and Colombia, but Popa has also tried many new, and quite young players in these friendlies. Fair play to him.

So given his mathematical success, which is immutable, and irrefutable, I'm surprised he has so many detractors on G and G?

Mind you, Arnie had a lot of detractors too, but his tenure was probably before the inception of G and G. In general, G and G posters are quite positive and tend to be proactive as opposed to being reactive.

I can go back as far as Pim Verbeek and consider he had far too many detractors too, given his relative success.

I'm wondering if sports fans in general are more negative than the general pop?

I also follow cricket too. Offline in person (and I know a lot more cricket fans, than football in person, through Cricket Tas Members), I think cricket fans in person may be more positive than online cricket fans.

Whirlpool has a huge cricket forum. Gee, a lot of them are negative!

Are you really surprised at the criticism given our dour defensive tactics and listless performances against USA, Venezuela and Colombia. It's concerning.

 

[BA81]

Jose Mourinho (the special one) has a brilliant record and definitely the knowledge but there is no way I will watch one of his teams play these days because he plays boring football. Popa is Australia's clone of Mourinho. Having said that, we can watch Australians play both locally and overseas and we know what they are capable of. And Popa is not exploiting those abilities. I will concede that he has tried many players to build depth and to test them and he does deserve plaudits for that.

Geez, that comparison’d flatter Popa some. Has Mourinho really fallen off THAT badly - I ask bc I don’t watch the SuperLig.

 

[onedaywinners...]

Jose Mourinho (the special one) has a brilliant record and definitely the knowledge but there is no way I will watch one of his teams play these days because he plays boring football. Popa is Australia's clone of Mourinho. Having said that, we can watch Australians play both locally and overseas and we know what they are capable of. And Popa is not exploiting those abilities. I will concede that he has tried many players to build depth and to test them and he does deserve plaudits for that.

The difference with Mourinho is his teams look to be dangerous and clinical on the counter.

We seem to be so focused on ensuring that we have half our team always behind the ball that everything else seems like an afterthought.

 

[Pasquali]

The difference with Mourinho is his teams look to be dangerous and clinical on the counter.

We seem to be so focused on ensuring that we have half our team always behind the ball that everything else seems like an afterthought.

Perhaps Thomas Frank is a fairer comparison.

0.05xG against Chelsea.
0.07xG against Arsenal

 

[Decentric]

I don't think it's so much the results that people on here (and elsewhere) are criticising, it's the way that Poppa has the team playing, combined with (and maybe partly because of) the players he is selecting.

My memory is that people on here were critical of how he had the team playing after the NZ and Canada matches, even though they were wins. My criticism is, simplistically speaking, that we are very defensive, we defend too deep and don't put any pressure on the opposition, and we are very slow at getting support forward when we do win the ball and consequently are unable to very often construct any meaningful attacks.

The bottom line for me is, I struggle to see how we can get any positive results at the World Cup playing like we are playing now.

I'm surprised Popa defends with as deep a defensive line.

That is, only trying to win the ball with intent in a Partial Press, almost to the back third?

Sometimes there is intensive Squeezing in the attacking third in a Full Press, but a few times against Ven and Colombia, after failing to win the ball in the 6-10 sec Defensive Transition, the Roos retreated to that deep defensive line really quickly.

What frustrates me is that by doing this , we cede a lot of possession. However, Popa has had quite a degree of success by using this strategy. I'd love to ask him these questions, because he quickly sorted out Aus after becoming coach and was quite confident the Roos would improve.

ATM though, Aus is playing like a classic Italy of the past at times.

 

[Decentric]

Are you really surprised at the criticism given our dour defensive tactics and listless performances against USA, Venezuela and Colombia. It's concerning.

Popa tried a lot of new players in those outings. I would have thought most fans would agree that it is important to do this in friendlies?

The qualities Okon Jr has shown so young, augur well for the future.

I think Trewin has had qualified success, displaying an impressive skill set already.

I'm not sure about Elder - yet. Haven't looked at him via replay and recording data - yet.

Despite immense talent, Iran has shown mental fragility and inexperience to read the intent of fellow players at times - against higher calibre opposition in these friendlies.

Italiano, Beach and Toure have done well, again boding well for the future.

 

[Decentric]

I agree that both Pim and Arnie were criticised far too much by the media that was then echoed by fans in general. Conversely once Ange managed Brisbane he could do no wrong. Poppa seems to be getting the same treatment generally by the media

I think the Aus football media was often ignorant.

The media I'm seeing on current Ten and Paramount is pretty good IMO.

Brosque, Milligan, Paartalu, Djite, Grace Gill, Archie, Daniel McBreen, Phil Moss, Scotty Macca, Jacob Burns, John Aloisi, Tommy Oar, et al, ( not Andy Harper a bit of a dinosaur) have all played or coached in a contemporary era. They are quite circumspect and analytical.

They are so much better educated in Aus now. The difference from 2005 to even 2012 is incredible, in terms of coach education - and improved tactics in the AL comapred to the NSL.

The ridiculous overly, emotive outbursts of Robbie Slater, Craig Foster (knows his football methodology, but overly emotive re Socceroos), Bozza, etc, have thankfully disappeared.

 

[grazorblade]

I think the Aus football media was often ignorant.

