TOPIC:

If Cahill had come on in the last 20 minutes against Denmark, I reckon he might have put away one of the chances that were created. This would have changed the whole landscape of the group as we would have had our fate in our hands. I think the team was not coached to its potential.

mikeh: Mark Viduka was a better footballer than nearlly everybody on that pitch excluding Cahill at his best; but to my knowledge he never scorred in the world cup finals. Given that fact, how can Foster, expect this lot to do better in a relatively hard group?

He had some interesting comments for sure. I would expect many to be thinking along the same lines?

ArkRoyal wrote: whatever Craig Foster may think, this particular team was not good enough

Spot on AR Foster is grasping at straws if he thinks we were anywhere near good enough to advance further. Impressed by Peru who also didn’t advance past the group stage they were far more skilled, quicker whilst also playing with a touch of flair. The Socceroos will never be a threat until they can develop some strikers of note. Despite all the talk about Cahill’s lack of game time I was more shocked that Arzani didn’t start in any game the kid is light years more impressive than half that selected team and we actually looked somewhat threatening when he had the ball albeit the 5 minutes the Dutchman had him on the Park.

Beasley Hutton wrote:

ArkRoyal wrote: whatever Craig Foster may think, this particular team was not good enough

Spot on AR Foster is grasping at straws if he thinks we were anywhere near good enough to advance further. Impressed by Peru who also didn’t advance past the group stage they were far more skilled, quicker whilst also playing with a touch of flair. The Socceroos will never be a threat until they can develop some strikers of note. Despite all the talk about Cahill’s lack of game time I was more shocked that Arzani didn’t start in any game the kid is light years more impressive than half that selected team.

Won't be seeing Arzani in Australia next season. If you rely on a 38yo to score your goals then you have problems. They have no strikers!

BH -- beautifully summed up -- they will have to try and build a team around Arzani in the future. I agree with every word you said about Peru, so many natural footballers -- their first goal was one of the best in the cup so far .

mikeh wrote: So Bert Van Muppett finally brings on Cahill when Australias World cup is all over. Two games too late Bert.

What is your opinion of Ange Postecoglou mikeh?

ArkRoyal wrote: whatever Craig Foster may think, this particular team was not good enough

Foster is a complete goose, the bloke and the SBS commentators live in fairy land.

What ever way you look at it , last night was a dismal ending to yet another failed group stage exit Socceroos WC bid.

That is now two world cups in a row we have failed to win a single game ( may be three) two we have finished bottom of the group , and bar two penalties ( one of which was suspect ) we failed to get a single goal from play, then we bomb out badly v a side that was already out of the tournament while we still had a chance.

The bottom line is for three world cups now, they have not even be close to good enough, they peaked in 2006 and its been steady decline since then, we qualify (just) in what is now an advantageous system tbh that needs to be looked at by FIFA, because its now obvious all we do is make the numbers up.

ArkRoyal wrote: BH -- beautifully summed up -- they will have to try and build a team around Arzani in the future. I agree with every word you said about Peru, so many natural footballers -- their first goal was one of the best in the cup so far .

I watched both the previous Peru games and they were impressive and highly skilled, but they had failed to score a single goal until it came to us, and with their first chance of the game , bang - they smashed it in with ease, in other words we are light years away, I agree Azani is the future and should of been given more time , he actually had some zest in him and looked to lift the pace, Rogic battled away hard for his second game ( virtually unseen in the first), but failed under world class checking, its all very well booting goals for Celtic who are basically the Subiaco of the SPL, there is day light between them and the rest, most SPL sides would struggle against A league sides.

ArkRoyal wrote: BH -- beautifully summed up -- they will have to try and build a team around Arzani in the future. I agree with every word you said about Peru, so many natural footballers -- their first goal was one of the best in the cup so far .

Only one problem with that goal though AR, a Peru player was clearly off side in the build up so it shouldnt have counted. Yet it wasnt even looked at on VAR.

Also Peru only had 4 shots in the entire game to Australias 14 so I don't think the Socceroo's were outclassed. It was their inability to find the back of the net that cost them, and yes I know it is part of the game so on that basis the Australians did not deserve to win. What I will say though is they looked far more dangerous in the last 20 minutes with Arzani and Cahill on the park which made me wonder what might have been.