A Tale Of Two Halves

Australia 2 - South Africa 2

The game yesterday morning was certainly a game of two halves. The first dominated by a rampant Australia and the second dominated just as fully by South Africa.

I like the fact that Pim continues to favour a two striker combination when using Kennedy up front. His 4-1-3-2 certainly has the potential to display some exciting attacking football (though the defensive game seems to suffer a bit).

---------------------Schwarzer--------------------
---Wilkshire----Neill---Coyne----Chipperfield
------------------------Grella-----------------------
---Sterjovski---------Culina--------Bresciano---
--------------McDonald---Kennedy--------------

Australia’s first half was excellent. The Socceroos were not under pressure at the back and were able to consistently build up attacks through the vacant wings. Vinnie Grella had a day out (doing his transfer options no harm I am sure) controlling the midfield with slick one touch passing. Culina provided good box to box support, with Brescanio and Stevjoski rampant on the wings.

If there was one area where we suffered it was through the middle. Jason Culina provides excellent box to box support for Grella but as a creative outlet I don’t think he is the best option here. Just about 100% of our attacks came from balls crossed in from the wings and we saw practically no balls played into our box at the strikers feet.

I was surprised that Pim didn’t give Nick Carle a just chance to display what he can bring to the table by taking off Culina at half time and using a Diamond Formation. Instead he opted to try Milligan out in Central Defense, Holman up front with Kennedy and also brought Carney on for Chipperfield. The interesting part however was that he didn’t change the formation. He continued to stick with the 4-1-3-2

----------------------Schwarzer--------------------
---Wilkshire----Milligan---Coyne------Carney
------------------------Grella-----------------------
---Sterjovski---------Culina--------Bresciano---
-----------------Holman---Kennedy--------------

I wasn’t surprised to see the turn around after half time as Holman in the past has always looked comfortable running at defenders but is less capable in a true strikers role. I would have preferred he leave McDonald on and replace Culina with Carle. Add to that the inexperienced paring of Milligan and Coyne at the back we were always going to be less effective than the first half.

At the 62’ mark Garcia came on for Sterjovski and Grella made way for Valeri. Both good changes but it did have a negative impact on the game. With the loss of Grella we suddenly seem to give up control of the midfield and the turn over of possession to the South Africans became epidemic. Garcia looked a little lost in first international match and provided very little down the right.

By the time Djite was introduced at the 73’ mark our structure had broken down significantly and the South African’s were in control. I have read some criticisms of Djite performance but I thought he did well. He needs to improve his finishing (you just have to take those chances when you get them) but I thought we were already seeing some improvement in his fitness and his ability to get himself into better positions. Lets hope he gets regular game time in Turkey.

Overall there was a lot to like about the first half and I wouldn’t read too much into the second. I still feel we are still missing a left side central defender to partner with Neill (could Spiranovic start against the Dutch in the next friendly) and the creative AM position is still a concern. If Nick Carle is not the answer (and it appears that Pim Verbeek doesn’t think so) then who is ?

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