Piscopo scores! Aussie U23's 1-0 after 62 min
Subbed off 64 min
Contracted Players - Return of the Long Pins
Iraq and finished 1-1.
https://www.socceroos.com.au/news/australia-u-23-iraq-championship-thailand-tokyo-olympics-2020
Reno Piscopo scored a stunning free kick but a late Iraq equaliser ensured Australia U-23's national team opened their AFC U-23 Championship campaign with a 1-1 draw.
Having been tripped outside the box by Mohammed Ridha Jalil, Piscopo thrashed the resulting set-piece into the top right hand corner, leaving Iraq shotstopper Ali Kadhim Hadi with no chance.
Apparently apart from the free kick Piscopo had a bad game.
Apparently apart from the free kick Piscopo had a bad game.
really? heard from a few Aussies who said Piscopo was the best on the pitch by far. Aussie's main attacking weapon was giving him the ball and letting him penetrate as much as he could
Apparently apart from the free kick Piscopo had a bad game.
really? heard from a few Aussies who said Piscopo was the best on the pitch by far. Aussie's main attacking weapon was giving him the ball and letting him penetrate as much as he could
I didn't see the game just judging what people are saying online. The Player ratings on ftbl.com.au gave him a 6 and said: "His freekick saved Australia a point in the end, but it papered over a few cracks from the Wellington winger. Piscopo blew a guilt edged chance in the first half and can be blamed for failing to pull the trigger on a number of occasions."
Apparently apart from the free kick Piscopo had a bad game.
really? heard from a few Aussies who said Piscopo was the best on the pitch by far. Aussie's main attacking weapon was giving him the ball and letting him penetrate as much as he could
I didn't see the game just judging what people are saying online. The Player ratings on ftbl.com.au gave him a 6 and said: "His freekick saved Australia a point in the end, but it papered over a few cracks from the Wellington winger. Piscopo blew a guilt edged chance in the first half and can be blamed for failing to pull the trigger on a number of occasions."
It's time to open contract extension discussions with Steiny.
Agree. Has been on another level with Devlin these last couple of games.
He's surprising slick with the ball and can cover ground quickly in his first few strides. For someone I thought would be more of an enforcer in the DM position, he's certainly not as robust or rugged as I thought he would be in challenges.
It's time to open contract extension discussions with Steiny.
Agree. Has been on another level with Devlin these last couple of games.
He's surprising slick with the ball and can cover ground quickly in his first few strides. For someone I thought would be more of an enforcer in the DM position, he's certainly not as robust or rugged as I thought he would be in challenges.
I can't help but feel he is definitely going to leave. I think being quite young, that we were only ever meant to be an opportunity for game time and to be used as a springboard back to Europe.
The fact that we have the A-League player of the month, the Vice Captain resigning for three years, and signing the Aus u-23's captain recently all in the same position as him adds weight to it.
I think once Libby leaves, likely at the end of the season, we would be much stronger with one import LB, rather than having two quality CM's on the bench
It's time to open contract extension discussions with Steiny.
Agree. Has been on another level with Devlin these last couple of games.
He's surprising slick with the ball and can cover ground quickly in his first few strides. For someone I thought would be more of an enforcer in the DM position, he's certainly not as robust or rugged as I thought he would be in challenges.
I can't help but feel he is definitely going to leave. I think being quite young, that we were only ever meant to be an opportunity for game time and to be used as a springboard back to Europe.
The fact that we have the A-League player of the month, the Vice Captain resigning for three years, and signing the Aus u-23's captain recently all in the same position as him adds weight to it.
I think once Libby leaves, likely at the end of the season, we would be much stronger with one import LB, rather than having two quality CM's on the bench
think you could be right with this, next season we'll probably be watching a Rufer/Devlin combo supported by Wilson. Talay looks to be preparing well for next season already. Which is massively positive.
Steinmann is good but replaceable. I think he's easily the best out of him/Devlin/Rufer though.
Steinmann is good but replaceable. I think he's easily the best out of him/Devlin/Rufer though.
DMs (that we want to keep) are not as easy to find as you think.
Steinmann is good but replaceable. I think he's easily the best out of him/Devlin/Rufer though.
DMs (that we want to keep) are not as easy to find as you think.
I would agree that good DMs were hard to find/keep by the old Nix.We were prone to leak goals like a sieve during the Lia / Muscat times. Good that Talay sees the DM role as a key to our success and needs to have a backup in case of injuries and suspensions. Both Devlin and Wilson are young and will likely end up back across the ditch in a few years.
Agree with others that a natural left footer would be much harder to find if Cacace needs replacement. We have one backup only.
I'd definitely keep to vote Steinmann, even if he uses up a visa slot.
He's slick and covers a lot of ground. He makes the odd mistake, but again, if he didn't he'd be playing in the Bundesliga or similar.
Whilst Mandi was good and shows you can find DM's, I think Steinmann is superior and has taken less time to get going. I'd much rather we kept him.
Steinmann is good but replaceable. I think he's easily the best out of him/Devlin/Rufer though.
