we just dont have the same control of the game in a 433 as we do in a 442 diamond or a 4231.  and lets face it, our attack is not clinical enough not to try and control the midfield and create as many chances as possible.

plus our strength is players is in the midfield. it seems daft to have guys like luongo or milligan on the bench because we want to play a 433 and have inconsistent strikers surrounded by wings that cant score and are very narrow in their creative vision. they are all just pace and poor crossing.

I think Luongo has rectified that this year.

Kruse was done over by injuries at crucial times while trying to cement himself in the firsts...

anyone know how Jake Brimmer is getting on? 

Must be making a fair fist of it at Liverpool youth academy, as he's been called up for the U19 AFC squad next month...

Goodwin actually has a decent right foot too as opposed to gersbach and smith who are very one footed. He has scored a few nice goals cutting back in from the left wing.

Has anyone heard anything lately about the March, June and September 2017 home WCQ match locations??

I have read that the FFA has to advise the AFC 6 months in advance, as such I assume March will be announced within the next  6 weeks and most likely within the next 10 days or so.

Goodwin at RB doesn't sound to bad tbh, I would rather he got to show off in his preferred position though.

So would I, I think he's our best left back option but it looks like smith is locked in for now so would rather see him somewhere. He was outstanding in his last a-league season and I think playing for the nt will take him to another level. 

Scratch that NT idea. Miscounted. Will fix. Worst post of the year.

------------------------------------------------Cahill-----------------------------------------Rogic---------------------------------------------------------------


-----------------------------------------------------Mooy----------------------------------------------------Kruse--------------------------------------------------


Smith----------------------------------------------------------Jedinak---------------------------------------------------------------------Leckie


---------------------Spiranovic---------------------------------Sainsbury--------------------------------------Milligan-----------------------------------------


------------------------------------------------------------------------Langerak--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

That's what I was trying to say before I lost count. The only thing is I'd like to have Irvine there at CDM. But Jedinak's or Milligan's experience will be need to be called upon. Depending on how Kruse is feeling It's horses for courses. Kruse would take a wider line. Irvine a more central one. Also because Rogic isn't a naturally striker, he can't play up there on his own. That's why I've got Cahill and Rogic there. It basically doubles the means by which we can score.

Degenek's injured isn't he?

I read around here somewhere that Mark Rudan was to join the NT coaching up, assisting Gombau or in some kind of assistant role? Does this news add fuel to that fire? Here: http://www.fourfourtwo.com.au/news/rudan-steps-down-as-coach-438606

Interesting  debate.

 In the last games, Australia has been more comfortable playing a 1-4-3-3 compared to a 4-4-2 diamond shaped midfield. Yet arguably better players are benched for the 1-4-3-3.

If another team plays a 4-4-2 diamond shaped  midfield to outnumber us in central midfield, Ange could play the 3-4-3 diamond shaped midfield like JVS does for City to negate the diamond.

 I'm not sure he will though, but in Milligan, he has the perfect player to oscillate between a 1-4-3-3 defensive midfield triangle and a 3-4-3 midfield diamond. He plays both the CB and DM well.

Get the feeling with no game time Kruse and Smith will be left on the bench, Goodwin may get his chance. Again, we're light on at RB, McGowan the only fit RB available. Milligan a possibility there too.

I'd have played that team in hindsight. Spiranovic for Wright though. 

My opinion but is it time we change our system slightly and move towards 3 at the back in 2017?

The Japan game and even the match i might be too late but would be a handy thing to do given we have no quality right back coming through would it be smart for us to play a extra centre back and move towards a midfield diamond(i.e 3-1-3-3 shape) or move Leckie into a make shift right wing back role where he has the stamina to play that role?
Gombau has got some ideas implementing 3 at the back at his Adelaide United days maybe he could Ange with this? dont know but we need to better tactically more smarter with regards to the players we have available.

Just my thought, but the right back spot right now is a bit of concern going into next year.

Even better Barca4Life.

I didn't think of Gombau. He would be a huge help implementing it in such way that we're defensively a lot steadier but still playing in a very proactive style

No way Goodwin can be 193cm. That's basically Josh Kennedys height. Gotta be a misprint, he'd be more like 175-180

I'm also an advocate of the back three with a floating holding midfielder. Our full backs are shit and I don't see the point in persisting with them. Playing 3 CB's will give us some more security and will force us to play forward into midfield from out the back.

