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

By being a whistleblower in more ways then one.

Apparently was a key witness in ratting out more corrupt match officials
Can’t believe the bastard could ever ref professionally again?

Always look forward to experienced refs like you, Muz and Paul01, providing your refereeing insights, NCB.
 
Even as a ref - I think he had a very, very poor game.

But - refs can have a bad game, and so can players at the same time - they don't have to be mutually exclusive. I think we lose 1-0 probably, or 2-1 regardless - so not much of a difference.
Well said.

USA appeared to dominate the first 45 mins.
 
Turkey were much slower in transition and out wide than the usa. Poppa thought after the Turkey game he could replay it for 45, demoralise the usa and then win it in the second half, or scrap through for a draw. Their players also were more aggressive on the press forcing Bos, circati and Italiano into mistakes repeatedly. They got under their skin, look at the silly yellow from Italiano. It's a kind of negative football about poppaball I personally don't like. Volparto, metcalf and Irvine brought control back and some really nice football. Volparto was a revelation and was what many of us have been calling for. A player who can hold the ball and open passing channels or deliver a cross for a counter. Don't feel the second goal should have counted as there were two usa players contesting the ball. The ref also had moment of convenient blindness. Poppa really needed to have prepped for that first half more. Instead I feel he just believed all of the hype after the turkiye game
 
Dont think Beach can be blamed for either, hung out to dry on both.

Partly for the first and possibly for the second. He went for the ball and didn't get it for the first. Burgess probably thought he Beach was getting it and then couldn't react quickly enough when he didn't. For the second he did slip, but I can't believe that Ryan wouldn't have been screaming his lungs out to shut down the pass to the player sitting unmarked on the edge of the box. Did Beach, or did the defence ignore him.
 
I'm usually pretty unkind to refs especially in the heat of the moment but blaming them is a cop out. Popovic got it wrong and some players didn't show up plain and simple.
How did Popa get it wrong?

I think it was a question of players playing a poor first 45 mins.

Bos has been down on his offensive ball carrying in both games.

Burgess made 1 critical mistake - with slightly cumbersome footwork.

USA knew Circati struggles going wide to defend against speedy wingers - which happened in the Burgess own goal.

USA Squeezed our back 5 superbly, starving more offensive players supply.

Second half IMO, watching live, we were the better side, despite playing against the USA and the shocking ref!

Popa swapping the more agile Geria for Circati, and sending him to Left CB was a good move.

Predictably, Iran for Toure, worked.

Volpato for (was it Leckie or Villupillay) worked very well.

USA coach planned well to break link between the Aus wider CBs and the Aus Wing Backs - too well in first half.
 
Partly for the first and possibly for the second. He went for the ball and didn't get it for the first. Burgess probably thought he Beach was getting it and then couldn't react quickly enough when he didn't. For the second he did slip, but I can't believe that Ryan wouldn't have been screaming his lungs out to shut down the pass to the player sitting unmarked on the edge of the box. Did Beach, or did the defence ignore him.
Harsh!
 
Turkey were much slower in transition and out wide than the usa. Poppa thought after the Turkey game he could replay it for 45, demoralise the usa and then win it in the second half, or scrap through for a draw. Their players also were more aggressive on the press forcing Bos, circati and Italiano into mistakes repeatedly. They got under their skin, look at the silly yellow from Italiano. It's a kind of negative football about poppaball I personally don't like. Volparto, metcalf and Irvine brought control back and some really nice football. Volparto was a revelation and was what many of us have been calling for. A player who can hold the ball and open passing channels or deliver a cross for a counter. Don't feel the second goal should have counted as there were two usa players contesting the ball. The ref also had moment of convenient blindness. Poppa really needed to have prepped for that first half more. Instead I feel he just believed all of the hype after the turkiye game
Welcome to the forum. MZ!

Agree Volpato was a revelation.
 
The US beat Paraguay 4-1.

If Parguay lose to Turkey, they are almost done.

If we can't beat Paraguay we were never going far in this tournament.

If we win we should make it to the next stage.
 
Partly for the first and possibly for the second. He went for the ball and didn't get it for the first. Burgess probably thought he Beach was getting it and then couldn't react quickly enough when he didn't. For the second he did slip, but I can't believe that Ryan wouldn't have been screaming his lungs out to shut down the pass to the player sitting unmarked on the edge of the box. Did Beach, or did the defence ignore him.
Maty might have saved the second, because at WC’s he has been known to be beaten without actually reacting … so he would have been well positioned for the deflection.
 
