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Soccer Ashes thread

As the Kiwis deployed their off the ball intensive Squeezing, Aus struggled to play out, because it was difficult for the Aussies to open passing lanes, devoid of a Kiwi being more then a metre to 2 metres away. This is very tiring too for the teams doing it. As is usually the case the Kiwis ran out of gas at 60 mins.

It was tough for the Aussies in the back third to get a player receiving the ball with their body shape facing forwards, and having a teammate opening a passing lane in space - devoid of a Kiwi closing him down.

Outside Iran's brilliant goal and astonishing free kick, I'm not sure he did a lot? Live I thought he was outmuscled a lot. It might be different when I go over the replay compiling stats. Popa publicly said he was pleased with Iran's defending.

Toure was a huge asset. His strength and pace constantly harassed the Kiwi defence. Like Duke, Borrello and Yengi, but the difference was his clinical finishing! The first goal was brilliant! He outmuscled his marker, displaying sublime skill at pace to slot home sprinting at high speed.

I'm hearing his body is struggling though. I hadn't realised he is still only 21? If he stays fit , we've found our first choice central striker. Last year he couldn't hit the side of a barn in the U23s Olympic Qual tournament.

Live I thought Circati had a poor game, by his own lofty standards after being made captain (which I predicted in a few years time, not in his 7th game). I thought he mishit a few passes and was turned a few times. It will be interesting to look at the replay.

Live, Balard and O'N looked similar, so early in the game I wasn't sure who was who?

Live, I thought Miller had a good shift. Just before Aus scored around the 57th min, when he was blamed for fluffing a ball close to our goal, I was screaming at Metcalfe to move quicker to support him to open a passing lane in space. Metcalfe just didn't see it.

Despite that, Connor M showed some more superb touches, carrying in from game 1. He made both quality assists for Toure's 2 goals.

Although he didn't get forward as much as Miller, I thought Rowles was okay at LWB. None of Bos's searing runs, but he was a tough defender for the Kiwis to round out wide.

I just wish that commentators, Harper and Thompson had the knowledge to comment on the levels of Squeezing and Pressing. It is much harder to play out when teams gegenpress with so many players entering the opposition half, like NZ did. It was well-organised too.

Popa wants his teams to defend deeper, with only a modicum of Squeezing, enabling Aus to keep defensive shape nearly all the time. The Kiwis were stretched a lot more late in both games, as those distances between their lines increased. This enabled Aus to play more effectively with the ball.
 
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JS96 said:
I mean yeah Izzo can make himself wider there. It does irk me how keepers have the toughest job in football. If that goes past Ryan all the MV fans start shouting.
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Don't get me wrong - his shot stopping overall was very good - but he should have done better there. My main problem with him over both games is his distribution. He was under a lot of pressure in the first game, less so this time, so I expected better.

At this stage I'm still not convinced we have seen Ryan's replacement for when he retires. I actually think we should have an FA keeper coach. Not the NT one - but someone to work with all the Aussie keepers. Corry was a great keeper coach and Crawley did very well. But the well seems to be drying up. Galekovic seems to be getting some good results.
 
patjennings said:
Don't get me wrong - his shot stopping overall was very good - but he should have done better there. My main problem with him over both games is his distribution. He was under a lot of pressure in the first game, less so this time, so I expected better.

At this stage I'm still not convinced we have seen Ryan's replacement for when he retires. I actually think we should have an FA keeper coach. Not the NT one - but someone to work with all the Aussie keepers. Corry was a great keeper coach and Crawley did very well. But the well seems to be drying up. Galekovic seems to be getting some good results.
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Izzo's distribution is one of the worst I've seen. There's a myth now about the myth of Ryan's distribution. To say it's poor is simply false. The speed at which he seeks the options and then feeds it with a throw or drop kick is very good.

Gauci was bullied at set pieces even by China and was confused in crowded situations. He got the good game in Japan under his belt so there is something.
 
Izzo gave the ball away quite a lot when playing longer passes. I don't think he has Ryan's on the deck sweeping skills - yet.

Izzo might be a shorter keeper, as he isn't a dominant keeper at commanding the pen box.

However, his shot stopping has been very, very good!
 
Decentric said:
As the Kiwis deployed their off the ball intensive Squeezing, Aus struggled to play out, because it was difficult for the Aussies to open passing lanes, devoid of a Kiwi being more then a metre to 2 metres away. This is very tiring too.

Outside Iran's brilliant goal and astonishing free kick, I'm not sure he did a lot? Live I thought he was outmuscled a lot. It might be different when I go over the replay compiling stats. Popa publicly said he was pleased with Iran's defending.

Toure was a huge asset. His strength and pace constantly harassed the Kiwi defence. Like Duke, Borrello and Yengi, but the difference was his clinical finishing! The first goal was brilliant! He outmuscled his marker, displaying sublime skill at pace to slot home sprinting at high speed.

I'm hearing his body is struggling though. I hadn't realised he is still only 21? If he stays fit , we've found our first choice central striker. Last year he couldn't hit the side of a barn in the U23s Olympic Qual tournament.

Live I thought Circati had a poor game, by his own lofty standards after being made captain (which I predicted in a few years time, not in his 7th game). I thought he mishit a few passes and was turned a few times. It will be interesting to look at the replay.

Live, Balard and O'N looked similar, so early in the game I wasn't sure who was who?

