I wonder how much $$$$ Iran will throw at arzani.

Getting concerned about Arzani and Iran. Arzani would only be ours if he plays in a competitive match right? So the France game is the first opportunity. 

Kill two birds with one stone, say I

apparently bert will see 3 games this week:

WFC v SFC
MV v NJ
WSW v AU

I'm guessing risdon, baccus, Milligan, troisi, petratos, nabbout, brilliante, oniell, wilkshire, zullo, elsey, garrucio, kitto, strain are all chances. Rhys and herd havent impessed me much this year

with milligan, petratos, nabout, garrucio, kitto and strain all being the most impressive looking at stats

BVM won't be going back to Saudi any time soon lol

oops haha

If the list is that loose you could add Burns, Troisi, McGree, Williams, Wilkinson among others.

Will be some boys trying hard tonight with Bert In the crowd.

Was having bit of a play around of what the squad should be and left a few spots open. The three keepers pick themselves if Jones wants to be selected. For defenders Wright going as a RB and with a lack of other RB options, opens it up for Wilkshire maybe. CB's of Wilkinson, Sainsbury and Jurman with Wright and Milligan also able to play there. LBs will be contentious but went with the two most established ones in the side. Midfield all picks themselves too. In attack also gone with the most likely selections. Ruka there too as he sounds like hes in form and gives some pace. Does leave two spots which could be for a Spiranovic/Williams but I think we'd have the defensive depth. Would be looking at some attacking spark and considering some proper width. Maybe two of Goodwin, Mabil, Arzani (though I dont think he's ready yet), Petratos, Mebrathu or MacLaren get those final spots.

Goalkeepers
1. Jones
2. Ryan
3. Vukovic

Defenders
4.Wright
5. Wilkshire
6. Wilkinson
7. Sainsbury
8. Jurman
9. Behich
10. Gersbach

Midfielders
11. Mooy
12. Milligan
13. Jedinak
14. Luongo
15. Rogic
16. Irvine

Attackers
17. Juric
18. Leckie
19. Kruse
20. Rukavytsya
21. Cahill

(3) Goalkeepers
Ryan
Vukovic
Birighitti

(7) Defenders
Sainsbury (CB)
Wilkinson (CB)
Williams (CB) (DM)
Wright (RB) (CB)
Behich (RB) (LB)
Meredith (LB)
Gersbach (LB)

(7) Midfielders
Jedinak (DM)
Millligan (DM)
Luongo (DM) (CM)
Irvine (CM)
Mooy (CM)
Rogic (AM)
Petratos (AM) (RW)

(6) Forwards
Arzani (RW) (AM)
Leckie (RW) (LW)
Kruse (LW) (RW)
Rukavytsa (LW) (S)
Juric (S)
Cahill (S)


Reserves (injury replacements)
Izzo (GK)
Spiranovic (CB)
Wilkshire (RB)
Elder (LB)
Brillante (DM)
Amini (CM)
De Silva (AM)
Mabil (W)
Maclaren (S)

I reckon Mebrahtu is worth a shot. But not sure in place of who. Rukya should be in the squad. Maybe in lieu of Petratos. But he is a very good footballer, himself.

@Redcat (can’t quote on mobile): Agree with that lineup except Degenek or Spira in for Wilkshire. He’s too slow and past it for this level.

Also, I’ve never been impressed by Ruka. His club form aside, In 16 games for the Socceroos I can’t ever remember him making a real difference in any way. Seems like a waste of a spot. Wouldn’t mind a more experimental pick pick like De Silva or Arzani.

or Borello

Does anyone still rate Giannou? His first match against tajikistan was amazing, something like 3 or 4 assists, but next 4 quieter. However seemed to do more than MacLaren has so far, who everyone else has as a back up yo juric and cahill

Sure he’s in our top 4 or so striker options. But that’s less saying something about him, and more about our dire options up front.

Ryan
Langerak
Vukovic

Sainsbury
Wright
Wilkinson
Williams
Degenek
Behich
Gersbach

Jedinak
Milligan
Luongo
Mooy
Rogic
Irvine
Petratos

Juric
Cahill
Leckie
Kruse
Arzani
Maclaren

I rate Giannou.

He demonstrated a lot of skill in his Socceroo games.

He often created scoring chances from difficult positions. Unfortunately,  he  failed to score goals from easier positions. I think I read he has gone to Cyprus. I also read CCM were trying to secure him.

 

I've been unimpressed by Rukay for all the Socceroo matches  except in a game against South Korea under Holger's tutelage. He used his pace to good effect.

In every other Socceroo game he has demonstrated he lacks skill and has wasted good scoring opportunities. He was also mediocre in his return to WSW in the HAL.

Many fans seem to think club form instantly extrapolates to international performance. It doesn't always.

Mooy's performances in the last round of the WCQ's were less effective than against the weaker teams in the WVQs in the previous round. Opposition teams have done their homework on him, and close him down quickly just before he receives the ball. His lack of pace off the mark after he takes his first touch, often forces him to play backwards, whereas more nimble players could've played forwards.

