Gee, I don’t know. How about we look at our last two games? Alternatively, let’s see if we can identify any successful teams that hoped to draw the first half and then bring on their best team? Is he injured? If not how can he be unfit? He’s played 90 minutes in the Championship.

Hmm. And maybe he was looking to play Leckie into form for the quarter finals?🤷‍♂️

He’d only come on in the second half because he can’t run as fast as Leckie.

Weird how goal scorers in other teams don’t need resting … just saying.

I actually think the players were higher standard than we’ve had since and should have achieved more for the quality of the individuals. Reality is that Hiddink and the GG achieved less than Arnie’s team in ‘22.

Exactly. Like saying Souttar isn’t good enough because he doesn’t make enough successful dribbles.

One thing that fascinates me is that even in the 80s only a minority of fans at games had a team jersey. It was just scarfs.

The point I’m making is that regardless of tactics, you still need ball players who can retain possession. If you can’t string 3 passes together your defence never gets a break from the pressure and hence are more likely to make an error. You get forced deeper and deeper because you never get...

He played more games than Ono … maybe he didn’t like the rotation … especially getting dropped every time he scored a goal.😏

I think Mooy was competing for the AM spot with a guy called Shinji Ono, rather than a DM spot with La Rocca. Mooy had played 21 games in 3 seasons when he arrived at WSW. In fact some may argue that Mooy’s career actually took off under Popa ….🤷‍♂️

I think you’ll find both Dukes and Emerton could receive and retain the ball in tight spaces.

No. He is not well suited to NT football. He needs players to buy into a system that is foreign to most … a week or two in camp is not long enough to drum it in.

Very few Australians ever have been at an elite level in terms of being able to keep the ball under extreme pressure or in tight places. Since the Golden Gen, perhaps Mooy? Volpato showed he is probably one of those players in the first 10 minutes he was on the field.

I think we know what he was trying to do. I don’t think the idea was necessarily wrong. But … knowing the pace and physicality of the US, you don’t just need ‘runners’ you also needed guys who want the ball and can receive and retain possession under extreme pressure. Most of us don’t think...

That but with Ira alongside Toure and Volpato as a 10.

With Circati and Souttar it’s more about the yellow cards. If you’re Paraguay you’re gonna run at them knowing they can’t risk a yellow. I agree. Professional footballers with a six day rest should be able to play a whole season at that tempo.

I would (almost) think of resting Souttar…. Almost

Yes, this was the most even group with fewest ranking spots separating highest and lowest ranked. Pretty sure it’s the first time we’ve entered a WC ranked ahead of two other group members.

Weird thing is that we can beat Paraguay and still not qualify for final 16 … so no better than 2010, 2014 and 2018.🤷‍♂️ I really don’t like 48 teams.

I see what you did there …😏