Among the big questions with less than three months until the start of the Asian Cup is whether Ange Postecoglou can lift the team’s mentality, and whether there is still room in the grand plan for his skipper Mile Jedinak and wide-left player Tommy Oar?
In truth, there are many other questions, and I’ll explore them a little further on, but the three above are among the biggest headaches facing the manager for now.
Postecoglou took his men to the World Cup by convincing them, in a short time, that they could anything – even against Arjen Robben, Alexis Sanchez, Robin van Persie, Andres Iniesta and Diego Costa.
He turned the team over, filled them with condition and made them believe they could compete, and that they certainly did.
The Socceroos relished the role of underdog, taking it to each opponent, no doubt surprising them, the world and many an observer back home.
There was little doubt the team, despite not registering a point and making many a rookie defensive error, left Brazil with the feeling it was on the rise.
Yet three months on that positive, free-spirited mentality appears to have disappeared and been replaced by a tightness that sees team struggling to find any freedom and fluency.
The question is whether Postecoglou can lift this mentality enough that they feel emboldened rather than burdened by a home tournament where good performances and results will be expected.
It’s almost as if, after being locked away and primed to perform in Brazil, the players have had time to stop and think.
The confident swagger with which they pressed the Chileans and Netherlands appears to have been sapped by the thought they came away from the World Cup with little return.
This confidence hasn’t been helped when they look at the overall record of seven losses from 11 under Postecglou, or not scoring in four of their past five games.
Things weren’t supposed to look so negative three months out from the Asian Cup.
Postecoglou has a huge challenge to turn this mentality in such a short period and with only one scheduled friendly against Japan next month and limited time together in camp.
The mood of anticipation and excitement which the Roos went to the Word Cup with has been replaced by the feeling this team will struggle on home soil in January.
Having expectations hosed down mightn’t be the worst thing in the world, but he still has to convince himself and his men that they can go out and go far in the continental tournament.
Having given opportunities to many players over the past 12 months, it’s time for the manager and his support staff to reflect and possibly make some tough decisions.
One could argue there has at least been some progress in defence since the World Cup, and with the quality of Asian attacks not up there with the likes of the ruthless Dutch, Chileans and Spaniards, there is life at the back.
It’s not that the likes of Jason Davidson, Aex Wilkinson and Trent Sainsbury have filled us with compete confidence, but if Ivan Franjic and Matt Spiranovic can get club games, there is still a better base than four months ago.
With Matt Ryan also growing more comfortable, more recently the problems have been further up the pitch.
The biggest appears to be in front of the back four.
I’ve long argued that Mile Jedinak is never the type that will enable a team to play. His passing has never been a forte.
Many who praise his great work at Crystal Palace ignore that much of it is about shielding the defence and breaking up opponents.
In fact, I would argue that Jedinak would have been there to pick up the loose ball in midfield that resulted from Chris Herd’s poor clearance just before the Qatari winner yesterday morning.
But he wasn’t in the pitch in the second half. Perhaps Postecoglou had had enough? Was his half-time substitution a pointer to the manager finally accepting how much pressure Jedinak’s poor passing was putting on the team?
The question is whether the manager has the strength to make a move that seems a must if the team is to move forward.
One of his big headaches is that there are few begging to usurp the skipper from his position.
There’s certainly been a change in formation in recent times. Postecoglou has looked to advance the team by dropping the twin screener tactics and instead playing with just one, with two midfielders further advanced.
The commentators for the game against the United Arab Emirates spoke of playing with twin ‘8s’, but it was more a scattered midfield with Mark Milligan advanced of Jedinak on the left but deeper than Mass Luongo on the right.
Yesterday it was Mark Bresciano who was advanced of Jedinak on the right and James Troisi who was further advanced on the left.
There’s no doubt the manager has chopped and changed in search of the right formula, but a game out things look far from settled.
Technically the idea of a scattered midfield triangle is a correct one. It allows you to play forward, angled balls, and gives you the potential to get close and play link-up with the two wide players.
But the chemistry between the personnel used in recent times has looked off.
