Cahill's benching isn't cause for concern

Somewhat dampening the excellent result enjoyed by the Socceroos against Saudi Arabia in Dammam last week was the reaction in some quarters to the presence of Tim Cahill on the bench.

The Saudi match indeed presented a marked improvement by the Australians whose opening World Cup Qualifier against Thailand demonstrated few of the qualities that took Holger Osieck’s team to the Asian Cup final in January.

For the Saudi match, Osieck fiddled with the team’s formation and composition to affect a game plan which was far more midfield and centrally-orientated.

Matt McKay switched to the midfield from left-back, Mile Jedinak returned to the starting line-up while most importantly Brett Holman operated as a shadow striker of sorts, functioning behind Josh Kennedy who scored twice.

The changes were employed to add steel and sharpness in midfield, as well as mitigating the stream of mindless crosses which characterised the Thailand victory.

For some, however, the fact Tim Cahill wasn’t utilised overshadowed what was in effect a brilliant display by Osieck’s charges.

It demonstrated the Socceroos are capable of beating the biggest teams in Asia, with or without the team’s most accomplished players such as Cahill or Harry Kewell.

Indeed Cahill’s temporary omission from the Socceroos starting eleven caused mild hysteria among some pundits who went so far as to question whether Osieck still has plans for the Everton-based player through to the World Cup in 2014.

Furthermore, and equally ludicrous, was the charge that Cahill and Kennedy are perhaps incapable of operating up front together.

To be fair, the Cahill/Kennedy combination against Thailand bore little fruit, however to suggest their combination was the chief factor contributing to the team’s laboured performance in Brisbane is folly.

Rather the duo’s lack of production against the ‘War Elephants’ had little to do with either’s ability to compliment each other’s games, but rather plenty to do with the truckload of crosses sent their way.

That Thailand’s defenders were prepared for the tactic was hardly surprising. That it failed to discourage the Socceroos from sending in more than 50 efforts was surely more worthy of examination and intrigue.

For the Saudi fixture Osieck sort to rid the mistakes of Brisbane and opted for a formation motivated by midfield possession against a team supposedly considered more capable than Thailand and in a hostile environment with temperatures exceeding 40 degrees.

For that specific match, against that specific team and in those specific conditions, Osieck went for a more narrow approach which succeeded in maximising the space afforded to the team’s sole striker, in this case Kennedy.

It was a move that worked to great effect and reduced the tendency to cross it in at the first opportunity.

In this respect, Osieck’s game-plan worked remarkably well. If such a move however casts doubt on Cahill’s green and gold prospects, than I’ve missed something.

Tim Cahill’s benching was neither punishment for a sub-standard showing against Thailand nor does it foretell an immediate Socceroo future which won’t require his premium services.

The Socceroos performance in Dammam should have been celebrated as a resounding success where not only was the coach able to demonstrate his tactical acumen, but to also prove there’s more to the Socceroos attack than Cahill and Kewell – the very issue which was most pressing in the wake of last year’s early World Cup exit.

Cahill will likely play a major role in the upcoming friendly against Malaysia as well as the third Qualifier against Oman. Indeed Kewell won’t be too far behind him either.

However in the meantime Osieck reserves the right to experiment with the squad and the formation, and to continually develop contingency plans for the variety of teams scheduled across the qualifying campaign, and hopefully into the Socceroo’s third straight World Cup.

For sure, sporting personalities shouldn’t be immune from serious analysis or speculation.

However we really should be spared the histrionics where something as bogus as Cahill’s Socceroo future is concerned, at a time where there really is plenty to be celebrating.