Unfortunately I believe i have seen enough of Connor Metcalfe in the attacking third and agree with assesment regarding a lack of end product...... A squadie number 8 role might suit him more.

Any coach in the world is playing metcalf right now. Has a great skillset and doing well for the roos

Are we going to have another brett holman where fans miss his quality and then get egg on their faces? 

I'm not convinced by any of our strikers but if we can't get a decent midfield out of those four (and throw in Robertson and possibly Voltapo) I would be surprised. Certainly a lot better than yesterday.

Even Ange?! 

Definitely

People forget that anges reign was similar in struggling to have attacking cohesian despite being a wonder coach. Metcalf is gunning for promotion in buli 2 and i watch him every week, he isnt in the bayern munich starting xi but he is definitely one of our best for club and country

https://www.the-afc.com/en/national/asian_qualifiers/news/latest_update_on_afc_asian_qualifiers.html

Oh weird

Any idea what the unforseen circumstances are?

1 of our best?? I haven't seen 1 amazing game. I didn't expect him to be Bayern Munich starter I just expect him to show some skills as a winger.  I haven't seen any strengths in his game. Keep starting him will hurt the Socceroos as he got no final product and lack individual skills.

Any coach in the world won't give Metcalfe as many opportunities as Arnie after a number of bad performance.  That's just your own opinion.  If you re Metcalfe FC that's great but  don't talk for other people.

I love the way you Aussies think you are almost the equivilant to the Brazil side of 1970.

We dont have a single player who is a regular at a big 5 club, unlike over 80 other nations. We have never found asia easy yet after fifteen years people still have way unrealistic expectations

If people have a problem with our performances have a go at our development pathways, not a (rare for us) young player about to be promoted to the bundesliga or a coach that has taken a bunch of 2nd division players to 23rd in the world.

Our team gets hammered by everyone on this forum, Australian football fans on social media & the in the media after winning a WC qualifier - image if we drew 1-1 with a team ranked 101 in the world!!! 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPrSaPsrdfY

Some interesting observations from the Iredale sub onwards which I was keenly interested in. Some moments where our players need to look up and think 'get in behind them'

68:22: If Hrustic just moves to his right a bit I think he can easily but an outside left boot through and Iredale is away. So much space. Goes to Irvine instead. Irine then goes to Duke who can probably nudge it in behind and goes far left to Metcalfe instead. 

68:46: Iredale with a pretty firm ball and Duke can't move that extra half metre. Had he done that he lays it off perfectly for Hrustic to shoot.

69:02. Due starts a run as the entire game is at a standstill and Baccus could just scoop one over behind. Passes it 2 metres to his left as everyone is catching a breather.

70:15: Easy movement on right and there's a massive gap in Lebanon's backline. Irvine jogs when he just needs to sprint in and Hrustic is the one who can easily curl a diagonal pass there. Why Irvine stops there when he could also make a diagonal run for an easy pass in behind I don't know.

72:25: Lebanon buggered allowing Atkisnon to jog with ball to halfway. Hrustic on right with him and just curls towards him when there's 50m of green ahead. Atkinson goes diagonal 50m to Metcalfe for it to be headed back. Iredale needed to come to Atkinson there then he, NA and AH could've worked towards goal as a 3. Alternatively Iredale points for the ball to be rolled by Atkinson and he's in behind causing all sorts of shifts among the Lebanon back line. A few passes later Hrustic puts it through for Duke to be offside.

80:15: Most frustrating moment to see Iredale burst ahead and Irvine just needs a good low curling through ball and he's likely away. He pauses and goes right to Atkinson who also pauses instead of playing it down the line to a very free Iredale.

86:04: Duke just needs to turn and go and thread Iredale through. He runs back towards goal. seconds later Atkinson starts a good run, Lebanon played a really high line, Hrustic hesitates but surely he can just lob something in behind there. 

86:45: Ball to Iredale and he glances to his right. This is where he should see heaps of space in midfield. Turn 180 with the ball and thread it across. He runs with a marker to his right who wins the duel.

87:32: Good touch and run by Metcalfe and Iredale just wants to have his shot which is on target but rolling it across the box can see Hrustic first time it on his left.

