Socceroos vs Iraq

[Petro83]

Lose and i think we wont get that top 2 spot

[dudley]

sweating bricks on this campaign!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[dudley]

cmon boys 3 points!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[God is an Englishman]

it's a tough one for me. I like to see australia and it would have me in hysterics if it happened but it's iraq.

At least we're not at war with the convicts.

[Red-4-Life]

0-0

[Stuckey]

0-0 HT

Playing better then the Jordan game not that, that is hard.
Still stock standard Socceroos. 60% of possession but bugger all clear cut chances. Too many long balls as per usual and zero creativity.
If we win this it will be because of a lucky defensive shiraz up or and arsey goal. We're certainly riding our luck defensively also. If Iraq can piece together a decent counter attack we're toast.

[Stuckey]

Phew! What a let off! 2-1 FT

Standard Cahill brilliance! Then finally Holger woke the shiraz up and put some attacking options on Oar with one of the only decent deliervies into the area all game Archie to his credit took it very nicely with a glancing header.
Puts a gloss on a otherwise dismal performance and sadly takes the pressure off Holger.
On a good note, Luca Neill and Carl Valeri both picked up yellows and are suspended for the next match. Nice to see the ref make the tough calls Holger can't!



Team GD Pts
Japan+10 10
Australia 0 5
Oman −2 5
Jordan −6 4
Iraq −2 2

[Fact Hunt]

Now Australia have beaten mighty Iraq can we all get back to talking about how Australia can win the World Cup?

[dudley]

when my baby smiles at me i go to RIO .....

[Redmum's Avatar]

Lose and i think we wont get that top 2 spot

There's more qualifiers before Australia host Iraq. Worry about that game when it comes.

[Steve#4]

Can't believe I stayed up for that rubbish.

That side that Holger put out last night will not qualify for Rio.

The old legs were shown up last night by a very, very poor Iraq....Frustrating game.

3 points is good but is just delaying the inevitable unless the coach shakes the squad up.

Good points though: Tommy oar, Jedinak and Kruse (but crap he goes down easy) playing well.

[homer]

Negative: we're undisciplined and give away silly free kicks, we have many old legs out there, Archie should've started (didn't see brosque all game), Wilkshire thinks he's beckham

Positives: kruse looked dangerous at times, jedinak looked solid and we got 3 points away from home

[Blotto]

OK we got the points...

But... can anyone imagine what a side like Brazil, Argentina or Spain would do to us at a major tournament? Hell, I'm positive these nation's u21 sides would give us a bath...

I swear Holger is just hoping to sneak us in to 2014 (just so he can put it on his resume), we'll cop a hiding there and he'll walk and we'll be in even deeper cabernet as a footballing nation as he never groomed enough youngsters in his time at coach...

Then the FFA in their wisdom will probably give the job to Vidmar...

[ozzie owl]

Used get out of jail card, we were very poor.

How does Lucas Neil keep his spot?

[Knight15]

Fantastic win, agree with all the Doomsayers about the performance but winning was fantastic. I always thought we would struggle to get through but equally believe we will make it

If we qualify I'm on the plane for a fantastic party in Brazil - who knows or cares how we go after that

Asian Cup in 2015 will be a worry though, this team will be well past it then

Yes I'm easily pleased - will take a fighting win away against Iraq any day

[Red-4-Life]

Archie's rant was pointless....it took til the last 10 mins to come from behind to win. You know you're struggling when you rely on Archie to score a goal to take the points. This team needs a makeover fast

[DMT]

Woeful performance, jedinak and Valeri? Terrible midfield combo. Put Mooy, Paartalu any day!!

[Steve#4]

Fantastic win, agree with all the Doomsayers about the performance but winning was fantastic. I always thought we would struggle to get through but equally believe we will make it

If we qualify I'm on the plane for a fantastic party in Brazil - who knows or cares how we go after that

Asian Cup in 2015 will be a worry though, this team will be well past it then

Yes I'm easily pleased - will take a fighting win away against Iraq any day

I just believe we have moved on from a country that is just happy to make it, the game has progressed past that
for mine in Australia.

[Numba 7]

see what happens when u give the youngsters a chance (tommy oar). put in a cross for the goal that no one else can do

[sephiroth]

Can't believe I stayed up for that rubbish.

That side that Holger put out last night will not qualify for Rio.

The old legs were shown up last night by a very, very poor Iraq....Frustrating game.

3 points is good but is just delaying the inevitable unless the coach shakes the squad up.