The media I'm seeing on current Ten and Paramount is pretty good IMO.

Brosque, Milligan, Paartalu, Djite, Grace Gill, Archie, Daniel McBreen, Phil Moss, Scotty Macca, Jacob Burns, John Aloisi, Tommy Oar, et al, ( not Andy Harper a bit of a dinosaur) have all played or coached in a contemporary era. They are quite circumspect and analytical.

They are so much better educated in Aus now. The difference from 2005 to even 2012 is incredible, in terms of coach education - and improved tactics in the AL comapred to the NSL.

The ridiculous overly, emotive outbursts of Robbie Slater, Craig Foster (knows his football methodology, but overly emotive re Socceroos), Bozza, etc, have thankfully disappeared.

you do need emotional outbursts from some of the commentators though, ideally you have a balance between the ones that can inject some passion into their commentary and others that give the analytic side

 

[dr. bellows]

I'm surprised Popa defends with as deep a defensive line.

That is, only trying to win the ball with intent in a Partial Press, almost to the back third?

Sometimes there is intensive Squeezing in the attacking third in a Full Press, but a few times against Ven and Colombia, after failing to win the ball in the 6-10 sec Defensive Transition, the Roos retreated to that deep defensive line really quickly.

What frustrates me is that by doing this , we cede a lot of possession. However, Popa has had quite a degree of success by using this strategy. I'd love to ask him these questions, because he quickly sorted out Aus after becoming coach and was quite confident the Roos would improve.

ATM though, Aus is playing like a classic Italy of the past at times.

It's why I would prefer 4-5-1, sometimes switching to 4-3-3 depending on circumstances and opposition. It moves more of the contest into midfield and away from around our penalty box. It might also lead to quicker transitions to our striker/s. I'm acknowledging that this is hypothetical since Popa will stick with 3 at the back and also acknowledging Popa has done well in qualifying us for WC.

 

[dr. bellows]

Popa tried a lot of new players in those outings. I would have thought most fans would agree that it is important to do this in friendlies?

The qualities Okon Jr has shown so young, augur well for the future.

I think Trewin has had qualified success, displaying an impressive skill set already.

I'm not sure about Elder - yet. Haven't looked at him via replay and recording data - yet.

Despite immense talent, Iran has shown mental fragility and inexperience to read the intent of fellow players at times - against higher calibre opposition in these friendlies.

Italiano, Beach and Toure have done well, again boding well for the future.

I think Trewin is talented but prefer him as a dm.

 

[patjennings]

I think the Aus football media was often ignorant.

The media I'm seeing on current Ten and Paramount is pretty good IMO.

Brosque, Milligan, Paartalu, Djite, Grace Gill, Archie, Daniel McBreen, Phil Moss, Scotty Macca, Jacob Burns, John Aloisi, Tommy Oar, et al, ( not Andy Harper a bit of a dinosaur) have all played or coached in a contemporary era. They are quite circumspect and analytical.

They are so much better educated in Aus now. The difference from 2005 to even 2012 is incredible, in terms of coach education - and improved tactics in the AL comapred to the NSL.

The ridiculous overly, emotive outbursts of Robbie Slater, Craig Foster (knows his football methodology, but overly emotive re Socceroos), Bozza, etc, have thankfully disappeared.

Djite, Paartalu, Milligan's and Gill in particular should never comment on keepers. They have no idea. I honestly saw Brosque roll his eyes when the others were drooling over Izzo making one os save and a number that I could have made at 65. Most saves ever blah blah. One great save.

 

[WhatAmIWatching]

The difference with Mourinho is his teams look to be dangerous and clinical on the counter.

We seem to be so focused on ensuring that we have half our team always behind the ball that everything else seems like an afterthought.

That's most likely because the quality of players Mourinho has at his disposal are a grade above the Socceroos and also because the team trains every week as opposed to during FIFA windows when disparate players come together.

 

[Alex M]

ATM though, Aus is playing like a classic Italy of the past at times.

That classic Italy won a couple of World Cups in my lifetime so I'll take that.

 

[LFC]

That classic Italy won a couple of World Cups in my lifetime so I'll take that.

We sure did but no way are the Roos playing like classic Italy load of bollocks.

 

[BA81]

No way are the Roos playing like classic Italy

Even if we were playing like the current Azzurri, it’d still be more attractive to watch than what Popa’s been dishing up.

 

[Alex M]

We sure did but no way are the Roos playing like classic Italy load of bollocks.

The classic Italy was based on solid defence but they had a lot of very good attacking players as well. They were much more balanced than some would make out. The 1982 squad was brilliant in all aspects.

 

[LFC]

you do need emotional outbursts from some of the commentators though, ideally you have a balance between the ones that can inject some passion into their commentary and others that give the analytic side

absolutely - were not sitting back watching and listenning in a socialist conference summit for eg
You always need the ying and yang listenning to football commentry - the one who is resereved ala Simon Hill style and then you need to opposite emotional outlook.
Slater/Bozza are classics you take the good with the bad - whereas Foster is a snotty wet blanket pollie type that hurts your ears haha

 

[patjennings]

If you want to hear an alternate call of Nov 16 penalty shoot-out find Peter Wilkins call for the ABC