and he's now been sacked :hehe:

I'm guessing you missed the recent Barca game where Koeman put Pique upfront to try and salvage a game lol... happens all the time.

Doni grdic starting for sibenik at CB in the HNL. Genreau dropped to the bench for Toulouse 

Wrong thread! 

Irvine bench. Fine after playing 120min midweek. 

Tyrese didn’t sign a contract at Fulham so who knows where he’ll end up 

Please not JRB bc Arnie might have a brain explosion and play him as a CF like he did at the Olympics against Egypt - one of the weirdest substitutions ever.

Valpato & JRB as well. Out of interest, who out of those mentioned will crack the first team this season if at all? Maybe Kuol on the bench? Peupion has come on off the bench the last few games for Brighton's u23s & haven't seen Francois for a while either. Real shame about Tyrese -  thought it may have been a breakout year for him when he started in the first game of the season for Fulham, but hasn't played since for the top team.  

He was actually on the bench for two games and then didn't play against Barnet which should have been  before he jetted off. 

In terms of future squad development it won't surprise me given we have seen the likes of Arzani, Ikon selected from before that he gets a surprise inclusion to see how he goes in the senior set up.

It really depends on how he develops and whether he can make the jump into a first team environment, maybe a loan move would not be a bad idea if he cant break through at Brentford to help he's cause.

He started and scored in the second last game he played against QPR U23 before going to Dubai 

We got italano, Brook, pepuion, Francois, watts and kuol all playing reserves for big clubs hopefully they kick on 

Lachlan brook is unlikely to make the squad. We're not in the same position we were in a few years ago when ikonomidis and others were invited without any first team minutes. 

As much as I like Brook he has played very few senior minutes and has recently been dropped to the bench for Brentford B as well. I think he has yet to prove himself at a higher level. 

It's the crucial window. Brook has done very well and can make the squad. I'd still trust Ikonomidis and even Leckie to come in with their experience. I wouldn't mind seeing two of Jeggo, Dougall, Devlin starting to rough it up a bit. 

Crazy idea as it sounds but with Rogic should Arnie be tempted to bring in Lachlan Brook into the squad? It could be way too soon for him but he's a very good talent from what ive seen from him with the Olyroos but a similar player to Arzani except he's left footed.

Thoughts?

Ffs Rogic out is a huge blow.

Duke will start with Maclaren on the bench
Jeggo and Irvine to start with metcalfe and devlin on the bench.
Mooy to AM
Behich may still start since Mooy should be further up the field

I'd be happy with either Devlin or Jeggo, but I'd be throwing another defenders on the bench, noting SA predeliction to counter. 

Taggart and rogic both seemingly ruled out with injury for the November WCQ. you would assume direct replacements for the squad would be j Mac and devlin. As for starting XI replacements J Mac and Jeggo perhaps?

Also it's just been announced that Parramatta Stadium will be at 75% capacity for the WSW v SYDFC game on the 20th November. 

The Matilda playing at home why can't we? This is getting ridiculous if they r not playing at home in a must win game. Japan was outplayed by the Saudi so imagine what they will do to us in the middle east.

Socceroos website has the date of the game as the 12th, as opposed to the 11th with the location TBC.

I can see a stitch up happening here and for some reason we're going to be playing Saudi Arabia in the Middle East. 

Running out of time to confirm.

https://www.ftbl.com.au/news/exclusive-deni-juric-knows-my-whole-career-depends-on-socceroos-croatia-tug-of-war-570708

Hopefully it’s not because he refused to get vaxxed like Tomi? Really need Deni as another striker option with youth more on his side than the others 🤞

Deni juric not called up by Croatia for their November WCQ. I know he’s injured at the minute but was he not supposed to be fit for these games?? 

The 5-3-2 is definitely an interesting idea for really tough games where we must get a point minimum.

If you have Sainsbury-Souttar-Deng, for example

Hrustic and Jeggo as two of the midfielders.

And Duke and Boyle up front. Even Boyle and Manila?

The 5-3-2 approach may have been one solution or ensuring the DM drops in between the CB to follow runners in behind and allow the CB's to defend slightly wider, not sure what the correct solution is although it did seem as though the team had limited problem solving ability in the game. 

The teams flexibility didn't necessarily come through during the game but the way the game starts is how the team plays for 45 minutes rather than having the ability to adapt throughout the game. The observation comes where Arnold was trying to push Karacic forward when Australia was playing out because usually it would be Behich pushing forward but didn't have the option to against the Japanese. Seems like the players may have a limited ability to adjust to these throughout the game/ maybe it is a lack of on field leadership. 

Moved away from the defensive frailties a little in that second part of this, although it just seems like after 11 wins in a row and winning possession stats against the Japanese there seems to be something lacking intent in the Australian squad at the world class level not sure if as a squad collectively or on the individual level. 

Perhaps meaning a 5-3-2 would be better in future games vs Japan? And perhaps even the Saudis?

Just means that if Behich or Karacic make that forward run and don't have the ability to make it back in time they would have 3 CBs there to clean up the mess. 

Would also de clutter the midfield I think too and still allow us to play wide with the two wing backs.

I do like that Arnie is flexible in his approach but sometimes I don't think he makes the right call.

Hopefully it's Rangers v Hearts on Kayo this weekend so i can have a good look at Devlin against decent opposition
He's someone that could bring energy to a sluggish Socceroos midfield
He's a more natural no 6 compared to Irvine
Last night we really needed a ball winner that could break things up and shut down passing lanes
Hopefully Metcalf gets a move soon too

For a different perspective on the LB position v Japan, as much as Behich wasn't a stand out player the Naive defensive tactics made him look much worse. 

Japan possibly was targeting the space in behind him in the opening part of the match and had him dropping and stepping with little defensive support from the midfield or CB, this inevitably had him looking amateurish at best. His inability to decisively step onto the Japanese opponent (14) or (17) who were placing Behich under immense pressure when Japan had the ball, was a product of limited defensive tactics of who was covering for Behich and turned into Behich dropping off for the first goal where he should be attacking the ball in the Penalty area.