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“I just watched China, we’ll win easily.” That was the verdict of an unnamed Australian player who has had a stint in the Chinese Super League, after watching China scrap to beat North Korea.
The Socceroos take on China on Thursday in Brisbane for the Asian Cup quarter finals, after failing to secure a point against South Korea on the weekend.
Team Dragon topped Group A with a 2-1 win over Uzbekistan, a 1-0 result against Saudi Arabia and 2-1 defeat of North Korea. The Chinese are ranked 96th in the world and came into the Asian Cup on the back of 0-0 draws with Honduras and Palestine, and a 1-1 draw with New Zealand.
The player told me: “I don’t usually predict scores but I think the Socceroos are a far better team. I can see Cahill getting a brace.”
Eddy Bosnar is another A-League player who knows Chinese football well and who has also played in Korea and Japan. Bosnar had a stint at Guangzhou R&F in 2013.
He believes the Socceroos were unlucky in front of goal against South Korea.
“Defensively I thought [Matthew] Spiranovic was fantastic with his defending and he won all his aerial duties,” the Mariners centre back says.
“He and Trent Sainsbury look like they will have a fantastic partnership for years to come. With all the changes Ange made we still looked compact and dangerous going forward. As far as the China game goes we must be aware of the counter attack they pose.
“The Chinese look like they have grown in confidence. Due to the fact that the Chinese league is getting stronger they now have learnt to play smarter and more compact. I think the Socceroos have a huge advantage for playing at home and also the physical side of things will be too much for the Chinese.”
Bosnar said, if he was coach, he would play midfielder Mark Milligan at right back over Ivan Franjic, and start Mark Bresciano in midfield.
“In these important games and with so much at stake it would be great to have all your three captains on the field to start the game. Also Franjic has not played many games in Russia so it could be a good idea to have someone like Milligan, who is used to the warm conditions on the park.”
According to Bosnar, China’s Gao Lin and right centre back Zhang Linpeng are dangerous, but coach Alain Perrin is the main man.
“I think that Alain Perrin is the key,” Bosnar says.
“He’s a very experienced manager. The Chinese are hard to please and I think he is very close to pleasing them.”
China is captained by Zheng Zhi and its key players include striker Lin, forward Ke Sun, midfielder Xi Wu, goalscorer Sun Ke and Yu Hai
Former Socceroo Ryan Griffiths, who played for Liaoning, Beijing Guoan and Beijing Baxy, says Zheng Zhi is one to watch. The 34-year-old midfield linchpin has 15 goals from 83 caps and is the heartbeat of the Chinese side.
“Zheng Zhi is a gun player,” Griffiths says.
“Always on the ball. Also carries the team with his experience.”
Griffiths believes the Socceroos are a better side than Team Dragon but they have to prove that on Thursday.
“We should be beating them. But anything can happen in these competitions. Korea should be stronger than China,” he says.
“The funny thing about China is that it’s never the full strength team. Players actually refuse to play for their country and sometimes it’s political for the selections. The total opposite to Australia.”
Follow John Davidson on Twitter @johnnyddavidson
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