Qantas Socceroos player ratings

They say it’s grim up north, and the Qantas Socceroos certainly looked glum after their loss to Scotland. Both coach and skipper admitted they weren’t good enough – but what about The Offsider?

They say it-s grim up north, and the Qantas Socceroos certainly looked glum after their loss to Scotland in Edinburgh. Both coach and skipper admitted they weren-t good enough - but what about The Offsider?

Mark Schwarzer: The ageless keeper had a quiet first half but there wasn-t much he could do about Jordy Rhodes-s equaliser, the consequence of a defensive mistake and a brilliantly placed header. Otherwise, business as usual. 7

Lucas Neill: Not much joy in his 50th game as captain - the cross for Scotland-s equaliser passed him by, he was nowhere to be seen when Jason Davidson bounced one into his own net, and was undone by Ross McCormack-s speed for the third. The skipper will demand more of himself next time.6

Rhys Williams: A reliable presence on the right and an increasingly important member of the first team but his input suffered as the midfield gave ground to the Scots. 7

Sasa Ognenovski: The usually reliable Big O was far from his best tonight. He let Rhodes get in front of him for the equaliser and his positioning left much to be desired for the following two goals. He and Neill remain the first-choice central defensive pairing but for how long? 4

David Carney: Was he on the pitch? Must-ve have missed that one. Carney-s having a tough time of it at the moment and is struggling for game-time with his club, yet remains a Socceroos contender - but he still hasn-t convinced at left-back. On this display, an out-of-position Matt McKay would be my choice. 4

Luke Wilkshire: An unusually quiet night for Wilko, in line with the rest of the team. But one bad performance doesn-t put him in my bad books and he remains one of most consistent performers. 6

Mark Bresciano: What can you say? Before picking up a knock, Bresc stood head and shoulders above anyone else in the Socceroos midfield. So much class, vision and technique, he found space at a premium as the Scots denied him time on the ball but keeping him fit is vital to Osieck-s plans. 8

Carl Valeri: No nonsense and little presence, for tonight at least. Valeri struggled to retain possession in the middle and needs to impress himself on the game more. He-s almost there - but can he take the next step? 6

Robbie Kruse: Ineffective on the left, Kruse became more frustrated as the game wore on, culminating in a silly yellow card, something he-s shown a propensity for before. Good at club level but doubts remain over his ability to step up to international. 5

Brett Holman: The midfield terrier, always busy collecting the ball and transitioning into attack, Holman has become vital to the Socceroos. The injury was a shame as he was key in putting some pressure on the Scottish backline. 7

Alex Brosque: Didn-t get any clear chances but worked very hard for the team, opening up space and dropping deep to bring the play forward. The move to Japan has done wonders for his development. 7

Subs: Scott McDonald: He toiled but had no chances with little support from the midfield and never looked likely to score. Osieck said before the game that the door is never closed - but McDonald seems incapable of putting the key in the lock. 4

Adam Federici: Good to see the Reading keeper got a run-out but he was unlucky to concede two goals in the second half, as his teammates stumbled. 5

Jason Davidson: Certainly a debut to remember but one he will hope to forget. Coming on late in the game and suffering that personal blow, he was always on the back foot and struggled to stand up against a Scotland side with their tails up. Deserves another chance. 5

Ryan McGowan: Similar to Davidson, he walked into a game with his teammates already struggling, and no right back is going to turn that around. Good experience for a future Socceroo. 5

Mile Jedinak: Jedinak has been a quiet achiever but struggled to enforce his will on a Scottish midfield that moved the ball around surprisingly well. 6

Archie Thompson: His pace might have been an asset late in the game but the Victory striker had no time to have any impact. 5

The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not reflect those of of FFA or the Socceroos.