88:45: Irvine stumbling and a weak shot deflected. Just can't have him running on the 10 expecting a shot to go straight in from outside the box.

In summary Lebanon played much higher than many teams. Japan would've gone direct route every time and had plenty of big chances there. 

Remember when we were juniors? Our coach would say 'this opponent plays a high line, as soon as you get it look up and thread it through.' At 10 or 11 years old you'd been scouting the situation 5 seconds before getting possession. How the hell can pros not be aware of this stuff? Compared to other national teams we move one chess piece at a time. Our coaches also told us 'if you get the ball on the right of the be always be ready for *teammate' on the dome or far left and play it across as he'll likely have space and can hit it first time.' We were given our 2 teammates and worked in teams of 3 and 4 and always looked for each other. I remember thinking 'Here comes to ball, ok, where's Craig? There he is' Pass it through and he scores. Worked every time. These pros are a bunch of individuals. 

Seems Bos and McGree ruled out of next game. I can't find any prognosis. Whispers Arnold looking at domestic players to come in, if that's allowed. I don't think we'd need to.

The only "prognosis" we got was that Bos's leg was stable and both may head back to their clubs to rehab/rest. So neither sound too serious and specifically for Bos, if it were a long term injury they would announce that information straight away after the scan but it doesn't seem that serious.

Two of our funnest players getting injured was rough

Still nisbet might get a run

Arzaniho, Irankundão, Kuolé, Yengino, WTF are you talking about?

I have never seen any poster here claim the Socceroos are a world class team so don't know what you are talking about.I do remember Ally McLeod talking up the Scottish NT  to be a  good chance in the 1978 WC-a loss to Peru,a draw with Iran and a win ( 3-2) against the Dutch who had already qualified for the next round -so delusional thinking is  quite common amongst footballer followers,players and officials.

Watching netherlands v scotland. Scotland had some easy chances courtesy of netherlands making mistakes playing out the back

But the score is 4 zip. I think playing out the back looks dangerous, but it gives intangible benefits. If a team doesnt get their foot on the ball a lot they can get gassed and lose confidence which means they miss their chances

Helps how technical the dutch are in defeating a low block

Meanwhile leicester with a transfer embargo and possible points deduction. Hope harry can still get out of there

That'd be a disaster and very unfair on individual players. 

North Korea just remembered that they hate Japan.

Australia
South Korea
Uzbekistan
Syria
Palestine/Thailand
Indonesia

https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/daizen-maeda-handed-early-celtic-32416797

You just need to read this thread to see the massive demands placed on the players and Arnold.

Arnold picks the players though. He picks Bos at left wing, he chooses a midfield of Metcalfe, Baccus and Irvine who have no technical ability and he chooses Duke who looks confused every time he has to dribble. We have Nisbet, Balard, Holman, Hoff, and Teague who could be worth a look in for the midfield. 

TBH, while the performance looks clunky at the moment I can see the beginning of a pretty good side coming together when injuries, availability, suspensions are not a problem.    
Not all have played for Australia yet but this isn't a bad start for a pretty young side.
 
Ryan, Gauci, Bos, Farrell, Rowles, Burgess, Souttar, Circati, Strain, Atkinson, Irvine, O'Neill, Voltapo, Robertson, Hrustic, Nisbet, McGree. 

The problem comes with the attackers. None of the strikers used the other night and Borello and JMac fill you with hope of a heap of goals even at this early stage of qualification. There are some young options there but no-one has really claimed the spots or look like claiming the spots.

What national team do you support? 

Agree with this.

On the strikers Yengi is building some good club form and his NT performances are promising. If Potsmouth go up and he keeps delivering at Chamionship level that will help. Iredale in Buli 2 is going well. Then we have G. Kuol and Irankunda. M. Toure if he stays fit. It will require some luck with development but it isn't so terrible.

You’d want to hope so. Top 2 from that would directly qualify.
Would only really (hopefully) be Korea to worry about in that one

Is the Daily Record a reputable newspaper? Calling a World Cup Qualifier a friendly :)