Whats half a foot between friends

Rb in particular is hard...

Thinking over beer... could Farrell play as part of a back three and push forward if not needed to cover? That left side could cause some damage, Bos may even enjoy the odd link up play.

----------------------------Ryan
---------------Soutter Rowles Farrell
Atkinson----Nieuwenhof---Nisbet----Bos
--------------McGree-----------------Arzani
-----------------------------Yengi

I keep toying with a back 3 but I think it keeps sacrificing a midfield spot. While it allows Bos and Atkinson to be in their better areas, I think we'll still be packing the midfield. I like forgoing a 10 as it'll then force McGree to get into those spaces rather than having someone just refuse to drift wide or inside.

I like this set up. Maybe two up top and a 10 would really allow Bos and Atkinson to venture in behind and two fit 6's can cover. Team N, ok, I'm coining it plus Devlin and O'Neill all have a big tank.

Are we talking Xabi Alonso here? If so, he isn't 171 cm. Wikipedia has him listed at 183 cm, although I believe that some footballers exaggerate slightly when listing their heights (e.g., Mat Ryan is listed at 184 cm, which I struggle a bit to believe).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xabi_Alonso

I don't think the squad can be overhauled so quickly. A lot of work has gone into it. I'd like to see a lot of newer and in form players come in but it could also really unsettle the squad. It's more I don't think Behich, Duke or Irvine should just be guaranteed a start. Making everyone competitive rather than complacent is a good thing.

Yeah it's basically overhauling for the sake of it with a lot of short term options that probably won't make the 26 WC. For U23 younger players its best to wait until after the U23 Asian Cup and Olympics and also for longer term starting options like Robertson and hopefully Volpato those are just players that should be put straight in later this year. 

Much dependant on opposition press but generally a deeper playmaker gets more time on the ball to easily dictate tempo and pick passes. Against a low block he'd be fine. My memory is not that great but it is on the wing that he tended to infuriate me most.

The Governor-General was visited today by the Czech foreign minister, who brought him a signed jersey from Bohemians Praha 1905 — the club which toured Australia in 1927 and were famously gifted two live wallabies by the QLD govt.

In return, GG gave him a Rabbitohs jersey.

Ugh. Better Souths than a Sherri but just.... 

Following AFC approval, Lebanon's designated ‘home’ fixture will be played at GIO Stadium in the ACT on Tuesday, 26 March 2024.

For a couple of years there was very good.. was the highest assist getter in Eredivisie 1 season, Ajax were linked with him. To judge him off a couple of matches would be very harsh. He was actually our best player in the pre WC friendlies one of the best in the later quali's. The problem was he was very nervous / overawed once he got to the WC. Ange even admitted this in one of his press conferences

Oar, daniel desilva, amini and gersbach are all players that had excellent early careers but for some reason peaked early

Oar struggled when returning to the a league, dds fotmob rating has gone down every year he was in the a league after peaking a few years ago

For some reason some players have this career trajectory. Would be curious why

Pfa gave a report where they looked at players that got early minutes. 30 percent disappeared from pro football. They didnt comment on whether this was normal pr something we need to improve iirc

https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/football/canberra-to-host-the-socceroos-in-additional-world-cup-qualifier-on-home-soil/news-story/75770b847f9a0eb663c8b79d60aee4f4

I think precocious promise is common, followed by inexplicable fade outs at ages when one would assume players progress quite quickly.

Kevin Muscat once explained to a workshop that it is quite common, and the reasons for failing to kick on are quite complex. And that nobody knows the answer.

Thanks for posting.

Interesting read. 

Taggart and Hrustic returning to the Socceroos squad is pleasing based on club performances, but I would have thought that Stamelopoulos  would have been a chance too?

Interesting post.

Short players have quite an advantage being  nimble, and able to turn quickly, by having a lower centre of gravity. 

The ball being on the ground is good for shorter players.

Aerial duels are where being short is disadvantageous.

Not a fan of bringing Taggart back. Would prefer Stamatelopoulos if we're going to bring in a 9 and depart from the AC squad. 

O'Neill out injured for 4 weeks

Calem Nieuwenhof has apparently gone from pariah to first picked at Hearts in recent times. Fans were bagging him and now they love him and are wondering when they're going to lose him to a better league.

Probably a decent replacement for Irvine at some point. I remember him cracking a worldy on (I think) his debut for Sydney. Wouldn't hurt to have someone who can score from anywhere.

I  know Taggart's game much better than Stam's. 

I've seen Taggart score a number of classic striker's goals  drifting towards the back post, with well timed runs, good positioning and quality execution for Glory this season.

In the games I've seen Jets play  Stam has had fewer scoring ops. However, in one game from a  longer, lofted diagonal ball at an acute angle, Stam, on the left, almost  headed  a goal. It was just wide.

The ball virtually came over his right shoulder, despite originally having more of his a body shape facing the direction of the long pass - very difficult to execute. It was impressive!

I suggest selecting both of them. Bruno hasn't scored too many since returning to   the AL from the Asian Cup.

Logical rationale indicates that given both PG and Jets are lower on the table, both  strikers, Stam and Taggart, have scored quite a few goals from limited ops. Stats and data might  suggest otherwise.

This is good to hear!

Was impressed with him in  the  AL.

We have so much depth in this position, or in general central midfield.

Brereton Díaz dropped from Chile squad as manager isn't happy he's learned enough Spanish within 2 years after his call up. 

https://www.foxsports.com.au/olympics/fans-spot-big-problem-with-2024-aussie-olympic-uniform/news-story/7db56cbc5caa6e191e9cfb8ab5583ca8

Olympic kits. Grey to be used for keeper. I expect we'll play in grey as a team though in some games, unless a third other colour is sorted for the keeper?

They're Olympic kits. They've never replicated what the national team regularly wears.

I don't mind the white/grey kit, it's different but I like the basic vibe.

Will we? I mean I can't see both green and yellow clashing with another team's options. From the way I'm reading things (and seeing things historically) it's going to be:

Yellow primary w/ another keeper colour (could also be grey - Last campaign was a selection of grey, orange or like a light teal blue
Green clash w/ grey keeper

Return game against Palestine to be played in Perth at HBF Park on June 11.

Ta.

Massive coup for Syria with Mohammed Dahoud opting to play for them as he's still not tied down by Germany.