“IF people want the perfect system, it’s a hot water system at home, but it’s not a football system.”

Ange Postecoglou fired up after Australia’s 2-0 win over United Arab Emirates in a passionate defence of his Socceroos tactics and strategy, with a couple of digs for his critics at the same time.

The Socceroos boss said he welcomed rigorous criticism of his new system - quipping he is glad people are talking about football structures, and not corporate structures, as a result.

REPORT: Leckie, Irvine head Russia bid back on track

PLAYER RATINGS: Who starred, who struggled?

RESULTS: Roos’ rivals earn big results, WCQ in the balance

Postecoglou told Fox Sports: “I read a lot of talk about that stuff this week [about the new formation], which I’m pleased about to be honest because before I left all I heard about was structures and corporate governance and very little football.

“That’s what I want people to talk about.

“I’m the one that’s encouraging it. I’m glad people are talking about it. I’m glad people are dissecting it.”

Postecoglou welcomes the examination - “we don’t talk enough about football enough in this country so if nothing else I’ve initiated some debate which is great” - but is frustrated by the lack of faith he’s been shown recently.

“I’d prefer people had a little bit more faith in me but my journey in Australia has been that because I’m an Australian coach, but I’m always going to be limited by the amount of brain cells I guess,” said Postecoglou.

In the post match press conference, he added: “I’ve sat here for three and a half years and I haven’t changed in anything I said I was going to do.

“I said I was going to be held accountable for what I say and the kind of football we want to play but it seems I’ve been held accountable for doing what I said I was going to do this week and I struggle with [that].

“Maybe if it was a foreign country we’d all sit back and say ‘what a genius, he’s coming up with new ways to challenge these guys’.”

Australia's coach Ange Postecoglou (C). Source: AFP

While he welcomes healthy football debate, when the media grilled him on his plans in his post match press conference on Tuesday night, the Socceroos boss launched a frustrated defence.

“It’s not something I came up with Wednesday night before the Thursday game,” he said.

“It’s something we’ve been working on for a long time.

“From our perspective, it was the right time to do it at the start of a calendar year when we’ve got 10 games, with some really important games and a tournament in the middle of it.

“We want to make sure with all these games we’ve created a structure and a formation that gives our guys the best opportunity to be the football team we want to be.”

He added: “If somebody’s got a system out there that stops oppositions from doing anything then I think it’s called the 11 against nothing.

“It’s a game of football. We’ve got to create and score goals, which we did. We created a number of opportunities, which we probably should’ve scored from.”

He added: “I felt over the journey that our players and our staff and everyone involved has responded and we’ll continue to go down that road.”

Postecoglou says it’s all about pushing Australia as a football nation and not being satisfied with just qualifying for a World Cup.

“That’s the whole reason; I want to challenge us as a nation,” he told Fox Sports.

“We can go out there and qualify but I’ve sat on this desk dissatisfied as anyone else with qualification and I’m not going to fall into that trap.

“Wherever it takes me and the team, I’m prepared to cop.”

The home win over UAE means Australia are still on track for World Cup qualification with two more vital home games to come against Saudi Arabia and Thailand, as well as an away game against Japan.

But it wasn’t all smooth sailing in Sydney.

Here are the big moments from the Socceroos v UAE.

IRVINE GIVES SOCCEROOS DREAM START

Jackson Irvine started his first Socceroos match against Iraq, but it only took seven minutes into his second one to score his first goal.

From a James Troisi corner, the Burton Albion midfielder rose well and headed the ball before it was deflected into UAE’s net.

It was a crucial settling moment for the Socceroos, and a minute later they almost double their lead.

Brad Smith played a sensational ball across the face of goal but Mathew Leckie could only hit the side-netting from a tight angle at the far post.

Minutes later Troisi was tackled when he was on the verge of unleashing a shot in UAE’s area, before Smith and Leckie both tried and failed to set up Tomi Juric.

RYAN’S SUPERB STOP AS TIDE TURNS

With Australia in control, their lead was almost swept away - but Mat Ryan made a sublime save.