DMs (that we want to keep) are not as easy to find as you think.
Fair point. I think Steinmann has grown into this season quite nicely. At the start; I wasn't too sure - he can still have weird 20-30 minute periods where he forgets how to pass though.
This year shapes like a great formative opportunity for Steiny. In a lesser European league he would simply disappear. Here he has a reasonably skilful opposition to use his footballing brain against, and he can adapt (with time) to the physicality of our game.
Once he gets signed up by Bayern Munich and listens to Sarpreet saying "Phoenix made me the player that Bayern wanted to sign up", Steiny will be able to slap him a high five and say: "Ditto".
It's a great opportunity to lock down the midfield for more than one season...something of late hasn't happened.
That's a win in my book but I can see it going both ways in regards to the extensions/signings that have happened
The fact that Steini has just turned 25 is amazing. Plays like a 30 year old. His best years are still ahead of him
Olyroos with a 2-1 win over Thailand.
Some great work from Piscopo in the highlights.
https://www.socceroos.com.au/news/arnold-character-key-thailand-comeback
Herald Sun reporting that we may lose Libby this window, with first and second tier Bundesliga clubs interested. :(
Does it mention any sources more reliable than spruiking from his manager?
Not that I consider it unlikely, but sokkah media is notoriously prone to having stories planted by interested parties.
would be sad to lose him when he's been so great for us this seaon - but he totally deserves the chance to play in the big leagues.
Also, selling him now with 1.5 years left on his contract would attract a sizable transfer fee...
But of course I hope he stay around at least until the end of the year!
Wonder if we could sell him now, and have him loaned back to play the remainder of the season
You know that's certainly a possibility and it would work really well for both parties depending on how big a club he signs (or not - just speculation so far) with.
I recall Talay saying (just a week ago?) in a presser that Libby is not going anywhere at the moment.
That may be Talay's intention; but if Werder Bremen turns up at the door with ONE MILLION DOLLARS for Libby, would we tell them to get lost?
Yes we would because I want more than a MILLION DOLLARS
That may be Talay's intention; but if Werder Bremen turns up at the door with ONE MILLION DOLLARS for Libby, would we tell them to get lost?
Could we would politely suggest we cut them a deal (because we are reasonable after all) and accept say 1.1M, on the condition they lent him back to us till the end of playoffs?
That may be Talay's intention; but if Werder Bremen turns up at the door with ONE MILLION DOLLARS for Libby, would we tell them to get lost?
Could we would politely suggest we cut them a deal (because we are reasonable after all) and accept say 1.1M, on the condition they lent him back to us till the end of playoffs?
I'd like to think Talay and co would have the nous and backbone to ensure Libby sticks around for the next few months in the case of a transfer.
Anyway, if he were to leave for somewhere bigger, the chances of him breaking in as starting LB so soon would have to be slim to none (not to put down his obvious talents)
That may be Talay's intention; but if Werder Bremen turns up at the door with ONE MILLION DOLLARS for Libby, would we tell them to get lost?
Could we would politely suggest we cut them a deal (because we are reasonable after all) and accept say 1.1M, on the condition they lent him back to us till the end of playoffs?
I'd like to think Talay and co would have the nous and backbone to ensure Libby sticks around for the next few months in the case of a transfer.
Anyway, if he were to leave for somewhere bigger, the chances of him breaking in as starting LB so soon would have to be slim to none (not to put down his obvious talents)
Agreed. Despite his obvious talents and the weekend's goal, any objective observer would have to say that he had (and still regularly has) the odd heart-stopper / brain fade on defence. There were a few at the weekend that I suspect would have been severely punished by a better team/league. But, hey, he's what, still 19 years old (?). He's pretty farkn' good - I'm not taking anything away from him.
Until we know what team how can we possibly say he's ready or not. He's played 2 1/2 seasons of professional football playing more minutes than anyone last year.
I think he's ready,
Any word on how Wilson went in his first outing? I see he got sent off, which isn't ideal...
Any word on how Wilson went in his first outing? I see he got sent off, which isn't ideal...
The red card was a pretty odd one, he got two yellow cards in one phase of play. First he pulled a player's shirt, for which the ref played advantage, then he committed a bad tackle, which the referee stopped play for. He was given a yellow card for the pull of the shirt, then immediately another one for the tackle
Was he in midfield or at fullback?
Forgot I meant to get a copy of that, here it is https://streamable.com/en9iv
Both incidents are yellow cards, the argument really is the advantage played. If he hadn't played the advantage, he wouldn't have made the tackle that resulted in the second yellow card. Its interesting as haven't seen it before
Was he in midfield or at fullback?
Midfield.
Newshub just announced Davila would be out from around March-May, as him and his wife are having a baby boy which will be born in Mexico.
Newshub just announced Davila would be out from around March-May, as him and his wife are having a baby boy which will be born in Mexico.
I hope someone gets this reference ?
Also....
Noooooo!
But congratulations to him and his wife at the same time. Some things are just more important.