Socceroos vs Kuwait in Canberra

[marinersman]

A complete are utter diabolical performance. The tactics from Pim were a disgrace and every  player should be made to issue a public apology.

McKay and Thompson (the scummer, I'm talking about) should be ashamed of themselves. May they never get picked for the NT again. And as for Tomislav, how did he miss what would have been one of the easiest goals of his life?

Our crosses and set pieces were awful (take a bow Tommy P and M. Thompson). Drifted high into the air onto the edge of the box, easy pickings for the Kuwaitis. I hope to never see another performance like that ever again from our NT. It reminded me of the match I went to at Lang Park in the 90's when we lost 1-0 against the sheep in the OFC Confeds Cup final. Tonight's effort was just as bad.

 

[kevrenor]

.. It reminded me of the match I went to at Lang Park in the 90's when we lost 1-0 against the sheep in the OFC Confeds Cup final. Tonight's effort was just as bad.

Oh god, you were there too were you? :'(

No, this was worse (except that we didn't lose to NZ)

 

[marinersman]

.. It reminded me of the match I went to at Lang Park in the 90's when we lost 1-0 against the sheep in the OFC Confeds Cup final. Tonight's effort was just as bad.

Oh god, you were there too were you? :'(

No, this was worse (except that we didn't lose to NZ)

Unfortunately I was, a shameful day in our football history just like tonight.

 

[loyalist]

When are we going to stop underestimating asian sides

 

[dibo]

Simply a disgrace. All involved should be pretty ashamed with that. Tactics, performance, selection, effort... all well below par.

We're now on the bottom of the group.

To take a positive view - this is what going into Asia was about. Learning you can't piss about in *any* Confederation level match. Learning that you can't put kids in with bugger all preparation and some still nursing hangovers I'm sure and expect to get a result. Learning that a bit of tactical nous, technical class and a bit of f**king fortitude never goes astray.

We were made to look like amateurs. There's only one thing that can come from that - we have to learn from it and we have to get it stuck in everybody's head that if we're serious about football, it's *never* acceptable to be losing at home and stuck at the bottom of the group.

 

[David Votoupal]

Asia has never been easy but FFS, we should have the cattle to beat these teams and the gap in quality in Asia is much bigger than other confederations.

All it shows really is that the gap between domestic and foreign-based Socceroos is too big, much bigger than most countries- plenty of South American and African countries can call upon domestic players when needed to compliment or fill in for European-based stars and they just slip right in, no worries. (Others like Angola, Egypt, Libya and Sudan are predominantly or exclusively domestic anyway)

Either it's down to the fact that the A-League is really a poor league hampered by appalling coaching standards, or that Pim Verbeek is simply a poor manager. I'll say both.

Verbeek was never my first choice for Socceroos coach, and keeping Arnold on the staff is beyond retarded. Verbeek's record is nothing special, FFS South Korea were just as bad if not worse than we were in the Asian Cup.

 

[marinersman]

I'm starting to question Pim a little as well. Too many sub standard performances and a lack of goals. We haven't exactly been setting the world on fire with our style of play during his time.

His defensive tactics remind me of Eddie Thomson.

 

[David Votoupal]

We really should have gone for a big name appointment RIGHT AFTER the last World Cup to keep the momentum going, especially with the inevitably raised expectations.

Beenhakker, Troussier, LeRoy, Michel, Milutinovic... I'd have taken any of those.

 

[serious14]

Verbeek was serving the second game of his touchline ban.  He picked the team and the starting tactics (which worked for a while, but with that personnel??)  Tonight was 90% Arnold.  Hence the multitude of "Arnold out" chants in the second half.

Pim has been proven right about the A-League yet again, the quality is just not there yet.  The last time the HALaroos played Kuwait we lost 2-0 over there...... just quietly, they are _farking_ fast - our counter to that was Tommy (who is still mighty quick despite being 30-something and a part time smoker) and Zullo (who is fast as well but a shit crosser).  Not to mention, it just seemed the Kuwaiti's wanted it more - and what the f*ck was with their No. 17 dribbling through our entire team, time and time again??

