Lucas

[militiamon]

Weird to think that our centre-backs are rated so poorly on the international scene these days.

I thought CBs always had the reputation of being physical beasts (tall, strong), which pretty much goes hand-in-hand with the stereotype for Australian footballers. Why is it that our defenders seem to be less valued than our midfielders and strikers?

Points I could think of:

- The stereotypical defenders are not really being picked here in the A-League either. Chapman, DeVere, Sainsbury, Milligan (former), Galloway, all pretty physically average blokes and definitely in the majority compared to the bigger units.
- New national style has emphasised the need for technical CBs as opposed to physical ones. This has made us 'soft'. tbh I hate this line of reasoning (goes for other positions on the pitch), but I guess it could be partly true.
- Other countries can now produce CBs who are just as big, but probably better on the ball.


Any thoughts?

[MFKS]

I think this mainly goes back to the issues the whole country faces with the dismantling of the NSL the start up of the HAL. The lack of Yoof league for a few years and the fact the clubs haven't been developing players for national league competition.

This is slowly being rectified ie emerging jets etc but the damage has been done and as a result we still haven't replaced the 2006 generation as the new guys haven't reached that level yet.

Good news is we are starting to send more and more out of the League and in a few years time I think we will be catching up to where we were 15 years ago

[militiamon]

Good point MFKS, I didn't consider that.

Still doesn't quite explain why we have seemingly produced quality attacking players (Oar, Kruse, Leckie, Vidosic) and even decent midfielders (Rogic, Holland, Bozanic, Milligan) but very few defenders who have really made it since 2006 (Rhys Williams? Lowry? who have barely featured for the Socceroos or not at all).

Could be part of what you're saying MFKS and the fact that we don't have many defenders is just a random result of that, but it seems completely odd that we don't have a single defender playing at any half-decent standard right now.

[MFKS]

Other thing also may be that clubs are also more likely to sign foreign attacking players rather than defenders. Think you will find in most Leagues the amount of foreigners are heavily weighted in the Attacker/ midfield roles. Generally speaking you can find better value there to make a difference.

I would be filthy if we wasted our Foreigner quota at the Jets on central defenders and fullbacks rather than No 10's and strikers.

Maybe this is the case elsewhere where the opportunities ain't there as often for defenders to go to Europe as for an attacking player

[plague]

I reackon Barca turned the tables by not giving a toss who their CBs are, they played the semis of the Champs League with Mascherano and Song back there.
Even Pique was considered rubbish by Man U and he's like the best in the world and stuff.
I think we think that CB's need to be a certain type of player (well 'ard and all that) but once they get to a decent level they get found out through lack of technical skill/awareness etc.
When Barca eventually field a team of 11 centre mids everyone might wake up to the simple fact of picking your best 11 and letting them go.

FFS Ange should just pick Griff back there for Brazil, I reackon he'd go alright.

[militiamon]

Good analysis gents. The comment about Barca one day fielding a team of midfielders was particularly poignant.

I'll let pv4 and MFKS get back to their little love-in.

[MFKS]

Good analysis gents. The comment about Barca one day fielding a team of midfielders was particularly poignant.

I'll let pv4 and MFKS get back to their little love-in.

Looking at 39 days or under (depending on when Ange makes the call either way) now before we will be able to settle this one way or another

[MFKS]

Another Doncastor game 0-0 at Millwall another game Luca$h sat in the stands.

WLG The pressure is about to ramp up on your boy

[MFKS]

URGENT NEWS FLASH


So far since Luca$h signed for Watford the game time reads

Watford 990 mins played
Luca$h played 6 Mins

Loan to Doncastor
Doncastor 540 mins played
Luca$h played 245 Mins

High time he announced his Socceroo retirement don't you think??

251 mins of football in well over 7 months ain't deserving of going to a WC

[pv4]

251mins of football in the last month is more than a lot of your alternative options. The riddle of the senior defender has still not been answered, either.

You're scared

[pv4]

As what I think is an inverse to your argument militia - I still can't fathom why Newcastle United bought Curtis Good originally. He wasn't necessarily a standout in the HAL, and was more of a physical than technical player IMO. Don't England have a production line of centrebacks in the same mould as Good? It made zero sense to me why they went & bought someone who from what I'm led to believe there are 50 of in their home country.

[pv4]

Update for you, MFKFC.

Firstly, Curtis Good is in a club v country worry:
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/f...s-good-3441301

GOOD is in with a chance of making the Australia squad for this summer's World Cup but the Aussies' preparations begin at a training camp on May 19 - a day before the cup final.

