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...