Reaad in some BVM column, Pep had to adapt after Barcelona. Adapting to a style that was less tica taca, because he didn't have th@ same insane talent of Ronaldinho, Xavi, Iniesta, Messi & multiple crazy strikers Henry, Eto, Villa (absolute bullshit team). Where, a goal was just a waiting game really. However, Henry actually comments that Pep's Barcelona coaching was largely about space also. He's obviously become more adjusted to finding space from other areas of play. i.e. transition, basically transition (or pressing) from defense into attack. Don't get me wrong, Man City have a great squad but nowhere near the likes of what he had @ Barcelona.

If BVM follows this stuff closely we should do pretty well in Russia, but you can't make up for a lack of quality. So he doesn't have the luxury players to really complete the Gaudiola package, however did a great job with Saudi Arabia so he must know a few things about implementing a pretty good game plan based around avg. players

highkick05

Regarding Daniel Arzani... sure, he needs work with his shooting. But the Roberts example is not to be sniffed at just because it mightn't be 100% identical, imo. We needn't think of it in terms of 'can Arzani replicate this precise bit of play'. That's not the question. There are so many variables on a football pitch that we can't make it exact. But even if Arzani isn't as clinical a finisher as Patrick Roberts is,  you have to ask yourself- are there similarities between the two and will this enhance the OVERALL quality of the Socceroos' attack?

Enough of the similarities are definitely there. The movement off the ball, the diagonal run, the dribbling ability with close control at speed (Roberts has such ability, it just wasn't really on show in the footage), the overall speed and the agility. And nobody else in the senior NT seems to possess quite that combination of attributes. These attributes enhance the quality of the attack immeasurably.

As I say, what goes on on a football pitch involves so many variables. One player doing something alters the the dynamics of time and space. So let's suppose that Arzani isn't as clinical in front of goal as Roberts is. But he can make similar kind of movement in the footage (both on and off the ball). When he does that, it drags defenders his way and, thereby, provides the option of an easy pass (or cut back) to somebody such as Tomi Juric, Tom Rogic, Aaron Mooy who will have more time to shoot and an easier shot to make.

This is one way of breaking down a defence. This is where the dynamics are lacking in the Socceoos. It's all about transition, as you correctly point out. Arzani is a very useful (and precise) weapon in this aspect of attack.

Personally i think arzani will be a big part of the next generation rejuvenation. He has great skills now but i think he is being flattered by the pace and lack of intense press in the a league. Would he be consistently achieving if week in and out he was playing suwon blue wings and not ccm that is what id like to see. We need to see him consistently creaying assist and scoring goals before he can be considered for the roos. His only goal has been a penalty. 

Give him another season and a half here and then see how he is, especially if he goes abroad after that.

For this wc though we are in trouble and im not convinced giving up a squad spot for a very early carreer promising player would be worth it, when he isnt a goal threat.

Remember, it's a 23 man squad. There are footballers (in the midfield) who almost certainly won't play a minute at the World Cup. The trade-off is minimal and the reward is, potentially, huge. I agree that there's a lot of uncertainty. The trouble is mate that we (or BVM) haven't the luxury of lots of options all of whom play on an equal level. The coaching staff have to analyse things on a deeper level and to work out if there's a reasonable prospect of the success translating at a higher level. Basically, very similar to scouting. It's not easy but it can be done.

We don't know that Arzani will deliver. We do know that he has the potential to deliver.

But, crucially, what we also know is that there's not a superior attacking footballer who will go to Russia instead of Arzani. We genuinely are that shit in that part of the field. The fact that we are in trouble (as you point out) means that calculated risks have to be made.

Shall we calculate the risk/reward...

Include an auxiliary squad member, who probably won't get any minutes at the World Cup, who hasn't anywhere near the attacking ability but is more experienced

versus

Include Arzani, who has attacking ability that nobody else in the side has, and who can be monitored closely in camp to gauge if he can offer something useful in the matches.

Imo the idea of selecting him for a 23 man squad, it's not a tough call at all.

So many bolter articles this week. 

Arzani 19 years of age, is a real talent although, to send him as a wing option when there are Troisi 29, Oikonomidis 22, Borrello 22, Petratos 25 and even Burns 29, its Not the right time. Ofcourse the top two atm are Leckie & Kruse. Forget his chances right now as an AM. Rogic and Mooy have got it in spades. 
If Daniel was scoring more, then it would be hard to deny him a spot. he is not a prolific scorer and that is what the Socceroos have needed. They create multiple chances but can't do anything with them.  
Nabbout should be ranked ahead of Juric and McLaren now. He has done enough. He scores goals that no-one in Australian football can, except for Cahill. 

I'm wondering who were going to pick for our attackers/ wingers? Do we get adventurous and blood a few or perhaps go with experience? Most are playing and even now that's not enough as so many are getting scoring points.

Leckie is near guaranteed. Kruse has a decent claim. Then there's: Mabil, Troisi, Ruka, Ikon, Burns, Goodwin, Williams, Borello, Da Silva, Petratos, Nabbout, Duke, Arzani, Kamau. 

You'd expect Cahill, Juric possibly Maclaren to be in. Add Leckie and Kruse. 3 keepers, 7 defenders, 5 CM. That leaves 3 spots. I'd go Borello, Arzani and Da Silva currently. 

