It appears the world cup calendar still isn't out due to the considerations of a 48 team tournament. It'd change the qualifying structure a bit I think. 

Hopefully by the end of the year, although might be to early coming back from injury for some.

(Ryan/Vukovic/Langerak)
(Grant/Deng)-----(Sainsbury)-----(Degenek/Chapman)-----(Behich/Gersbach)
(Isaias/Irvine)-----(Mooy/Dougall/Jeggo)
(Leckie/Arzani)-----(Rogic/Petratos)-----(Mabil/Ikonomidis)
(Boyle/Borello)

A few other guys around but are under a long term injury cloud.

Out with...
Jurman
Risdon
Milligan
Luongo
Amini
Kruse
Nabbout
Maclaren
Giannou

March is the next one
https://img.fifa.com/image/upload/jt0d6qoqwqwbp5sbofoc.pdf

When are the FIFA windows for friendlies? I’m having more trouble finding then online than I would have thought...

And WCQs don’t start until later in the year right?

This could be our longest ever Socceroos break in the 4-year cycle?

WC qualifiers in September or October i imagine.

He looks casual?? Have you seen his jacket?

I think Arnold will be happy to have some players back in 12 months or so, specifically, Arzani and Boyle.

But I think he is looking far too casual in his job at the moment. I think his lackadaisical attitude will shoot this 4 year cycle in the foot.

Would not be surprised if the next 4 years of football is heavily A-League specific and a little less conquer the world (cup) type attitude.

FFA better sort out 2 games in March. Vietnam would be great

I can't see any March friendlies being sorted. We'll either be after a new manager or will suffer from poor FFA planning. Practice games are important but I feel our players will need a break after another 8 weeks at club level after this tournament. 

I would say that you couldn't play Isaias and Milligan in the same team. If Milligan was injured for a game, I'd probably look at including Isaias (esp. given Luongo's form at the Asian Cup), but both play a similar deep role so you'd need someone with a bit more run beside Milligan IMO. Isaias does have a couple of years on Milligan though ... so interesting proposition (Milligan was talking about calling it quits after the recent WC too).

I think Arnie would go for Mooy, Jeggo, Irvine, Amini or Luongo across that role if Milligan was out though. Isaias is fully deserving of a run though based on his performances over many years, and he would have the best passing game of any of our options (beside Mooy on his day).

Most likely Uzbek, UAE then SK.

Geez...I thought finishing second wasn't meant to be the easier draw, at least that was discussed at the start of the tournament.

Our attacking stocks and tactics are looking much healthier under Arnie, even with injuries such as Arzani and Nabbout. But we are missing Jedinak and Mooy in midfield and have no ready answer yet - maybe that's Chapman but i don't know enough about him. And both Sainsbury and Degenek can be very inconsistent - i prefer someone like Jurman. 

More than anyone bar Sainsbury and maybe Spira, those guys should have confidence that they can make that money in Europe.

Wonder how long itll be til the petro clubs/China come after Mabil and Ikon.

Next match:

Ryan
Grant - Sainsbury - Degenek - Behich
Irvine - Milligan
Mabil - Rogic - Ikon
Giannou

Either Japan of Uzbekistan.
They play each other Thurs.
If they draw or Japan loses, it will be the Japan, if Japan wins, then the Uzbeks.

Who is shaping up as our opponent in the next round?

It's just occurred to me that all the goals were from open play. That's something after so many spot kicks or set plays. 

If we scored 7 goals in two games in the post Cahill and Jedinak era, any other coach would be getting a lot of praise for reinvigorating the attack.

Worth remembering Ange needed Cahill to best Syria and just about every national team manager has struggled playing in the gulf

Would love to see this one day

                                 Ryan 
Atkinson  Sainsbury Degenek Gersbach 
                          Chapman 
Arzani                 Rogic         Ikonomidis 
                   Mabil     Leckie 

Leckie rogic or espiecially Irvine could play striker

Good call. My hope is that one of Ben Folami, Awer Mabil or Martini Boyle can be a clinical striker. If more than one do, it's better yet.

Excited to see if Folami kicks on, he looked a class above at youth international level

2022 qualification

-----------------------------------------Leckie/Nabbout/Maclaren--------------------------------------


Ikonomidis/Boyle--------------------------Rogic/Mcgree----------------------------Mabil/Arzani


------------------------------Mooy/Luongo--------------------Irvine/Antonis-------------------------


Behich/Gersbach-----------Degenek/Chapman----------Sainsbury-------------Grant/Deng


---------------------------------------------Ryan/Thomas/Duncan---------------------------------------

Deng? Nope.

Eventually, I hope Arnie or whoever approaches the next WC qualification with the following sort of side (praying that the guys recover from their injuries).



-----------------------------------------Mabil----------------------------------------------


Arzani----------------------------Rogic/Luongo----------------------------Leckie


------------------------------Mooy------------Irvine--------------------------------------


Behich--------------------Sainsbury-----------Deng-----------------------Atkinson


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

I think they should try to get Awer Mabil to play up front. That propensity to attack is sorely missing up front. He's one of the best in 1 vs 1 and he is way more likely to score goals than most of the other options.

The notion that wingers can't play up front is fallacious. If the winger has certain skills, he can adapt. And we already have plenty of other options for the wing. Mabil up front would give our attack an edge when it comes to breaking down opposition defences.

Time is flying. Seemed like yesterday all the players were 20. Atkinson will hopefully be a good RB.

Yeah Boyle well ahead of borello atm.