Australia v Spain

[Stuckey]

Apparently Leckie will go to striker since Cahill is out. Bozanic and Halloran to start as well. Bresc is apparently out as well. I guess that means Oar will go to a central midfield role which I feel will be better for him.

[Red-4-Life]

Hoping for a good performance like last game, if we do that we'll get the respect we deserve.

[Captain Obvious]

Personally I can't see either of these sides progressing to the knock out stage.

[Rookie]

Great start by the Aussies without really threatening the keeper, not sure if they can maintain this intensity though

[Rookie]

Some slack marking and villa scores a nice goal from the 6 yard box

[Rookie]

Getting ugly now

[Stitch This]

Sod that for a game of conkers.

[wizard]

Some good signs, but Spain just too good.

I thought Davidson and Leckie were once again standouts.

McKay had a pretty good game too. And Ryan played well in goals and couldn't do much about the ones that went in.

Crazy to think The Netherlands put 5 past Spain.
Judging by Australia's games against both teams it should have been the other way around!

[Bomber]

Some good signs, but Spain just too good.

I thought Davidson and Leckie were once again standouts.

McKay had a pretty good game too. And Ryan played well in goals and couldn't do much about the ones that went in.

Crazy to think The Netherlands put 5 past Spain.
Judging by Australia's games against both teams it should have been the other way around!

Really (re Ryan)? You're taking the piss surely.

[Russki Claw]

Ryan was average but the defence in front of him did not help on all 3 goals, need to improve dramatically in the front third and back 4 over the next 4years.

[Coach_Mulatinho]

Ryan was average but the defence in front of him did not help on all 3 goals, need to improve dramatically in the front third and back 4 over the next 4years.

probably anothers players will be there... 4y in football... lots can happen

[swannsong]

Some good signs, but Spain just too good.

I thought Davidson and Leckie were once again standouts.

McKay had a pretty good game too. And Ryan played well in goals and couldn't do much about the ones that went in.

Crazy to think The Netherlands put 5 past Spain.
Judging by Australia's games against both teams it should have been the other way around!

Really (re Ryan)? You're taking the piss surely.

Haven't been a big fan of Ryan but thought he was alert against Spain, distribution was good and was pretty much crucified on all three goals.

[White Unicorn]

Again all 3 goals were defensive errors. Easily the worst out of our three games we played IMO. No penetration going forward. Taggart way out of his depth.

[wizard]

Really (re Ryan)? You're taking the piss surely.

Not at all. Not much he could have done about the goals, he was left exposed several times.

I thought he did well when he had a chance.

[Stuckey]

Again all 3 goals were defensive errors. Easily the worst out of our three games we played IMO. No penetration going forward. Taggart way out of his depth.

Yeah agree with that. Taggart needs another HAL season before heading abroad IMO.
Still I feel as a whole this WC went probably as well as I could have hoped. We generally held our own and basically defensive errors were what cost us. What you consider we had a make shift defence and limited time to prepare I am filled with hope for the Asian Cup that if we can get our best players for the future back fit we could give it a real shake. If we add Williams, Sainsbury and Good to our defensive stocks our chances look a lot better.
One key we need to address though is who will replace Cahill in the future. I hope Duke and Juric have good HAL seasons as I see them as good potential options.

[Con M]

Again all 3 goals were defensive errors. Easily the worst out of our three games we played IMO. No penetration going forward. Taggart way out of his depth.

+1.

Yeah, a bit sad to end like that. I thought we pressed well for the first 30 minutes, all positive like the games against Chile & the Dutch, then couldn't sustain it.

(ps, watch the mainstream bandwaggoners jump off now, if the Five AAFL morning sports show (aka the Brekky Show) is anything to go on. The token sheila on the show said words to the effect of "is it over yet" & almost groaned when she was reminded there was still two & a half weeks to go of the World Cup).

On Taggart, he buzzed around but didn't have any service to his feet, nor could he hold the ball up for others to arrive in support.

What was so glaringly obvious compared to us was Spain's first touch. Way superior ball control. They must develop it from playing endlessly as youngsters.

I truly don't know what the practical answer is here in Australia. Kids here in Adelaide get driven to their practice twice a week and Sunday morning games if involved in FFSA junior leagues. That's not enough time on the ball. I've seen FFSA junior team coaches actively try to discourage youngsters from playing for their schools, wanting them to 'save' themselves for Sunday morning's match. Yet youngsters can easily recover from a short Saturday morning run with their school. And any extra touches on the ball, playing and training for their schools and playing scratch games at lunch time would help us slowly bridge the gap with countries like Spain. I don't know if that will happen.

[Stuckey]

Again all 3 goals were defensive errors. Easily the worst out of our three games we played IMO. No penetration going forward. Taggart way out of his depth.

+1.