Bernie seems to be MIA


Kamau - NO

yeah if arzani scores 3 goals in the final rounds of the a league I say pick him

Story image for socceroos from FourFourTwo Australia
Susnjar targets debut & Roo call-up
FourFourTwo Australia-4 hours ago
New Socceroos boss Bert van Marwijk has an extra reason to travel, or send scouts to, the Czech Republic with Mebrahtu also impressing with nine goals for Mlada this term. Susjnar has already impressed the Australia set-up with his performances at last month's continental championships in China under Ante Milicic.

Apart from Rogic and Mooy who will provide the pass to winger or striker after its been served to them by whomever dispossesses the opposition player typically in the middle
Will try select the players I would pick if I was BVM (based on how I would use them)
Kruse -- 50% of what he used to be. Perhaps not fast enough and doesn't appear to have a good enuf shot anymore.
Leckie -- Physical, fast, can last 90 minutes. Runs and runs, has improved in front. Header, left foot. Starter. Obvious
Mabil -- can bypass defenders, technically ok, quick
Troisi -- technically quite good. not really a winger as such. but a different option if needed between CAM and Striker
Ibini -- flighty winger who is direct and can shoot frm distance
Ikon -- would rather him than Borello, Duke, Maclaren, Ruka, Burns, Williams, Petratos, Kamau. 
Nabbout -- physical, quick, can shoot. 

Ruka has pace, good off the ball running, big engine and has been knocking in goals in israel which id content is a higher quality than the a league

My opinion is , these players are either not physical/athletic enough (soft) or just basically lack sufficient ball control skills:-
Ruka, Burns, Maclaren, Taggart, Borello, Petratos, Duke, Kamau obviously. Probably De Silva & Arzani

Not enough WC quality. 

how many professional games as Ikon played now is it 15 or 16? cant remember lol

I'm confident he's a better all round package. 

What you're saying is true however and possibly why no ones seen him play any better over the last season/s.

He hope to see him more @ WSW

In-form Holman open to Socceroos comeback

The 33-year-old attacker, who quit international football in 2014 with 63 caps, says he doesn’t regret the decision.

https://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/article/2018/02/18/form-holman-open-socceroos-comeback

Are we limited to naming 23 players for the friendly games? Didn't we name more than 23 for England and we invited Inman among others for a bit of exposure to the set up?

If we were allowed to name around 30, it'd be cool to have a practice game against a club on the Sunday. 

I doubt there's any rules against bringing as many players as you like in the squad to a friendly.

I think Ruka has looked mediocre for the Roos though.

He often struggles to have a good first touch.

Imo, one of the critical things is versatility. I think we'll need different type of footballers so we can adapt to whatever challenge. Not just on a match-to-match basis, but also within match situations.

It's all about having a solid defensive base, being secure during transition, and exploiting transition. From there, we need different types of attacking footballers. The worst thing to do would be to pad out the squad with much the same type of winger or striker, as it would really limit our effectiveness and flexibility. I think it's crucial that the 23 man squad has:

Kruse and Leckie, both are experienced and quick. One can be very good at the subtle things, the other is very good defensively and on the counter-attack.

Arzani- brings the much needed close control, agility, speed and genuine 1 vs 1 ability.

Ruka- in very good form, scoring a fair bit, very fast and an ideal counter-attacker

Juric- not the most clinical but has good hold-up play which will be useful when we counter-attack, he can work well with the wingers.

A central midfield trio of Jedinak, Irvine and Mooy. All very different. Jedinak will screen well, Irvine is utility kind of midfielder with enough mobility and Mooy is the distributor.

Then Rogic as bench option to provide a bit of x-factor.

Would think about Luongo over Irvine in that midfield, apparently Luongo has been one of QPRs best

SBS really going hard on bolter articles

Uncapped export Brandon Borrello has emerged as one of Australia’s latest success stories, but the winger is playing down speculation he is a FIFA World Cup bolter-in-the-making.

https://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/article/2018/02/19/bashful-borrello-cool-socceroos-call-speculation

Feyenoord's Australian goalkeeper Brad Jones has added to his case for a Socceroos recall with a flawless performance in his side's 1-0 win against Heracles.


https://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/article/2018/02/19/aussies-abroad-jones-pushes-socceroos-recall-flawless-performance

If Chris Ikonomidis’ exploits against Wellington and Newcastle didn’t catch the eye of Socceroos coach Bert van Marwijk, Jets duo Dimitri Petratos and Andrew Nabbout certainly did.


https://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/article/2018/02/19/five-things-we-learned-league-round-20

Always have unfortunately. Don't read the site anymore, ever since they disabled commenting.
They like to spread love to the youngsters 

Maybe someone can inform me of Petratos's form. He's always linked up well w/ players around the edges of the box. 
Is he really doing much better than other seasons? Is Nabbout making him look good etc

to be fair to him he has probably only really 'cut his teeth' in bundi 2. Halloran had a good introduction over there , I don't see anything to get carried away about.
He's playing like he should do really. Nothing surprising 

Does anyone remember this?

That's shocking. I'm really scared for Aussie players/kids. They pump them up so much here they have one stand out game and think they're Leo Messi.

It takes __a lot more__ than 1 good game. (Wake up)