They have got to get rid on Brett Emerton, he hogs the ball too much and is ineffective with his distribution. About 5 or 6 years ago he was a top player capable of beating his man and getting good width on the right, but I think he has had his day in the sun and I think it is time we replaced him before he gives the ball away once too often.

Everyone else played really well.

Next game, Cahill has to start in the middle of the park and push Harry out wide on the left. Breciano on the right of midfield and Culina on the left. Give Emerton his plane trip home now before its too late.

Having said that, he will probably now do an Andrew Embley and score the two most vital goals in the dying seconds of the match and win it for us after playing like crap for the whole rest of the game. I will be full of praise if he does but jeez he frustrates the hell out of me at the moment.

Emerton gets a start with Blackburn. He cant be that bad. I thought Japan marked him very tightly and didnt allow him any room to create!!!

He picks up the ball in clear space then tries to beat 2 players before he will pass the ball. He got caught in possession several times in midfield after having picked up the ball as one of the back 4. When he is on the wing he overhits his crosses nine times out of ten.

He might get a start with Blackburn but that doesn't make him suited to the game Australia play and or the position he has been put in. I'm sorry but I just don;t class him as a big stage player anymore. I'd love nothing more than for him to have a blinder against Brazil and show what he is capable of. I'll be the first to sing his praises for his performance, but I have watched him intently over all the qualifying matches and he is consistantly underperforming. Maybe I just have a high benchmark for him based on historical performances that I know he is capable off. He just seems lazy and selfish to me of late.

But what would I know?

that was still pretty bad by the ref making that mistake when japan shouldn't really have got that goal.

Okuma the ozie goal keeper, schwartzeneger, never really came out of the goals with much authority. That's the only thing I can think of why the ref allowed the goal? But yes it was a hell game.... ATB MAXY

It is just before the Australia v Brazil match.

Ronaldinho goes into the Brazilian changing room to find all his teammates
looking a bit glum.

"What's up?" he asks.

"Well, we're having trouble getting motivated for this game. We know it's
important but it's only Australia. They're terrible and we can't be
bothered".

Ronaldinho looks at them and says "Well, I reckon I can beat them by myself,
you lads go down the pub."

So Ronaldinho goes out to play Australia by himself and the rest of the
Brazilian team go off for a few beers.

After a few pints they wonder how the game is going, so they get the
landlord to put the teletext on. A big cheer goes up as the screen reads
"Brazil 1 - Australia 0 (Ronaldinho 10minutes)". He is beating Australia all
by himself!

Anyway, a few pints later and the game is forgotten until someone remembers
"It must be full time now, let's see how he got on". They put the teletext
on.

"Result from the Stadium "Brazil 1 (Ronaldinho 10 minutes) - Australia 1
(Viduka 89 minutes)".

They can't believe it; he has single handedly got a draw against Australia!!

They rush back to the Stadium to congratulate Ronaldinho. They find him in
the dressing room, still in his gear, sitting with his head in his hands.

He refuses to look at them. "I've let you down, I've let you down."

"Don't be daft! You got a draw against Australia, all by yourself. And they
only scored at the very, very end!"

"No, No, I have! I've let you down...........I got sent off after 12
minutes"

Bit of bad luck for the aussies, they did well considering the opposition. It did look like they were challenging for a little while, but the Brazilian's were definately a class above. Certainly a good performance by the boys and should be a great game against Croatia.