Asian Cup 2007

[Dirko]

71st minute...
Kisnorbo off ALOISI on...
Come on John, Come on John..........

[dinglinga]

AAARRRRRRRGGGGHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

3-1 down

[Dirko]

White Hart lane....3 - 1 DOWN...Iraq killing us...
We are SHITE !!!

[Dirko]

Well........................
If the draw was a upset then this is HUGE.............
Iraq 3 - Australia 1.

Australia's tournament is over bar a miracle.
The miracle is Australia beat Thailand 3 - 0,
Oman beat Iraq 1 - 0....
So seeya later Aussies

[rod_rooster]

Went out of the room for a second and came back to them talking about something Graham Arnold said. They crucified him for it. What did he say?

[Dirko]

No idea...maybe Arnold told the players they need to win and respect the opposition, not be bigheaded prima donnas and believe that it is their right to progress
Man I feel PISSED right now !!

[rod_rooster]

From what i can gather it was something along the lines of "some players don't want to be here". Viduka was just interviewed and denied this. He was asked if it was the worst performance he's been involved with for the Socceroos. He responded that in terms of result yes I would have thought in terms of result nothing would even come close to the loss to Italy. If not that losing to Iran when we had a World Cup spot in the bag or even Uraguay. But honestly Viduka saying after the first goal "i thought we'd get another". FFS Don't think, DO!

[Dirko]

Spot on Red...They thought after levelling, it would all come together. The Iraqi's would fall over the "stars" and meekly surrender.
I'd agree on the Italy result, although the players are lucky they can head back to the Euro leagues (sorry Archie ), and avoid the scrutiny from the Australian public, which by large should be very disappointed with the two results so far.
If we can't beat Thailand, we should pack our bags and crawl back to Oceania, as no way will we qualify for the next world cup....

[smithy]

Why Emerton gets a gig is beyond me..

He is HOPELESS.

[devilsadvocate]

Thanks for the updates fellas.

What a shambles. The world cup weems like a looooong loooong time ago now.

An Aussie workmate over here hung on every update and are now both very disappointed.

What did Lucas do to get sent off?

And possibly more importantly, where does this put Arnold?!!!

[rod_rooster]

Why Emerton gets a gig is beyond me..

He is HOPELESS.

Except for the goal he set up. The only goal as it turns out.

[Sam_goUUUdogs]

tbh, scrap the skip wankers as coach, arnold is out after the asian cup anyway, the sooner the better, just has no idea, we have the best side on paper, we just think things will fall our way, when asia is much harder than that, it just wont happen like that, **** play the olyroos, atleast they show some passion, Sarkies-Burns-Djite, would kill Viduka-Aloisi-Cahil at the moment.
4-0 against Thiland?

[Dirko]

I'm calm...uhmmmmmmmmmmmm
Righto back to the rest of the competition.....
Japan def UAE 3 - 1 to go top in GROUP B
The UAE are now going home...
This group is between Vietnam, Japan and Qatar.

* Arnold has questioned the approach and commitment about some of his players in regard
to the showing in Bangkok...*
“Looking at the game I would go as far to say that some players don’t want to be here,” rued Arnold, who didn’t name anyone specifically.
“Their heads are down but they have to look at how they played. Some players have to look at themselves in the mirror and should be questioning whether they want to be here.
“It was very disappointing. Three individual mistakes cost us the game. We got back to 1-1, we had all the play but two individual mistakes killed us.
“It was a total lack of discipline from ourselves at 1-1. We were on top and heading in the right direction until complacency and a lack of composure at the back cost us.”

That sums it up...Kisnorbo WILL NOT start, Beuchampe will start in the back. Need to start Cahill, Need to start Aloisi....

[BPBRB]

Pathetic performance and Arnold is gone but he was spot on that some players are not interested and run around with no intensity or passion. The two biggest offenders in that regard are Kewell and Viduka.

Our midfield is next to useless and do not get back quick enough to defend nor do they work hard enough and push the ball up quickly when we get possession to assist the fwds although I wouldn't have too much confidence going into attack if you look up and see Viduka always with his back to goal trying to wrestle a defender. When he gets it his mentaility is to hold it up and push it back instead of creating space and trying to attack the box. I's got me f*cked how he scores so much in the EPL???

In both games so far the opposition have been able to find plenty of space in front of the box due to the centrals defenders "sinking" too far back because our midfielders are lazy and stay mid pitch. Jason Cullina - he must have compromising photos of FFA officials because he is surely not getting a game based on his work rate and skills - he is pathetic.

[MightyEagles]

Need to beat Thailand 2-0 or better and hope that Oman draws or loses for us to get through.

[dinglinga]

Mighty Eagles u r incorrect

Australia only have to win the next game to qualify for the next round..TRUST ME!!

[devilsadvocate]

Lads,

Lets not got too carried away turning on our own players. If we can miraculously turn it around and get through, well be patting them on the back all round. Let's not write them off just yet.

On Kisnorbo....WHO THE !@#$ IS KISNORBO?????!!!!! I like to think I follow the world game reasonably close, but WTF? I'm not sledging him, but who the hell is this bloke?

And on the Duke, I dont think we can be too harsh on him because it is the role that he is asked to play that kills him in national colours. At Boro he at least received some great service from a creative midfield, which sets him up beatifully for some great chances on target - hence the good scoring rate. He just doesn't receive the same quality at a national level. The only answer IMO is to put Aloisi up there with him, freeing him up a bit and giving him some more space to play with.

Keep the faith. Common you Aussies!!!

[MightyEagles]

Mighty Eagles u r incorrect

Australia only have to win the next game to qualify for the next round..TRUST ME!!

I'm only going on what I heard, so I'm not incorrect.

Say if Australia wins 1-0 and Oman wins all 4 teams in the group will have 4 points and will go on goal difference. So with that in mind and from the table we will not get through.

[MightyEagles]

Group A table
Team P W D L F A GD Pts
Iraq 2 1 1 0 4 2 +2 4
Thailand 2 1 1 0 3 1 +2 4
Australia 2 0 1 1 2 4 -2 1
Oman 2 0 1 1 1 3 -2 1

Your part right, if we won 2-0 and Oman just wins by a goal, but it would be easier if Oman lost or drew it last match.

[redden whites]

Arnold has been sitting too close to Kosmina it seems and the tool factor is rubbing off already.Honestly what impact or respect could Kosmina have with this group of players.Playing in some of the biggest leagues in the world and having to come down and be instructed by an idiot who you dont respect(when playing for your country) would make me disinterested as well.