Welcome!

By registering with us, you'll be able to discuss, share and private message with other members of our community.

Sign Up Now!

World Cup Qualification Thread for 2026 - Socceroos/Asia

Pasquali said:
I agree. Sadly though his ability on the ball is lacking but he does everything else right.
Click to expand...
Gonna be stuck with being off the ball terriers probably till the end of the 2030 wc cycle

Having said that toure and iredale might dislodge duke by the end of this round of quals
 
Bit different this matchday. We'll be playing last. Working during the other group games so fingers crossed Indonesia win. Japan should cruise.
 
It is exactly what Duke is good at that says he needs to be replaced.

He suggests that wearing the opposition down for 80 minutes then we score is the strategy that Arnie and Popa employ. So the aim is a whole game of nothing in the expectation of keeping a clean sheet then winning it with a late goal - instead of applying attacking team pressure at any moment during the 90 minutes.

The fact that he is not a noted goal scorer again backs that up. We need a goal scorer - but at the same time we need the players around them that make them a scorer.

I don't get the idea anyone on here is actually hating on Duke - just on his selection. Fantastic work rate and ethic. Good on him if he makes others' scorn his motivation.

Duke, and the negative, defensive mindset that our national coaches falsely label our DNA because it suits their agenda, out.

Duke said: "I’m glad it’s me, rather than one of the younger boys – because for me, it goes over my head."
No Mitch - that is the ball and our lousy crossing skills. :(
 
It's just terrible tactics. Midfield can't thread a ball through and our wingbacks are rarely going to cross. Duke also runs straight lines so it's too predictable. We need to go out there and have at least 4 shots in the first 10min. A shot can create many situations but we just hold it preventing any favourable outcome.
 
If you think I'm getting up at 5 am to watch a sub-standard, toothless and ridiculously frustrating Australia do nothing for 90 minutes while one of the worst and most nauseating teams in Asia rolls around time wasting for 90 minutes, then you are absolutely correct.
 
T_S_F said:
If you think I'm getting up at 5 am to watch a sub-standard, toothless and ridiculously frustrating Australia do nothing for 90 minutes while one of the worst and most nauseating teams in Asia rolls around time wasting for 90 minutes, then you are absolutely correct.
Click to expand...
We can only hope that there will be something different in the play book. but there is not much of that :(.
 
  • Like
Reactions: tsf
I really feel for Duke for he's not in a great situation on 2 fronts and for sometime.
I do admire his workrate - back in the AL he was strong and NT games, I do like a aggressive asertive player standing his ground.
Yep he lacks finesse and the goal average we so much wish for hence the backlash, I'm guilty, I'm sure he's a top bloke.
The other front is the lack of midfield dynamism as we're discussing.

Reading the atricle Pasquali put up made me cast back to the many who have been very negative about our best forward ever Mark Viduka.
He also struggled on the goal average and singled out by some fellow stat forumers here in the past as a failure per say.
Poppa's comments of Duke ring true re Mark Vid :
“He set up the game fantastically well for us,” Popovic said. “Sometimes a striker, in terms of goals, doesn’t show that result. But we know he’s worth a lot for the Socceroos.”
 
T_S_F said:
If you think I'm getting up at 5 am to watch a sub-standard, toothless and ridiculously frustrating Australia do nothing for 90 minutes while one of the worst and most nauseating teams in Asia rolls around time wasting for 90 minutes, then you are absolutely correct.
Click to expand...
I'm gluten for punishment my friend plus the Mrs's is pissed with me so I'll be watching hahaha
 
  • Haha
Reactions: tsf
Just a moan.... SMH, ABC nothing about the game for the last three days... last night and this morning on the ABC News channel no mention but heaps of other things, but the biggest mention was for some regional young men who may get draft picked by the AFL...

I accept we have inept people in charge often, but media coverage is hugely bias...
 
Midfielder said:
Just a moan.... SMH, ABC nothing about the game for the last three days... last night and this morning on the ABC News channel no mention but heaps of other things, but the biggest mention was for some regional young men who may get draft picked by the AFL...

I accept we have inept people in charge often, but media coverage is hugely bias...
Click to expand...
Mate it's not even being shown on TV..... Socceroos are invisible these days..... :(
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top