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.
I think Robertson is a better example of a player who can play in the half spaces like Volpato rather than McGree. McGree is a good dribbler but he isn't like Robertson or Volpato. His best attributes is his creativity and passing.
 
Other than that Circati block in the second half, the US really didn't throw a lot at us considering both their goals were so avoidable. 2 shots on target all game. They're a good team, but it was there for the taking if we didn't stuff around for that first half. Then a couple of those close calls go our way, Burgess clears with his right foot and we're talking a different result.

Tough to take.
 
I think Robertson is a better example of a player who can play in the half spaces like Volpato rather than McGree. McGree is a good dribbler but he isn't like Robertson or Volpato. His best attributes is his creativity and passing.
All this augurs well for the future. The pressure for Roo places will become immense.

What always seems to occur though is injury, and club scenarios that don’t work out.
 
How did Popa get it wrong?

I think it was a question of players playing a poor first 45 mins.

Bos has been down on his offensive ball carrying in both games.

Burgess made 1 critical mistake - with slightly cumbersome footwork.

USA knew Circati struggles going wide to defend against speedy wingers - which happened in the Burgess own goal.

USA Squeezed our back 5 superbly, starving more offensive players supply.

Second half IMO, watching live, we were the better side, despite playing against the USA and the shocking ref!

Popa swapping the more agile Geria for Circati, and sending him to Left CB was a good move.

Predictably, Iran for Toure, worked.

Volpato for (was it Leckie or Villupillay) worked very well.

USA coach planned well to break link between the Aus wider CBs and the Aus Wing Backs - too well in first half.
I think you've just explained how Poppa got it wrong.

If the USA knew Circati struggles going wide, why did he put him in the position for that to happen? If the US squeezed our back 5, Popa didn't adjust instantly. He waited and just let it continue happening. These are things managers should pick up on and adapt, or adjust to.

He got the subs right in the 2nd half, but in essence, they should not have been subs. They were the obvious changes, and proved why they should have started.
 
How did Popa get it wrong?

I think it was a question of players playing a poor first 45 mins.

Bos has been down on his offensive ball carrying in both games.

Burgess made 1 critical mistake - with slightly cumbersome footwork.

USA knew Circati struggles going wide to defend against speedy wingers - which happened in the Burgess own goal.

USA Squeezed our back 5 superbly, starving more offensive players supply.

Second half IMO, watching live, we were the better side, despite playing against the USA and the shocking ref!

Popa swapping the more agile Geria for Circati, and sending him to Left CB was a good move.

Predictably, Iran for Toure, worked.

Volpato for (was it Leckie or Villupillay) worked very well.

USA coach planned well to break link between the Aus wider CBs and the Aus Wing Backs - too well in first half.
Very similar to how I felt about the selections for the Turkey match (initially - before the great work happened) - I don't think the selection issues were our backline - other than perhaps Herrington in for Burgess, I believe that's our best back 5 in this squad. Italiano was a bit suspect in the first half, but that was exacerbated by Leckie's absolutely shocking performance. When Volpato and Metcalfe were on in front of him in the second half, he looked much much much better.

The selections of Leckie and Nish in particular were the baffling ones.
 
Can someone explain why Popa wasn’t happy with the non-offside call for their second goal? The offside player runs in with the scorer but doesn’t influence the play or impede the goalkeeper in any way.

On replay, I was kinda disappointed to see the goal was perfectly legitimate after all. I thought we were ripped off, but no. What were people complaining about in that instance?
I thought it was fine live. On replay I can see why I would overturn it. But I can also see why it stood.
 
I think you've just explained how Poppa got it wrong.

If the USA knew Circati struggles going wide, why did he put him in the position for that to happen? If the US squeezed our back 5, Popa didn't adjust instantly. He waited and just let it continue happening. These are things managers should pick up on and adapt, or adjust to.

He got the subs right in the 2nd half, but in essence, they should not have been subs. They were the obvious changes, and proved why they should have started.
More of a question of USA doing better homework on breaking the cohesion between the Roo wide CBs and the Roo CBs.

Turkey didn’t.

The Popa plan was plausible, but the onfield players struggled to execute it in the first half.

They often kicked rushed straight balls in hope.

It may have been a question of the biggest, most vociferous away crowd some players had ever performed in front of?
 
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