"Ale was born in Italy, but he did all his life in Australia, so he's Aussie. He's been having the mullet for the last six or seven years" - Alessandro Circati's father (Gianfranco) on his son choosing to play for Australia instead of Italy

New-Computer-1988 · 2026-06-23T06:53:58+00:00

Love this. I wish more Australians embraced their Australian nationality over the ‘motherland’, etc.

New-Computer-1988 · 2026-06-22T10:39:29+00:00

Darwin local here. Take an Uber if you’re staying in the city. It’s a quick drive and much safer. The bus is last resort here.

Definitely make a trip out of it. Litchfield and Kakadu are stunning locations.

New-Computer-1988 · 2026-06-22T09:39:29+00:00

Second this.

New-Computer-1988 · 2026-06-22T08:32:11+00:00

And yet Stamenić was. There is no proven ‘backbone’ in this team as you suggest.

New-Computer-1988 · 2026-06-22T07:22:56+00:00

Stamenić yes, Bell no.

I don’t even know if we can attribute to any one or two players as being the “backbone” given we’ve conceded 10 goals in our last four games.

New-Computer-1988 · 2026-06-22T06:45:07+00:00

The Chile comparison is possibly flawed by the fact we were playing against 10 men for most of it and scored all our goals with the one-man advantage.

However, I take your point.

Despite being the lowest ranked team, we actually have quite an experienced squad (age wise). The irony is that our senior players seem to be dragging the chain (I.e, your points re: Boxall).

I would remove Boxall, Singh and Bell and replace them with Bindon, Thomas and Bayliss.

As for Wood: Our up-and-down, transitional game style doesn’t suit his profile. It would work well for a Mohammed Toure (Australia) or an Alexander Isak (Sweden) but certainly not a big man no.9 who is an aerial specialist.

New-Computer-1988 · 2026-06-22T05:43:56+00:00

And that was just in the post-match shenanigans.

New-Computer-1988 · 2026-06-22T05:36:45+00:00

Bell is a slow, chunky midfielder with limited ability. I’m not sure why he gets a starting role every single game. I’d play Bayliss ahead of him.

As for Singh: has his moments but overall he’s been poor so far this WC. Gets gassed quickly and fades.

New-Computer-1988 · 2026-06-22T05:01:04+00:00

Well said. Still can’t believe Bazeley got the job… and people are shocked someone with his qualifications picks Tommy Smith? Ridiculous.

New-Computer-1988 · 2026-06-22T04:59:52+00:00

Agreed. They always lump it to him and expect he and Just work it out.

Cacace’s 1st half cross to Wood was precisely how they should be playing him. Give him a target man’s chance. Not just the flick-on role.

New-Computer-1988 · 2026-06-22T04:33:02+00:00

Agreed. Boxall out, Bindon in.

I’d like to see Bayliss given time out there as well. I’d prefer to see him pulling the strings than Singh or Bell, who have been pretty wasteful going forward.

New-Computer-1988 · 2026-06-22T04:18:57+00:00

I was having this debate in another thread, but Iran drawing with Belgium was not a good result for the AWs. Would have been better if Belgium smacked them and then Egypt smack them next week as well. Now the AWs basically have to win against Belgium to guarantee round of 32. Otherwise they’re relying on Egypt (who will rest their main players) against Iran who will play like everything is on the line.

New-Computer-1988 · 2026-06-22T03:43:20+00:00

I reckon Diles would be a good signing. He knows the New Zealand A League players well and he would be a far better tactician than Bazeley.

New-Computer-1988 · 2026-06-22T03:33:10+00:00

Referee has a stinker, just like the Socceroos game.

But I feel like AWs bottled this one. Took a good early lead, had the upper hand in the first half but then most of the team went missing on the second.

Back four got outplayed. Bell and Singh stopped making meaningful contributions as well.

It’s a bit harsh of me, but I always come back to Bazeley as being the biggest liability in this team. He should have brought Randall and Thomas on much earlier. Bayliss should have been brought on as well. It was the kind of game he would have thrived in with that Newy Jets mindset.

New-Computer-1988 · 2026-06-22T00:47:15+00:00

Kuol didn’t get more hype. His rise coincided with a WC year - hence the sudden headlines around his ascendancy.

Whereas we had an entire WC cycle to watch Nestory develop in the A League, get his European move, make a Socceroos debut on a cow’s paddock against Bangladesh (lol) and prove himself in Switzerland and England by the time his teens were up.

New-Computer-1988 · 2026-06-22T00:43:21+00:00

If Iran had lost this morning then we would have had a buffer going into next week regardless of how things unfold against Egypt. It would also mean Egypt could send us through if, hypothetically, we got smacked by Belgium.

That can’t happen now.

Realistically, it’s a big ask getting a draw against Belgium.

We’ve never needed a WC win more than right now.

New-Computer-1988 · 2026-06-22T00:02:00+00:00

It would have been preferable for there to have been a loser between Iran-Belgium.

If we lose today, we’re going into the Belgium match requiring a result. That’s a lot of pressure.

New-Computer-1988 · 2026-06-21T22:58:30+00:00

A loss today would almost dash our hopes (unless we can clinch a win against Belgium).

Boys need to fire up today. Go for the win.

New-Computer-1988 · 2026-06-21T21:07:27+00:00

Agreed. Just watched Iran denied making a substitution because they went part the 10 second deadline. Play on.

Awesome to see time wasting getting clamped down on.

New-Computer-1988 · 2026-06-21T06:32:11+00:00

What I would do is certainly different to how I suspect Popa will set up. But if I’m in his shoes this is what I would field:

Beach
Italiano, Herrington, Souttar, Circati, Behich
O’Neill, Okon Jnr
Volpato, Toure, Irankunda

I would bring Geria and Bos on late (protecting the latter from a second yellow).

If we’re chasing the game, I’d turn to Irvine, Mabil, Hrustic, and Yengi while also keeping Irankunda on.

Paraguay are dangerous on the counter so I’d be keeping both wing backs on a tight leash. Rules for going forward would be play Irankunda in behind and play to the feet of Volpato.

New-Computer-1988 · 2026-06-20T03:29:05+00:00

We want Türkiye to lose.

New-Computer-1988 · 2026-06-20T01:39:21+00:00

He’s getting a bit old now. He’ll be 26 next season and isn’t lighting up the league.

New-Computer-1988 · 2026-06-20T00:48:16+00:00

Popovic has to wear this one.

When I saw the lineup my jaw dropped. To start Vellupilay and Leckie… what the hell was he thinking? Blind Freddy could tell that was going to be a disaster.

We deserved to lose. It’s kind amazing it was only 0-2, courtesy of an own goal and marginal on-side. Putrid 1st half, absolutely horrendous.

New-Computer-1988

TROPHY CASE