Interesting coming into the next set of qualifiers. Giannou Degenek are on the outer and hopefully Taggart and Franjic get a go. 

Are our A-League players part of the solution to our lacklustre performances? These guys seem hot right now. Franjic Taggart Maclaren Troisi even Oar scored today. It's good that Ikon has been getting game time and Jeggo has been solid. Dougall definitely needs a call up.

The unfortunate thing is any new squad member rarely gets a run. They're just filling the gaps. I'd say Ikon is slightly on the outer. Giannou and Degenek haven't exactly set the world on fire. Juric should be ready come March. Kruse and Smith, no idea. Behich is much sharper at the moment. Burns is always a decent option. Ange has a lot to consider.

We need to play the players who are in form. Players like kruse, smith, juric etc are not appropriate to be anywhere near our starting 11 at this point in time due to their non-existent form. 

My team on form: 

Franjic Spira Sains Goodwin
              Milligan
   Mooy                 Luongo
              Rogic
      Taggart     Cahill


With franjic and goodwin wing backs and milligan becoming a center back when needed. 

Kruse is just about our best player and with the lack of star quality players having him out really sucks. But he's useless as a starting player at the moment, much better to opt for guy like goodwin and taggart. 

Wow even Taggart as a starter? I've not seem enough of him being abroad but that's a compliment to him.

With those two wing backs it'd be wrong to have Irvine at CM. I'm glad we've got options but it's hard to be decisive.

Taggart does not deserve to start on current form. But the sad fact is that it is better than anyone else we have. Juric has one goal in 11 games, giannou seems like a flop and maclarens form is way below last season. 

What do you mean re: irvine?

I would actually strongly consider him as center mid based on goal scoring form except I've only seen him play once. One thing is for sure in that line up there is a lot of goals. Taggart and cahill are a goal every 2 games strikers, rogic, mooy and luongo all average about a goal every 3 games for us and then add irvine for a potential goal every now and then plus sainsbury up from corners. Even franjic and goodwin can score. 

Just saying Milligan is a better defensive option than Irvine. Irvine has to get a shot at some point.

Yeah. Theres something to be said about leadership too. Jedinak and Milligan are the 2 real leaders getting rid of both is a bit iffy. 

Troisi has to be in there if he keeps it up for the next 2 or 3 months.

James Troisi is the player who put away the winner in the Asian Cup with a top goal. He is in prime form and should be starting in the side.

Interesting that you have selected that formation , do you think we play better with a diamond or are you wanting to fit in certain players?

With a diamond we don't have enough width. But I don't think we have that wingers for 433. If kruse and burns were in form it would be better. Even a good idea to start with the diamond which allows us to keep possession and dominate midfield better then bring off luongo and taggart after an hour and bring on burns and kruse. Also my team now plays a 442 diamond so I'm biased.

Kruse I think will be better for China as at least he'll be racking up minutes which is what he needs. I hope he end up at a club however with solid off field care. Burnsy was probably our best player last time out against Thailand. It's interesting that Tokyo has used their option to extend his contract as I don't think the manager Shinoda intends playing him. Lecks seems to be ticking over okay. The bigger question is probably who plays more central.

Someone suggested he play as central striker today in another thread.

A mobile front three that interchanges all three positions and is hard to mark could be: 

Burns..............Taggart..............Troisi


Or:

Burns.............Rogic............. Goodwin

This latter front three formation may not need to rotate apart from the wingers.


A current team based on form, and providing players are playing regularly could be:

.................................Brad Jones


Grant.............Sains............Spira..........Behich (not as athletic as Smith)

..............................Milligan
................Mooy.......................Troisi

Burns...................Rogic....................Goodwin

Agree Burns was effective in the last game.

It is a worry when one of the  better players for the Socceroos cannot even get J League game time.

what kind of form is milligan in?  watched many of his games lately?

Behich not as athletic as Smith? You have not watched Behich obviously.....

http://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/mark-milligan/leistungsdaten/spieler/37372

Played 90min in 13 of 14 games since September. League resumed last weekend.

A very refreshing look but we all know it wont happen. Brattan and Dougall have been doing well but midfield is the last place we need strength. Troisi must return and Cahill is on fire.

