I stayed up and watch this game and wish I had of gotten some extra sleep instead. Australia never looked like they could win this game let alone get away with a draw. This team does not seem to understand what possession is and too many times gave it up easily. There seemed to be no intention of building up pressure and mounting attacks of substance.
What is Australia's fascination with long balls and meaningless crosses is I don't know. Once we had the ball in the final third it was like their was no-one who had the ability to make a serious attack on goal. Australia looked slow and never seemed to get out of second gear. Also many comments have been made about how it looked like they were in a training match. And that is where the problem might be, everyone knows the Brisbane Roar train like they play and therefor the intensity is always there and the ability to thrive on it. If Australia is training at a low tempo then it is a lot harder to lift a gear when needed.
On a side note for the game what I did find frustrating to watch was the Oman players ability to drop like they had been hit by a sniper any time they thought they got touched. It is time referees started getting harsher on players who feign serious injury, get the free kick then jump up as if nothing is wrong. They are always happy to card a striker in the box for a dive but very rarely in the remainder of the field.
If Australia continue to play in the same style and with the lack of killer instinct the next World Cup might be a long way off. Kewell will not be at the next World Cup so I don't see why we continue to think he should be in the team. It is time to inject youth and speed into the team and hopefully Mitch Nichols gets a run against Thailand and has not been wasted this trip.
No comments:
Post a Comment