History for coochiee

imanixsupporter

We will get a good look at Marco this weekend, see what you think. I just think that things haven't been working in the final third and you know the old chestnut about the definition of insanity. Who wouldn't want to see an in-form front 3 of Marco, Kosta and Wood, to see what they can do? Marco looked incredibly sharp against Qatar last year and I'm sure he can get back to his best the same as Kosta has. I've had enough of the likes of Waine, Mata & Just delivering nothing of substance, and McCowatt hasn't been much better than them. The national team isn't a development school, you should be performing or you should quickly find yourself dropped. 

And I wasn't meaning that all the midfielders are equally good and effective and it's a total lolly scramble, probably went a bit far when I said it doesn't really matter. I was just meaning we have depth and options. Unlike in other areas of the park where our second string is miles behind our first choice. I personally agree that Rufer & Stamenic should be in the starting xi given their recent form but the likes of Bell and Lewis aren't a country mile behind.

martinb

imanixsupporter

Thoughts after the two games.

I think Payne or Kirwan or Roux at RB would add a lot to this window's team.

Hopefully Bazeley has realised by now that Pijnaker can no longer start. If he does, our defense is fine. Comfortable with Crocombe being number 1 for now.

Our midfield is also fine. Doesn't really matter who starts, Stamenic, Bell, Lewis, Rufer can all do a decent job. Garbett is interesting. To me he doesn't really seem like the greatest midfielder but he's so much more of a goal threat than anyone else we have in midfield. I honestly still think he should be tried out as a number 9. 

I think McCowatt was fairly underwhelming in this window. Seems like he is a nailed on starter which is odd given how our front 3 hasn't been delivering. Looking forward to seeing more of Old, Kosta & Rojas in the front 3 with Wood in upcoming games and less of McCowatt, Just, Waine, Mata & Grieve. 

That’s an odd opinion on the attack imo. 
McCowatt, Waine and Mata definitely have immediate futures. Grieve and Just have to get back up a level imo. 

Rojas may or may not want to be back and may or may not be an improvement, depending on his motivation. 

Kosta is currently fire, but is unlikely to be around for 2026 at the same level of performance. 

With Old there’s a case for him not being a forward, but being a little further back where he can beat players and start counters or create opportunities- the Singh/Garbett/McCowatt positions. 

I do agree that we hamstrung ourselves by not selecting a RB who could add to the attack. 

I think it does matter who is selected in midfield. We saw a much less aggressive and defensively effective midfield against Egypt imo. We seemed to have a bigger gap between the midfield and the defense. Lewis can tackle, but has usually needed a Devlin type partner to make his game work when he’s played deeper.  I really liked Rufer and Stamenic as a pair, and in my mind that leaves Bell/Lewis competing with Garbett and McCowatt for a spot, who would make a 4-3-3.

Perhaps the definition of insanity is to have everlasting hope that Barba & Rojas will provide the goals at international level.

Barba - 54 caps, 4 goals (1 against non OFC teams)
Rogas - 43 caps, 5 goals (1 against non OFC teams)
Rojas may have shone in half a game against Qatar, but the Qataris are the weakest team the AWs have played in the 12 months since China last March. So it's no big deal to look good in 45 mins against them.

McCowatt - 19 caps, 2 goals (both against non OFC teams)

If we look at Rojas's 2 seasons in the Danish Superliga (SønderjyskE) 30 games & 3 goals.
McCowatt also in the Superliga (Silkeborg) 22 games & 3 goals. Plus an important goal in Silkeborg's upset win over FCK in the Danish Cup quarters.

Look I don't think there is much between the likes of Just, McCowatt, Barba & Rojas. They should now all likely if fit, be in an AWs squad ahead of others like Champness, Greive etc

But Kosta will be 36 by the time the 2026 WC rolls around. He's having a great season this campaign, but last season he looked very average. Where will he be in 2 years?
Marco seems as much focused on off field football issues these days, as on the pitch. All power to him.

I don't think either of the veterans really stand out hugely above the younger brigade. Being in the ALM we see their exploits far more regularly than the guys in Europe, but history has shown that that success locally, hasn't translated much to the international stage.