Socceroos: What did you think?

Well, Australia lost again, no surprise there, but did you take any positives from the game?

Firstly saying goodbye to Josip Skoko. He’s only 31 and with so many important games coming up it seems to me a little early to me.

That said giving our dedicated servants farewells, in the most meaningful friendly in Australia since the World Cup, is in my opinion a waste of time and should never be done again.


It would have been much more valuable to give Carl Valeri or Brett Holman a full game to assess their suitability for the upcoming World Cup campaign.

Coach Graham Arnold got this one wrong. He's too nice.

And everyone knows the score. Everyone knows Arnold is gone. Everyone in the know that is. And if he is gone, why now, why not twelve months ago or even before or after the World Cup.

Is it any coincidence that Arnold is gone once the revenues from the Argentina match are banked or on the day the Federal Government announced their extra $16 million for football?

And Dick Advocaat, give me a break!

So to the game, and the Aussie performers.

Mark Scharzwer: Flatters to deceive and makes too many mistakes for my liking, but he is the best we’ve got.

David Carney: Played against Messi and did very well considering he is no defender. Got completely skinned for the free kick which led to the goal. Full of energy and running which is more than can be said for his right back, Luke Wikshire.

Luke Wilkshire sums up Australia to me at the moment. Does some things well, makes the odd error, and rarely lights up the crowd.

Surely a man on the outer once Mark Milligan, Brett Emerton, Nikolai Topor-Stanley, Nathan Burns, and others are available for selection.

Vince Grella redeemed himself with a strong performance. Showed Arnold up though. Grella clearly wasn’t up to Asia and should have been dropped, but that takes guts and Arnold didn’t have it.

Marco Bresciano hit the target not once but twice from free-kicks. I’ve never seen him do that before. Bresciano also played well, a different player from Asia.

Michael Beauchamp and Lucas Neill give limited confidence. They are a long way from the finished article. Seems hard to believe Beauchamp plays in the Bundesliga every week. For Australia he still needs to improve.

Josh Kennedy showed well, but may lead the Aussies to pumping it long and high. Archie Thompson made no impact and will remain a squad man at best.

Scott McDonald (Celtic) Nathan Burns, David Williams, Bruce Djite may all push hard for a strikers place in the next twelve months.

Brett Holman is struggling to relax and make and impact at this level. Have we seen the best of him? I think he is worth persevering with.

Nicky Carle. Many many people love the guy. Me too. But internationally he is a long way from doing anything of note. Last night in the last 15 minutes he looked well off the pace, unable to control the ball. Not many encouraging signs from Carle at this level yet.

Carl Valeri, showed he should probably have played in the Asia Cup instead of Asia. With Grella unable to play in all World Cup Qualifiers, Valeri, and Mark Milligan may have to share defensive midfield duties.

Jason Culina? When did he last create a goal, an opportunity for a forward. With Grella alongside him, that's two centre midfielders who never create anything in the final third. And if they do it's so rare the chances of getting a goal are few.

Who can create or score at this level? Bresciano, Stejovski, Viduka, Cahill, Kewell, Skoko and Aloisi.

Few of them will be available or young enough.

Burns, Williams, Mcdonald, Holman, Kennedy and not a flank man in sight. James Troisi?

Carle, Culina, Valeri or Thompson?

We have few creative players. Hopefully the positive achievements of the Olyroos will inject some pace and skill into the final third. At the moment breaking down top twenty sides at home, seems impossible. What chance when we are away.

Asia just showed us what many of us already knew. We aren't a top twenty side, therefore our results weren't as surprising as many thought.

Australia are a team in transition. We have know Mark Viduka or Harry Kewell any more. Oh they may play occasionally but their best days are surely gone.

The new generation has hope but you only have to look at where our players are playing to realize we are a long way off the pace.

Even those in the top leagues hardly play for the top clubs.

Biggest weakness: For me it’s the final third. How to create, how to score. I know we played Argentina but the signs have been here for a long time. Where will get players the quality of Viduka and Kewell who at their best could have played for most teams in the World.

Thank god we’re in Asia, at least we get more games, if not more goals!

Match Details:
Qantas Socceroos 0
Argentina 1 ( Martin Demichelis 49 ’)
Tuesday 11th September 2007
Melbourne Cricket Ground
Referee: Mike Dean (England)
Assistant Referees: Ben Wilson & Nathan Gibson
Fourth Official: Simon Pryzadcz
Crowd: 70,171

Qantas Socceroos: 1.Mark SCHWARZER (gk), 2.Lucas NEILL, 4.David CARNEY, 5.Jason CULINA, 6.Michael BEAUCHAMP, 7.Luke WILKSHIRE, 8.Josip SKOKO (17.Carl VALERI 51 ’), 9.Joshua KENNEDY (22.Nik MRDJA 82’), 11.Archie THOMPSON (19.Nick CARLE 62’), 13.Vincenzo GRELLA, 23.Marco BRESCIANO (10.Brett HOLMAN 58’).

Substitutes not used:
3.Patrick KISNORBO, 14.Alex BROSQUE, 15.Michael THWAITE, 18.Clint BOLTON (gk), 20.Simon COLOSIMO, 21.Dean HEFFERNAN.

Yellow Cards: Brett Holman 60 ’, Vince Grella 87 ’

Argentina: 13.Roberto ABBONDANZIERI (gk) 2 .Martin DEMICHELIS, 6.Gabriel HEINZE, 8.Javier ZANETTI, 11.Carlos TEVEZ (84’), , 14.Javier MASCHERANO, 15.Gabriel MILITO, 17.Nicolas BURDISSO, 18.Jonas GUTIERREZ (5.Fernando GAGO 72’), 19.Lionel MESSI (91’), 20.Federico INSUA (16.Cristian LEDESMA 80’) .

Substitutes not used:
1.Oscar USTARI (gk), 4.Fabricio COLOCCINI, 12.Sergio ROMERO.

Yellow Cards: Gabriel Heinze 53'.