Antonis hasn't been match fit for season according to Popa, his old coach.

I'm not saying he should replace anyone, but that he is currently playing well and improving quickly from week to week. Selling Milligan at his advancing age and keeping Antonis was some shrewd business by Victory.

In the second half i saw he crossed a ball with his left which was not bad in the end, so he can use his left foot i suspect he prefers using his right foot in most cases.

All true, but he has a capacity to win games when the game plan is failing with one act of brilliance.

In just half season Arzani has the HAL's top stats for beating players 1v1 in attacking deception moves. He is already far better than Kruse and Leckie in this facet of football.

antonis has always had the talent. a couple injuries and a poor transfer to greece cost him massively.  if he has a solid engine he would be sensational next to luongo in a pair of 6/8's with mooy in front. 

what happened in the holland?  

he needs a lot more discipline.  fine he beats a bunch of players but he also turns it over a lot because he holds the ball too long.  his decision making lets down his skill at times.

he also needs a full season at senior level.  

there will be offers over the break. hopefully he takes the one that puts him on the pitch. right now he probably needs game time in a competitive league more than anything.

Antonis impresses with long range passing with either foot.

He also beats players 1v1, which is not a Milligan strength.

I haven't really had a good enough look at his defensive positioning when the other team has the ball, and, his ball winning capabilities - yet.

Haven't watched City for some time, but after seeing Arzani last night he needs to be selected immediately for the Socceroos. Otherwise Iran is going to select a player with exceptional potential.

Arzani is a little too right foot dominant, but the way he beat half the entire  Jets' team in one action on the right side in the second half, he took half the Newcastle out of the play in one action!

I'm not sure BVM is looking at the long term, but someone in the Socceroo set up needs to cap Arzani immediately in the interests of the long term Socceroo scenario.

Camei, I reckon thats spot on for a 23 man squad

He's been fantastic. Great passing range, wins the ball well and is able to drive forward in attack and provide assists.

Terry Antonis is progressing nicely with Victory.

Popa suggests he hasn't been match fit for years until now, and, that he has a lot of talent.

I would like to see the 23 be something like this based on current playing form:

GK; Ryan, Jones, Vuka

Defence; Sainsbury, Jedinak (killing it at CB for Villa), Susnajr, Williams Karacic, Behich, Jurman, Gersbach

Midfield: Mooy, Luongo, Irvine, Rogic, Petratos,

FW; Juric, MacLaren, Nabbout, Borello, Leckie, Kruse, Arzani

Just Missing squad or extras (Langerak, Chapman, Degenek, Risdon, Milligan, Antonis, Cahill)

My 11 from that would be

------------------Ryan
Williams---Sains--Jedi---Behich
------------Mooy---Lunongo
Borello-------Rogic-------Kruse
----------------MacLaren

This leave some pace and trickery late in Arzani, Leckie, Nabbout, Petratos etc that could come off the bench at tired defenders

think we'll have to agree to disagree on this one lebo_roo. I do see your point, but I am just so hopeful that the boys will do well in Russia that if there's a quality player who can help us in a problem position, and is an Aus citizen, I don't really care if he was developed here or on Mars, if he wants to play for us and is good enough he should be given  a shot. You ask what is the point of capping him - for me, the point is that it could make the Socceroos a stronger team in Russia. 

Earlier this decade people on here were clamouring for Richard Porta to be given a shot up front for the Roos, I don't really see the difference with Karacic.

BVM is going to be playing to DM's or a 6 and 8.  so any realistic plans need to account for that.  

i'd like to see a solid defender that can actually pass (sorry jedi) next to luongo and i'd like to see rogic in a false 9 but i dont know if that's in BVM's arsenal. im guessing he's not going to toy too much with the formation so close to the WC. i still think rogic is our best option up front - let him take the ball and turn to goal - we've all seen him do this over and over. let him drop deep and let the wings play more advanced and take defnders on and get behind.  

----------------sains---------------luongo
--------------------------mooy
---------------------------rogic
borello/arzani------------------------------leckie


this also helps deal with rogic's lack of stamina. he would not have to track back so much

Prolly...................................

Something like...

----------------------------Ryan---------------------------
-------------Sainsbury-----------Susnajr---------------
---Karacic-------------------------------------Behich---
-------------------------Williams--------------------------
--------------Irvine-----------------Luongo--------------
------Arzani-------------Rogic-----------Petratos------

williams should be in the central deep DM role, his distribution and albility on the ball is prolly the best of all australan defensive players,, even though he was utterly owned by mileusnic for the adelaide goal on sunday

From memory we are taking 35 to turkey for the pre tournament training camp.

