Thursday, November 16, 2006

1-1 Australia V Ghana

Well what a great night it was, not necessarily the score although 1-1 with the team we had was more than credible.

On a cold and windy London night an excitable crowd of over 14,000 turned up to watch the big game. The passionate/dancing/singing Ghanaians Vs the brightly clad and shouting Aussies.

The clash was not the most exciting battle you will ever see. The Socceroos contained Ghana's star players with aplomb.

Here is a few reviews of some standout players (remember you can stand out and be BAD)

Patrick 'Cool as a Cucumber' Kisnorbo played a staring role with only a freak mistake blighting his cool and calm performance.

Replacing Craig Moore in defence at half time was 'Keen as Mustard' Michael Thwaite, his eagerness while for some is contagious for me was to much. Sliding everywhere and dashing into challenges. A good effort by him but when you are used to the ladies favourite Lucas Neill gluing together the back line you always expect more.

Brett 'the Holster' Holman came on late and didn't manage to pull his pistol out and shoot fast, hard and accurate. No goals, one duffed shot.

Luke 'the cutter' Wilkshire has clearly been practising passing but seems to have forgotten the skill which comes most naturally to him, slicing through the air at opposition players legs, hips, torsos and on really good days heads. Good game form him although I still don't get it. Surely we have better midfielders to pull on the Green and Gold of The Socceroos.

Our Italian Dynamos put in another performance that can further stake their claims of being Australians finest midfielders, while being solid I want them to shine.

The Socceroos seem to be capable of holding their own now against all manner of opposition even with a glut of injuries. We are surely becoming a force to be feared.

The atmosphere at the game was exhilarating especially form the Ghanaians. Their singing and dancing warmed my heart on such a cold night.

Thank you Ghana for a great game. You might want to check your Goal Keeper though, what was the deal with him going up for crosses catching the ball and getting injured? While he could pull of three or four absolute screamers of saves and get up fine............

It was a night that the Queen herself may have attended had it not been for that more pressing of issues: 007 although was the new James Bond there.................

Tuesday, November 14, 2006

The night before

Only one more sleep till kick off for the biggest post world cup match of 2006 to be held at Loftus Road, just spitting distance from every Aussies favorite place to celebrate anything even slightly Australian (this can be as simple as going for a beer) the Shepherds Bush Walkabout. Can the Socceroos defeat the current darlings of the African continent only time will tell.


In latest team news a few changes to the powerful Socceroos lineup. Lucas Neill (hamstring injury), Tim Cahill (knee) and Josip Skoko (hamstring) will all be missing from the clash on Tuesday this follows the earlier withdrawal of the pocket dynamo and almost leading scorer in the Scottish Premier league Scott McDonald.

So who to replace them with? Yep you guessed it Michael Beauchamp joins the squad. Along with Michael Thwaite, Ryan Griffith and Norway-based midfielder Kasey Wehrman who comes back into the national team fold after an absence of five years.

The future of the Socceroos will also be training with the squad Aaron Downes (Chesterfield), Trent McClenahan (Hereford United), Nick Ward (QPR), teenage attacker James Troisi (Newcastle United) and Neil Kilkenny (Birmingham City), who the Maestro Guus cleverly stole from England by playing him for 5 minutes in a pre World Cup fixture will all train with the squad. O yes the legacy of the mighty Guus will live on for many years to come.

The pre game atmosphere in London has been that of quiet waiting.
Will we perform?
Does Graeme Arnold really know what he is doing?
Which Michael Beauchamp will turn up this time? The champ or the chump?
Will the Walkabout live up to it's reputation?
Does anyone know who Shane Stefanutto or Brett Holman are?
Will Round Ball Footy the anthem for the Socceroos be playing one more time after another fine Socceroos showing?
We can only hope.

We here at RBF are happy to finally have something to rant about again.

Welcome back to the Socceroos, don't ever leave me again.

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