One point gained or two points lost? Another valiant performance from the Socceroos, but questions must be asked of Bert van Marwijk’s game management.
There was a telling moment in the 58th minute of last night’s gripping 1-1 draw between the Socceroos and Denmark, when the ball had gone out of play and the TV cameras caught a glimpse of Robbie Kruse.
Kruse, with anguish on his face, looked exhausted. Then the substitute’s board went up, the cameras panned to the sideline, and Denmark brought on the fresh legs of Martin Braithwaite for the already booked Yussuf Poulsen.
Kruse stayed on the pitch for another 10 minutes.
And for all the talk of van Marwijk being the coach the Socceroos need for this World Cup, it’s now worth pondering whether his conservatism cost Australia the chance to win the game.
There are two questions every Socceroos fan will be asking today: why didn’t Daniel Arzani come on earlier, and why didn’t Tim Cahill come on at all?
There’s a tendency in Australian football – and it’s been this way for a long time – to imagine the European way of doing things is automatically the right way.
But van Marwijk got his game management wrong against France by waiting until Australia conceded a second goal before introducing Arzani, and he got it wrong again last night by stubbornly refusing to bring on the one player who might actually convert one of the 16 crosses fired into Denmark’s penalty box.
The Dutchman has shown repeatedly that he doesn’t care about players’ egos.
But his desire to prove that he’s the boss has clouded his judgement to the extent that when he should have brought Australia’s record goalscorer Cahill off the bench, he’s brought on the less effective Tomi Juric just to prove a point instead.
And for all van Marwijk’s impressive work in charge of the Socceroos, Aussie fans have seen their worst fears realised after all – an interim coach arguably more concerned with his own reputation than Australian football’s well-being has made decisions that simply aren’t for the long-term benefit of our game.
Of course, pinning all of Australia’s hopes on the coach isn’t going to help when the players themselves can’t convert the chances that do come their way.
The Socceroos may have completely dominated the second half of last night’s clash, but then they had to having given away a needless goal after turning over possession cheaply for the umpteenth time in a match.
Robbie Kruse tried his heart out – as always – but if he wasn’t capable of producing the final ball in his first 50 caps for Australia, you have to wonder what he might suddenly have learnt in the next 15.
And while Andrew Nabbout worked tirelessly up front – and here’s hoping he hasn’t suffered a serious shoulder injury – often Australia’s attack resembled a team playing without a striker at all.
The positives were Tom Rogic slowly getting into the game and Arzani looking like he’d never been out of it from the first second he was introduced.
But in a game Australia desperately needed to win, van Marwijk’s decision-making resulted in a familiar feeling of frustration for Socceroos fans.
We all know how it will play out from here – van Marwijk will angrily deny claims he got his substitutions wrong, match reports will be full of words like ‘brave’ and ‘courageous,’ and Football Federation Australia won’t voice an opinion either way.
There were a few other familiar sights last night, not least a referee who refused to award clear fouls on the Socceroos until an ironic VAR decision compelled him to take a closer look.
But with the Socceroos now needing to beat Peru handsomely to have any chance of progressing to the Round of 16, there’s really only one question we should be asking.
Did Bert van Marwijk’s tactics cost us the chance of taking all three points against Denmark?
joeb
Roar Rookie
Lambertus "Bert" van Marwijk OON should not be allowed to continue as Socceroos coach -- sack him now before he completely costs us any hope of progressing to the next round. Cahill should have featured in both matches up to now. SACK the arrogant Dutchman now! Get Arnold or Muscat or Aloisi or Popovic (all four if need be) over there to take the reins before yet another Socceroos DISASTER at a World Cup. SACK VAN MARWIJK NOW MR GALLLOP & FFA !! It was a mistake (Craig Foster was right!) to hire him in the first place. (Handing Arnold the task of now getting the Roos to qualify for 2022 is akin to scaling Everest... doubt Arnie will last the distance.)
NUFCMVFC
Roar Guru
Yeah the mind boggles at how it wsn't Timmy who came on for Nabbout We were getting some great balls on but the Strikers positioning and assertiveness just wasn't there 2 games and no goals from open play as yet Arzani should have come on in the 60th minute Feels like 2 points lost
Fadida
Guest
A new low for you Caltex. Petratos the new Viduka!!!!!! There aren't enough laughing emojis in the world
Fadida
Guest
Rogic is playing as a 10 (Petratos position), not a striker. You really have a poor understanding.
