A massive yes for me. Has been the best DM in the league for years and fully deserves to be picked. He's massively underrated because he plays for Adelaide.

He's also a superb leader as well, something we lost with Jedinak...Reckon it'd be stupid not too give him a go, just to at least get us (hopefully) to the World Cup. 

We've got potentially B. O'Neill and Milligan as the alternatives for the out and out CDM spot in the 2 deeper spots. with Amini, Luongo, Irvine, Jeggo and Antonis probably in the mix. 

personally, I'd like to see....

                           Isaias                Milligan
                                       Luongo

Thats a fairly old midfield, but we don't have many other options who are in-form...

Still unsure of Rogic's situation.

I’d prefer O’Neill, Brillante, Amini and Jeggo who are all young Australians that will be reaching their peak age come 2022 WC.

Isaías will be 35 in 2022.

James Holland playing regularly for LASK who are 2nd in the Bundesliga

No hope in hell of Isiaias being in any of Arnie's squads lol

I'm also fine with that, I don't really mind, I just think he'd add some proper steel, as Bowden said above, might as well breed the younger guys coming in give them some exposure. 

A comment from Josh in Aussie Abroad is that Giannou is playing intra-continental club football in UEFA and should be a starting Socceroo.

ATM I think he is easily the best option for Socceroo central striker.

 I'm perplexed that Arnie didn't require him for the  last friendlies, based on what he did against Kuwait.

Agree with that, Decentric.

This morning Giannou started at #9 against Bayer Leverkusen in the Europa League.

If that was Maclaren we’d all be beside ourselves.

Very true.

We would be excited!

I'm basing Giannou being the Socceroo number 9 on what he did against Kuwait.

He scored a very well taken and skilful goal. Giannou had nice touches, held the ball up well, defended well from the front, plus he scored, as well as making a few more shots at goal. 

I'd also back giannou if he was our starting striker in the first game of Asian cup

Agree. Isa is the heart and soul of AU and could be that for the Roos if given the chance. A lot of people are writing him off due to his age but he ages like a fine wine, gets better with age.

Anyone know when the Asian Cup squad announcement is?

Tuesday or Wednesday

Yea they said on the footbald podcast it’s tuesday or Wednesday.
Also, arnie is naming just a 23 man squad which I found interesting

I thought I had a 23 squad named easily, then other posters suggested about a dozen players I'd forgotten about!

I think it will be very difficult for Arnie.

Giannou for mine has to be included. He offers a point of difference from our other attacking options and as per Josh Kennedy his size may make a genuine difference for us.

My squad as it stands:
Ryan, 
Vuka,
Langerak
Risdon
Deng
Behich
Gersbach
Sainsbury
Degenek
Milligan
Luongo
Irvine
Antonis
McGree
Rogic (if fit)
Petratos
Mabil
Ikonomidis
Leckie
Boyle
Goodwin
Giannou 
Maclaren

I considered including Lowry based on his great form this season and leadership qualities but i fear the speed and agility of the asian teams may leave him floundering a bit. I'd have also included Rhy's Williams only im not sure of his current fitness and form playing in the middle east.

Kilkenny is probably only an injury away from being included for my squad. His range of passing and defensive qualities have been top notch. I dont rate Amini so i havent included him at all.

Kruse has been left out quite simply because i dont think he offers enough of a goal scoring threat and when we are struggling to score goals i think it is more important that we have more options in front of goal. Also the form of Ikonomidis at present makes it near on impossible to leave him out.

Giannou's inclusion i have explained above.

New Signing

Your squad looks pretty good to me.

I’m not quite sure who you’ve left out other than the ones you’ve explained?

Most people think grant will make it as a backup RB. Most likely pushing Deng out.
I would also like to see Williams in.



Ryan
Vukovic
Langerak

Sainsbury
Degenek
Williams
Risdon
Grant
Behich
Gersbach

Milligan
Antonis
Luongo
Mcgree
Irvine
Rogic
Ikonomidis

Petratos
Goodwin
Mabil
Boyle
Leckie
Nabbout

Have to say McGree has been great this season - think he's shown real leadership for City and he has qualities not dissimilar to Mooy IMO. Not Mooy's range of passing obviously but he has surprised me with his strength on the ball and ability to dictate...not sure if he'll make the cut for the AC but certainly one with a good future for the NT

Agreed

When is the squad announced?  

I look forward to Rhyan Grant being included & the forum going into meltdown.  

Arguably Nabbout but i really dont fancy him

Squad number changes from the world cup.

3 Gersbach> Meredith
4 Grant> Cahill
9 Maclaren> Juric
12 Langerak> Jones
13 Jeggo> Mooy
14 Boyle> Maclaren
15 Ikon> Jedinak
17 Amini> Arzani
21 Mabil> Petratos

Bloody Japan and their organisation. Kirin Challenge games against Jamaica and Canada in March then June vs Honduras and Croatia and then a Copa America invite. They've scheduled a game against Zambia in November FFS. FFA 'Should we arrange for another fuel promo in the middle of the AFL season?'

Interesting scheduling for Zambia given that WCQ are scheduled for November 14 and 19, maybe Japan and other top seeds will have a bye on one of the 2 matchdays and a home game on the other

Also I think we have agreed to an away game against South Korea in June with the possibility of it being an under 23 or B team selection

Zambia game part of kirin cup challenge but it's only Wikipedia. 

from last nights game my starting 11 in arnies system would be

----------------------------------ryan
risdon------------degenek-----------sainsbury/jurman----------behich 
--------------------------------------milligan
--------------------------luongo
ikon/leckie/risdon-----------------------------------------------boyle
------------------------ikon/rogic-----------------nabbout

left back at the moment is our week spot. behich has not looked the same since giving up game time in turkey to warm the pine in holland.  shame, he was one of our best.  i still think zullo is criminally over looked.

sainsbury has also looked worse since going to holland

i would like to see antonis and brillante in the squad - they would work this system beautifully.

i would also like to see risdon given a run on the right wing. he has been amazing in the front third. imo having risdon and boyle on the wings would be our most creative pair.

we are a much better team going into this asian cup than last time. i also think arnie is much better suited to the nature of the role. i said it when ange was picked, and it's obvious now. 

but i also think japan is much better this time around. we should all be happy with a semi final finish really. but we should also be expecting a push for the cup.

i was just thinking about how much the squad has changed since we stopped the rot under holger and bought in ange to reform how we were looking at the NT. i don't think we can ever underestimate just what ange did for the team. i personally i think that has let arnie have the freedom to pick the squad he wanted for the NT

so here's the squad from the last 2 games under holger - full strength at the time, we were playing brazil and then france in the build up to a world cup. 

v Brazill

Schwarzer
McGowan-----Neill------Ognenovski-----McKay
------------------------Jedinak
------------Bresciano---------Holman
Kruse---------------Kennedy-----------------Oar

v France
------------------Langerak
Wilkshire----Neill----Williams---Carney
-------------------Jedinak
-------Bresciano-----------Holland
Kruse------------Cahill--------------McKay

Squad
Davidson
Rukavytsa
Leckie
Vidosic
Irvine
Ryan
Bozanic
Thompson
Milligan
Rogic
Duke
Cornthwaite