Having watched the Socceroos produce a competent if not spectacular performance against a strong Uruguayan team who for my money always just slightly had the edge over Graham Arnold’s team there’s one thing that struck me – one up front is not the basis upon which to try to win the Asian Cup.
I’ll go further to say I hate one up front… with a very few exceptions – such as Rooney alone up front supported by Ronaldo, Scholes and Giggs – Eto’o playing the lone striker supported by Deco, Messi and Ronaldinho. In each case the lone striker is supported by 3 world class attacking midfield players.
Playing one up front is, in my view, predominantly the domain of coaches playing first and foremost to avoid defeat. That’s all well and good if you’re playing Brazil in the World Cup but going into the Asian Cup… a tournament where the Socceroos could and should be dominating most teams and dictating terms against most teams they come up against I’d like to see them shaping up with two up front.
Viduka can play the lone man role as he did in the World Cup admirably… but how many goals did he score? Compare that with his Premier League form… the difference… he had support up front… the defence had two men to contend with at all times which often led to Dukes getting the space he needed to convert. In the last few weeks of the Premiership he looked genuinely world class… let’s not waste that by isolating him alone up front again.
That certainly wasn’t the case on Saturday and to ask Scott MacDonald at 5ft and a bit to play that role was always going to be ambitious… couple that with a less experienced back line and midfield which invariably results in the ball being played forward earlier it was very rare that Brett Holman managed to get past the front man as he did frequently previously against China.
The fact that Viduka can play the lone role up front doesn’t necessarily mean that he should and I think to see Dukes carry his late season scoring streak into the Asian Cup I think two up top is essential for all games in the Asian Cup. Many of the Asian teams will be well drilled defensively and if the Socceroos become too predictable in their line up and system of play… they may find some frustration in the tournament from unlikely sources and a lack of goals may cost them dear.
The Socceroos will going into the tournament as favourites… I’d like to see their starting line up be a little more on the front foot from the outset.
Playing Graham Arnold for a moment… I’d be tempted to start with a 3-5-2 with my team as follows:
GK – Schwarzer
Back 3 – Neill, Chipperfield, Kisnorbo or Beauchamp
Holding midfield – Grella & Culina
Wide right – Emerton
Wide Left – Kewell
Attacking midfield – Bresciano
Up front – Viduka and Aloisi
For me… that line up would deliver the attacking threat needed to score goals against well drilled Asian Cup defences whist leaving enough defensive cover to cope.
I’ll go further to say I hate one up front… with a very few exceptions – such as Rooney alone up front supported by Ronaldo, Scholes and Giggs – Eto’o playing the lone striker supported by Deco, Messi and Ronaldinho. In each case the lone striker is supported by 3 world class attacking midfield players.
Playing one up front is, in my view, predominantly the domain of coaches playing first and foremost to avoid defeat. That’s all well and good if you’re playing Brazil in the World Cup but going into the Asian Cup… a tournament where the Socceroos could and should be dominating most teams and dictating terms against most teams they come up against I’d like to see them shaping up with two up front.
Viduka can play the lone man role as he did in the World Cup admirably… but how many goals did he score? Compare that with his Premier League form… the difference… he had support up front… the defence had two men to contend with at all times which often led to Dukes getting the space he needed to convert. In the last few weeks of the Premiership he looked genuinely world class… let’s not waste that by isolating him alone up front again.
That certainly wasn’t the case on Saturday and to ask Scott MacDonald at 5ft and a bit to play that role was always going to be ambitious… couple that with a less experienced back line and midfield which invariably results in the ball being played forward earlier it was very rare that Brett Holman managed to get past the front man as he did frequently previously against China.
The fact that Viduka can play the lone role up front doesn’t necessarily mean that he should and I think to see Dukes carry his late season scoring streak into the Asian Cup I think two up top is essential for all games in the Asian Cup. Many of the Asian teams will be well drilled defensively and if the Socceroos become too predictable in their line up and system of play… they may find some frustration in the tournament from unlikely sources and a lack of goals may cost them dear.
The Socceroos will going into the tournament as favourites… I’d like to see their starting line up be a little more on the front foot from the outset.
Playing Graham Arnold for a moment… I’d be tempted to start with a 3-5-2 with my team as follows:
GK – Schwarzer
Back 3 – Neill, Chipperfield, Kisnorbo or Beauchamp
Holding midfield – Grella & Culina
Wide right – Emerton
Wide Left – Kewell
Attacking midfield – Bresciano
Up front – Viduka and Aloisi
For me… that line up would deliver the attacking threat needed to score goals against well drilled Asian Cup defences whist leaving enough defensive cover to cope.
