Match stats/analysis for recent Socceroo games

[Cunningstunt]

The play you mentioned is at 36 seconds I think Decentric. Immediately after that he draws 3 defenders, finds a pass through the press and plays a one two to keep possession.

You would hope Victory can sell him on for a nice fee at the end of the season. He looks ready. Would he manage a top 5 league? Maybe he needs another stepping stone.

 

[dr. bellows]

When you talk about his marking are you meaning his marking of an individual player such as the opposing AM or are you meaning his patrolling of the space in front of his CBs?

Kraev's goal was one:

Western Sydney v Melbourne Victory - Shark Highlights | Isuzu UTE A-League 2024-25 | Round 23

Catch all the highlights as Western Sydney Wanderers put their finals hopes on the line when they hosted Melbourne Victory in round 23 of the Isuzu UTE A-League.

aleagues.com.au

 

[Decentric]

Teague on the ball was definitely eye catching, I didn't notice he favoured one foot in passing and the other receiving, that's interesting

I thought the midfield were slow to react in the second half when China forced a rare diving save from the edge of the box. I didn't see whose fault it was

It was more Teague preferred to either one foot pass with his left foot, in just one touch - or - receive with his right foot, transferring the ball with a little touch to his left foot to pass on to a teammate in two touches.

I was surprised how good Teague is at one touch passing with his left foot? At a young age and in his first game for the Socceroos too. At club level I'm always watching Valadon's technical prowess rather than Teague's.

Comparatively, O'Neill was right/ left, or, left/ right, in two touch passing - receiving with one foot and passing with the other. He is very two footed and two side of the body proficient.

These are two of the best technicians we have in the senior Socceroos.

 

[dr. bellows]

Just watching the 2nd half of wsw v mv again. Teague marking 65th minute also not good. I agree with you Decentric about his passing. Some lovely one touch passes. Gersbach in the match a very impressive substitute performance. I rate him and think he is well suited to Popa's system. Would try him as a sub for Behich at first, then assess.

 

[dr. bellows]

Gersbach looks good going forward but I guess the asterisk with him is whether he's good enough defensively.

 

[Decentric]

Haven't compiled all the stats yet, as I'm procrastinating on doing all the percentages in the stats!

However, I've finished the 1v1s against both Indonesia and China.



Indonesia v Aus

Australia won 64, 1v1 duels compared to Indonesia winning 32.

11 of 1v1 duels contested had no outcome.

Aus won 67% of 1v1s compared to Indo's 33%.

There were 107 total 1v1 duels in the game. Indonesia had the ascendancy in the first 10 -14 mins, then Aus dominated.



Aus v China

Australia won 47, 1v1 duels, whilst China won 34.

14 of 1v1s contested had no outcome.

Aus won 58% of contested duels, whilst China won 42%.

The total number of 1v1 duels was 95. Cina's best period at winning 1v1s was at the 45 -65 min mark.

Also, China winning 42% of 1v1 duels, they were just behind Japan at 43%, as our toughest adversary in 1v1 duels.

 

[Decentric]

Individually, here are a few individuals.

Wasn't sure how Teague would go as a younger player in 1v1s? He did really well in winning hard balls - tackling, heading, and body on body contests, including shoulder barges.

For a DM, he also displayed some quality dribbling when forced into some tight spots and won some 1v1s in this way. Few players are good body on body duellists - and - good dribblers as well. Is Teague the product of a new gen, more complete Aussie footballer?

Teague is more like Behich in ball winning - a quick, more subtle attempt, compared to Miller's constant bullocking which takes some time to determine a 1v1 winner.

Further looking at a replay, Teague was dribbled around on 1 occasion, but had a disadvantageous body shape, compared to his opponent, so not sure I could call it a 1v1 duel?

When people talk about the supposed great duel nationality talents not committed to the Socceroos, Teague's debut was outstanding and augurs well for the future. It may have helped enormously having the experienced veterans Behich to his left and behind him and Irvine next to him, helping with his positioning.

Didn't note Teague failing to track runners, which Dr Bellows has identified. I wasn't looking for it though.

 

[Decentric]

Both Taggart and Borrello did a good job holding the ball up, against some rugged defenders.

It was not until the third go watching a replay to appreciate Taggart's excellent work as part of a team unit. He closed down space well in the attacking line forcing Indo defenders to play in less time and space then they would like when they had the ball. Not sure he got any shots on goal? However, he played a superb assist under pressure for Villupillay to convert.

