Is that Uli stielike on the bench for myanmar???

Nigro is struggling, they should have scored.

Credit to Myanmar here though, they've come out with a real spring in their step

We've been lucky not to concede at least a couple goals in this match.

Poor ball from Kamau, needs to be crossing better than that.

We need to keep composed here, as no surprise they're out of the blocks and at-risk of opening us up a bit. But they're still loose in defence, allowing us to play through, just again needing to be more ruthless against their packed back 6.

We need to be careful not to be caught in our half a bit, still need to be brave playing through because as they push, they will be thinner at the back.

Good job Cowburn, but Izzo a bit weak there!

Sotirio used his left side for once and it almost worked out well!

Ref with a great intercept and then Izzo needed to just put his foot through it. He did well to sweep but getting caught in possession like that was shocking

Izzo wtf?! Doing a Liam Reddy (With Glory, last season v City)! Sheeet!

What is the keeper doing

LOL The REFFFF!!!

Caletti may well have usurped him in the pecking order and he certainly warrants it. I think Liam Rose has stagnated in his development recent times, his form last season not as good at a time when Caletti and others rising. Mauk over Rose is curious, given Mauk's lack of senior football - but Mauk is also one of the over-agers as the cut-off here is Jan 1995. So in any case, expect Liam Rose (And many others born 1997+) to be right back into calculations once they get into selections and squads geared towards the Tokyo 2020 qualification campaign.

Caletti is very good and Wilson did well for Perth last season but he must have been very close to making the squad. 

Yeah agreed, there's clearly a difference in how we play here and hence the higher tempo and quicker transitions from us. We persisted to play through the flanks especially the left of centre, beginning with Jackson's vertical ball distribution with his favoured left foot into McGree, Nigro, Caletti, Sotirio and perhaps Blackwood and they in-turn interplaying to Sotirio with the effective run beyond the last line, usually.

A slight worry with Caletti is against these sides. he's a similar height but still beaten in the air and a little for strength when competing for contested balls. This is where Brandon Wilson will tighten things up. But Caletti's quality on the ball certainly helps our cause.

Expect Myanmar to come out second half and already they're in our half. Ahh they don't press! They do us ALOT OF FAVOURs with only a barely half press, even our DMs have time on the ball!

thats crazy, he'd be my first choice defensive mid

One thing about Sotirio, good runs but the non-existent left-foot means some great overlapping positions squandered. I see the benefits for inverted wingers at times, but if they lack capability on the second foot, then the cutting back in loses the moment and the ability to keep the full backs on their toes, as you always pull up play taking two more touches to switch back onto that right foot. Some positions and if he had a left foot a beautiful by-line cross would have been on or a tricky, threatening little 1v1 dribble into their box. Nigro was the one to deliver there instead with a full over-lap on the odd occasion.

Would be handy to bring Arzani in the last 20 running at the defence also, he's a beast 1v1, perhaps Wilson for Mauk or Caletti as well.

We are controlling it, we just have to be careful when we have the ball at times Myanmar trap us especially their 1v1 chance they had earlier but it was good to see finally lateral movement instead of the static movement around the midfield and in attack which has norm with our teams, the effects of Gombau are starting to show.

Like the way Gombau has the 4-3-3 going with both sides of the ball, this team will get better once he is able to work more with the current players plus the overseas that could come in.

Also, it might be early but I think the midfield 3 of Caletti, Mauk and McGee is shaping to be quite a mobile midfield which is needed in the system as it requires a lot of movement.

We're ALMOST there really. Just getting scrappy in that final third. Opportune time to bring on Popovic for Blackwood circa 65-70min mark, depending how Blackwood pulling up.

We're on the right track, just keep possession and wearing them down, as we did late in that first-half. They were starting to struggle to play out, as we kept up our relentless pressure and they were becoming sloppy due to tiredness of longer periods without the ball.

Agreed about Mauk, though McGree was alright, if a tad sloppy once or twice. The pressing been adequate though, so no immediate changes.

I wouldn't mind seeing Wilson on if we score a third, to tighten up the middle and screening, perhaps on for Mauk and shifting Caletti a little more forward into Mauk's position. Wilson can help us tighten things and hold the lead, keep cover for their quick transitions.

No, Clut, Wilson, Baccus, Aranzi and O'Doherty are the other midfielders.

I don't think we are getting enough out of the Mauk - McGree partnership in the middle. Blackwood is not doing much either. Sotiro and Kamau look good on the wings.

is Liam Rose here?

we have imported expertise to improve various aspects of our game and its been pleasing to watch the individual skills on display

sadly the most important skill - finishing -hasn't improved

IZZO
NIGRO
JACKSON
APRO
COWBURN
CALETTI
MAUK
MCGREE
SOTIRIO
BLACKWOOD
KAMAU

                Izzo
Cowburn - L.Jackson - Aspro -Nigro
          ??
   Mauk - McGree
Kamau - Blackwood - Sotiro

Blackwood has scored 3 in two games.

Yeah must be - infact it is!

I guess we have the line-up then:
Izzo
Cowburn, Aspro, Jackson, Nigro
Caletti
Kamau Mauk McGree Sotirio
Blackwood

This team doesn't have a striker.  That makes it exactly the same as just about every other Australian team .........ever,

Nigro LB??

Excellent composure, nice placement.