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Whisper it quietly, but it could have been worse. Australia absolutely could have lost to Thailand, ranked 146 in the world, and indeed they deserved to.
The Socceroos performance, or lack of, was cumbersome in the extreme. It lacked invention, tenacity, even desire. A bright opening gave way to a horrendous 80 minutes, a period which exposed how far the Socceroos really do have to go.
Mat Ryan was the Socceroos’ best, he swept with authority and made some sharp saves. The fact he was that busy was telling.
In front of him, the back four was shambolic. Milos Degenek took another turn on the right back merry-go-round and failed to convince. Brad Smith on the other side, so bright in recent matches, disappeared from view as the Test got tougher.
It was startling to see Aaron Mooy and Tom Rogic play badly. They are in wonderful form for Huddersfield and Celtic and Ange Postecoglou seemed to have derived a system to get the best out of both of them for the national team.
But as the Test grew greater, Australia’s two starlets faded into the background.
When the space was there, and it often was, for one of them to show some impetus and drive, another touch was taken. When the chance was there to test the goalkeeper, it was forsaken. It was a performance of remarkable ineptitude from two players on whom so much expectation sits.
Remarkably, Bangkok turned out to be the biggest Test for two players who looked like they were walking through cake when it should have been a cake-walk.
Australia needed one, or both, to step up to the plate, grab the game by the scruff of the neck and drive the team forward. Neither did. There is still much work to do.
The attacking third was full of frustration.
One truly wonders whether Mathew Leckie would be a footballer if not for his blinding pace. His lack of end product is truly infuriating and Postecoglou’s patience must be running out.
Likewise Robbie Kruse, who couldn’t stay onside and who appears to be suffering from not playing any football at club level.
Kruse has always been talented but it appears his serious injuries have curtailed him.
Postecoglou’s problem is that he lacks alternatives.
Jason Geria, Ryan McGowan, Tarek Elrich, and Josh Risdon have been tried at right back without being settled on.
The attack is featherweight – without Tim Cahill the goal scoring responsibility falls on Tomi Juric, Apostolos Giannou and Jamie Maclaren, all unproven at international level. And in the wider areas, Nathan Burns is a good player, but who else is there? Craig Goodwin?
Either way, it should have been enough to see off spirited Thailand.
The fact they should have won shows just how far the Socceroos have to go.
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