AFC World Cup Qualification 2010 Third Round

[Gopher of Pern]

Well, the round has got 2 matches to go, and it's getting interesting.

Turkmenistan and Lebanon have both been eliminated, with 1 and 0 points respectively, with Uzbekistan being the first team to qualify, with 4 wins from 4 matches, for the final round.

Other interesting information:

Japan is coming 2nd to Bahrain in group 2. (10 points to 7)

In group 3 Korea DPR and Korea Republic are tied on 8 points, with Republic winning on g/d.

Saudi Arabia with a commanding lead on Singapore (9 to 3) for the second spot in group 4. (This group contains Uzbekistan and Lebanon.)

Group 5 is the closest group, with Iran on 6 points, and Syria and United Arab Emirates both on 5 points.

Now to Group 1:

Our loss to Iraq means we are still not assured a spot in the final round. A win against Qatar will secure it, as will a win against China, if we happen to lose against Qatar (pending no extreme p/d changes.) 2 draws will also be enough to see us through. After that, it gets a bit hazier. We may still get through on 2 losses, but that depends on Iraq beating or drawing with China, then Qatar beating Iraq. Then it will come down to p/d between us and Iraq/China. A draw/loss is slightly better, but still not worth counting on.

It's getting down to crunch time, but 1 win will see Australia through to the next round!

 

[midfielder]

What i would have given to have wilkshire and holman left out of that game..and played someone like joel griffiths or even a Carle. Relying on the wingbacks has shown their limitations. Pim, you need a plan B

Also Harry up front as a lone hit man. Well most think he is best at left mid, . maybe in behind the striker, .. BUT the lone striker up front, . sorry that lost me. Was Kenndy there I think maybe there is to much overhang and influence from GA. What about little Scotty Mac

IMO GA should have gone a long time ago, Pim for your sake get rid of GA and remove his influence totally, even if Pim is not being influenced by GA the preception is there.

 

[marinermick]

thought wilkshire was one of our best players but holman was just pish

i was not too concerned with our tactics - they hardly penetrated our goal like last week and if they didn't jag an absolute fluke of a goal we would have been praising PVB like we did against China

 

[northernspirit]

wilkshire was ok, holman is lightning quick but has no skill
player i was most dissapointed with was carney, his delvery was crap the whole match, good to see the centreof defence being sured up though

 

[marinermick]

wilkshire was ok, holman is lightning quick but has no skill
player i was most dissapointed with was carney, his delvery was crap the whole match, good to see the centreof defence being sured up though

oh, carney was just diabolical all match

 

[Aden]

wouldve like to have seen Kennedy on a bit earlier .and those free kicks would  have been pigeons if Jedi was on

 

[skilbeck]

A Kennedy-McDonald pairing isnt something you can sub on in the 70th minute. lets hope Kennedy at least is up to starting and McDonald can at least work as a super sub at about 50 minutes

 

[serious14]

F*cking.  Brett.  Holman.

F*cking.  Jade.    North.

That pretty much sums up that game.

 

[dibo]

i thought holman did fine once he came on - certainly no worse than others with more popular names... also i thought jade north was *much* better than last week, as was meggsy. coyne had a mostly fuss-free debut too.

it would have been nice had the bodycheck on culina been penalised apropriately, but aside from that carney was little more than one dimensional, kewell was a shadow of himself, wilkshire, culina, grella and emerton were all pretty anonymous, kennedy was trying to play balls that weren't on constantly (chesting the ball to iraqi defenders gets tiresome after the third time) and emerton playing a neat little backheel to the iraqi midfielder he'd just beaten was a particularly special moment...

for all that, they played better than last week in their own half, it was just once they got over halfway that the wheels fell off. there was no creativity and no killer instinct. holman's interplay with kewell to create a shot was easily our best actual chance of the match, and blaming him for not finishing is not terribly productive when every other bastard couldn't find an opportunity if there were neon lights guiding the way.

i'm with mick - the iraqis jagged a goal, that's gonna happen from time to time. more of a concern is that we just didn't ever look like scoring.

