Socceroos Flop In Oman

Australia's World Cup qualification campaign hit a hurdle overnight with a disappointing 0:! loss to Oman.  In a performance that failed to reach any heights the visitors conceded a first half goal and failed to mount a comeback of any note.  While panic is certainly not about to set in, it is probably time that a few aspects of the game were taken note of and addressed.

First and foremost was the way in which the goal was conceded.  For some reason our players were all over the place and were opened up by a ball played directly up the axis of the pitch.  Harry Kewell, Brett Holman, Joshua Kennedy, Lucas Neill and Rhys Williams had somehow all wandered into positions that pulled any sense of structure out the side and then we were opened up by a really simple ball.  Just why so many players were out of position has to be analysed and two players in particular need to be looked at.  First why was Lucas Neill at right back, but most importantly why was Holman playing virtually as a striker rather than on the left of midfield where he was supposed to be.  The whole situation wasn't helped by Kewell being miles away from any of the play thus not covering the move out of position that Holman had made.

There was a lot of this match reminiscent tactically to the Thailand game that I had the gross misfortune to witness in person.  That night we saw Holman played at left midfield and Matt McKay at left back.  It didn't work that night, it didn't work again overnight and if it is done a third time then Holger Osieck should be shot.  The fact that Holman was forced to left midfield overnight to accomodate the use of Kewell as a striker should not be lost either.

Australia now travel to Thailand and must find a much better display than this one.  It is one that is unlikely to come if Osieck doesn't make some big calls and play players in their best positions.  If that means dropping big name players like Kewell then it has to be done.  Holman offers way more than Kewell as the supporting striker and the negative impacts of playing Holman at left midfield far outweigh those of including Kewell as a striker.  Secondly the midfield pairing of Valeri and Jedinak remains unconvincing and the the use of Matt McKay in a central role where he excelled at Roar continue to be unexplored.  With two games to play, Australia needs just one point to ensure qualification and it's highly unlikely that we won't get it.  But what should be concerning fans is that this performance wasn't a once off, it was all too similar to the one in Brisbane against Thailand.  The team is losing it's way and it seems to be as a result of picking eleven players that he wants to have on the park and then sacrificing structure and organisation as a result.  You can't afford that at any level in international football and it's something that we will ultimately pay the price for in the next phase of qualification.