Live, I thought Miller had a good shift. Just before Aus scored around the 57th min, when he was blamed for fluffing a ball close to our goal, I was screaming at Metcalfe to move quicker to support him to open a passing lane in space. Metcalfe just didn't see it.

Despite that, Connor M showed some more superb touches, carrying in from game 1. He made both quality assists for Toure's 2 goals.

Although he didn't get forward as much as Miller, I thought Rowles was okay at LWB. None of Bos's searing runs, but he was a tough defender for the Kiwis to round out wide.

I just wish that commentators, Harper and Thompson had the knowledge to comment on the levels of Squeezing and Pressing. It is much harder to play out when teams gegenpress with so many players entering the opposition half, like NZ did. It was well-organised too.

Popa wants his teams to defend deeper, with only a modicum of Squeezing, enabling Aus to keep defensive shape nearly all the time. The Kiwis were stretched a lot more late in both games, as those distances between their lines increased. This enabled Aus to play more effectively with the ball.
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Nice write up. What's with the broadcasts making it hard to spot who is in our midfield? I struggled too at times. I think some who had a poorer or more tame game know full well it's only September so try not to do anything too rash like swift movements.

Small favour, using the nightmare word for Australian football to name our brightest talent is disconcerting :D

Nessie, as I said, is also confusing as the Scots may try to poach him.
 
0.84 XPT goals for Australia while NZ on 1.16 :D
 
Decentric said:
Izzo gave the ball away quite a lot when playing longer passes. I don't think he has Ryan's on the deck sweeping skills - yet.

Izzo might be a shorter keeper, as he isn't a dominant keeper at commanding the pen box.

However, his shot stopping has been very, very good!
Click to expand...
Izzo is 1cm shorter than Ryan and a very good shot stopper but he played his first ALM game almost 13 years ago. If he doesn't have deck sweeping skills now I can't imagine him getting them any time soon.
 
Decentric said:
Izzo gave the ball away quite a lot when playing longer passes. I don't think he has Ryan's on the deck sweeping skills - yet.

Izzo might be a shorter keeper, as he isn't a dominant keeper at commanding the pen box.

However, his shot stopping has been very, very good!
Click to expand...
Yeah good stopping. One or two reaches needed. If Ryan does it though people say it's rudimentary.
 
Man, Mo Toure has such an array of vocal sounds that he'd make a good career for voice recordings, Very clear with a mix of Australian and a twang of near South African and influenced by his upbringing too.
 
JS96 said:
Nice write up. What's with the broadcasts making it hard to spot who is in our midfield? I struggled too at times. I think some who had a poorer or more tame game know full well it's only September so try not to do anything too rash like swift movements.

Small favour, using the nightmare word for Australian football to name our brightest talent is disconcerting :D

Nessie, as I said, is also confusing as the Scots may try to poach him.
Click to expand...
I thought the visuals were worse and from distance O'N and Ballard look similar.

A bit closer, and O'N is more muscular in the upper body, whilst Balard has massive legs ( from one angle I saw him).

I'm looking forward to having a better look at Balard in the replay compiling stats. Don't know his game at all ATM.

I was astonished Popa put Bos on the right? Couldn't believe he put Hrustic and Boyle on, rather than having a look at Botic and Matthews?

I'm not convinced Burgess is a better CB than Rowles too? Geria has done little wrong at Right CB either, even though if Circati isn't our best player, he soon will be.

We have some depth at CB - Circati, Burgess, Geria, Souttar, Matthews, and a resurgent Degenek. A player I've coached texted me and claimed that both Deg and Burgess ( not being close enough to Deg as a second defender) were culpable for the Kiwi goal, superbly finished by Wood.
 
JS96 said:
Man, Mo Toure has such an array of vocal sounds that he'd make a good career for voice recordings, Very clear with a mix of Australian and a twang of near South African and influenced by his upbringing too.
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Iran is very Aussie with his accent, but Toure has quite a few influences. Mo was pretty serious too.
 
patjennings said:
Izzo is 1cm shorter than Ryan and a very good shot stopper but he played his first ALM game almost 13 years ago. If he doesn't have deck sweeping skills now I can't imagine him getting them any time soon.
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Is Izzo that old?

He isn't bad as a sweeper, but is not like Ryan as a sweeper.
 
Just under 2 years since Toure came on at Wembley. It's been a big test in patience. Honestly, he should just play for Australia every weekend as he'd start and probably not get injured!
 
JS96 said:
A few things to remember. Rowles had a purely defensive job tonight and shut them down a lot early. A tidy enough game. Some good first time balls if you watch carefully and a few wayward ones. Definitely not a viable LWB and Elder needs a go. Won't happen.

Bos at the end was really just closing the game down and avoiding injury.

Some faith in that Kalik and Botic didn't get chances either so it's just Popovic showing who's Bos. Nice for Milanovic.

Toure was a boss tonight. On this evidence we surely don't see Duke return and Behich as a lucky reserve.

Balard was tidy and tonight afforded us more space and transition where we looked at home.
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Forgot about Kalik?

He should have been on instead of Hrustic and Boyle as subs.
 
Barca4life said:
Credit to the Kiwis they play a nice brand of football, they probably lack some depth in key positions but they building into a good team.
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They have improved out of sight!

They recently lost to Ukraine 1-2.

They beat Ivory Coast.

I think these were the results Harper alluded to in the game.
 
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