Also this week:
Neill (Doncaster) - Out
Shane Lowry (Milwall) - Out
Bailey Wright (PNE - Football League 1) - Played two games, both 90mins. First was a 1-0 loss, second was a 5-2 win in which he scored a volley
Rhys Williams (Middlesborough) - Out
Chris Herd (Aston Villa) - Out
Trent Sainsbury (PEC Zwolle) - Out
Ryan McGowan (Shandong Luneng - still think he's a RB though) - Out
Dylan McGowan (Hearts) - 90mins. 2-0 win.
Spira (WSW) - continues his finals run
Og (SFC) - played last game

[MFKS]

How is the situation with Curtis Good a worry??

Either FFA will be entitled to him for a NT call up or they won't be entitled.

If they are entitled then it will come down to whether Ange is prepared to let him play for Dundee Utd in the Cup Final at the expense of the WC preps or not.

If he is allowed to play barring injury playing in a big game that he is in a side who could win surely this experience plus benefit of competitive game time wouldn't really be a big concern to Postecoglou??

Either way whatever happen with his situation will not be an issue.

On another note simple question for you WLG disregarding any desire to win the bet we have and what not.

How do you feel about Luca$h and the lack of game time inability to find clubs etc and how this would damage the NT and football in this country if he was selected for the WC??

Do you also feel he deserves to go or not to a prestigious event like a WC with what he has achieved in the last 12 months as a professional footballer???

[pv4]

I don't necessarily think Lucas deserves to be there in the context of minutes played in a season or two, no.

But in the context of being Socceroos captain for so long, being at so many World Cups and general Socceroos camps, etc that Lucas HAS to be there. He's too valuable an asset not to have around. The Socceroos have kept Archie Thompson in the squad for years now not due to his form at national league level, but due to how important he was to training camps as he was so fun and happy to be around.

Getting the squad setup for the Asian Cup and 2018 WC is great, and I agree we should focus around our youth to make this happen. But letting a bunch of "kids" run around in Brail for four weeks is not the best thing for them IMO. They need older heads there to just watch over them, teach them, get them used to being in such camps, etc.

Lucas was one of, if not our best player in that run of 3 qualifiers in a month that saw us qualify for the WC. He's not past it at all.

And TBH out of all our CB options, only one stands out as a must-start to me - Spira. I don't rate Curtis Good - I've always rated Connor Chapman higher at every tournament I've seen them together. Bailey Wright is playing a league underneath Neill's current one, and has issues personally. That list I'm attempting to update on playing times - barely anyone is actually playing (and especially - no one is playing at a decent level)! There really doesn't seem to be any great candidates to claim Neill's spot in my eyes.

It does and always has made sense that Neill should be on the plane to Brazil. Maybe not as a starting CB, but as an experienced 3rd-to-4th choice that guides the young guys at camps and handles the media pressure well - absolutely.

[Thomas477]

If you're going to have an experienced player there to help with the media pressure, why not take Harry, Schwarzer, Emo etc as part of the coaching staff to help with that so that we're not wasting a spot?

[pv4]

If you're going to have an experienced player there to help with the media pressure, why not take Harry, Schwarzer, Emo etc as part of the coaching staff to help with that so that we're not wasting a spot?

What does "wasted spot" mean when there are no better alternatives?

MFKFC - Lucas extended his loan with Doncaster till I believe the end of their season.

[MFKS]

So that would be until next Saturday???

Doncastor only have 2 more games left and are 1 point above the drop zone and face Reading(h) 6th and holding on narrowly for a playoff spot and Leicester(a) 1st and Champions already

Even if he gets back on the park WLG he only can add another 180 mins to his tally max

[MFKS]

URGENT NEWS FLASH


So far since Luca$h signed for Watford the game time reads

Watford 1080 mins played
Luca$h played 6 Mins

Loan to Doncastor
Doncastor 630 mins played
Luca$h played 245 Mins

Another weekend. Another day where Luca$h is deemed not good enough to play.

Couldn't get on the park in Doncastors loss at home to Reading

[pv4]

You're still scared

[MFKS]

You're still scared

Scared no.

The thing that concerns me most will be the sense of injustice there will be if you get up.

Facts are with the amount of football Luca$h has played in the last year the only way he should be going to Brazil in June is by visiting a travel agent and booking a holiday. Considering how things have panned out since this bet reality suggests i should be winning it. problem is my hands are tied and I am relying on Ange to do the right thing for Australian Football

At this point in time I just have to wait for Ange to wield the axe as he rightfully should.