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Far from cohesive, the Socceroos were fortunate to come away from Bangkok last night with the three points and passage to the next phase of World Cup qualifying after being given an almighty scare by Datsakorn Thonglao and his Thai outfit.
For the most part, Holger Osieck’s men struggled to contain the gifted playmaker Thonglao, who consistently targeted and exposed the left side of Australia’s defence, where Michael Zullo had an unhappy return to the first 11.
Coming on the back of an equally unimpressive loss in Muscat on Saturday, it is first time under Osieck’s reign that serious question are being asked about the performances of the Roos and just how much the German has evolved the team.
In fairness, this was always likely to be the most difficult week of the first phase of qualifiers, with two matches on the road within a five day period, in trying conditions, no mean feat for any team.
But it has been the frustration shown by the manager in interviews before and after both games, and in the pre-match press conference in Thailand, that is perhaps the most instructive aspect of the past week.
For once, Osieck has appeared angry and frustrated. The jovial character the nation has come to know and love over the past year or so was replaced this week by one who appears agitated, and lacking the control he has hitherto exuded throughout his reign.
His reaction towards Carl Valeri, when the midfielder knocked a ball out for a Thai player to receive treatment, said much.
Meanwhile, there are whispers about his management of big-names Tim Cahill and Harry Kewell, both of whom have been in and out (mainly out) of the 11 during the first phase.
Little doubt Osieck’s remit, to regenerate the Socceroos 11, is never going to sit to easily with some of the more experienced members of his squad, now doubt keen to hang on as long as possible.
As much could be told from the comments by Sash Ognenovski after missing out to Matt Spiranovic in Oman.
It is as difficult a process as the experienced manager is likely to have confronted, and should give him plenty to ponder ahead of the second phase, seven months away.
While the manager appears to have a job on his hands to manage the playing group, he will be equally disturbed by its inability to control games.
More so, he will be alarmed that opponents are actually controlling the Roos for large parts of games.
While the Socceroos have won two of their three away games, and both their home games, the reality is that the team have only controlled two of their five qualifiers, away to Saudi Arabia and at home to Oman last month.
The other three have posed some serious questions, and while the Roos were able to extricate themselves from both games against Winfried Schaefer’s men, they had to rely on some wastefulness and a lack of ruthlessness from the Thai’s, especially last night.
At the very least, performances will need to improve significantly throughout the next phase if Australia are to qualify for Brazil.
As a disappointed Brett Holman told Fox’s Lara Pitt after the match, at this rate we might be looking at who we draw in the next phase rather than approaching the games with any confidence.
It is certainly no time for panic, and the calm heads and determination shown by Mark Schwarzer, Lucas Neill, Brett Emerton and Brett Holman in the final quarter of last night’s game are exactly what’s required from here.
But there are undoubtedly things Osieck needs to sort out.
The most pressing issue continues to be at left back, where Zullo was exposed last night by the pace of Suree Sukha and delivery of Thonglao.
While Osieck will of course want to preserve and develop Zullo into a bona fide international standard left back, he will also need to balance that desire against and assessment of performances.
The other area that appears a concern is in central midfield, where there is sameness about Mile Jedinak and Carl Valeri, both players who like to roll up the sleeves and make tackles rather than put their hand up and own a game, much as Thonglao did last night.
Any team hoping to control games needs to have a dominant engine, able to dictate the movement of the ball and break teams down through penetrating passing and incisive circulation of the ball.
Osieck has much work to do to get the balance right here, finding solutions that involve more than just getting the ball into wide areas and getting crosses into Josh Kennedy.
The lack of any game-time for Alex Brosque this week, after impressing during the most recent camp, was certainly a mystery to this observer.
Meanwhile, solutions need to be found to crack deep sitting defences, which the Roos encountered against Thailand in Brisbane and Oman in both Sydney and Muscat.
Throwing on the in-form Nicky Carle, in the final 30 minutes of a game that needs cracking, might be one such option, while Brosque and Robbie Kruse are others that have the subtlety and nimbleness around the edge of the box.
There is much time between now and the next phase of qualifiers, and fans of the Socceroos will be hoping performances are on the improve by then.
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