I’m sure Popa encourages players to pass forwards throughout a game - if at the right moment in midfield- as a player opens a viable passing lane further forwards.

Cant remember seeing you post before? Welcome to the forum, Mikes.

City have 3 wins in a row - I think? If Melb City make the finals, they will likely play the knockout game away, but are getting more of their experienced players back from injury. Given their battle hardened ACL performances, I think they could go all the way. City have done well in close...

Interesting?

Shame.

Have had a good look at City v Mariners game. In the first half there was some outstanding interplay between Arzani and Atkinson on the right flank. It was definite Socceroo quality. Arzani, when playing on the right wing, where Vidmar has usually placed Younis, can use his favoured right...

Deni Juric held the ball up a few times, drawing 2-3 opponents, with some nifty sole of the foot dribbling and Zidane 360s, plus quality shielding. One action which culminated in Mabil's goal. At the 63 min mark, Juric is about to be subbed. Juric has made 6 passes in the defensive half, all...

World rankings are so close, LFC. I haven't seen the top world ranked FIFA 10 nations play for a while. Just looking at USA, Colombia and Japan A and B in the teens, they are a class above Aus with the individuals who comprise their first elevens. Even though most on G and G will disagree...

That is what I have said - for some time, backed up with cold, hard stats. However, against Curaçao Hrustic has performed far better than I would have expected.

I sometimes struggle to rank players, not seeing them in all settings, Grazor. I’m gobsmacked Herrington has come from 3rd choice CB for the Aus u20s not long ago, and is showing up the experienced Geria playing Right CB in some areas. What appears to be established against Curaçao and...

Incredible, detailed post, LFC! Fair play to you! I've got to go out, but credit to G and G FC with all the threads and interesting Podcasts, I can't keep up to them, plus doing the current exhaustive , but very satisfying stat analyses of Socceroo games, and, keep up with current AL games. I...

At the same time, balls played into the opposition pen box, (although weirdly some stats show some teams playing a lot of balls into the opposition pen box that are easily repelled, hence not effective, possibly Colombia against Aus in the first 75 mins?), and shots at goal and shots on target...

I have some final passing stats for the Curacao game with players substituted at half time. Stats compilation almost always show up things we don't expect. JS96 is convinced Behich is a bad player. I think he is slightly on the decline, or other players are similar quality. *Over the years...

4 paragraphs here, LFC. 1. There is some merit in your historical view. 2. As a team unit, teams make far less mistakes in possession than they did in the leagues I mentioned. 3. I really like the chess game. I see it in Serie A, ACL, AL, and a lot of Socceroo and Matildas international...

I see some merit in this view, Grazor, but I contend it is more a question of general handling speed and skill on the ball, and quick thinking, that enables some players to pass forwards under pressure, or any direction, more effectively than others. The point the Dutch KNVB staff coaches...

I don’t see any change in style since 2008. It was still the same in coach education in Football Aus in 2016. Players pass forwards at the optimum time - after probing for gaps, and trying to induce opposition teams to vacate space in certain areas, by inducing the closing down ball carriers...

You might be missing the point, with due respect, LFC. It is a question of playing the ball forwards at the right time. If one revisits the AL in the early years, the English Champ 10 years ago and prior, English League 1 and Scotland, the ball was played forwards as a greater priority. Hence...

Not sure where you are getting all these from? It contradicts what KNVB staff coaches, Ad Derkson and Arie Schans, imparted to Aus AL coaches and lower ranked community coaches in 2008. They were emphatic that the ball is passed to players opening the best passing lanes - and - it was...

Really enjoyed the Matt Windley and Jake Entwhistle Podcasts. I’m going out, but will raise some points raised by both, and Grazor, later.

The passing forwards one. Crediting players for passing forwards. I can’t believe it? Is Jake a scout primarily operating in Aus, or England? Both? Jake also made a lot of very good points, which I’ll raise in the Podcast thread, amongst the current Popa bashing. I thought Jake E was a...

There are a lot of possibly talented at international level players who could step up, PJ. However, they lack experience and are unknown quantities at international level plus early in their careers. We are so close to a WC, it is very late to keep trying them. Most of us had no idea...

Have not heard the last Pod, but I'm finishing the Matt Windley and the Jake Entwhistle Podcasts. There is a lot of material there to discuss - which I will in time. Reading the last few comments there is a fair bit of groupthink in response to Popa's tenure. One would think Aus has not...

Cameroon full game hasn't reappeared on Paramount, but the Curacao game has. I'm up to the 63 min mark in the Curacao match, just before Iran, Bos and McGree come on as subs. I'm only recording passing stats in a first replay look, and will do the rest- 1v1s, shots, ball played into pen box...

JS 96 put up a good highlights replay of the game showing the goal we conceded. Thanks, JS. I have no doubt many thought Rowles was culpable, BUT Behich was languid in closing down the Cur RB. Hence he had time and space launching an aerial ball forwards, where Circati lost a 1v1 heading...

If the 9 ( Juric) tracks too far back there is no depth in the team shape when they win the ball back in the Attacking Transition.

Embarrassingly, haven't quite worked Ten Play out yet. Thanks though, PJ. Maybe Grazor got me in a while back, but they should be on Paramount full replays. Cameroon was on replay for 2 days. They took down the Colombia game for months, but it returned recently.

Funny the new love for Arnie. When he was Aussie coach I think I was one of 3 - 5 posters on G and G who supported his tenure.