 

[serious14]

i thought holman did fine once he came on

You _cannot_ be serious.  His first touch was like that of ten elephants on a stampede, his miss (or should I say, shot straight at the keeper) was unforgivable - he had half a net wide open, not to mention the fact he could have chipped the keeper - and his general attacking play was short sighted, and he gave the ball away far too often.  He is a disgrace to the jersey, and why either Arnold or Pim persist with him is beyond me.

 

[dibo]

i thought holman did fine once he came on

You _cannot_ be serious.  His first touch was like that of ten elephants on a stampede, his miss (or should I say, shot straight at the keeper) was unforgivable - he had half a net wide open, not to mention the fact he could have chipped the keeper - and his general attacking play was short sighted, and he gave the ball away far too often.  He is a disgrace to the jersey, and why either Arnold or Pim persist with him is beyond me.

he created chances, he troubled the iraqi defence with his pace, i thought he did fine, and was certainly better than last week. feel free to disagree, but that's my opinion.

 

[FFC Mariner]

Holman would be a journeyman in most HAL sides TBH. He is utterly out of his depth at this level.

McDonald just shows us how piss poor Scottish defenders must be.

Bugger to lose but it might just make the China game vital and that will draw a big crowd and hopefully some passion in the stands.

 

[marinersman]

I didn't think Holman was too bad. Looked lively when he came on. He offered a lot more than Jesus and McDonald that's for sure.

The problem was the service. Way too many long balls. Guus would be horrified if he has seen our two games against Iraq.

If I see Carney woof one more long, aimless ball to no one, I'll throw my beer bottle at the tele. Might be alright to do it at Shefield, sonny jim, but not in international Football.

After a promising start to his international career, he has lost his way badly. It seems like he is struggling under Pim. He's dying to get forward but Pim doesn't want him to. He doesn't seem to be able to play in Pim's system.

 

[Part_Timer]

holman epic fail...
kewell wasss aa fantastiicc

remember be champions

 

[northernspirit]

I didn't think Holman was too bad. Looked lively when he came on. He offered a lot more than Jesus and McDonald that's for sure.

The problem was the service. Way too many long balls. Guus would be horrified if he has seen our two games against Iraq.

If I see Carney woof one more long, aimless ball to no one, I'll throw my beer bottle at the tele. Might be alright to do it at Shefield, sonny jim, but not in international Football.

After a promising start to his international career, he has lost his way badly. It seems like he is struggling under Pim. He's dying to get forward but Pim doesn't want him to. He doesn't seem to be able to play in Pim's system.

too bad heff has been injured he would be a better choice than carney atm

 

[serious14]

I didn't think Holman was too bad. Looked lively when he came on. He offered a lot more than Jesus and McDonald that's for sure.

No.  No.  No.  No.  And no.

I don't know what drugs people are on, but Holman was an embarassing disgrace.  Jesus offered more in his first three touches than Holman has in his entire Australian career.  Shithouse positional play, ZERO tactical awareness, a piss weak shot............ HE OFFERS US NOTHING!!!!

 

[serious14]

Stolen from the Sydney forum, says it all......

 

[serious14]

Brett Lolman is being interviewed on Fox Sports News right now...... evidently he was "disappointed" he didn't put his chance against Iraq away.

Perhaps if the ultimate-football-failure that he is had noticed that THE KEEPER WAS ALREADY ON THE F*CKING GROUND BEFORE HE SHOT, THEN HE MIGHT HAVE NOTICED A HALF EMPTY NET JUST WAITING TO HAVE A BALL BURIED INTO IT.

*angry face*

 

[marinersman]

Serious, just so we all exactly understand your position, you don't want Holman in the side?  ;D

I think we know how you feel. The beautiful thing about the beautiful game is we all have opinions.

 

[thomas477]

put in griffo before holman