Take Milligan. He’s not a running ‘8’. If you’re playing with one screener, either he plays there or not at all.
Take Luongo. He doesn’t have enough creativity to play as the highest of the three midfielders.
Fundamental to the system flowing is the number six holding midfielder. Postecoglou has to find an answer if he wants a proactive team.
Then there’s the issues higher up on the pitch.
Like Jedinak and Milligan, Tommy Oar has disappointed so far under Postecoglou, both at the Word Cup and since.
Again yesterday Oar was very poor on the left, always looking off the pace with his pressing and reading of the game.
Whereas Troisi and Brad Smith had combined so well down the left in the final 30 minutes against the UAE, Troisi and Oar could barely string a combination against Qatar.
With Robbie Kruse back on deck, Matt Leckie still about and Smith making strides, the pressure is on Oar.
Postecoglou has to find a formula that works up front. He is still so reliant on Tim Cahill for goals, but it can be and awfully one dimensional and predictable way of getting to him from wide.
Teams are starting to work this out and congest Cahill and work to block his supply, and clean up any second balls.
Qatar coach Djamel Belmadi did this very well and highlighted the growing tactical and technical quality we are likely to see in January.
Kruse and Leckie, too, are the types that like to operate with space, in transition. Yet transition on the ground isn’t Cahill’s game.
A Roos team trying to be more proactive against some Asian sides that might sit back will need a little more creativity and off the cuff combination play to break teams down.
Right now everything in attack looks slow and measured, a little pre-fabricated.
Postecoglou has to sit down and find the right balance, assessing the tactics of his Asian Cup opponents and coming up with plans and contingencies.
His track record proves he can build a flowing formula over months and years working day-in, day-out, but the international scene – where he has far less time to build – is proving much the challenge.
Postecoglou has already made some tough decisions in his time in charge, and the feeling is there might need to be another small shake-up or two before we see his final product in January.
Alexander Mitchell
Roar Pro
Watch the game again squizz.
TheMagnificent11
Roar Guru
And yet still got two points from the Fox Sports commentary team for the Alex Tobin Medal
Adrian none
Roar Rookie
Tommy oar team would find it hard to win vs A-league teams ...so no, Tommy not playing with better stranded of players at Utrecht
Squizz
Guest
And he looked awful against Adelaide
Realfootball
Guest
66% passing success rate in the EPL. See the stats above. The guy is proven statistically to be an appalling passer of the ball. I don't care how many tackles he makes - this stat means that for his club he turns over the ball to the opposition a third of the time he gets it. See above. He's ranked 254 out of 280 players in the EPL for pass completion. 20 out of 23 at Crystal Palace. I'm surprised on thse stats that he gets a game. He's every bit as bad with the ball as I thought he was.
Realfootball
Guest
Spot on. I have long thought that the NT's two biggest problems are Cahill and Jedinak, for exactly the reasons you articulate. When Ange was appointed I waited with interest to see if he had the considerable cojones needed to drop these two. It has turned out not to be the case. Until Jedinak and Cahill are gone, the rebuilding process will continue to stall.
Patrick
Guest
Ange is the boss, so we better get used to how he does things, win or lose, he has a solid 5 year contract and basically runs football at the FFA, all the Men's teams and has final say in everything football.. could only happen in Australia.
Griffo
Roar Guru
I like both Rafa and de Niese and hope they can make it; it was in the back of my mind that statement that the likes of these two may have missed an opportunity next year to get a look in to the national setup (Rafa has before briefly) - de Niese especially as he can play up and down the midfield, is good technically and has good vision imo. Although with 3 overseas and 1 state league player in the squad I'm not sure if that would have been the case anyway but we'll never know. I think a review is needed over the Young Socceroos and have said so in recent days, including what Ange has to say in his remit at overseeing the men's national teams including the Young Socceroos.