I think Popa knew what Balard can do, and rested him. IMO he has done well as a DM in the matches he has played for the Roos. Popa also didn't call up Irvine for the two friendlies on home soil.

I don't think Souttar has played enough football in the last few years. He was Arnie's favourite, but plenty of CBs have come in and done a good job in his absence in the Popa tenure. I don't think Popa will select Souttar.

I feel like the Fox Sports pundits have been superseded by a new, younger gen of pundits on 10/Paramount who are more modest, measured and circumspect.

Happy Easter all.

The Blues have a lot of talent, Richie.

I’m quite frustrated. I’m champing at the bit to finish stats for the Cameroon game, and haven’t started the Curaçao game. Paramount have taken them off the replay section! Frustrating! A few posters from the second game, live, have posted some interesting observations. I’m keen to check...

I’ve loved Football 360’s emergence for free info on my Facebook feeds after losing old free sites like The Australian and Fairfax to paywalls without subscribing to them.

Good luck to him! He might never qualify for and play in a World Cup.

Gee, underneath that macho exterior you are quite a sensitive soul, Mono. I don’t like seeing players good enough for future Socceroos play for any other country. But good luck to them if they choose other countries. India - Williams playing for them and scoring within few minutes, I...

That sounds much more reasonable! $35 per adult ticket is good.

Once again Grazor and Pasquali, take a bow for producing these fabulous podcasts, with the Jake W being another ripper! I’ve learned so much new info about football from the podcasts in quite a range of areas.

That is a lot of money, Q. For me too. Football Aus is charging too much. I'm sure Test cricket tickets are cheaper. Then again I haven't bought any for 15 years because I've been a member. Are there any cheaper tickets? I'm assuming with a worse view.

I have travelled to Melbourne for a few Roo games, LFC. I am a humble aged pensioner too, not as cashed up as I was. Like the Socceroo games, but not staying in Melbourne. Wish they played them in Geelong. Like I asked EZ, did you attend the Cameroon game, live, in Sydney? You don't have not...

I was astonished they missed Russia.

I know some support a foreign country and Aus second. One thing that helps the Aus team is lack of media pressure. That is because there is little interest! There has been ABC TV media coverage for the Tillies and Socceroo home games, more for the former, but less than AFL players being...

Thanks, RF. It makes Aus the most experienced team in the group at WCs. Turkey haven't been for years. The USA failed to qualify for a WC a few WC comps ago too.

Agree 100%! And just looking at the WC groups, I think Greece have failed again to qualify for a WC, where Triantis pledged allegiance. The question needs to be asked? Is it worth Aussies playing in UEFA leagues where their national teams constantly fail to qualify for WCs? Scotland have at...

True. I still find it perplexing there is indifference when the national teams play - if - a person commits to active participation on a football forum. If the argument is used that Cameroon and Curacao did not have sufficient quality to warrant live attendance - based on their performances...

I think EZ was one of the ball boys?

No way I would fail to attend a farewell Socceroo game in my home town ( albeit it being easy to get around) based on those criteria. My wife, who isn't really a football fan like most ostensibly are on G and G, would have been really keen to attend live Socceroos or Matildas games too. What...

Good on you, EZ. You might have attended more pro games, but I've attended (or played) a lot of matches at lower level. Always considered you were a national team fanatic - not one of those thespians.

*Just heard about half of the Jake Entwhistle Podcast. Jake had just finished one comment and I initially noted a question to comment on, and, Grazor commented about the Australian heat in the summer being a possible factor in slower speed over the turf! * With all the leagues Aussies are...

It is tough predicting game outcomes.

I've concluded there is a significant proportion of this forum who aren't that interested in the Socceroos, after seeing plenty of discussion elsewhere by posters in the last few days who haven't posted in this thread. Moreover, there are large numbers of G and G posters who live in Sydney and...

There is a Youtube site run by a guy who has interesting comparisons between the Big Five. I'm pretty sure Serie A had about 40% domestic Italians playing, EPL 33% English domestic players, Germany about 50%, and Spain and France a bit over 60% domestic players. The less domestic players in a...

Wow! That is incredible, RF. It is unprecedented for a big UEFA Five country, or the big two South American countries, to fail to qualify for 3 WCs in a row. Round of 16 is poor from Italy too in the Euro Champs in 2024. In some data on big Five UEFA league comparisons they might have...

Hopefully, you attended the significant 'event', Socceroos v Cameroon game in Sydney, and are not your self- defined 'theatre goer', EZ?

I've been sent a link to Curacao. Many play for Eredivisie teams, with a few Eerste teams. A couple play in Turkey, a few in USA, 1 in Belgium, a few in the Championship, so they have players playing in quality leagues, particularly the Eredivisie, the 6th ranked league in Europe.

Simply amazing! Have Italy failed qualifying for 3 WCs in a row? They did well in Euro Champs 2016, won them in 2020 and not sure how they went in 2024? Are Italy still deemed a world powerhouse? The Aus dual nationals flirting with them are nuts!

Good on you attending live, WAIW. Haven’t been able to access the full replay on Paramount yet. They’ve taken the Cameroon game down. Didn’t notice that Behich and Trewin played a higher line, but the formation did look more like a 3-4-3 flat midfield more this game, with less 5-2-3 and...

Hope you are safe, mate, if you still live in the UAE.

Thanks for the response about the crowd, DD. Interesting to read your thoughts about how much the kids wanted to see Iran and Bos. Agree with most of your views, but thought Hrustic was mediocre - as usual. Credit to you attending. Wonder why so many other Melbourne G and G posters failed to...