We'll only be taking 23 to Turkey right? No doubt a couple on standby based in Europe for emergencies. The next friendlies will be with the proper squad. Time for serious testing. Currently I'd take:

Ryan Jones Vukovic 

Sainsbury Degenek Williams Wilkinson Behich Gersbach Risdon Milligan

Jedinak Mooy Luongo Rogic Irvine 

Cahill Juric Maclaren Leckie Kruse Borello Arzani 

Reserves : Langerak Meredith Jurman Wright Petratos Nabbout Troisi 

Is a spot wasted on Wilkinson? I just find his old head will be good for the squad and an emergency. Susnjar is exciting but I'm not sure how he'd go being 3rd in line once an injury occurred.

Meredith  wasn't used at all last time. Gersbach is the talent who would be more exciting for Behich.

It's amazing how many options we have now. Wright definitely on the outer. Central midfield is fixed. Maclaren would be handy off the bench. It'll be a big bench however we might need all the strike power at the end. 

Wright is always I player I found really likeable and wanted to see improving all the time. He's unfortunately that slow  robust defender type that offers little at international level.

Degenek plays the ball better and Jurman, while not tested entirely, appears to have the cooler head. 

I agree with you on that. I am all for this guy being an Australian citizen. He should be entitled to all the rights of citizenship. By law, it would be problematic for the FFA to articulate non-selection on the grounds of his lack of connection to Australia as (I imagine) it would contravene his rights as an Australian citizen. And, don't get me wrong, he should have every right as an Australian citizen (and, imo, non-Australian citizens should have better rights, too, come to that).

But should it be a right to play for the NT? No, it should be a privilege. If he were to be deprived of the possibility of playing international football because Croatia was banned or if he had to flee Croatia for political reasons, that would be another matter. But as, theoretically, there's nothing to stop him playing for Croatia and all his footballing memories are there and he has grown up there, I think feel this is no different to the other fellas who jumped ship. I wouldn't be gleeful if the boot were on the other foot.

That's just my opinion and everybody is free to disagree with it. I don't hold it personally against other fellas who grew up in Australia and played for Croatia. They may be lovely people in person.

I want nothing but the best for Aussie football but what is the point of capping this guy if Australian football has absolutely nothing to do with his football development. Nothing! Not sure how it makes him a Socceroo. We whinge about losing the Cro boys over the years because they were developed here and than want to cap a guy who has never played here.  I'm not comfortable with that. 

He speaks English. We're in low bogan territory to assume otherwise. English is largely compulsory in school all across Europe.

That never stopped Mat Ryan lol

Petratos was pretty comfortable when he played for the Socceroos. Hard to leave him out I reckon, was better than nabbout...
Susnajr also looked good in limited minutes. He's a better cb than Degenek and chapman can play both full backs and DM.
Dougall also deserves his chance.

Similar thinking for me. I'd be inclined to maintain a bit more experience in that backline, so I'd keep Degenek at a minimum. 

GKs: Ryan, Vukovic, Jones
DFs: Sainsbury, Williams, Chapman, Karacic, Degenek, Behich, Gersbach
MFs: Jedinak, Milligan, Luongo, Mooy, Irvine, Rogic
FWs: Juric, Cahill, Leckie, Kruse, Arzani, Borrello, Nabbout

Extended squad:
Langerak, Jurman, Meredith, Wright, Troisi, Petratos, Maclaren

To be honest though any two of Maclaren, Borrello, Petratos and Nabbout I would be satisfied with. Only reason I'm not selecting Maclaren is I struggle to see how he'd be effective in BVM's system. It's also tough to leave Jurman and Petratos out though I believe particularly the former will be a shoe in for the squad.

Next 2 friendlies, I'd like to see..

GK
Ryan
Jones
Vukovic

DF
Sainsbury
Susnajr
Williams
Chapman
Karacic
Behich
Meredith
(Jurman, Wright, Degenek, Risdon out)

MF
Jedinak
Dougall
Luongo
Irvine
Mooy
Rogic
Petratos
(Milligan, Troisi, Brillante out)

FW
Leckie
Arzani
Borello
Kruse
Juric
Maclaren
(Cahill, Nabbout, Rukavytsa out)

Fact is he's more Australian than Russell Crowe. He's an Australian citizen. This would be like selecting a citizen to play football for their country.

Ange's system could have really used someone like Karacic.. I wonder if he ever looked at him.

http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/article/2018/04/23/exclusive-im-ready-socceroos-says-van-marwijk-target-karacic

This article is from 4 hours ago. He seems to consider himself Aussie enough. He's been really consistent for the last 2-3 seasons and has shown that he is not just a one dimensional player.

I would go for it. If he's eligible, good enough and passionate about Australia, then why not? Also, has it been confirmed that he doesn't speak English?

I agree - how much time did Josip Simunic, Joe Didiluca or Ante Seric actually spend in Croatia before they chose them over us, despite living nearly their whole lives here and benefiting from our Institute programs.

If someone is good enough, eligible, and wants to play for the Socceroos, for gods sake let them. Football is an international game, we can't be turning down good players because we don't think they're "Australian enough".