Eraserhead
Guest
*sighs with resignation* Statistics 101. In the last three games how many goals were conceded with Jedinak on? A. 0 So in the interests of full disclosure for the statistically handicapped, how many goals were conceded with Jedinak off? A. 3 Curious. Out of the 3 goals we scored how many were scored with Jedinak on? A. 2 How many of those did Jedinak score? A. 1 How many were scored with Jedinak off? A. 1 (drop the useless bastard) But really, let's extract one of the final few players with any qualifiable talent or intelligence in the squad. He's holding us back from our seemingly inexorable descent into the incandescent tactical cesspit of Ange's imaginings; a cesspit in which a left fullback who has been sitting on the bench for a year is our most potent attacking weapon (that isn't Tim obv). Can't wait for Japan lol. :P
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
"and of course his failed stint at Panachaiki" You're kidding, aren't you. "but I’ll hold off on my criticism until we know more." Excellent!
Fadida
Guest
Agree there are players struggling by not playing roles that suit them. I expect AP to realise this and adjust
Me Too
Guest
Ang's dismal record at youth level, and of course his failed stint at Panachaiki. Moreso his inability to effectively communicate his vision and gameplan via the media. He has done very well at local level, but so have many players that aren't sufficiently talented to play at higher levels. Let's not kid ourselves about where we sit on an international level, and how big a step up it is to succeed in the bigger league as a player and a coach. Attributes of successful coaches? Such as Ferguson's ability to get the most out of his players and invest them with self belief in themselves and his plan, and have a team united (aha) in the knowledge they can beat anyone. Jose's ability to combine a team of superstars able to play to his style and change that style on any particular day to best combat the strengths of the opposition. Wenger's ability to evolve a team to play a beautiful and highly skillful game. Pep even more so. I could go on, but it isn't fair to mention Ang in the same breath. Well done on 'revolutionising' the A league game - by that you mean adopting european styles engineered by others, And well done a winning our league. I think fans want to see him succeed on a higher stage. He will need to if we are to be successful. But let's keep it in perspective. We are hardly an elite team, and he is hardly an elite coach. Good luck to him and us - I'm sure we wish him every success, but I'll hold off on my criticism and my adulation until we know more.
Bevan
Guest
"In that sense the Young Socceroos failing to make the world cup is going to be a missed opportunity to evaluate for the senior NT for the next couple of years." And yet Paul "the Wrecking Ball" Okon can expect to escape sanction again when he should have been dismissed after the Turkish disaster. This turkey of a coach looks like he is hell bent on single-handedly destroying the national team for generations to come! His team selections are diabolical! How in God's name this guy could force creative lynchpin and natural no.10/right midfielder Chris Ikonomidis to play on the left wing in order to make way for the likes of clueless right midfielder Chris Naumoff in the no.10 and the extravangantly wasteful Awer "the Rabble" Mabil on the right and then have the shitfaced gall to hold the player accountable for his own selection failings by replacing him early in the second half AND then refusing to play him again in the tournament is just simply gob-smacking and Okon should banish to Australia's coaching backblocks forever more! There is no doubt in my mind that Mabil was primarily responsible for the final result against the UAE and in the other two matches with his carefree attitude and careless finishing but he had certainly had some able help from another player who should not have been there either and strangely, it seems rather fitting that the team's ultimate fate was determined by the lost points from that draw by the actions of both Mabil and another of his unfathomable selections when the dreadfully slow and cumbersome Daniel Alessi carelessly dragged down the quick UAE attacker giving away a totally justified penalty which enabled the UAE to force the draw. How this guy was selected over the cultured Spaniish based Rafa Jimenez for the right central defender position is totally unforgiveable, as was the non selection of gun River Plate midfielder Gavin De Niese in favor of the technically deficient Brown and Gligor for the deeper midfield roles. To fail to reach the WYC because the NYC simply refused to select the correct players for the squad because of his personal biases, when there were so many gifted players available for selection is a devastating self-inflicted blow to the game by an incompetent coach who MUST pay for his folly by the loss of his livelihood! Okon has NO idea about how to coach Football and MUST go NOW!!
