Australia played two other internationals recently. A 3-0 win away to Ireland in August, and a 3-1 loss away to Korea in September. The win against Ireland was obviously good. Probably the best showing by the team, especially with many first team regulars out. Very slick and professional. Robbie Keane of Ireland had a really good chance early on that obviously would transformed the match. The shot was well saved, and Australia never looked back, with Tim Cahill scoring twice just before half time. David Carney got the third with a long shot.
13/08/09: Ireland 0 - Australia 3 Tim Cahill (38) Tim Cahill (44) David Carney (90+3)
The loss to Korea was the opposite. Dysfunctional performance and 2-0 before the team knew it. A goal by Kisnorbo made it interesting. Korea kept control and sealed it on 86 minutes.
05/09/09: Korea Republic 3 Chu-Young Park (7) Jung-Soo Lee (21) Ki-Hyeon Seol (86) - Australia 1 Patrick Kisnorbo (34)
"It was a severe lesson for us, I am a little bit disappointed with the team.
"But I know this is not a normal this result, this situation can happen.
"In the first half Australia deserve to be winning, but also we had a great occasion with Robbie Keane.
"Maybe if we score this goal it could change the game or the result.
"But I think Australia is better than us and deserved this result.
"The second half I think we could not score a goal but we had good direction
"That is what I liked this evening and we had many opportunities."
"Tim is a great player on and off field.
"Beside that he works very hard, he has quality to create goals and if he is there he will score them.
"Tonight 3-0 was too much, the third goal was a fantastic goal. If you look at chances, especially Robbie Keane, Ireland had plenty of chances."
They were the words from Harry Kewell, after the Netherlands dominated Australia in Sydney. While a 0-0 is a worthy result on the surface, in terms of the actual match, the team was simply out-classed. The only one good chance came in the dying moments when Brett Holman blasted why after a Kewell nod-on from a goal-kick. Kewell, himself, had a tough header earlier in the game.
In contrast, the Dutch were totally dominant, having over 20 shots on goal. Jan Huntelaar missed an open header as their best chance, while numbers in defence and speculative shooting stopped the rest.
It was Holland's outfield play that showcased their class. The use of width and snappy passing was inspiring. It's this area that Australia desperately lacks. It's not so much the skill in the first touch, it's the quick thinking with the first touch. The Dutch already have their next pass in mind - usually attacking - before they receive the ball and execute superbly. Australia dilly-dally and are more likely to hit it backwards.
The big reality check came after the match, with the response at the press conference by Dutch coach, Bert van Marwijk: "I know how the Australians play - they waited for a mistake from our team and counter. We play a different way". If that's not the perfect encapsulation of the Verbeek era I don't know what is. Rarely has the team played well. In a case of Double Dutch, if the hoped mastery of the Dutch system is Australia's future salvation, consider that for all the dominance the Dutch had, they barely troubled the goal-keeper. Again, quite significant perception of their clear-cut were speculative or Australian errors.
10/10/09: Australia 0 - Netherlands 0
Socceroos frustrate dominant Dutch
Australia kept their unbeaten record against Holland intact after holding on for an uninspiring draw at the Sydney Football Stadium.
The Socceroos looked well off the pace for most of the match and can thank Holland's wastefulness in front of goal for ensuring a stalemate before 40,537 fans.
Chances at either end were scarce but the Dutch showed plenty of enterprise and some lovely passing football to get in behind the Australian defence on several occasions.
The goal the visitors deserved never arrived, stretching Australia's undefeated record in friendlies against Holland to three games.
Holland started the better and had two strong chances inside the first 10 minutes. Dirk Kuyt, a constant threat on the right, whipped in a cross for Klaas Jan Huntelaar to head over the bar eight minutes in. It was an early warning sign for the Socceroos and one they did not immediately heed.
Two minutes later Eljero Elia's left-foot cross found Huntelaar, who lost his marker but got under his header and watched it sail harmlessly over Mark Schwarzer's bar.
Australia had further cause for concern in the 16th minute when midfielder Vince Grella limping out of the game with a thigh injury.
While the Socceroos lacked fluency and precision, the Dutch continued to showcase their tremendous short passing game and movement off the ball, particularly around the Australian penalty box.
Defender Khalid Boulahrouz worked his way deep into the penalty area after 21 minutes and should have done better with his attempt on goal, blasting a near-post shot which found nothing but side netting.
Australia's one and only real chance of the first half fell to Brett Holman in the 24th minute. While his long-range effort was on target, it lacked any power.
The Dutch then almost opened the scoring two minutes before the interval, Kuyt's angled near-post header from a corner flashing just over the bar and onto the roof of the net.
Australia made three changes to start the second half - Brett Emerton, Patrick Kisnorbo and Dario Vidosic coming on for Josh Kennedy, Craig Moore and Tim Cahill.
The Oranje replaced Kuyt with his Liverpool team-mate Ryan Babel. The changes made no difference to the shape of the match, Holland continuing to press forward while experiencing few problems at the other end.
Elia forced a good save from Schwarzer down low to his left while Babel blasted wide and high after bringing the ball down on the edge of the box a few minutes later.
Elia was starting to make his presence felt as the Dutch continued to press. His back-post cross just after the hour mark found Huntelaar's head, but Luke Wilkshire blocked out the danger to maintain Australia's clean sheet.
Holland had 20 shots on goal without success but in the end were fortunate not to concede a late goal.
Holman found himself bearing down on the Dutch goal in the 88th minute after being set free by consecutive flicked-on headers. In two minds whether to shoot or lay the ball back, the midfielder opted for the former and sprayed his shot well wide of the mark.
"It was a very good test
"Overall we can say this was a very good game, we know that we still have to improve, because you could see the Dutch team, more or less on every aspect of football, is a better team .. so it's a good lesson for us.
"I think it's a very useful game, but it's all about Wednesday, that's what we're going to focus on now."
"The only thing that was not so good was that we didn't score a goal
"We deserved to score a goal and win. We were the better team. Australia had maybe one chance, with Holman, but I think it was offside.
"I know how the Australians play - they waited for a mistake from our team and counter.
"We play a different way."
"We got taught a lesson"
"We played a world-class team and I think it showed
"We worked hard and that's all we could really do.
"They're third in the world and that showed and now we can really put our heads down and realise that it's not going to be easy and playing teams like this are the teams you need to play in a World Cup.
"It showed there that we're not ready yet.
"When you look at their performance, I thought they had two chances in the first half but other than that they didn't really create much.
"So if you look at that as a performance in itself we held them out quite well, but maybe just up front we need a little bit more.
"We can only take experience from that.
"I don't know what they're thinking at the moment. I mean, they must think what do they have to do to beat us?"