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Australia's Tim Cahill left, and captain Lucas Neill, center, lead the team in a warm up run during training at St Stithians College in Johannesburg, South Africa. AP Photo/Rob Griffith.
Parking a bus in front of goal: that has been the most popular bit of advice we’ve given the Socceroos as they prepare for the challenge of holding out Germany tomorrow morning. But considering Craig Moore and Lucas Neill’s current form, it could be more of a Volkswagen Beetle than a double-decker bus at the back.
And herein lies the big question mark over the Socceroos and their ability to get a result against the Germans: can we really hold them out for 90 minutes?
And if we do concede, can we claw back? And if not, do we have the ability to limit the damage to a one or two goal defeat?
It’s going to be a nervy encounter for the Socceroos, and they need to be closing out and stifling the inevitable German attacks and avoid conceding for as long as possible.
The longer they can do this, drawing out the contest and staying in the game, the more they’ll frustrate the German attack and the more at risk they may become to a possible counter.
The Germans will be throwing everything at the Socceroos defence, no doubt aware of the susceptibility of our centre backs and in eagerness to close out a game they expect to win comfortably.
Let’s not forget, the Germans are World Cup stalwarts because they know how to succeed in tournament football: steamroll your opening group opponents and ensure group progression early, then switch the focus to the knockout rounds. It sounds simple but only quality teams can achieve it.
Can we comfort ourselves in the questionable form of the German attack?
Miroslav Klose may have had a disappointing club season, but he averages a goal every two games at international level and has starred for Die Mannschaft at the previous two World Cup campaigns, and he’ll be supported by Bastian Schweinsteiger and Lukas Podolski, with the impressive Mesut Özil predicted to star in South Africa. It’s a world class attack.
Moore and Neill need to be more stable and reliable against this quartet for the simplest mistake will be capitalised on and that could well be game over.
Mark Schwarzer must avoid any Robert Green-type howlers.
If we concede early, can we fight-back?
Much will depend on Harry Kewell and Brett Emerton’s fitness as their presence gives the teams much needed width and service to Josh Kennedy, otherwise the Germans can simply clog the midfield service, restrict Tim Cahill’s threat and isolate Kennedy.
It appears both Kewell and Emerton are likely to start and their fitness and form will need to be up to par.
But for the Socceroos those same old attacking concerns remain.
Remember four years ago it took Cahill’s goal poaching genius and Guus Hiddink throwing so many attacking options (Mark Viduka, John Aloisi, Kennedy, Kewell and Cahill on at the same time) to breakdown the stubborn Japanese defence as it wilted in the German summer.
The German defence won’t be as weak later in the game in the cooler conditions of a Durban night, and the Socceroos don’t have the attacking depth of four years ago.
The Socceroos need the cards to fall their way against such quality opposition.
They’ll need to bring their A-game.
Beyond the result, it’s also important for Socceroos fans to take the opportunity to reflect on the Socceroos’ growth in four years.
Four years ago, I remember watching the Socceroos take on Japan in a half-empty suburban pub in Adelaide.
It was only after the incredible result that the nation truly began to believe and get behind the Socceroos.
My overwhelming memory of the occasion, aside from those mad eight minutes, was seeing the Socceroos walk out at the Fritz-Walter-Stadion for their second World Cup, and the overwhelming sense of pride that they had finally achieved qualification after so much heartache.
The result, I remember thinking, didn’t matter. It was mission accomplished already.
This Monday morning (and let’s thank the Queen for her birthday holiday on Monday. God bless you, Queen), the result matters, and more eyes than ever will be on the Socceroos.
The constant debate over Verbeek’s squad, tactics and the ongoing fitness and form concerns of the squad going into the tournament represented a significant growth in Australia’s football knowledge and awareness.
The support in 2010 is more organised than 2006; the media coverage much more in-depth and the expectations that much higher for a match that the Socceroos simply can’t afford to rollover in.
It’s with nerves more than excitement that I’ll be watching this time round.
Join Tony Tannous Monday morning from 4:15am EST for his live analysis of the Socceroos V Germany clash. Follow from your laptops, iPhones, etc, and comment during the game.