2015 Asian Cup

P

Peaches

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The Socceroos kicked off the tournament in style last night with a 4-1 win over Kuwait, one of the few Asian teams we have a poorer record against.

It was a nervey start but the second half was a big improvement on the first. An open game that could have ended up 8-3 if not for the quality keeping and woodwork both sides faced.

Luongo with an assist and his first goal got man of the match. He looked very good alongside Troisi and Jedinak in the midfield. Matt Ryan was quality in goals and Cahill came up with the steadying goal when it was needed.
Burns and Juric combined really well off the bench and I'll think they'll be a threat to every team we come up against.
Bresciano was maybe started off the bench with the back end of the tournament in mind. He's top quality so I expect to see more of him.

I expect Australia to make the semis and then anything can happen from there. The other sides with a chance to win it, Japan, Iraq, South Korea and Iran. I'll be surprised if another country not named wins this tournament.

Your thoughts?

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Luongo really stepped it up, had a blinder. If he didn't score on halftime it could have been a different story. The Middle Eastern teams are tough to beat when you go behind so to come back and win in such style was impressive (we looked a totally different side in the second half).

That said, I think we have a little ways to go before we are at Japan's level, they're the front runners. I think we are probably a nose ahead of the likes or Iran and South Korea, whilst North Korea, Uzbekistan and Iraq could cause a boil over or two but probably don't have the quality to win it.

On a brighter note, Al Hilal spitter has gone home with an injury, couldn't happen to a nicer bloke.
 
We looked well on top in the 25 minutes I watched. We still won't win it, I reckon we'll be lucky to place 3rd behind Japan and South Korea.
 
There are far better sides around than we beat last night

Oman and South Korea will be far sterner tests in the group stages

Let's see what happens with our skipper as well , if he is unavailable we could struggle defensively
 
Weren't Oman ordinary?

Leckie took his game to another level, he was everywhere. Gee Luongo has some vision and has a beautiful touch and Juric could be that finisher to take over from Cahill. Great to see more than the usual suspect(s) getting on the scoresheet.

Amazing cohesion, they genuinely look like they are enjoying their football.
 
Totally agree CB

They were a far cry from the side that 2-2 in the WC qualifiers

Hasn't Al Habsi dropped the ball recently

From a EPL goalkeeper to that performance , the goal that Kruse scored was only centimetres from him
 
Last last makes you wonder how the world cup would have gone if
A. Holger got the flick after Oman game in qualification and Ange had a few more games to prep the side and
B. Robbie Kruse was available

We looked a whole new side last night. We'd played well in patches but last night we put it together for 90 and it was impressive. If we play like that I can't see us losing a game, not even to Iran or Japan. The Kruse/Leckie/Cahill front three was awesome, and Luongo has really come on in leaps and bounds, I can't see him staying and Swindon much longer with this form. The CB pairing is starting to look more solid and it is all coming together. It's a far cry from 2 years ago where the same team really took it to us at the same venue.
 
@Marshall_magic said:
Last last makes you wonder how the world cup would have gone if
A. Holger got the flick after Oman game in qualification and Ange had a few more games to prep the side and
B. Robbie Kruse was available

We looked a whole new side last night. We'd played well in patches but last night we put it together for 90 and it was impressive. If we play like that I can't see us losing a game, not even to Iran or Japan. The Kruse/Leckie/Cahill front three was awesome, and Luongo has really come on in leaps and bounds, I can't see him staying and Swindon much longer with this form. The CB pairing is starting to look more solid and it is all coming together. It's a far cry from 2 years ago where the same team really took it to us at the same venue.
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Yeah i agree with you Marshall , not trying to take the gloss of the win but gee Oman were poor .
Japan the team to beat for me .
 
Definitely, we seem to draw Oman in every tournament/qualifier we enter, and this was probably one of the most hapless teams they've churned out in that time.
 
Many of the sides are pretty evenly matched when you separate the Top 4 (Japan ,Iran ,Australia and South Korea )

Wonder if Ange will rest a few and hope for the draw

I think the good thing is if we win our and make the semis we actually will play on Australia Day

Will be a big lift for the team
 
Well Ange has rested a few

A few of the wrong ones if you ask me

Maybe its just me , but what do people see in Juric ??

Changes need to be made very quickly
 
Ange Postecoglou needs his backside roasted for that

Not leaving at least one experienced striker on the pitch from the start is just suicide

We were playing the best team in our group and we stuck our least experienced forward trio on

Now we get a game against

1/ stronger opposition

2/ back in the humid Brisbane weather

3/ even if we beat China , we get one less day to recover and lose the advantage of playing on Australia Day and play the biggest team in the comp

Absolute stupidity from Ange and if we don't go on to win the Cup his job needs to be under major review
 
@Eye Of Da Tiger said:
@happy tiger said:
Hi guys , what day is the semi final v Japan ??

Lol that was a classic example of jumping the gun :laughing: . Unlike you happy. UAE it is!
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Did UAE win ?? :astonished:

Sorry guys having major issues with internet , waiting ages to get pages to open and my ninemsn.com seems to have had a nervous beakdown
 
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