What strategy do you think PIM VERBEEK will employ?
Everyone knows Bahrain is playing for 3 points, they are sitting equal last on 1 point on the bottom of group A and is going to throw everything at us.
Pim really has three choices in terms of tactics: defend, attack or counter attack (defend then hit them on the break).
A bad coach would say, "they are going to attack, we will 'Defend', they will become angry and score an own goal or we will get the draw, if we defend well enough that is", Pim will not do this (i hope). Its really a dumb negative move.
The coach of the Gamba Osaka against Adelaide United in the final of the ACL went into the game with a 3-0 home leg victory, played 'Attack' and got the away goals needed to make victory certain. Pim could do this, however this is not a two legged knock out or final. This is a round robin pool match.
From the players available and according to the media Pim is far more likely to 'Counter Attack' & play like he did against the Uzbeks last time around. Harry Kewell up front, with Bresciano, Cahill (according to him he's fit to play) and Holman just behind. Culina and Valerie in defensive midfield and Carny (left fullback), Coyne (left centreback), Neill (right centreback) and Wilkshire (right fullback) making up the back 4.
My main problem with this is apart from Harry Kewell, we are missing geniune counter attacking footballers, without Chipperfeild and Emerton (we had them last time) we lack pace and width to run around them. Unless Sterjovski starts this tactic seems like it wont work as effectively as last time.
I would prefer we play with the same tactics as our demolition of Qatar, get some away goals and prove we can do it away from home as well as at home. Like i previously posted start with a 4-2-3-1 formation with Kennedy up front, Kewell (left), Cahill (centre) and Sterjovski (right) behind, Culina (right of middle) and Bresciano (left of middle) in defensive midfielder roles and the same back 4 as above.
We've proven we have a team that can play beautifully, so why not play beautifully. I don't want to stay up at 2am and watch us wait for the other team to miss a shot to try and score. I want to see the Socceroos showing that beating Holland wasn't a fluke and that we can and will do it again.
What are your thoughts?
5 comments:
I think they have to play the Australian way. Lots of running, passing and violent tackling in numbers.
If Kennedy and Cahill play, look for the wide men to play early long balls.
Any way you look at it, if Australia get some good set pieces, Bahrain have no chance. That being said the Asian cup fiasco wasn't that long ago and I can't take any team lightly.
3 points from this game would all but give Australia a path to the WC. Pim will go for goals and the win.
I agree with you, but the press say kewell up front with cahill and holman and bresc behind.
I hope the press is wrong and Kennedy gets the nod.
How can he not be played when he seems to do more and more every game...
On a side note Kennedy said he liked verbeek better than hiddink because verbs more approachable as a coach.
Kennedy was fairly unknown before Hiddink picked him for WC06, he at least deserves a little credit for that.
I remember Bosnich commenting on FOXSPORTS before the last qualifier that that personally he didn't know much about Kennedy before the world cup and he still doesn't. I found this strange for a man who has reached the pinnacles of professional sport and blown it all. It's time he, like all Socceroo fans, know and follow Jesus.
Guss should be thanked for Kennedy and Wilkshire.
but it almost came undone with his selection of Kalac.
I think we're right about the tactics, i just read some article saying hoe pim will go with cahill and kennedy up front with bresc and kewell on the wings and go for the jugular.
Kind of a backflip from their article yesterday, but i guess when you're paying people to write articles they'll sit on the fence a bit more so they cant be wrong.
Who knows? Kennedy stayed on the bench against Uzbekistan, maybe he was injured. You'd think if fit he'd be used, especially early on against players unaccustomed to his height and aerial dominance, go for the cheap goal.
I can't wait to see Kewell though, this is his best form running into an international match in ages. He missed the Qatar match at home, I think he'll be gunning to make his mark on the campaign.
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