Injuries Ahead Of Kuwait Clash

March 2nd, 2009 | By: Pat | 2 Comments »

sick1 Injuries have ripped through the Socceroos camp ahead of their second Asian Cup Qualifier against Kuwait on Thursday. Key players Scott Jamieson, Danny Allsop and Billy Celeski have all been ruled out of the match, giving the go-ahead for Nick Topor-Stanley to start at left back, while strengthening the prediction that the “hopeless” strike team of Allsop and Archie will be displaced. Celeski would have challenged for the right wing role, so his injury should mean Melbourne’s Grand Final hero Tom Pondeljak will his starting spot.

Canberra will play host to this match, and this will be the first Socceroos match in the capital since 1996. A sell out crowd is expected to cheer the boys on, who in turn have a lot to prove after their tame 0-0 draw with Indonesia in the first game of this qualification process.

In other news, FFA have announced that the Socceroos will play Ireland in a friendly at Limerick’s Thamond Park Stadium in August 12.

Tags: Group F, Socceroos, Team News

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Comments

By marco | March 2nd, 2009 at 4:56 pm

Apart from the positions you named above, how would your starting line up look 4 this game?

Posted from United Kingdom

By Pat | March 3rd, 2009 at 2:17 am

I’d actually go for a 4-4-1-1, since a big reason why we were so blunt against Indonesia was that there was too much room between the midfield and strikers, thereby making Archie and Allsopp mere spectators for much of the match.
Galekovic is an automatic choice, as are Craig Moore and Roddie Vargas in front of him. Topor at left back, Daniel Mullen to make his debut at right back.
Pim will go for two screening mids again, especially since the Kuwaitis are known for their pace, and Paul Reid and Matty Mackay had done enough in the last game to get the nod again. On the left I fancy Zullo over Heffernan for the youngster’s energy and creativity, especially now that Jamieson’s out. While he’s a rock defensively, Topor’s not in the same league as Jamieson when it comes to offense (he’s effectively a center back) and therefore Pim won’t expect much attacking from left back, so basically he needs Zullo to be the threat by himself on the left. On the right a return for Shannon Cole to bend in the corners and free kicks. Playmaker Tommy Pondeljak to be the linkman, and nuggety Matt Simon to be the the lone striker.
I think this way it gives us more width and a bit more flexibility in the midfield – we can effectively change to a five man midfield if they throw the kitchen sink at us.

————–Galekovic————–
————————————-
Mullen—–Vargas—-Moore——Topor
————————————-
Cole——-Reid—–Mackay——Zullo
————————————-
——–Pondeljak——————–
————————————-
——————-Simon————-

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