Giannou didn't do himself any favours. Mclaren will hopefully kick on and Burns offers good squad value. A league will show us how Geria gets on and might be called up against Thailand. 

Very disappointing from Giannou. He's not impressed at all

he's taken himself down by going to china

Concerning that both our first choice centre halves are also plying their trade in china.

The league may be improving with some big signings but in the interests of the national team id much prefer to see our guys playing in more established leagues

Against Japan I agree.

Against Jordan I thought he was pretty good.

Precisely my point about this system, i think Ange is tactically too predictable he needs a different outlook in terms of formation(s).

I'm at a bit of a loss as to the best balance of Luongo, Irvine, Jedinak, Milligan, O'Neill, Mooy and Rogic. That's before we even get to the likes of Jeggo, Lyden and Brattan.

It's odd. We have a lot of depth. But we still seem to struggle in midfield with all of that. Maybe it's because they are compromised a bit by a weak backline and a lack of quality strikers. Maybe it's because, even though they each have a lot of talent in a lot of areas, they don't quite complement each other?

Juric-----------------------------------------Rogic----------------------------------------------------Kruse


------------------------------------------------Mooy------------------------------------------------------------


Smith-----------------------------------------Irvine-------------------------------------------------Leckie


--------------Spiranovic----------------------Sainsbury-------------------------Wright-----------------


------------------------------------------------Ryangerak------------------------------------------------------


So far from perfect. Feels really contrived. Also, think of the front three as moving around a lot. Don't visualise it literally. It's an interesting experiment in giving us as much width as possible while making the defence strong. It feels more logical for Rogic to be CAM and Mooy to drop back a bit with Irvine. But that change would mean 3-5-2. I'm happy enough with 3-5-2. But I think 3-4-3 maybe suits our proactive philosophy more and permits greater width. We all know they need to use the width of the pitch. I think that was one of the main lessons from the match against Japan.. I must say that with this formation,  I'm a bit worried about Sainsbury or Wright feeling a bit of out of options and making a bad pass (e.g. against Japan) with just Irvine in front rather than two CDMs.

I highly doubt O'Neill should be considered for the Socceroos ahead of Jeggo and perhaps others. Young and probably talented but he is not ready for the Socceroos yet although he would strength the Young Socceroos.

I would have Luongo in the team ahead of Irvine but I admit it is close as Luongo has not been impressing for the Socceroos lately. Still I think his ability to cover a lot more ground than Mooy and Rogic is an important part of our midfield. I would prefer us to play, especially in games where we are favourite,

...........................Ryan/Langerak
........Wright...........Sainsbury...........Spiranovic
Leckie.............................................................Smith
................Loungo......................Mooy
.................................Rogic
...................Kruse...................Juric

Luongo plays as a box to box runner, Mooy as a deep lying playmaker, Rogic does his stuff, hopefully passing a bit more and shooting a bit less. Juric plays central as the main striker and Kruse is given license to find space either side of Juric. In games against stronger opposition we can still play Jedinak or Milligan in front of the defence and even play a more defensive RB with Leckie up front to use his pace for counter attacks.

I don't reckon age is a problem. The best in the world are playing for their NTs in their teens. How many others are playing in the Premier League? NB- I'm not saying that automatically means he's the best option, just that he's worth consideration and it's likely he's better than most of the others.

The other thing about football is it's really not about who deserves what. Not a fair world at all. It's literally about who is the best bet (or most likely to do the best job).

He's making a way stronger case than most of them. The other thing is it has to be considered how worthwhile it is him playing for the Young Socceroos. Anything that could jeopardise his chances with Burnley is anathema. If Aus qualify for the youth world cup, then maybe he's a go if it doesn't disrupt his stuff with Burnley and because it would improve the team's chances in the tournament. But beyond that, there's basically no point in him playing for the Young Socceroos.

But with the NT, if he's one of the best in a specific position then bring him in. It doesn't matter what his background is compared to the others. It doesn't matter if they've all come through FFA/AIS structures and he hasn't. We need to get away from all that.

I'd be massively thrilled with that line-up. It's absolute quality. My reasoning for Irvine there instead of Luongo is because I think that gives us the best of both worlds in terms of having a Jedinak-esque screener with physicality in front of the defence and the stuff on the ball that Jedinak struggles with.  Irvine probably offers a bit more muscle and defensive stuff than Luongo does, imo. Not that Luongo is shabby at all there or in terms of his physicality, just that the physicality of Irvine has to be worth something.