We're undefeated in WC Qualifying, top of that group with the same manager against tougher opponents, yet here we are, same manager, but bottom of the group.  What's the one difference??  The personnel.  People need to stop deluding themselves about the quality of the A-League...... mid table English Championship??  Pft - those teams would destroy any A-League team in a heartbeat.

P.S.  On a club note - the Mariners have produced exactly the same rubbish as this all season, yet few on here criticise the playing staff and coaching staff in the same way as this thread has done so??  Bias much?? 

P.P.S.  Arnold the f*cking f*ck OUT, now.

P.P.P.S.  Most of the first half was spent in "sit down" arguments with the idiots behind us.  Arseclowns of the highest order. 

 

[Arabmariner]

People need to stop deluding themselves about the quality of the A-League...... mid table English Championship??  Pft - those teams would destroy any A-League team in a heartbeat.

Tbh I think it's more like Scottish 2nd Div.(3rd tier)

P.S.  On a club note - the Mariners have produced exactly the same rubbish as this all season, yet few on here criticise the playing staff and coaching staff in the same way as this thread has done so??  Bias much?? 

Can't say stuff like that about our team and coach here.

Please go to the positive thread and say warm and fuzzy things.

 

[Sean]

Serious out.

 

[Peachos]

that game last night was absoloutely atrocious
how Archie Thompson and Ponde missed that chance together i dont know

ARNOLD OUT!!

What's the one difference??   The personnel.  People need to stop deluding themselves about the quality of the A-League...... mid table English Championship??   Pft - those teams would destroy any A-League team in a heartbeat.

I was watching Blue Square Premier on Setanta
that was much better than most of the a-league games

 

[dibo]

P.S.  On a club note - the Mariners have produced exactly the same rubbish as this all season, yet few on here criticise the playing staff and coaching staff in the same way as this thread has done so??  Bias much?? 

I'll pick up on this, because I think you're way off.

Lawrie can't pick from the best of the league. He's always limited by budget and the cap. Pim can pick whoever he wants from Aussie players, no salary cap, no restrictions. He should have an all-star list. Are you telling me that they're in the same boat?

I think certainly if you were to pick an aussie selection from either Melbourne or Adelaide's lists they would have done better than what happened last night. If we had called players in from preseason in China - two Griffiths and Mark Bridge - we might have done better. If Pim had have picked up the phone to get a Mile Sterjovski, a Nathan Burns, a Richard Garcia... if training in Europe is better than playing here, then they were probably available to spend some time on the park and be better options.

Some of the selections were puzzling. Daniel Mullen? Paul Reid? They're OK players in the Adelaide unit, but on their own they're nothing special. Archie is a chronic underperformer in an Aussie shirt. Matt Simon is out of form. Tommy looked slow and partied out. Craig Moore is a good pick when fit but he looked half dead. No Travis Dodd? Hell - let's go crazy - no Billy Celeski? No Danny Tiatto? No Alex Brosque?

Last night was a f**kup of the highest order, but until we've got unlimited and unopposed buying power and an unlimited squad size (more like your *other* team), it can't really be compared to the Mariners.

 

[Razorback]

Of course because Lawire's selections in recent games have been spot on! Wake up to yourself.

 

[dibo]

Of course because Lawire's selections in recent games have been spot on! Wake up to yourself.

Did I say that? I said that the two situations aren't directly comparable.

If you think they are, feel free to make an argument to explain why.

 

[Wilson]

What were our expectations for last night???

 

[Mariner Girl]

What were our expectations for last night???

A win - plain and simple.

 

[Wilson]

With THAT team!!

 

[Mariner Girl]

Doesn't matter - they still should've won. They were crap and an embarrassment to the shirt. They did nothing to dispell Pim's comments about the A-League.

 

[Jesus]

Numbers are due to AFC rules that every player in the qualifiers and tornament must have their own number.

I think now pim needs to schedule a few friendlies against mid level asian teams to give the a-league squad time to gel together and get to know each other. He also needs to get some of these lads training with the first roos squad when possible.

That said in 6 months for the next qualyfier we could well have culina, coyne, sterjovski, chippers and dukes in an a-league squad. No need to worry just yet.