Gerard Whateley

backwater team we'd been ridiculed as by the insufferable Americans.

The own goal was a shocker and the physicality looked terribly crude, like an ill-equipped team hacking away at a superior opponent.

That was unfortunate.

The selection calls failed, so rather than harnessing the momentum of Game 1, Tony Popovich chose to leave both goal scorers on the bench and in the first half, Australia looked uninspired, limited and totally overmatched.

There was no flow or speed or threat.

and it was a profound disappointment.

Once the substitutions were made, Australia looked far better in the second half, and that's where the hope lies.

We have every right to feel that hope heading toward Paraguay and bury the memories of that US loss deep.

Snap judgments on the Socceroos.

Steve's in Brunswick, East Talladega.

Steve?

Well.

After the first game, we called Tony Popovich a genius, but now he's

got a reputation for changing these starting lineups.

All well and good before the World Cup to identify your best 11, but in the first game against Turkey, we had arguably our best ever win and those players earned their right to start again against the US.

He correctly identified the US wingbacks were a strength and then decided to play two wingers who opposed no attacking threat for them to defend against and played right into the US of hands.

His reaction to that game, we were tired and made even more changes.

So we can expect even more changes for the Paraguay game.

Tony, I beg you, play your best players.

They're used to playing multiple games a week for their clubs in Europe.