We should try and emulate somewhat what Japan we're doing with Mitoma and Kubo with someone like Irankunda. 

Surely Japan don't play that style against bigger nations however. They didn't expect us to have the ball. 

I'll have to give it a through watch to see what their wingback reaction was when defence was needed but also what exactly their 6's did the moment we got the ball wide. 

Gauci - thank god that move was made. 

My ratings

Gauci 8
Miller 5
Geria 9
Souttar 9
Burgess 7
Bos 7.5
Irvine 7
Brattan 4.5
McGree 6.5
Hrustic 5
Duke 5.5


How do you even rate bench players? Circumstances different 

Yazbek 7
Behich 6.5
Vellupillay 6
Goodwin, Baccus N/A

Some moments late where McGree or Vellupillay needed to go down the line. There'll be a lot in the video session.

Popovic won't fear sacking anyone but surely he can see certain players do need to make way. Changes for this game alone show that hopefully everyone is on notice. 

Shorter turnaround and crossing more timezones. Was a big advantage for us

Gauci reminds me a lot of Schwarzer. Big strapping lad with a wingspan whose got great agility for a big guy and great at making the goal small. Proper shot stopper. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3ERH_mU0ro

China Indonesia

South Korea with a crucial 3:2 home win against Iraq.

What's the rule on a suspended player? Do they have to fly into the location of the first game's window if they're named? Goodwin can just meet us in Bahrain otherwise.

I did enjoy watching that.

Sure we made mistakes and missed chances to do better, but we maintained an attacking mindset to force Japan to play the whole field most of the game.

Positive intent in a team that is going through a refresh - I cannot ask for more than that (except my own personal feelings about Behich coming on at all).

Well done lads. Keep the progression coming, Popa.

On the play itself, we did not have a striker to run into the box on the chance of a cross. When Duke actually made ground and cut the ball back from the goal line, no-one came into the box in his place so the build up came to nothing. We just have to get an instinctive striker in there to get away from purely reactive attacks.

Miller just does not cut it for me. He is not what we needed tonight and that is the benchmark for the players we should be looking to build into the squad. Not 'good enough for a lesser opponent' but 'good enough to face or be on the bench against Japan'. That is where we can continue to drive this team back up.

Geria has cemented his place over the 2 games. The awareness and composure is a breath of fresh air and such a relief when the ball goes to his opponent and you see him lining them up.

The yellow card rules about two cards across this stage of qualification mean missing a match seems very unbalanced. Surely they could have made it three yellows across the stage or something - 2 is far too limiting even for fair players. Makes it all the more unfair when the ref tonight let a lot of bad professional fouls by Japan pass without a card, or without even being called a foul. The early hacking tangle of legs from behind without ball contact was a prime example. Inconsistency is a game killer.

Our goal was lucky. Their goal was quality, created luck.

Fantastic to get a draw, and still so much promise for us improving.

I understand and agree in principle that the national team should be on free to air but I'm sick of all the social media whinging. For less than a kebab you can have access and there's a lot of other stuff on there you may watch. Do we really want games behind a Kayo paywall that blocks VPNs?

Admittedly Sport Digital in German show all games now and the AFC have reached out well this cycle.

Good thing about Geria is he can naturally slide to RB and RWB. I think a back 4 needs to be entertained as we need to get the better midfield and attackers in together. Bos can cover the ground but he looked so at home.  Kudos to Burgess still as he's very unfit and played well. Hard luck for the own goal. See it happen a lot in that type of scene.

Look at Bos and how he's grown. We've got a lot like that in the A League. They need to be playing and sweating it out every week and in turn 15 or so will go to Belgium etc and fill out and do well for the national team.

Hrustic still hasn't shaken his attitude or antics. Was taken out once or twice and decided to stay down while Japan played on.

Please let this be prophetic

Our gk stocks are thin in terms of game time

Prevent jetlag

I would assume if they're suspended, they can't be named on the sheet. Am I correct in saying that at the moment with qualifiers it's 26 names in the squad, but only 23 on match day? Essentially can call up Goodwin, not name him, and then he goes straight on to Bahrain.

Usually it's supposed to be enforced as they can't be on the bench (even just sitting there) but I'm not sure if that's actually enforced that way

Solid as a rock at the back 🛑

After a brilliant defensive display, Jason Geria is your #Socceroos Player of the Match 😍

Deserved. 

Thanks. I know Leckie hung around injured at Asian Cup. It feels like injuries and suspensions are the same in that you won't make the sheet and therefore have no obligation to be present.

I'd considered a near squad split for the Bangladesh Palestine dead rubbers of allowed given end of season unnecessary travel. 

26 and 23 is correct. I like it despite 3 missing out adding to the questions but the options are nice.

I wouldn't think they need to go to the first game, could just show up for the second. Having said that, Popovic might like him at training for both games.

With the flukey own goal we will take the point. 

