Official Asian Cup 2007 Thread (4 Viewers)

[Dan06]

In a few weeks time the the Socceroos will be taking part in their first Asian cup! How do you think they will fare in the competition? Which players will stand-out? Who will be Australia's main competitors for the title?

Please discuss!

I know our coach has said we are going there to win it and I believe it is a real possibility with the likes of Viduka, Cahill and Kewell all involved in what will be close to full strength Socceroo's side. I think we should make the final and our tough games will be against japan (after revenge, 3-1 ) and also Iran.

It should be a great tournament anyway, and one more thing....

GO SOCCEROOS!!!

 

[Gilbert1]

Australian Asian Cup squad:

Goalkeepers: Mark Schwarzer, Brad Jones, Michael Petkovic.

Defenders: Lucas Neill, Brett Emerton, Michael Beauchamp, Michael Thwaite, Mark Milligan, Patrick Kisnorbo.

Midfielders: Mark Bresciano, Harry Kewell, Tim Cahill, Vince Grella, Mile Sterjovski, Luke Wilkshire, Jason Culina, Carl Valeri, Nick Carle, David Carney.

Forwards: Mark Viduka, John Aloisi, Archie Thompson, Brett Holman.

 

[Peek-a-boo!!!]

Go Soccerooos!
Woott Woot!

 

[Captain Gh3y]

Anyone else watch Iraq v Thailand? We should beat both easily...

 

[_dhj_]

Anyone else watch Iraq v Thailand? We should beat both easily...

Yeah but it was a quality match, plenty of great shots on goal. I think they are tougher opponents than we first thought. But a draw is a good result for us.

 

[dhampoet]

Is there any open avenue to watch Asian Cup in Sydney?

 

[matt#1]

C'mon the Socceroos tonight!

 

[adders]

watching the game right now. Shit Oman scored, all i can say is that oman is dominating, conisdering the way we are playing we may night qualify. Although kewell should of had a penalty

 

[HeCtic]

FFS, I like Arnie and all,but I don't think he's tactically up to snuff against good International coaches.

Calderon changing the usual formation and we're already looking lost.

 

[_dhj_]

We got lucky...

1-1, all square in the group.

 

[matt#1]

Timmmmmmmyyyyyy!!!!

 

[Chelsea FC]

WATA PATHETIC DISPLAY.

I HAVE NEVER SEEN SUCH WOEFUL PLAY BY AUS. IN MY LIFE.

THE PASSES WENT TO THE OPPOSITION.

WE HARDLY LOOKED THREATENING.

AND WTF ABOUT THOSE OMANIANS AND THEIR DIVING AND ACTING. FUCKING 6 STRECHERS HAD TO BE DEPLOYED FOR THEIR ACTING.

seriously if the FFA was serious about winning silverware - GRAHAM ARNOLD NEEDS TO GO...

Tonights performance was just an embarrassment - every Australian has a right to feel appauled by this.

 

[_dhj_]

WATA PATHETIC DISPLAY.

I HAVE NEVER SEEN SUCH WOEFUL PLAY BY AUS. IN MY LIFE.

THE PASSES WENT TO THE OPPOSITION.

WE HARDLY LOOKED THREATENING.

AND WTF ABOUT THOSE OMANIANS AND THEIR DIVING AND ACTING. FUCKING 6 STRECHERS HAD TO BE DEPLOYED FOR THEIR ACTING.

seriously if the FFA was serious about winning silverware - GRAHAM ARNOLD NEEDS TO GO...

Tonights performance was just an embarrassment - every Australian has a right to feel appauled by this.

We were never that good of a side in the first place. True - with a worldclass coach and some luck we got to the knockout stages of the world cup. But technically, we're still lacking against even the Asian opposition (e.g. the Iraq - Thailand game was technically far better even in the appalling weather). We can blame it on the coach, the weather, Asia, favourites tag etc. all we like. But the truth is that technically we suck, especially beyond the 'golden generation' which has the likes of kewell and viduka.

 

[LMF^^]

I think a lot of Aussies think that we'll cakewalk this tournament is setting ourselves an unrealistic goal. True, we played beyond our capabilities in the World Cup. Lucas Neill was in the form of his life in Germany, collectively Australia played brilliantly under Hiddink, tactically Australia was solid if not spectacular.

Oman played the perfect counter attacking game against Australia today, credit to them for that. However their diving is just disgusting, they called for the stretcher every time a player goes down, under the softest of challenges. That I cannot accept.

Australia got lucky today. We struggled with the conditions. There was no penetration in our attacks. It was long ball tactics and we lacked the tempo to stretch the Omani defence. Wilkshire is a douche, Sterjovski has never been impressive, Kewell never got going. The only things that kept us from losing was Schwarzer and Cahill being at the right place at the right time. Arnold needs to rethink about his tactics and Australia needs to regroup. Thailand and Iraq will be no easy beats, and the players must step up if they want to win the tournament.

 

[bazookajoe]

Judging by the Iraq/Thailand game last night, and if Australia plays like that again, we'll be home much earlier than most people expect

 

[Gilbert1]

I think the soceroo's match was a wake up call. Hopefully just scraping the 1-1 score will cause us to play better

 

[Chelsea FC]

However their diving is just disgusting, they called for the stretcher every time a player goes down, under the softest of challenges. That I cannot accept.

And what was even worser was that their supporters were applauding their players when a stretcher came out and encouraging their players to dive and waste time.

 

[mat2154]

i don't know why aronold keeps picking wilkshire at Left back, hes a midfielder and hes had 2 shockers. put a proper left back in like ceccoli or storey

 

[LMF^^]

and i was dissapointed in kewell expected better (he is an a international player who plays for LIVERPOOL)

Problem is, he didn't play until the end of April because he was injured from the World Cup. Yes that's a long time ago and clearly he doesn't have the match sharpness.

 

[Benny_]

Wouldn't worry too much. I still expect us to reach the knockout stages fairly comfortably. Obviously we're not gonna be as nearly as effective as last year's WC when Kewell and Cahill had the best part of a season's football behind him, and we had Hiddink as manager instead of Graham Arnold. Once we do reach the knockout stages I expect Kewell and Cahill would've regained enough match sharpness to put us up there as the team to watch again.