Since Culina only Mooy has been a superior ball playing CM than Luongo.

Bresciano?

I wonder if Spira going to Glory could increase his chances of  being selected as a Socceroo again?

if they win a title perhaps 

Just on the DM position, is it time to call Jedi and say mate thanks for your years of service but we need to move on. 

Time to test Dougall at DM.

He'll be at the AC but I think he'll call it a day after that. Whether he starts or not will be down to how others perform.

Suggestions in other threads about Jedinak in a back 3. Has Arnold ever had a back 3? All these ideas are interesting such as Sainsbury in midfield. If only we had lots of practice games. Imagine:

Leckie Degenek Jedinak Spiranovic Behich 
                           Sainsbury 
                       Luongo   Mooy
                       Mabil Giannou

Looks quite defensive but sides like this often get the balance right. 

The 4 year cycle is extremely exciting. Those players Ange introduced are all mature and hitting post 25 while the next batch are coming through.

Slightly annoying is that so many are centre mids. Dougall and Genreau might be kept out longer like Amini and Jeggo were. 

I’d like a few years break from a back 3 before trying that again lol. #toosoon

😆

Yeah me too. Seeing those suggestions do make me wonder if it could work but it was a traumatic time. 

Jedi and Millsy both have to go after the Asian Cup, Neither will be around in Qatar.

I think Jeggo is still the next logical CDM option if one of Mooy, Irvine, Luongo and Jedi are unavailable.

Amini is a weird one, I feel like he should be doing a lot better club career wise than he currently is, this is his third or fourth year in Denmark and he still hasn't really shown he is a level above the League which is kind of annoying. I'd personally prefer B. O'Neill or Antonis once he actually settles into a proper groove, over Amini  once the A-League is back on. 

When do they announce the squad for the Kuwait friendly and camp?
Anyone have their predictions on what the squad might look like? Can’t believe Jedi had gone!!

It's this week. If not Tuesday maybe Wednesday once Lowy is pissed off. 

With Jedinak retiring, the Luongo/Mooy combination looks to be first choice going into the Asian Cup. Rogic if fit, plays as the #10. Milligan/Sainsbury partnership should continue at the back. 

This is where you'd think it would all land. Depends on what Arnie has in mind I guess. I wouldn't be surprised if he looked at bringing some of his old SFC players in though.  O'Neill, Brillante, Jurman would all be in the frame I suppose. Spiranovic is an interesting one if he keeps fit. 

Depends if you want to play it like Ange played it or in a more controlled fashion. There are good reasons why good sides are playing it a bit these days (although not usually in the way Ange tried). If you think of it as three central defenders rather than a 'back three', then it allows you a lot of defensive stability in style of football that is balanced (neither too proactive nor too reactive).

But Ange was a zealot for unadulterated proactive football and that was our undoing; regardless of whether he did so with a 'back three' or with his two central defenders and gung-ho wingbacks.

Surely Degenek (who's started every game and playing champions league at the moment) gets a look in?

He'll surely be playing next to Sainsbury at CB

I agree. Sainsbury - Degenek should be the two CB's. Milligan needs to be phased out as he will not go to the next world cup.

I think Milligan should be starting next to sainsbury for the AC then after that phase him out. I think too much change will be detrimental.

Remember, Jedinak, Milligan and to a certain extent Cahill have been pivotal for the last 4 years so to go and literally take all three straight out would do more harm then good.

Degenek deserves his chance and he will get it but for me Milligan has to be there

Any word when the squad for 15/10 friendly is announced?

Yeah for the Asian Cup, you'd be going with Sainsbury for sure and then experience next to him, I'd be going with Milligan who was one of our best in Russia.
Then after it, older players should be phased out with 3 years to prepare for the next world cup.

Some good points made here.

I'm sure all these players  will be considered.

Is Nabbout still a bolt on starter for us since his injury. Or do we think he has been re-set in terms of last-seasons successes (A-League-WC) , that he has to start playing again in Japan to earn a spot in the starting 11 for the build up to Asian Cup?

possible outs for the Kuwait game:

Irvine
Kruse
Wright
Maclaren
Nabbout

blokes just coming back from injury or not 100%

Leckie
Rogic


Is it possible that we might go with a complete new look 11 for this game due to the injuries and status of the game? keep a few of the boys in Europe at their clubs? or should we be treating it as a serious build up match to the Asian cup. And bring adb.

-------------------Ryan/Vukovic/Langerak-------------------
--------Sainsbury/Degenek------Milligan/Jurman-------
Risdon/Curran-----------------------------Behich/Garrucio
------------Mooy/Dougall----------Luongo-------------------
Mabil/Boyle-----------------?------------Petratos/Goodwin
-------------------------Giannou/Duke--------------------------

Ikonomidis maybe in AM?
Not sure who else.

Pretty much. Looking at Maclaren definitely out while Nabbout highly likely. Wright is supposed to return for Bristol but straight to Kuwait? Unikely. Leckie has returned and will probably be called up. Irvine is 50/50. It'd be nice to see Dougall come in. Rogic will be there but Arzani probably won't make it.