Borrello nearly scored in one game, I think against Indo. Overall he harasses like Duke, and despite not scoring, is terrific at closing down space from the front in the attacking line in the rarer occasions, Popa wants to Full Press. Borrello is physically strong for his size, very quick and covers more ground than Taggart. It is all part of the team game plan, which results in others scoring. Borrello has good technique when holding the ball up too.

Despite Boyle scoring a pen, and Villupillay scoring 2 goals in the two games, the Indo goal being brilliant, they both defended better from the front against Indo, than against China. They closed down space well against Indo, creating a tough Aus front three.

In terms of 1v1s, Villupillay won more against Indo than China . This involved dribbling around defenders and winning body on body duels. Not sure if he was fatigued in the second game? Or whether he isn't that match fit, given he has been subbed a bit at club level?

Boyle can run with the ball at pace and dribble around players, plus closes down space quite well, and tracks runners better than most forwards. However, he is just simply overpowered physically, being easily knocked off the ball.

Boyle is quite a puny footballer. How does he survive in the rugged Scottish league? When he is on the pitch, like Hrustic, the Socceroos 1v1 ball winning capacity drops by some margin.

 

[Keeper66]

Didn't note Teague failing to track runners, which Dr Bellows has identified. I wasn't looking for it though.

Have a good look at the Chinese shot on goal early in the second half from the Brazilian-Chinese player, that Ryan saved. I think that Teague should have tracked him on his run into the penalty area.

 

[Muz]

The play you mentioned is at 36 seconds I think Decentric. Immediately after that he draws 3 defenders, finds a pass through the press and plays a one two to keep possession.

You would hope Victory can sell him on for a nice fee at the end of the season. He looks ready. Would he manage a top 5 league? Maybe he needs another stepping stone.

You know what I like about that compilation? He looks to go forward nearly every time. We've had so many players playing in the midfield that go sideways or backwards for such a long it's great to see someone do something different. More of it.

 

[Decentric]

Have a good look at the Chinese shot on goal early in the second half from the Brazilian-Chinese player, that Ryan saved. I think that Teague should have tracked him on his run into the penalty area.

Thanks, Keeper.

I vaguely remember the shot. Can you remember which minute? I find on Paramount the fast forward button doesn’t always work.

China was in the ascendancy for 1v1s and control of the game in that period too. It is interesting to note how players perform.

A couple of posters identified that Vince Grella was a bit lax in his marking too in his Socceroo career.

Whereas I’m concerned about Boyle’s overall performance, he has plenty of strengths. Tracking runners proactively is one of them.

 

[Decentric]

You know what I like about that compilation? He looks to go forward nearly every time. We've had so many players playing in the midfield that go sideways or backwards for such a long it's great to see someone do something different. More of it.

I don't notice if players play forwards or backwards anymore, after Rob Baan brought KNVB coaches to Aus in 2008. Arie Schans and Ad Derkson were higher qualified than Baan.

They hammered into A L coaches, and suburban coaches like us, that it is incumbent on the players' movement off the ball in opening viable passing lanes to determine where the player on the ball passes it.

Players like Teague, O'Neill, Valadon, Thurgate, Youlley, Okon, can maintain possession in less time and space than past players. This is even when they are forced to pass backwards or sideways under intense pressure. At least the team still maintains possession of the ball in the build up.

Our best in the past have probably been Bresciano, Grella, Culina and Mooy. We have more of them now.

 

[Keeper66]

Thanks, Keeper.

I vaguely remember the shot. Can you remember which minute? I find on Paramount the fast forward button doesn’t always work.

China was in the ascendancy for 1v1s and control of the game in that period too. It is interesting to note how players perform.

A couple of posters identified that Vince Grella was a bit lax in his marking too in his Socceroo career.

Whereas I’m concerned about Boyle’s overall performance, he has plenty of strengths. Tracking runners proactively is one of them.

53:00 onwards for the next 30 seconds.

 

[Decentric]

53:00 onwards for the next 30 seconds.

Thanks a bunch!

I had already found it, before looking back at this thread/post - only just. You described the action very well. Well spotted, Keeper!

I looked at the action 3 times. I thought Teague kept team shape well, but wasn't sure if the Brazilian/Chinese player who slipped behind him, and shot, was supposed to be marked by him?

I thought Popa was playing a zonal defence, not a man marking defence?

If it was a marking mistake in Popa's opinion, Teague played some brilliant football at times shortly after this action.

 

[Decentric]

Another strange phenomenon, in the defensive shape in Ball Possession Opposition, which appeared as a 5-2-3 Half Press, was that Aus, obviously under Popa's instructions, didn't Squeeze much in both games.

