Thought Giannou did very well in Arnie's style of game play

Maybe he will still be poor, but he deserves a shot to see if he has improved. Playing for a good club in the europa league.

Giannou has looked uniquely hopeless every time he has played for the socceroos. Juric has at least had several good games and scored quite a few goals for us, so I still trust him more. But you're right, injuries have hobbled him and he seems to have regressed. I just have no faith in Giannou at all. 

Nabbout would be the utility man across the front 3 for me. Throw him on late in games and use his pace and energy to create things. I'd start Jmac or Giannou depending on the team we are playing, there's no need to bring both Juric and Giannou as they are similar players and we just can't rely on Juric anymore regardless. Always injured and his form has fallen off a cliff.

This would be unwise. Nabbout is even less dangerous in attack. He'll run himself into the ground, but he won't score. He's just not a natural number 9.  I think it's obvious that we have absolutely no choice but to stick with Juric unless and until we pull a proper striker out of somewhere. 

No mongrel in midfield - it needs someone to break up play 

I'd throw Juric out for Nabbout, done with him tbh.

Ryan, Vukovic, Langerak

Grant, Deng, Sainsbury, Williams, Milligan, Behich, Gersbach

Mooy, Irvine, Luongo, Mcgree, Rogic, Petratos

Leckie, Boyle, Mabil, Goodwin, Maclaren, Nabbout, Giannou

Asian Cup isn't very far away. At this rate my squad would be:

Ryan, Vukovic, Langerak

Risdon, Deng, Degenek, Sainsbury, Williams, Milligan, Behich, Gersbach

Mooy, Rogic, Luongo, Irvine, McGree

Leckie, Maclaren, Giannou, Mabil, Goodwin, Arzani, Juric

Players have to be released and start to travel to the tournament no later than the Monday morning of the week preceding the week when the tournament starts.

Has anyone read exactly when the players have to be released by clubs prior to the Asian Cup?

Tournament starts on 5 January.
Apparently Australia may play Oman on December 30 in the Middle East.

There were some interesting things happening in the HAL regarding club selections and Socceroos.

At City there are five Aussies battling for midfield positions.

Brattan
McGree
Caceres
Kieryn Bacchus
Rostyn Griffiths


Brattan and Mcgree have previously been selected for Socceroo camps. Griffiths had a full season in the Eredivisie.

Yet Brattan, Caceres and Bacchus, were the trio selected for starting duties by coach Joyce.




At Victory  Nick Ansell was selected as a starting CB over recent Socceroo, Thomas Deng.

Iran 2 Bolivia 1 bloody long way for an away friendly for the South Americans. 

Oman 0 Ecuador 0

Humbled. UAE are great when they're on song. I like their style, usually entertaining games when we paly them. 

UAE 0 Venezuela 2. Game was played in Barcelona. 

Japan dang. 

China leading Syria 2:0

Japan 4 Uruguay 3

South Korea 2 Panama 2

Iraq Saudi 1:1

Croatia 2 Jordan 1. Croatia were still a strong 11 but were very much in control. Barely lifted a finger. 

Well that's what Hong Kong has be doing recently to reasonably effect - got two draws against China in the 2018 WC qualifiers with Nigerian blokes

I expect they'll start naturalising Africans and Brazilians at some point. 

GA press conference w/ Tom Rogic on now.

Looks like China is still shit, some things never change. 

China draw 0:0 with India. 

Japan might find it tough against Uzbeks. There group is potentially easier than ours, so perhaps finishing second will help us avoid them.

I would not lose to any one team on purpose. Perhaps if we've won all games and in the last game , cough up some goals. 

If we lose one game to another team based on them genuinely performing better, make that the 1 loss.

I would not lose the opening game. That would smash our confidence into a space where I think we wouldn't recover. 

It appears Japans last group game is against Uzbekz, that makes it tough. However, they should be winning that.

Anyone but Iran for me, great team and in those conditions will be so difficult to beat.

They've set up a mini tournament with Saudi, Iraq, Brazil and Argentina. Argentina beat Iraq 4:0.

It appears if we and Japan win our groups we'll face off upon winning each of the first k.o games. Quarters vs Japan it seems. We'll make the next round regardless. If we stuff it big time we should still have enough for a best 3rd placed spot in the group to get through, which may in turn give us an easier path. 

It was a massive relief avoiding Japan in 2015. I'd like to face them and try to finally get a win again but also wouldn't mind playing Iran or South Korea. 

Was thinking these were our kids in European youth teams for a sec. Nice list of English players abroad. 

Willock at Benfica.
Reiss Nelson out on loan at Hoffenheim.
Ronaldo Vieira at Sampdoria
Patrick Roberts at Girona
Jonathan Panzo at Monaco.
Sheyi Ojo at Stade Reims
Marcus McGuane at Barcelona.
Marcus Edwards at Excelsior.
Dan Crowley at Willem II
Jake Clarke Salter at Vitesse.
Chuba Akpom at PAOK.

So Arnie brings in Mabil and Boyle.
Ange ball will be gone and play on the counter.

So Saudi hoping to prove something @ UAE more than likely, after being smashed by Russia in the opening game @ Russia. I'd love to know why they thoguht a friendly against Brazil would help there cause. Perhaps the nation is whinging they aren't playing tough enough opposition to improve.

Iran have qualified for the last 2 consecutive WC's as well as 2006. Iraq performed almsot equally well in the group stages of Russia. 2 teams that fight like a dog, even against quality opponents.

Japan , South Korea again will be very tough. Hoping Arnie will bring some sort of (defensive) resiliance to our team and that we look assured against these teams, despite sometimes looking outmatched technically and tactically. 

UAE no doubt like every home country, will come out of the traps winning games. I think our group is where we need to impose our quality, we need to finish top and look confident doing it.