Yeah, a bit sad to end like that. I thought we pressed well for the first 30 minutes, all positive like the games against Chile & the Dutch, then couldn't sustain it.

(ps, watch the mainstream bandwaggoners jump off now, if the Five AAFL morning sports show (aka the Brekky Show) is anything to go on. The token sheila on the show said words to the effect of "is it over yet" & almost groaned when she was reminded there was still two & a half weeks to go of the World Cup).

On Taggart, he buzzed around but didn't have any service to his feet, nor could he hold the ball up for others to arrive in support.

What was so glaringly obvious compared to us was Spain's first touch. Way superior ball control. They must develop it from playing endlessly as youngsters.

I truly don't know what the practical answer is here in Australia. Kids here in Adelaide get driven to their practice twice a week and Sunday morning games if involved in FFSA junior leagues. That's not enough time on the ball. I've seen FFSA junior team coaches actively try to discourage youngsters from playing for their schools, wanting them to 'save' themselves for Sunday morning's match. Yet youngsters can easily recover from a short Saturday morning run with their school. And any extra touches on the ball, playing and training for their schools and playing scratch games at lunch time would help us slowly bridge the gap with countries like Spain. I don't know if that will happen.

Are the any clubs in Adelaide that train youth players more then three times a week?

[wizard]

I think Taggart needs to leave the HAL as soon as he can. He's a talent, and he needs to be playing with and against the best players he can.

He needs to head to a Holland, Belgium or another Euro feeder league.

Australia needs to start getting players into big European clubs again.

[Stuckey]

I think Taggart needs to leave the HAL as soon as he can. He's a talent, and he needs to be playing with and against the best players he can.

He needs to head to a Holland, Belgium or another Euro feeder league.

Australia needs to start getting players into big European clubs again.

That last sentence is true. But I feel the mentality of getting over there as soon as you can has been shown to be incorrect. Look at the kids that have headed over in the last few years. Rogic, Burns, Leckie, Djite, Amini, Vidosic. Almost none have held down starting roles in first XIs. But as we've seen with someone like Kruse. Waiting till you're a fairly big fish in the HAL pond then heading abroad can be beneficial.
It also benefits the HAL with exciting young stars staying in the league for longer.

[Googes]

Again all 3 goals were defensive errors. Easily the worst out of our three games we played IMO. No penetration going forward. Taggart way out of his depth.

Yeah agree with that. Taggart needs another HAL season before heading abroad IMO.
Still I feel as a whole this WC went probably as well as I could have hoped. We generally held our own and basically defensive errors were what cost us. What you consider we had a make shift defence and limited time to prepare I am filled with hope for the Asian Cup that if we can get our best players for the future back fit we could give it a real shake. If we add Williams, Sainsbury and Good to our defensive stocks our chances look a lot better.
One key we need to address though is who will replace Cahill in the future. I hope Duke and Juric have good HAL seasons as I see them as good potential options.

Potentially 4 years time Australia could have the likes of Rafa Jimenez, Peter Skapetis, Chris Ikonomidis and Daniel De Silva being involved in the squad.

[Black_Panther]

Anyone who thinks Davidson was good today needs to get drug tested.

Today really showed that we are no threat to any side without Cahill to play high balls into the box to.

Spain B (though what a B side to be fair) stuggled to break into a jog but still dominated us and pulled us apart at will.

[Stuckey]

Anyone who thinks Davidson was good today needs to get drug tested.

Today really showed that we are no threat to any side without Cahill to play high balls into the box to.

Spain B (though what a B side to be fair) stuggled to break into a jog but still dominated us and pulled us apart at will.

True he was definitely better in the first two matches.

[BruceLee]

As bad as Davidson may or may not have been today. I am just grateful that he played in these games instead of McKay or Carney.

He has all the ingredients to be twice the left back they ever were

[Stuckey]

As bad as Davidson may or may not have been today. I am just grateful that he played in these games instead of McKay or Carney.

He has all the ingredients to be twice the left back they ever were

True. Its nice to actually have a LB finally.

[Ali Dia]

Anyone who thinks Davidson was good today needs to get drug tested.

totally agree! i thought Davidson was fairly average throughout all three games. cost us a goal against Netherlands by keeping everybody onside, and was basically standing in the crowd when that ball got played on the inside of him against Spain, show the defender the line for fuck sake! yes the defending by the two centerbacks and right back was bad and Villa finished an easy goal, but if Davidson had positioned himself correctly the ball would have never come across the box so quick or dangerously, gives other defenders time to adjust.....

[Red-4-Life]

A bit of a flat game, never got out of 2nd gear.

[LFTWNG11]

[Arfa Fuxake]

I hope that wasn't today's paper.

[LFTWNG11]

I hope that wasn't today's paper.

It was from before the tournament... thought it was funny from a footballing genius. Didn't see any other Spain topics