As the opposition build up advanced into the Aus half, the Socceroos reverted to a 5-4-1.

The Aus Half Press, which reverted to a Full Press at times ( with Grazor identifying Popa /Aus triggers to change from a Half Press to a Full Press with more intensive Squeezing), have both Indo and China having a lot of easy ball in their own half in Ball Possession. It might have been 'sterile domination' the Arsene Wenger term?

However, as both Indo and China ( second half) applied Three Quarter or Full Presses in BPO deep in in the Aus defensive half, when the Socceroos had the ball they had to play through active opposition players Pressing and Squeezing, before the half way line.

It means Aus had to build up more against pressure in our defensive half, whilst Indo and China ( 2nd half) had easy ball building up in their defensive half, because we often didn't close space down in the opposition half.

We probably ended up playing more football in our own half, than Indo or China did, with Popa's conservative Pressing and Squeezing game plan.

 

[grazorblade]

Thanks a bunch!

I had already found it, before looking back at this thread/post - only just. You described the action very well. Well spotted, Keeper!

I looked at the action 3 times. I thought Teague kept team shape well, but wasn't sure if the Brazilian/Chinese player who slipped behind him, and shot, was supposed to be marked by him?

I thought Popa was playing a zonal defence, not a man marking defence?

If it was a marking mistake in Popa's opinion, Teague played some brilliant football at times shortly after this action.

it definitely looked like a defensive mistake and we were short of numbers, but I'm not sure who is at fault. Since we were short of numbers and had time to adjust, I'm wondering if the fault lies with players out of frame, teague at least got back

 

[Decentric]

Kraev's goal was one:

Western Sydney v Melbourne Victory - Shark Highlights | Isuzu UTE A-League 2024-25 | Round 23

Catch all the highlights as Western Sydney Wanderers put their finals hopes on the line when they hosted Melbourne Victory in round 23 of the Isuzu UTE A-League.

aleagues.com.au

That is a ripper of an example of poor marking, Dr B.

Teague was ball watching and lost Kraev in front of him.

Certainly an area Teague needs to improve.

 

[Decentric]

it definitely looked like a defensive mistake and we were short of numbers, but I'm not sure who is at fault. Since we were short of numbers and had time to adjust, I'm wondering if the fault lies with players out of frame, teague at least got back

Dr Bellows' example with Kraev scoring is definitely Teague's responsibility, but the Chinese/Brazilian's shot at goal player culpability, would probably depend on Popa's opinion.

Was it a free Socceroo CB's role to mark him who didn't have a Chinese player to mark?

 

[Keeper66]

Dr Bellows' example with Kraev scoring is definitely Teague's responsibility, but the Chinese/Brazilian's shot at goal player culpability, would probably depend on Popa's opinion.

Was it a free Socceroo CB's role to mark him who didn't have a Chinese player to mark?

No, definitely Teague should have picked him up. It looks to me like he didn't check over his shoulder to see what was behind him.

If you freeze the video at 53:23, you can see that all three CB's (Geria, Degenek, Burgess) are marking a player. Miller has moved up to try to close down the player who passes it forward, Behich is wider on the left. Serginho is behind Teague, who appears not to have checked over his shoulder, and Serginho runs into the box from behind Teague. Teague may or may not have received a shout from Burgess (which he may or may not have heard anyway, given the noise in the stadium), but irrespective it is still primarily his error, for me.

Also, look at Behich's reaction after the shot was saved.

 

[Decentric]

No, definitely Teague should have picked him up. It looks to me like he didn't check over his shoulder to see what was behind him.

If you freeze the video at 53:23, you can see that all three CB's (Geria, Degenek, Burgess) are marking a player. Miller has moved up to try to close down the player who passes it forward, Behich is wider on the left. Serginho is behind Teague, who appears not to have checked over his shoulder, and Serginho runs into the box from behind Teague. Teague may or may not have received a shout from Burgess (which he may or may not have heard anyway, given the noise in the stadium), but irrespective it is still primarily his error, for me.

Also, look at Behich's reaction after the shot was saved.

Great analysis!

Today my Paramount is hard to rewind, fast forward and stop. It is the same on both TVs. No issues with other streaming services. Most days it works better.

Thanks for describing the 3 CBs marking, and what the FBs are doing, Keeper. I've done a lot of work in formal coaching courses - Aus FFA and KNVB - where the players in the lines further back are supposed to organise the line in front of them. More so than casual on the pitch mentors in between coaching courses.

Should Teague have received an instruction from the CBs or FBs? Could that huge Chinese home crowd have drowned out the CBs' instructions to Teague?