Chris
Guest
Agree however for club Cahill plays behind Henry I don't think he likes being up top has never played it at club Ange needs to play a system that suits the players not the other way round this is international football not club Ange needs to turn himself into an international coach and learn from the masters van gaal played a system that suited his players even though it was against his own philosophy as he knew it was international football driven by results
Chris
Guest
Tony you make some great points I think a main issue is Ange is playing players out of their club positions I.e. Jedinak , Oar , Cahill , brillante, luongo,smith these players are being put into roles that don't correlate with their week in week out club form. Oar at present is one of the best no10s in the Dutch league smith is a brilliant left back luongo is a holding midfielder and jedinak plays as a deep no 6 who is controlling the space in front of the CBs he isn't a passing midfielder . Ange needs to analyse the players club form and replicate that in the national team get the players to do a similar role they are accustomed to do week in week out .you don't have the time to get players to adapt and I think that is the harsh reality Ange is finding out international football is results results results nothing else
Bevan
Guest
"In that sense the Young Socceroos failing to make the world cup is going to be a missed opportunity to evaluate for the senior NT for the next couple of years." And yet Paul "the Wrecking Ball" Okon can expect to escape sanction again when he should have been dismissed after the Turkish disaster. This complete turkey of a coach looks like he is hell bent on single-handedly destroying the national team for generations to come! His team selections are diabolical! How in God's name this clown could force creative lynchpin and natural no.10/right midfielder Chris Ikonomidis to play on the left wing in order to make way for the likes of Chris Naumoff in the centre and the extravangantly wasteful Awer "the Rabble" Mabil on the right and then have the shitfaced gall to hold the player accountable for his own selection screw ups by replacing him early in the second half AND then refusing to play him again in the tournament should banish this goat to Australia coaching backblocks forever more! How fitting it was that the team's ultimate fate was determined in the very first game by the actions of yet another of his unfathomable selections when that dromodary of a central defender, Daniel Alessi carelessly dragged down the quick UAE attacker giving away a totally justified penalty. How this guy was selected over Spaniish based Rafa Jimenez is unforgiveable stupidity by Okon, as was the non selection of gun River Plate midfielder Gavin De Niese in favor of the technically deficient Brown and Gligor for the deeper midfield roles. Okon has NO idea about how to coach Football!!
fadida
Guest
I think Dimi is progressing quite well, but I see him in a different role to Antoni's.
fadida
Guest
Tend to agree. Herd, despite a part in the goal we conceded, has shown impressive ability. Franjic is a much better crosser than Leckie
fadida
Guest
It's a really tough period but it was always going to be. Regeneration has been neglected for years, and it's fallen to Ange to make the hard calls. If we are hopeless at the AC then it may be time to look at where we are going. I do expect that at home we'll be much better, once experimentation stops. Not panicking yet. For me the Cahill conundrum is the biggest concern (and injuries to Taggart and Juric). We have seen Ange's club teams press high, play high tempo football featuring great movement in the front 3rd. Cahill is clearly our most potent option, but can't play the Ange way. As a result we are seeing a change in style, get it wide and cross it. The players chosen for an Ange "style", Oar and Leckie, aren't actually good crossers of the ball. I suspect Juric and Taggart would suit the Ange game better. The way we are playing suits Kennedy, so he may as well be picked. Post AC Cahill will need to be jettisoned if Ange wants to put his philosophy in place. A front 3 featuring fast, mobile versatile players such as Troisi, Kruse, Leckie, with Taggart and Juric as the goalscorer. Or he needs to go 442 and cross to death. Ange is caught in no-mans land. The team isn't playing his way. Cahill dictates that. Jedinkak doesn't suit it either . He needs to clear his head I'm sure he envisions Taggart, Kruse, Leckie interchanging positions, with a midfield of Antoni's, Rogic/Amini, Bresc/Luongo. A back 4 of Franjic/Herd, Spira, Williams/ Sainsbury, B.Smith/Davidson. Fast, mobile, technical. Fullbacks pushing high, angled runs and constant rotation, rather than the static run down the line and cross it that we have.
The Minister
Guest
He could do worse. Better than picking Preston and Swindon players...