Would be happy to have Tara there but would really like to see Robbie Cornthwaite on the panel. Is he available or tied to other media?  Prefer Slater as a match co-commentator where I think he does a pretty decent job. 

At least Souttar is getting the nod ahead of Wright. Holger would've persisted with the less able player. Wright, however, redeemed himself when it mattered against Honduras in both legs. I'd always welcome Wright back to the squad if our other players aren't available. Deng must have an issue or something. As for Dougall, he's a very handy type and we've not seen him enough for the national team. He carries he club every week at a good level. I don't see what makes Genreau that great. I wish him the best and hope to be wrong.

Don't expect Australia to be open by Oman at home (7 Oct), will Sydney be open by Saudi at home (11 Nov), what do you guys reackon, is it possible?
I wonder if FA have they come to an agreement with the AFC on if they're not in OZ, coming up with an alternative so as not to play the middle east in the middle East, mid season, as a home game.

11th Nov - NSW will be 80% double vaxxed and most restrictions would be starting to ease. If they can get in the country I can see them having the game in Sydney. But Tehan the Trade Minister said borders wont open until 80% level is reached at all states.  Even then its likely yo be home quarantine for at least a week. You'd hope by then that fully vaccinated players being confined to a  highly vaccinated state would be possible and I'm sure FFA will be doing everything they can to convince govts but right now i'd say its 50-50.
Oct 7 game is extremely unlikely IMO

Unlikely, Or unlikely in Australia?

Just watched. Millsy a bit drawn back but that's understandable with nerves and lack of experience. I trust he's done training and will keep doing so and get feedback. Makes me wonder ho I appear in front of my classes despite all the experience. Bad posture and a lack of mindfulness at times.

Given the rollout history so far that is a very heroic prediction. Currently NSW is at around 36% and nationally around 27% so why on earth are they talking about opening up if the plan is when the whole country (not just NSW)  gets to 70-80%. We have a long way to go. It is not just around the corner and the next 3-4 weeks may well scare the hell out of Gladys as our heath system struggles to keep with a such a small cohort fully vaccinated and only just over 50% of the over 16yo having 1 dose.

At this stage NSW (in particular Sydney) has received a large proportion of the Pfizer vaccine. What happens as the mix changes. Vic has been promised more Pfizer, Will NSW slow down? Will Pfizer and Moderna still be coming in at the promised levels.

At this stage there is a chance that the November home game may go ahead here, but I would be more certain of the game against Vietnam at the end of January. 

Alright here is what I believe to be our strongest side from the players selected. 

I also am highly doubtful we will have any home games this year. WA and QLD unlikely to be fully open to the rest of Australia let alone the world. Notwithstanding the dangers of Covid we have become far too risk averse as a nation, particularly some Premiers. And I can’t see when we will lift the two week quarantine for overseas visitors. Perhaps a bubble could be set up, maybe in NSW as that Premier is a little more brave but I am still doubtful. So no Socceroos matches in Australia until next year at the earliest. I hope I am wrong.

Good assessment!

I hope we both are!! 

What I don't get is the QLD govt let's in the Rugby, yet the FA don't look at coming up here. It would be great. They wouldn't be able to watch the games, but surely the important thing would be to use the home ground advantage.

Where did they let the Rugby players in from - NZ? Where are the Australian and Chinese players playing? I'd love to get a home ground advantage but just can't see it happening this year.

I agree that at the moment that is the side and formation that Arnie is most likely to play, with Duke coming in for Taggart if Taggart is not right to play and Smith to come in for Behich is Behich is not right to play.Smith has been going well this season, he has scored at least three goals and made several assists. 

I also reckon because Elder is yet to Debut Arnie will opt for the international experience of Behich or Smith ahead of Elder. Elder should make his debut at some stage during these two games, most likely the second game against Vietnam .

If Arnie plays this team and formation I will be really looking forward to see how Hrustic and Rogic combine together as well as watching Boyle play up front as one of two strikers.

My concern is only Boyle will look to run in behind 
And none of the mids are the type to run through apart from maybe Irvine so could be a slow build up.
We'll have mids capable of giving killer balls but not enough movement up top for them

are you talking about mids that dont make runs or mids that dont put balls through?

rogic and mooy will put balls through all day (mooy if he is playing advanced enough)   

mcgree and irvine make those runs.  rogic will sit between the lines or on the edge of the box and doesnt really ever get into the box to receive unless someone has the ball along the byline.

Thanks mate. Exactly!

This goes beyond risk management. To allow quarantine-free travel for international sporting events has political implications. Given that there are thousands of Australian citizens overseas who can’t come back, despite being prepared to do the two weeks quarantine, it’d be a huge double standard to let in sportspeople while waiving the quarantine requirement.

And then, of course, Australian citizens wishing to leave Australia for important reasons (critically-ill family members, for example) are having to apply for travel exemptions. No other Western country has taken such drastic measures (and I think that’s where we go too far).

I think Australia’s approach is far too much of a sledgehammer. The “travel exemption” requirement and the limited quarantine capacity of returning Aussies is disproportionate to the requirements of an international public health crisis (at least after 12 months). The federal and state/territory governments should also be prepared to take into account differences between vaccinated and unvaccinated people, and to consider exceptions to quarantine for people visiting really sick relatives.


But in the scheme of things, football doesn’t matter nearly as much as other things.

If NSW hits 80% fully vaccinated by mid October as they expect, then I still have hope for November game.

This article says the trade ministers had a meeting last week to agree to a travel bubble with Singapore when the country gets to 80% adult target which will happen by November at current rates.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/stick-to-the-plan-no-travel-for-nsw-until-slower-states-catch-up-on-vaccination-20210828-p58mpq.html

Supply will increase as Moderna comes online in September and once NSW 80% there will be a lot of excess vaccine stock going from their allocation to other states (once they get to 80% they'll struggle to go much higher). If NSW and Victoria both get to 80% by end of October or early November it will pull the whole country very close  to 80%.

I think a slow buildup, controlling possession, field position and the game is exactly how Arnie will try and play and if we don't score from open play we will be looking to win free kicks and corners for Souttar etcetera to jump on and score, and so it is not totally predictable and slow, to mix it up a bit and push the Chinese defenders back to create more room for our creative midfielders we will have Boyle,and occasionally Irvine and the fullbacks as options to run in behind.

Looking at Soccerway it seems Mooys last game was 16th May
Just before his brothers passing
Also the amount of games he gets now in china is so much less than in England and less than when in Aus
I'm wondering if he'll be ready to play both physically and mentally. 
Maybe it might just do him good to be around the squad even if he doesn't see game time.
I'd be surprised if he starts to be honest

https://au.soccerway.com/players/aaron-mooy/97581/

Arnie is very keen to start Mooy and basically said regardless of Mooy's lack of recent matches he knows that Mooy will rise for the occasion.

The age clock is also ticking. 

So Insiders just mentioned the next home WCQ will be in Sydney next month and be open to fully vaxxed to attend. Great news. 

Great for home fans if true but I have recently been thinking the shorter travel to Qatar for our Euro players might outweigh in a positive sense our home ground advantage. 

Against non-Middle East teams I would agree, but considering our next two home games are against Oman and Saudi Arabia, playing in Australia would definitely be an advantage for us. 

Covid-19 restrictions will dictate whether the players will have to quarantine or not!
I wouldn't count on the game being held in Australia till next year

And Offsiders had ZERO discussion on the Socceroos 

True

Bosnia beating Kuwait 1-0 in a home friendly.