Football is a peculiar beast. One moment you are scaling the heights of a famous victory against Turkey, the next you are staring down the barrel of a...
Football is a peculiar beast. One moment you are scaling the heights of a famous victory against Turkey, the next you are staring down the barrel of a tactical examination against the United States that could define your tournament. That is precisely the situation awaiting the Socceroos in the so called Battle of Seattle. A draw would almost surely book their passage to the round of 32, but after their heroics, Australia will fancy a win. To get it, they must first solve the puzzle of the USA's most dangerous talents.Let's start with the obvious. Christian Pulisic is the name on every Australian defender's lips, and rightly so. He is the talisman, the man who can win a game from nothing. But reducing the threat to just him would be a fatal error. Antonee Robinson is not merely a left back; he is a relentless overlapper who turns the USA's attack into a three headed monster. Sergiño Dest offers similar thrust from the other flank. Then you have Folarin Balogun, a striker with the low centre of gravity and clinical finishing that can punish any slip in concentration. Australia must decide whether to sit in a low block and absorb pressure or press high and risk getting caught in transitional play.The tactical question for Graham Arnold is this: can his midfield hold its shape when the USA shifts the ball wide The Americans love to isolate full backs in one on one duels. If Aziz Behich and Nathaniel Atkinson are left exposed, Pulisic and Robinson will feast. Australia's best bet might be to clog the central channels and force the USA into crossing into a crowded box, where Harry Souttar's aerial dominance becomes a weapon. It is squeaky bum time stuff, but that is the knockout mentality required.What makes this matchup so compelling is the contrast in styles. The USA want to play quick, vertical football. Australia, having shown tremendous character against Turkey, can hurt them on the break. If the Socceroos can nick the ball high up the pitch and get runners beyond Balogun's defensive line, they have the pace to cause chaos. A draw is the safe bet, but going for the win That is the kind of bravery that writes legends. The Seattle crowd will be against them, but football has a funny way of rewarding the bold.