Yep so he definitely will not be AT the game in Melbourne (as in, on the bench)

No more than 23 people (11 officials and 12 substitutes) shall be allowed tosit on the team bench. The names of these officials must be indicated on the“Officials on the Substitutes’ Bench” form to be provided to the FIFA MatchCommissioner. A suspended player or official will not be allowed to sit on theteam bench.

So really, as Keeper says - it's down to Popovic if he wants him to travel to Melbourne for game 1 before heading to Bahrain or not

Yes it is enforced. Suspended players can't be on the bench, but they can be in the stands.

Prefer that. China beat Indonesia 2:1. Timing was fine with 9 added and not wasted but given Bahrain had 3 extra mins to equalise the internet traffic venting at FIFA shall continue. One Indonesia fan had a short 90+6=99

Thanks for clarification. Goodwin really shouldn't be at the Saudi game given how important Bahrain away is. Having him totally fresh is a bonus and we can make do for the home game. We somewhat 'survived' without him tonight so we have the depth.

Anyone else notice that the Japanese players when challenging for high balls often leapt up and into the back of their Australian opponent? And the referee quite often let it go.

you see what you want to see because there was a narrative prepared already either on this forum or by the commentators you listen to...

I see what actually happened and he was the guy that got dribbled all around resulting in the goal... he also was loose in possession when he had it

Yes - bloody annoying. They weren't delicate bumps either.

bump

Tony Popovic confirms that Aiden O'Neill missed #JPNvAUS with illness. Says that the six changes were driven by "Freshness and the ability to back up at the level we need to play."

Observations of Australia on the ball.

1:05: A better awareness system where Hrustic knows a good midfielder will always be just behind can see a backpass and a good left side ball to two gold shirts against one defender there. Soft pass intercepted.

2:47: Heavy McGree first touch in transition and ball is lost.

5:50. Hrustic fouled but if he goes that bit quicker he can pass 35m across in behind to Bos. 

8:07: Irvine with heavy touch and bad pass to Duke who is swarmed. Time and vision can go left to McGree and Bos.

10:01. Best option by Irvine into the channel to Duke. Much swifter forward which was better. Bos trailed behind and slowed. Following through and letting Duke know he was there would've been better.

11:02: Ball at head height but Hrustic just needs to control it downwards and a quick left has Irvine and McGree in acres of space. Heads onwards to Duke who heads onwards to them.

11:40. Quick short passes but nothing forward and Miller tackled for throw.

15:23: Brattan's best play with over the top ball. McGree runs diagonally and Hrustic runs away from him. Ball to Miller who plays it into wide space but no one there. Hrustic metres away and needed to just walk into that big space and the play continues. Duke and Irvine overshoot and aren't options.

22:16: Nice anticipation and press by everyone for Bos to intercept. Needs to try and pass it inside as we have many players waiting there. 

29:49. The Bos run. Good attempt to break through. A pass across left to Hrustic or better movement by McGree could have seen something.

33:58. Ueda is onside as he almost latches onto a wayward shot.

41:19: Bos starts the risky diagonal run across goal. Ball lost but without a heavy touch and midfield support, Miller was way up so there was good awareness there.

We turned the ball over in some risky areas. Japan interestingly overhit it, had a heavy touched or stumbled into touch. It wasn't their day in an execution sense to set up potential chance making plays.

48:10: Good movement by Australia. Yazbek with patient pivots. 35 sec of promising play ruined by an Irvine sky ball.

57:20: Australia goal came from another keeper kick to no where. Geria heads down and some good quick play. It's evident our chances or space always come in transitional moments 

67:03: We held the ball for a full 90 seconds and that was where the loose balls were fought hard for and it looked like something not seen in ages.

Japan goal. Can't say Miller was fouled. Feet on man completely still. Miller stupidly just ran into him. Yazbek completely outdone and in hindsight just needed to draw foul on edge of box by going right in. One angle shows it actually beats Gauci. What a shame as the ball basically is at Gauci's hand and forearm height. Just too swift and timed and Burgess could afford to just let it go as Ueda would score. A shame it didn't scuff his shin or knee. Miller and Yazbek had to foul there. Interesting also to see there wasn't any pass lane so a Geria charge probably blocks it too. 2 others in 6 yard box and Behich also stupidly ran to post leaving Ueda free. Definitely something to review.

76:23: Get ball down their end but too casual by Hrustic again and others. No urgency or movement.

In added time we still tempted them by not covering the right areas or trying to hold the ball. It's hard to hold it but we kept inviting them to have one last go.

Nice thorough summary John!

Im keen to watch the replay too, i often chane my mind on replay, especially when ball watching less so i can see whose fault it is when we dont penetrate

Var didnt call it a foul so probably wasnt, yzabek is a cam in viking, not sure where he plays in the usa, so to be caught 1v1 out wide is always a bit risky. Sucks if it really was millers fault because we need a rb to come good

Bahrain saudi next

Are we cheering for a draw or a bahrain upset?