Weirdly, possibly through the fatigue of high intensity English football , requiring enormous physical output, he has't been as effective in a Socceroo game plan since he has played  high standard EPL football.

Mooy also doesn't combine as well with Rogic as one would assume. A bit like England's Gerard and Lampard never really gelling for England. Even though Daniel De Siva  didn't perform as well as expected for the Young Socceroos recently, he has much more speed off the mark in tight spaces than either Mooy or Rogic.

DDS and Arzani are displaying qualities that Mooy and Rogic don't have and who have  been too easily negated by opposition teams in recent times in too many games.

Given our dour attacking options thought I'd give a list (I include winning pens as an assist)

Mooy: 4 goals 5 assists in 2400 minutes
Luongo: 2 goals 2 assists in 2200 minutes
irvine: 2 goals 2 assists in 1900 mintues
Behich: 5 goals 1 assist in 1900 minutes
Leckie: 5 gaols 3 assists in 1300 minutes
Rogic: 4 goals 7 assists in 1500 minutes
Borello: 1 goal 6 assists in 1000 minutes
Kruse: 4 goals 4 assists in 1600 minutes
Nabbout: 8 goals 6 assists in 1650 minutes
Petratos: 7 goals 6 assists 1600 minutes
Arzani: 1 goal 4 assists in 486 minutes 
juric: 9 goals 4 assists in 1700 minutes
Mehbratu: 9 goals 1 assist in 1100 minutes
rukavystya: 12 goals 1 assist in ?? minutes (probably around 2000)
Mabil: 2 goals 3 assists in 1200 minutes
Vidosic: 7 goals 2 assists in 1350 minutes
Holman: 4 goals 2 assists in 800 minutes
Troisi: 3 goals 2 assists in 1400 minutes


Lots of depth but not a lot of standouts. Will be interesting to see who our coach chooses

I thought Mooy was our best midfielder in our playoff games against Syria and Hounduras. It seemed Ange changed how we played in the bad conditions and it suited Mooy as he was always looking forward and was delivering high quality balls continually. So i am very curious if the issue with Mooy and Rogic has to do with how Ange set the team up, the slow ball movement and average off the ball movement definitely wouldn't suit either of them.

I think this is the biggest hurdle to Mooy performing for the NT. When people pass backwards all the time, it's usually because their teammates further forward aren't showing for the ball. It's not the fault of the passer. There are exceptions, like anyone who has watched the Roar over the last couple of years knows, we often don't pass forward whether there is an option or not.

The solution to Mooy's problems with the NT are to get the players ahead of him moving all the time. It's strange that this didn't happen under Ange since it was the key to his success at Brisbane.

Thinking a little out of the box today I'd like to see this first eleven and squad

--------------------ryan-------------------
-leckie----jedi-----sains------gersbach-
--------------dougall---luongo---------------
----------------------mooy-----------------------
---arzani---------rogic----------kruse-------

Backup keepers: Jones and langerak
Backup defenders: Milligan jurman behich Wright
Back up mids: Irvine Cahill petratos
Backup forwards: juric, mabil borello 

We'd lose by 5+ goals if we put that lineup out against France. Leckie isn't a good defender, Jedinak has been awful at CB for Villa, Gersbach is a more attacking fullback. The midfield 3 is good but would need more defensive minded players and energy to protect the attacking fullbacks and Jedinak. Arzani is poor defensively, Rogic would be poor at holding the ball up and would be another blackhole defensively. So essentially that squad has no balance what so ever and would be overrun and torn to pieces.

Basically correct

---------------------Ryan----------------------
----------Sainsbury--Wilkinson------------
Wright---------------------------------Behich
--------------------Jedinak--------------------
----------Irvine---------------Mooy----------
Leckie------------Arzani--------------Kruse

jedi had an error a few weeks back at cb but other times has looked quite good. I concede that putting him at cb is the most speculative part of the format since he has only played 3 games there.
rogic wouldn't be there to hold the ball up but to dribble at players as a false 9. He's scored some impressive goals for celtic in a crowded box and is also can beat players with his back turned which he usually uses to beat a line in the midfield. Why not use it to break the last line open?
leckie is actually an excellent defender, has a huge work rate and generates a lot of turnovers. If he can adapt to the positioning he could be our strongest defender in that position. Actually a lot of people have put his name forward as a solution to our RB problems
Arzani isn't a standout in defence but contributes enough to not be a liability

I suppose the main thing is I'd really like at some stage in the next 12 months to see rogic mooy and Arzani in advanced positions trying to unlock a packed defence even if its for 30 minutes 

Leckie at RB would be a waste, we might as well go back to that garbage 3-5-2 Ange had us playing. One of our best attacking weapons for getting in behind defences (of which we have very few) and we're going to put him at right back?

With Bert, a 4-2-3-1 seems more likely again.

-------------------------Ryan----------------------------

Degenek-----Sainsbury-----Jurman------Behich

-----------------Jedinak--------Mooy-----------------

Leckie-----------------Rogic--------------Kruse(Arzani if gets picked by Bert)

--------------------------Juric---------------------------