China vs Socceroos [R]

I thought after last nights performance we wouldn't need to look at a half-hearted and ageing Viduka. Even though MacDonald played a wider role than he is use to he still played well with Kennedy and the midfielders.

I think we need to look forward to 2010 rather than have things continually up in the air with Viduka, who hasn't contributed a lot to the side in the way of goals anyway.

I think Kewell still has a role to play though.

 

I'm liking the Pim Man. Always thinking.

China have done a good job of making this next one a tough one. Reckon we need an extremely fit squad.

I have played at altitude a couple of times, but way higher than this. I played in Mexico at 2600 meters and 2800 meters. I don't know what it feels like to have asthma, but that's the best way i can describe it.

 

That date of 6th March is a Thursday so it should give the guys a bit more recovery time from previous weekend matches and prep time. The time of 2pm will also give them a chance to leave that night to go home too. Not too sure the managers will like their players arriving back on Friday morning though

 

I think you are being a tad harsh. Put yourself in his position. He is definitely at crossroads, and that happens with all players. Mark Viduka is still our best striker. Sure he hasn't netted as much as he or we would like, but his presence is well worth it.

I do understand what you are saying though. Tough decisions for the Dukes, The Pim and us.

 

To start with he wasn't going to play in the Asian Cup 2007.....and then he was after Arnie talked him into it. That had to be unsettling for the team. Then he wasn't sure about the 2010 WC.

I think he is now 32 years old and will be about 34-35 at WC time, a bit old imo. I believe we need to look ahead such as we did last night with young forwards. Kennedy played a similar role to Viduka and played it well with far more movement from him.

I honestly don't think he is our best striker anymore. Too hot and cold and never really deliver big time for Aust when needed most. I'm just not sure about this "presence thing" either. Players should be lifting for the honour of the Green and Gold, not for a player. I think they are all professional enough to do that anyway.

 

The whole team was unsettled for that campaign and we had a puppet coach. Of course he is uncertain about 2010. He knows his age, he knows Newcastle's demands and yes he is not getting any younger.

You are probably right about the age. Kennedy is nowhere near Dukes level. He is injury prone and cant cement a spot in his club side. He is definitely a prospect, but not in the same league as the V bomber.

Mate I disagree with you there, but its just our opinions and we are all entitled to them. Good and valid points you make though.

 

The main thing is i believe we need to look forward and going for Kennedy who is always improving is a better option than Viduka who is slowing down.

 

I believe that we should bring in and call up all of the European based Aussie players, Kewell, Viduka, Cahill etc, and do whatever we have to do, to keep them playing in green and gold, because at the end of the day we need their valueble experiance if for nothing more than to pass on what they have learned to the next generation of Roos.

 

You can all judge China soon cause they, S.Korea, Japan and North Korea in a thing called East Asian Championship.

Japan are not taking this thing seriously and are sending a B/C squad over literally cause they can't have Euro players, players competing in Pan Pacific Champs, like: Endo,Hashimoto,Kaji,Tsuboi,Iwamasa,Suzuki,Abe,T.Tanaka,Takahara,Alex,Tulio,Bando,Tashir, Yasuda,Uchida,Nishikawa,Mizumoto,Aoyama,Inoha, Nakamura,Nakata,Inamoto,Matsui,Mizuno,Honda,Hasebe

so most of the first team can't play.

But China ten to take it sort of seriously and usually field a fairly fullish strength side.

S.Korea aren't taking it too seriously either using a B side.

 

You raise a good point there. I believe their presence at training will be enough to help players improve their game (even if it's a slight improvement). You can learn so much from players such as Viduka et al just from how they move and manage the ball. I personally found that it was easier for me to lift my game when players around me were higher quality than I was... I think there's just an intangible reaction, something that rubs off from one player to another. Some call it experience.

 

I think for the China game we should use Carle instead of Cahill as the Everton boss seems like a angry man and it might create abit of good will not selecting Cahill for another midweek game.

 

What Moyes (Everton boss) needs to understand is that if he got Cahill offside then there would be a number of other top clubs lining up for his signature. I think David Moyes needs to tread a little more careful in this situation.

 

China is a 2nd rate team in Asia. I don't think you guys could lose the away game to China. IN MY OPINION, the worst possible score for you guys would be a tie.

 

I'm confident we can beat China at home, as long as the guys don't become complacent. Preparation will be a problem again in this match. If we can grab 3 points, that will set us up nicely for the rest of this qualifying round.

 

"People say 'why would you want to go and play for Australia in the middle of two English Premier League games?'

What kind of people are these?

 

Fans of the clubs that our guys play for.

 

YOUR OPINION IS DODGY.

Dong, Zheng, Sun Shiang (and Xiang and Jihai) and Shao. Plus Li Weifeng

 

Hey Socceroos!

Destroy China!



Go Go Aussies!

 

Doesn't mean they are good.

Look at Saudi Arabia. They have no players playing in Europe. But they still are capable of beating European based players from Japan and southkorea.

 

Yeh i'd have to say i'm pretty confident against China at home, and relatively confident against Iraq at home. If we can pick up 3 points away at china, and be 6 from a possible 6, I will be very confident that we could top the group, let alone finish top two. But that's a big IF.

But make no mistake, this won't be as comfortable as the Qatar game, and not as comfortable as when we beat them 2-0 last year. China need the points, and a desperate china at home is dangerous

 

One thing that we will have in our favour for the next match compared to the Qatar one is that our guys won't be complete strangers to Pim's tactics. That being said, they still won't have had much more time to work with him some more.