UAE superstar Omar Abdulrahman’s free kick was heading for the top corner when the Socceroos goalkeeper, who started ahead of Mitch Langerak after losing his spot in the last game, scrambled and dived to his left to push the ball away for a corner.

From that moment, UAE started gaining momentum in the match. Moments later Mile Jedinak covered for Milos Degenek when he was caught out, before Abdulrahman’s trickery saw UAE lure fouls and begin to get in behind the Socceroos defence.

Australia was under pressure and Ryan was being forced to clear the ball from deep in his area on a number of occasions.

Ahmed Khalil almost made Australia pay when he got in between Sainsbury and Degenek, but was called offside.

Both teams traded more shots, but the half ended in Australia’s favour.

SOCCEROOS’ EARLY CHANCES

The early minutes of the second half saw Australia create great chances, particularly when Leckie nutmegged Walid Abbas. However, his cross was cleared for a corner after no Socceroos available to score a tap in.

Jedinak almost prodded in Irvine’s header from the corner, but it was directed straight to goalkeeper Ali Khaseif.

RYAN SAVES AGAIN BEFORE UAE PRESS CLAIMS

Mark Milligan and Abdulrahman have history from playing in the UAE league, and that came out in the 54th minute when the two clashed.

The moment was quickly put aside and the UAE star’s brother – Mohammed Abdulrahman - was found inside Australia’s box, which forced Ryan to make a point-blank save.

Abdulrahman followed up the shot, but it was well defended for a corner.

A minute later UAE gave Australia another scare when Abbas drilled the ball across the face of goal. There was some hesitation from Australia before Smith headed it out.

Abdulrahman was then seemingly taken out on the edge of the area by Leckie, but the referee waved play on.

Australia went down the other end and had a penalty appeal turned after Irvine’s cross brushed off Abbas’s hand, before Australia were made to scramble.

Abdelaziz Sanqour almost challenged the goal, Sainsbury was forced to make a last-ditch crunching tackle, and Ryan mis-hit a clearance.

United Arab Emirates (UAE) player Mohamed Alraqi (C) attempts to shoot past Australia's goalkeeper Mathew Ryan (R). Source: AFP

GOLDEN CHANCES COME FOR AUSTRALIA

With the pressure mounting on Australia, the tide turned again.

Bailey Wright stabbed a shot over the bar from a corner, Tim Cahill was brought on for Juric, and then Leckie created a golden opportunity a golden opportunity for Troisi.

In acres of space, he ran to the byline and cut it back for the Melbourne Victory midfielder, but his shot sailed over the bar.

72' OH NO! Leckie runs away with it, cuts it back for Troisi, but he fires over the bar#AUSvUAE #WCQ live: https://t.co/sm0O2yPmNn pic.twitter.com/27FiqS5SNQ — FOX SPORTS Football (@FOXFootballLive) March 28, 2017

Leckie then headed a corner over the bar before Troisi fired another shot from the edge of the box that was blocked.

UAE almost caught out Australia with a long ball over Wright’s head, but then…

LECKIE SCORES FROM A CORNER

For the second time in two matches, Leckie scored a second thumping header from a corner.

It was a reward for five minutes of pressure put back on UAE, and effectively sealed the three points.

Mathew Leckie of the Socceroos celebrates scoring. Source: Getty Images

FOUR YELLOWS IN THREE MINUTES

There hadn’t been a caution given the whole match but then Ahmed Barman was yellow carded for pulling Troisi’s shirt in the 80th minute.

That was followed up by Milligan being booked for crunching Abdulrahman, before his brother Mohamed took revenge and earned a yellow after felling the Socceroos midfielder. It means Milligan will miss the next match against Saudi Arabia.

The clash sparked Wright to become involved pick up a booking himself. Ahmed also saw yellow minutes later for a high foot above Troisi’s head.

Mustafa Amini was awarded his senior international debut, but he had little to do as Australia saw out the 2-0 win.