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

rebelliousfeminist974 said:
Cristian Volpato should be getting game time against the United States on Saturday because his pace will be valuable in shutting down their midfield and forward line early before they have a chance to get inside the box, convert chances into meaningful shots at goal and find the back of the net.
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I was totally disinterested in Volpato whilst he vacillated about committing to Aus.

Now he has committed, I’m thrilled. Another member off forum sent me a highlights reel. I saw none of it in the previous friendly and he underwhelmed.

In the second is half against USA I was really impressed with his close ball control and dribbling ability - in a different way from others.

Whereas Bos ( although rarely in this WC) and Iran mainly ball carry at extreme pace to beat defenders, and often need space, Volpato is effective in tighter spaces and doesn’t need space. Volpato is a huge gain for Aus! Other than Arzani and Tilio, and probably a range of the new whizz gen under 25 I can’t remember ATM, we don’t have a plethora of players with his skill set.
 
Went to bed at half time, heard we still came out of that 2-0.

Dopey game, Burgess is shit and should not be playing for any national team. Further, doesn't look like he actually gives 2 fucks either.
Italiano looks like the player we should have rested this game.
Plenty of days off for rest for this game, I dont understand Pop omitting our best players. Total wanky bs
 
I don't think any of our squad could have shutdown our right defensive side better than Italiano today.

They were fast and skillful and we were always going to need help blocking them out.

We didn't do it well enough as a team - often having one on ones on both wings as players got isolated when we needed numbers.
 
DandyCasey said:
Any chance we can we bring in a injury replacement for Leckie?
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Mitch Duke would be a shoe in.

Personal plea from Popa to come to his country's aid in a moment of crisis.

No time to bring anyone else up to speed and he knows the system.
 
WTF what Plopovic thinking by starting Nishan and Leckie? Why does it take a crucial World Cup fixture to figure out that A league players cannot effectively compete against European based players?

If you look through every nations World Cup squad they almost always pick players who are playing in either England, Italy, Spain or Germany. Only after these spots have been exhausted do they recruit from their own leagues, and usually just to fill gaps in the squad.

Instead Plopovic does the fkn reverse. He drops the Euro based players, players who play 50+ games per season in the worlds most hostile atmospheres, and opts for a couple of plodders in a part time semi pro competition. And one who is closer to 40 than 30.

I hate losing to the USA but I hate even more that we never stood a chance , because of our jackass moron coach. Knowing Popa he will probably start Nishan and Leckie next match because he will want to prove that he made the right team selection.

Ffs
 
mkxx said:
Popa should have picked Robertson for Leckie for this
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Decentric said:
I was totally disinterested in Volpato whilst he vacillated about committing to Aus.

Now he has committed, I’m thrilled. Another member off forum sent me a highlights reel. I saw none of it in the previous friendly and he underwhelmed.

In the second is half against USA I was really impressed with his close ball control and dribbling ability - in a different way from others.

Whereas Bos ( although rarely in this WC) and Iran mainly ball carry at extreme pace to beat defenders, and often need space, Volpato is effective in tighter spaces and doesn’t need space. Volpato is a huge gain for Aus! Other than Arzani and Tilio, and probably a range of the new whizz gen under 25 I can’t remember ATM, we don’t have a plethora of players with his skill set.
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Weve rarely produced these players who can play in the half spaces. Even kewell as good as he was more of an 'outside dribbler' using his pace and power to burst past pmayers like a bos than an 'inside dribbler'. Only players weve ever produced with this ability were Oscar Crino, Viduka (who due to his size was played CF), Aurelio vidmar, Nicky Carle, Nathan Burns and Tom Rogic. Farina and Kruse at his leverkusen peak were good dribblers but again more outside dribblers.

Together with McGree we actually have 2 of these type of players. The both of them together at the Asian Cup is going to be quite exciting. Shame we lost Segecic.
 
Quicky said:
Popovic really blew it today. Some of the players didn't show up. I don't know what to do about the midfield with what we selected in the squad.
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I am going to defend the coach, i understand the strategy he was trying to use, he had to try something.

Quaility opposition with early momentum, vocal crowd support the US getting a couple of 50/50s. Our players simply got a bit too nervous and negative in the first 20 mins.

There was some element of luck in both US goals, and in both cases earlier movement by our players could have made them less likely.

The US team is tall, fit, fast, and far more skilled and tactical than any US team I have seen.

Clearly we were hoping for 0-0 at halftime, we could have had our best attacking players on from the start and still been 2-0 down at halftime.

The US is a very good team, playing at home with good crowd support.

The big test for the coach and players is, the next game.

If is clear to me we are a young side which should be this level or better for the next 8-12 years. These players need more experience, and we need to find the next batch of 4-5 exciting young players.

In all sports when the team loses, the coach is always blamed.

I doubt that the US can win it, but they might make the final 4.

I would settle for us winning 2 more games.
 
Popa makes 2 changes taking away the 2 guys who scored and would have been surging with confidence 🤦

Can see as soon as they came on the lift in the team and how bright they were. When volpato joined them we went into the ascendency.

Great great socceroo Leckie, i particularly liked when ange used him as a RWB during 2017, but cant be using a guy at age 35 whose main asset was his running.

Popa bottled this game and paid the US far too much respect .. treated them like an England, France, germany etc
 
Yes i
RIMB said:
I don't think any of our squad could have shutdown our right defensive side better than Italiano today.

They were fast and skillful and we were always going to need help blocking them out.

We didn't do it well enough as a team - often having one on ones on both wings as players got isolated when we needed numbers.
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Thought Italiano did a great job defensively. Dont remember them threatening much down that side mainly came from their right side.
 
highkick05 said:
Went to bed at half time, heard we still came out of that 2-0.

Dopey game, Burgess is shit and should not be playing for any national team. Further, doesn't look like he actually gives 2 fucks either.
Italiano looks like the player we should have rested this game.
Plenty of days off for rest for this game, I dont understand Pop omitting our best players. Total wanky bs
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Bit harsh, he was terrific against both the swiss and Turkey
 
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