No doubt about it - Ange is going with some sort of 3-4-3 and he is definitely sticking with it come what may.

The biggest concern is that considering the teams we are coming up against, you'd expect both wide roles to be wing-backs, however, a lot of the chatter is that Ange is genuinely interested in dominating possession against the likes of Germany and Chile, meaning he wants his two wide players to be more wide mids rather than wing-backs, and adding to the numbers in midfield to dominate possession and push teams back.

Sounds ambitious in the extreme, and will invite waves of wide attacks if it falls apart.

Are people really wanting burns to play? That's insane

City Sam it was troisi making those bad decision not kruse. He was the only one doing anything.

Didn't even know burns was in the squad. When was the last time he even played a game. And people want him to start. 🤔

This might be hopeful, but I think Ange's mindset is to stick with the 3ATB for the whole confed, test it in a competitive situation and if we get smacked we can ditch it after. It'd be a great tournament to win but it's really just a practice run for the WC. If he gives up on it 30 minutes into a 2-0 scoreline against Germany, he'll never know if it was going to come together.

It's official.

This bear knows his football. 

Mate, you have to  be Kruse himself, be a parent of Kruse, his girlfriend or boyfriend, because the  only comments you make on this forum are waxing lyrical about Kruse's credentials compared to others.

If you are Robbie, PM me and I'll put you into contact  with my weight trainer. He will turn you into a gorilla in 6 months! You might be able to dish out the physical punishment, that you have been suffering from opponents  for years!

It isn't .

He has similar qualities to Kruse.

No doubt in my mind that Burns is the most enigmatic Australian player of this generation along with Rukavysta, Oar and Vidosic. All four could have been huge and at times have been - ruka top assist getter in bundi 2 one season, Oar leading assist getterin europe halfway through one season, Vidosic playing bundi at a very young age and dominating it in Switzerland before falling out with the coach. Shame none of these guys kept up those performances up for more than a couple of years max

Decentric

Want to get your views on the following players and whether or not you think they should be playing for the roos and if so in place of whom from the current squad. Rukavytsya, Nathan Burns, Dario Vidosic, Tommy Oar, Brett Holman and Alex Brosque. If i were socceroos coach i would be converting leckie to a full blown RB (not just a RWB) and drafting in one of these guys.. the forgotten wingers / Second strikers of the socceroos.   

On the Guardian podcast they mentioned that watching Australia play might be interesting as they have been fielding a very attacking 3-2-4-1 formation.

The only 100% is that Leno will be starting in goal. Löw stated his selection. 

Haha decentric. If I'm kruse's boyfriend then you have to be burns girlfriend. Burns has not played in any game yet you want him to start?
And I'm 88kg think I'm good. 😂😂

Decentric the only thing that burns and kruse have in common is they both don't play. Now you bang on about how players are not playing yet burns who has played no games for his club. Didn't feature in Saudi or Brazil game but your ok for him to start? How can anyone on this forum take you seriously when you come out with verbal diarrhoea. Now roll over give burns a kiss good night and let the grown ups talk.
And for your other little tiff I wouldn't start kruse either. I'd bring him off the bench. His definitely not a wing back.

Yeh, and the interesting thing about a 3-2-4-1 is that clearly, the two wide players are not playing as wing-backs, (but rather advanced wide mids), so on the face of it, it certainly does look like an attacking formation.  Basically, Ange's idea is to have six players clogging up the midfield to both stop the opposition getting through, and to dominate possession in their own right - but clearly, if the opposition have quality attacking wide players, then they are going to have an absolute field day.

Full marks to Ange for being ambitious, and having a very clear idea of how he wants Australia playing its football, but there is no denying that it is fraught with danger.

Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

Call it for what it is, Mooy is playing as a box to box midfielder for us when he plays next to Jedinak.

If/when he plays next to milligan in the coming games that role may be reversed (not my preference)

For those who missed it, have a look at the world game video speaking with Ange about the formation. It goes for around 11 minutes but he makes an effort to explain that this current formation is merely a building block into the style and formation he wants to take into the world cup.

It may be diversionary but its certainly interesting

------------------------Ryan-------------------------
----------Milligan----Sainsbury---Wright-------
Leckie------------Luongo----Mooy------------Behich
-------------------Irvine----Rogic-----------------------
-------------------------Juric----------------------------

With Jedinak out I'd obviously much prefer Milligan to be in the midfield, however with the lack of depth in the centre of defence I'm tempted to put Milligan into the centre of defence. 

Is it too ballsy and attacking against a team like Germany?

Alternatively:
------------------------Ryan-------------------------
----------Degenek----Sainsbury---Wright-------
Leckie-----Milligan---Irvine----Mooy------Behich
-----------------------Rogic-----------------------
-------------------------Juric----------------------------

This team is crying out for a Spiranovic, playing at a high level and not languishing in the 2nd division of China. 

Does anyone know if this is being shown on Free to Air?

It is - SBS 1am

All Australian games plus the semi-finals & final are live on SBS. All other matches are also shown on Optus Sport.

The bear started closer to the German bowl. Confeds is rigged. I want an investigation. #boycott2018

I have an 11pm start. ;)

Lucky bastard

Is anyone remotely optimistic about the result of this match?
I am usually not a pessimistic person but I can't see anything less than a 5 goal whooping.

If we lose less than 4-0 I'm happy.

I am, not sure why but i think we'll actually get a result from this game.

Well, if Ange sticks with his back 3 formation, we will get torn apart.

We don't have the cattle to dominate the MF and with the back line reduced to beef up the MF it will be a rude start to the tournament.

I don't think we will get a result but I think we will at least score one goal. 

I reckon something like 3-2 Germany