Caltex & SBS support Australian Football
Guest
Fad – Dimi is no stranger to the striking role, and he has played there before for SFC and Bris Roar. Dimi vs Tomi, a) Dimi has better vision b) better first touch c) better striker of the ball d) better ball control e) much more creative on the ball f) can hold up and shield the ball better g) can turn and run with the ball better than Tomi. Dimi, ticks all the right boxes over Tomi, who has lost his pace, has a lousy first touch, can’t shoot and is clumsy with no composure in front of goal. Perhaps he is slightly taller than Dimi, but ineffective in the air. Further back you said that, Dimi is the understudy to Rogic (who played the second striker behind Nabbout in a 4411) so now you are contradicting your argument by saying that Dimi is not a bench choice striker... lol :)
The Phantom Commissioner
Roar Rookie
And our boys will be playing for our fans, who have turned out in big numbers and have made themselves heard in Kazan and Samara. We can win this.
Popeye
Guest
Soif Bert managed to do what Guus did years ago , what do you think Arnold is going to do when he takes charge ..... this will be our last World Cup for a while ..unless we repeat the same cycle of getting a Dutch maestro to dig us out a hole before the next one
Popeye
Guest
Up to Graham Arnold to improve the team you say. With that clown in charge , Russia will be the last World Cup we qualify for.
The Phantom Commissioner
Roar Rookie
And even Mooy became the player he is in the A-league, straight over to England and inspires his club to the premiership. I remember coming on this forum and people saying it proves how crap the A-league is because Mooy couldn't make it at St Mirren haha
Redondo
Guest
A carnival of clowns! Caltex - there is no way anyone outside the Aus camp can judge what Cahill is currently capable of doing. He hasn’t played football for so long nobody outside the camp can make a sensible call. Millwall wouldn’t give him a run in the Championship so that’s an alarm bell. Van Marwijk has made a similar judgement based on what he has seen in camp. As he is the only one in any kind of position to judge, I would back van Marwijk over all the remote experts baying for Timmy.
Griffo
Roar Guru
Agree. If nothing else Peru will play for all their fans who have made the trip. And want some points to take home. A goal or two. Australia will again have to play as before to get a result. Which will mean naught if Denmark don’t lose.
Fadida
Guest
Thats quite the brains trust there Caltex; Slater, Bosnich, Micaleff (read his articles? He's got no idea). Btw, I actually have said above I'd have brought Cahill on. I've said it in a number of places, including when Nabbout got injured. I am disagreeing that 1 cap attacking midfielder Petraros should come in for the most important game we've had in 4 years. As striker. I'm also disagreeing that Cahill wasn't brought on to "prove a point" Understand?
hogdriller
Roar Rookie
Tomic?
readfootball
Guest
Come on, Mike, surely you can't believe that. BVM doesn't have to prove anything to prove to Cahill. But, here's a thought - I've made the point, based on my professional experience that Caltex would not have gone out with that ad campaign unless they knew that Cahill would be in the squad. I stress that I am not at all prone to conspiracy theories, but what we are seeing is certainly explained by BVM being told that, for commercial reasons, Cahill had to be in the squad.
Jonno
Guest
Can we keep BVM for the next campaign what he has done with this team in such a short space of time is incredible remarkable .only fault he should have put Arzani on much earlier .otherwise we are a very drilled unit with great spririt something this team was lacking with Ange and dont think Arnold can replicate this either .pay what ever he wants FFA .
Stan the Optus man
Guest
What's with your name strange I find it becuase reality is Caltex the only reason Cahil is in Russia becuase they have his mug all over their petrol stations and sbs sold off the rights to the World Cup to pay tV .i hardly think they support football more so they support their investments and hip pockets .
Caltex & SBS support Australian Football
Guest
"Actually no. Viduka was a top quality striker who had great strength and was suited to playing back to goal and linking play." Yes he was! but not the same criteria you laid down for a top notch striker. Petratos, is an emerging young type of Viduka; a Socceroo with all the hallmarks of a young Viduka. Strong on the ball---hard to push off it and he shields the ball well like a young Viduka---with a great first touch and plays it off brilliantly to supporting players. Juric is now off the pace---he's gone.
Caltex & SBS support Australian Football
Guest
Mark Bosnich, has joined the chorus. But yet Fadida and Redondo still say NO!
Caltex & SBS support Australian Football
Guest
"ROBBIE Slater says it makes little difference whether or not Tim Cahill plays against Peru because the perfect moment has already been lost. Slater joined the chorus of calls questioning why Cahill, the Socceroos’ all-time leading goal scorer, was left on the bench against Denmark with Australia looking the more likely team to win the game." Redondo and the Tasmanian Isles master coach (Fadida) say no---they are all wrong and only they know best ?
The Phantom Commissioner
Roar Rookie
Big difference is Kruse gets stage fright when he get into an attacking position, Arzani comes to life and gives defenders the stage fright.