I'd start Cahill in both of the qualifiers. We need 6 points. Spiranovic might be dropped while Smith will probably make the squad. Kruse is still unknown but should get in if playing in China.

Jones
rb------Sains------Degenek-----Behich
Jedi----Mooy
Leckie/Troisi/Burns/Brosque----Rogic-----Goodwin/Brosque/Burns/Troisi
Cahill/Burns/Juric/Brosque

Cahill, Troisi, Franjic and Oar into this squad would be a huge injection. We are dominating possession but cant convert. Cahill is on fire atm and provides a huge mental lift to the boys - almost like playing with an extra player. And FFS no more rogic at 8... he is exclusively a 10 or possibly a second striker. And finally Jedi doesn't suit Angeball unless he's a CB, Milligan is superior


My Team:

              Ryan
Franjic, Sains, Spira, Behich
              Milligan 
      Luongo        Irvine
              Mooy
       Cahill       Rogic

Otherwise:

                Ryan
Franjic, Sains, Spira, Behich
              Milligan 
      Mooy            Luongo
Troisi       Cahill       Oar

To be dropped from squad:

Degenek - made one arsy cross that got deflected for a goal and ppl raving about him. Done nothing and not agile enough to be RB, not domiating enough to be CB and not technical enough to be DM. Backup Squad player

Ikon - proven nothing

Maclaren - Yet to prove himself at higher level or that he isnt a one season wonder

McGowan - years of crap

I'd say drop Kruse but i think bringing him into the squad is good as he needs more matches. Him and leckie arent starter though unless lecks playing WB
in 5-3-2:

                 Ryan
       Sains, Jedi/Wright,Spira, 
 Lecks       Milligan            Behich
      Mooy            Luongo
            Cahill    Rogic          
  

One thing im sure of though - Cahill must start. We have not been able to win games without him since about 2009 and he is in red hot form. We have no one else. Must must start if we want to win

Like the inclusion of Brosque - been underrated his whole career

Ange's biggest mistakes at 2014 Wc was not taking brosque, ogga, Wilkshire (as backup to Franjic who got injured and replaced by McGowan who was slaughtered) and Holman

that says nothing.  liam reddy has probably played that much as well.  brett holman was playing that much as well.  

people calling on form of players and including sainsbury, spiranovic and milligan are kidding themselves.

except for mcgowan ange nailed the 2014 squad. 

I think Ange didn't play Troisi enough and his 30 minutes against Spain was very good. Was also happy when Ivan got injured because he was terrible against Chile.

Cahill should start any day over MacLaren. Don't think Ange will rest him again.

Even though he is into his 30's, I'd be picking Wilkinson from Sydney FC for the March qualifiers. He's in exemplary form and is leading the meanest defensive unit around. I'd replace Spiranovic, and leave Sainsbury to be taught by the legend. It would give Spiranovic a wake up call. Being at the centre of a defence that leaked goals in China last year would not have been good for his confidence. He needs to step up both for club and Country!

Didn't see the Greek games when Milligan was exhausted, but the guy always delivers and has been our most consistent player over the last three years.

Good on the ball and good at winning it.

 Few Oz players are as complete in both aspects of the game. Few other Socceroos who are good ball winners are as good on it, and few who  are good ball players are as good at winning it and breaking up attacks as Milligan.

With all these suggestions it's good to see we've got options. Quantity over quality at the moment. With our players we're going to have to function effectively as a unit. We don't have enough individual brilliance. If that means bringing in a player who fits the team dynamic better then I'm all for it. Rarely does a best 11 get the best result.

Although it was a friendly, the Germany game had a refreshing look at our side. De Vere, Wilkinson, McKay and Troisi were especially good that night.

If I recall correctly it was basically a 433. We had Mckay Jedinak and Milligan in the middle. Despite appearing limited in attack, they feed the ball really well and worked as a team. Leckie Burns and Troisi were lethal up front. Germany were playing 3 at the back which seemed to allow Franjic and Davidson to venture forward.

Wilko is an excellent CB, but doesn't have the ball carrying and distribution qualities of Spira. Definitely a good back up though.

Spira has also nicely developed into an enforcer and a bully boy.