Story on 10 news tonight about Ikon being the only A League player in the Socceroos squad announced tomorrow, apart from Grant obviously. 

I just read an article (I think it was Monteverde) who said ikon and karacic return to the team. Good to see karacic back

Yeah Karacic was great for us in the June qualifiers. Real shame he got injured & missed out on last month's games and it looks like he's got a battle on his hands to get into the starting team at Brescia 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=SiWK0ecXd6A&feature=youtu.be

squad getting announced 

Deni Juric must have run over Arnie's dog to not be able to get a call up over Taggart.

he's injured mate

True- my mistake.

Appears Arnie had him in his squad prior to injury and that Juric may well choose Australia but is still undecided.

Don't see why you wouldn't pick Taggart. A goal every other game throughout career. Scored against Jordan whereby the next two opponents won't park the bus so it's more his type of game. Set up the goal vs China. Sure he put two over the bar and lost the ball in midfield but which striker every has a 100% touch rate? The flick on for the Boyle goal was great. 

Degenek has withdrawn from the squad after testing positive to covid and has been replaced by Bailey Wright. Surprised Degenek was in the squad in the first place.

Bump as a lot of current discussion can and should end up here

Hopefully we can have a few troops back for the Saudi and China game. Less than a month away already!

Maclaren and Leckie would be obvious inclusions of A-League players but you'd have to wonder of their match sharpness.

GKs: Ryan, Vukovic, Thomas
DFs: Behich, Elder, Souttar, Sainsbury, Degenek, Wright, Good, Karacic, Grant
MFs: Hrustic, Rogic, Mooy, Irvine, Jeggo, Genreau
FWs: Juric, Taggart, Duke, Maclaren, Boyle, Mabil, Leckie, Ikonimidis, Arzani

Whilst Behich was baaaaddd last night he has actually been quite a solid contributor the past couple of years so he should have another shot. Question is whether Elder, Gersbach or Smith is the one to put pressure on his position.

I think the other area which is up for swooping on is that CM role. Genuinely think a Jeggo or Genreau are mounting decent cases to take Irvine's spot however like Behich, Jackson only really had a bad international window this window. Problem for him is, he is not a 6 hence why perhaps a Jeggo is knocking at that door.

Forward stocks may be overkill but not sure who off that list you cull? Arzani offers us something though if he isn't gonna be called upon then there isn't much point in bringing him in I guess.

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. 

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

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.

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. 

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?

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?? 

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 🤞

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

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.

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.

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

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?

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

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

Ffs Rogic out is a huge blow.

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?

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. 

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. 

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