Good points though: Tommy oar, Jedinak and Kruse (but crap he goes down easy) playing well.

Unfortunately they will qualify for Rio. We play the bottom 3 teams in the group all at home. We should win all 3, meaning we qualify automatically in 2nd spot. The Japan game away becomes academic.

[dudley]

well make 2014 and we can play from there, remember there us still 12 months once you qualify till you play a game at the world cup.

5 new players could come in, within that 12 months.

bigger picture, 3 worldcups in a row, nice foundation for moving forward.

[Old Redback]

Dudley lives in dreamland

[Rob Lozza]

Can't believe I stayed up for that rubbish.

That side that Holger put out last night will not qualify for Rio.

The old legs were shown up last night by a very, very poor Iraq....Frustrating game.

3 points is good but is just delaying the inevitable unless the coach shakes the squad up.

Good points though: Tommy oar, Jedinak and Kruse (but crap he goes down easy) playing well.

Unfortunately they will qualify for Rio. We play the bottom 3 teams in the group all at home. We should win all 3, meaning we qualify automatically in 2nd spot. The Japan game away becomes academic.

Why would quailification be unfortunate?

[DOC]

Woeful performance, jedinak and Valeri? Terrible midfield combo. Put Mooy, Paartalu any day!!

no, not at all, they aren't even dominating the a league, jedinak looks good, maybe have a look at paartalu in a friendly but not mooy yet

[barchetta]

Negative play. Hardly no shots at goal in first half. Ridiculous yellow cards and Neill should've got red. Kruse played well but gee he behaves like a whiny little kid.

Pretty sad when we rely on pensioners to score goals.

[sephiroth]

Can't believe I stayed up for that rubbish.

That side that Holger put out last night will not qualify for Rio.

The old legs were shown up last night by a very, very poor Iraq....Frustrating game.

3 points is good but is just delaying the inevitable unless the coach shakes the squad up.

Good points though: Tommy oar, Jedinak and Kruse (but crap he goes down easy) playing well.

Unfortunately they will qualify for Rio. We play the bottom 3 teams in the group all at home. We should win all 3, meaning we qualify automatically in 2nd spot. The Japan game away becomes academic.

Why would quailification be unfortunate?

Because Holger will pick them.

[Stuckey]

Can't believe I stayed up for that rubbish.

That side that Holger put out last night will not qualify for Rio.

The old legs were shown up last night by a very, very poor Iraq....Frustrating game.

3 points is good but is just delaying the inevitable unless the coach shakes the squad up.

Good points though: Tommy oar, Jedinak and Kruse (but crap he goes down easy) playing well.

Unfortunately they will qualify for Rio. We play the bottom 3 teams in the group all at home. We should win all 3, meaning we qualify automatically in 2nd spot. The Japan game away becomes academic.

Why would quailification be unfortunate?

It will unfortunate because it will gloss over the fact we have completely ignored youth development at the senior level. We have no succession plan for all our aging stars. If we didn't qualify that would finally raise the questions that should have been asked and answered years ago. We are a rudderness ship but sadly Holder will jump on a lifeboat the second we start to go down.

[DOC]

bag archie all you want but he is doing the job

is ryan giggs too old?

archie has a role in the team, he knows he wont be competing for the starting spot but he can be a pinch hitter and change the game, and if he keeps scoring he can play till he is 40, prob stiff he didn't go to 2010 seeing as he has been the class a league player since day 1

[Fudpucker]

bag archie all you want but he is doing the job

is ryan giggs too old?

archie has a role in the team, he knows he wont be competing for the starting spot but he can be a pinch hitter and change the game, and if he keeps scoring he can play till he is 40, prob stiff he didn't go to 2010 seeing as he has been the class a league player since day 1

Yes but Ryan Giggs is Ryan Giggs. Over 600 appearances for Man Utd. He can do whatever the hell he wants!

Archie has always been a big fish in a small pond!

[DOC]

bag archie all you want but he is doing the job

is ryan giggs too old?

archie has a role in the team, he knows he wont be competing for the starting spot but he can be a pinch hitter and change the game, and if he keeps scoring he can play till he is 40, prob stiff he didn't go to 2010 seeing as he has been the class a league player since day 1

Yes but Ryan Giggs is Ryan Giggs. Over 600 appearances for Man Utd. He can do whatever the hell he wants!

Archie has always been a big fish in a small pond!

has had a great career for limited talent

when did you play professionally in europe?

or save the socceroos countless times?