Another game, another limp performance.
Some people reckon they can see a difference between Arnie-ball and Popa-ball. I can’t.
Sure, the shape at the back is different, but otherwise it’s still (mostly) the same players putting in the same indifferent performances – way too over-instructed and way too scared to shoot.
The thing that gets me shouting at the telly the most – under Popa – is the same thing that had me shouting when Arnie was in charge. Every time we get outside the wide defender, we check back and allow the defence to get back into shape.
There were a couple of instances in the first half against Bahrain when Lewis Miller got in behind and kept going, but mostly we checked back. It does my head in.
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This must be the instruction Popa is sending out: keep the ball at all costs. Don’t take any risks.
The thing is, it is easiest to score when the defence is scrambling to get back in shape. You go to the line – try to draw the keeper out – and hit one of your incoming players who ought to be scoring tap-ins as often as not.
Mind you, even when we did do that against Bahrain, we still couldn’t score. I think Kusini Yengi had a pretty good match – battled for the ball and held it up very well. However, his main job is to score goals and he missed some sitters. He might even have missed in the first minute if the keeper hadn’t got a glove to the ball and deflected it in.
Kusini Yengi of Australia scores against Bahrain. (Photo by Christopher Pike/Getty Images)
But what possessed him to take a touch from Aziz Behich’s cut-back in the second half? Any striker worth his salt absolutely smashes that first time. He did well for his second though and that will hopefully give him some confidence.
It was good to see Craig Goodwin back. He’s an important player for us and combined well with Lewis Miller a number of times, although his corners were way off by his usual high standards.
As for Miller, he was pretty much the only player to show any real aggression. He caused a bit of havoc and ran himself into the ground, but he makes me nervous in defence. I still want Ryan Strain as our first-choice RB but if Miller can cut the reckless challenges out of his game, he’ll be a solid squad player for years to come.
I thought Riley McGree was decent – showed his class a few times but faded in the second half. Behich had a largely forgettable game, apart from his excellent work to keep the ball in play and set up Yengi. He’s so careless when it comes to the offside trap and is one of the main offenders when it comes to checking back in possession.
For Anthony Caceres, it was a game of two halves. He lost possession or slipped over a few times in the first half but did much better in the second. Mind you, I’ve no idea why he started in front of Max Balard.
I thought Jackson Irvine had his best game for a while. He was his usual careless self in possession but did play some faster balls forward – especially in the first half – which could have led to opportunities if the recipients had shown more urgency and intent.
The defence was mainly untroubled, apart from two desperately unlucky moments leading to the Bahraini goals. Mat Ryan had no chance with either.
Young Hayden Matthews had a very confident debut but will be gutted at how his header led to their second. For me, however, the really confusing factor is why Popa would have the courage to start such a youngster (from the A-League) but not start someone like Balard who is currently rated one of the best midfielders in the Eredivisie.
Weird.
But the main problems linger.
We are too scared to play aggressive football. The players have been told to keep possession so they don’t take any risks in the final third. The checking back when the defence has already been pulled out of shape drives me berserk.
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We don’t seem to have any sort of coherent plan in attack. We keep passing the ball about on the edge of the third until it finds its way back to the CBs (or even the keeper), apparently trying to bore the other team into offering chances.
We still aren’t picking or playing our best players. Popa’s had two windows now where he’s:
– Not picked Josh Nisbet (our best technical player and probably best passer in the final third)
– Played Irankunda out of position then not picked him again (our most dangerous attacking player)
– Picked but not played Balard (possibly our best credentialled DM)
– Picked Martin Boyle who is badly out of form in Scotland. Why pick him (and not play him) when he could have picked Irankunda?
At least, with three months before the next window, there is an opportunity for the fringe players to demand selection. I definitely want to see Nisbet and Irankunda back in the team but there are others whom I hope will put their hands up.
Mo Toure and John Iredale are in good form in Denmark.
Ryan Strain is over his injuries.
Nectarios Triantis (DM) is the best player in a struggling Hibs side. He seems to get better while they get worse.
Reno Piscopo, if he continues in his current form, is exactly the sort of player we need to unlock defences.
Because that’s what is putting our World Cup campaign at risk. We can defend just fine but we can’t score.
Scoring goals, after all, is what football’s all about.
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