Explains why both Wright and McGowan were brought in, if Sainsbury is doubtful as well. Unfortunately I also think it gives Arnold a (poor) excuse if we don’t beat China (you know, I thought the boys played well, blah blah blah, but we missed big Harry and Trent, blah blah blah).

Slightly off topic, but the boys got a lot of stick for drawing with SA, who are mid 40's in the FIFA rankings. 
Sweden, currently ranked 17, lost 2-0 to Georgia, currently ranked 93. Imagine what the so called Socceroos fans would've said if we lost to a similarly ranked team?!! 
Netherlands, currently ranked 11, drew with Montenegro 2-2, currently ranked mid 70's. 
Football is a funny game, anything can happen

No excuses at this level, 3 points must be banked in this game regardless of the ifs, buts and maybes.

In the fourth round, the two third-placed teams from the third round will compete in a single-match play-off in May or June 2022.^[4] The winner will advance to the intercontinental play-offs against a team from a confederation to be designated.The host city and venue for this match will be announced during the draw for this round.

A single game. Can't wait for the UAE in Qatar. Should be played in Japan.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2022_FIFA_World_Cup_qualification_(CONMEBOL)

South America is weird. Bolivia giving it a better go by beating Uruguay 3:0 yesterday. Colombia 0:0 at home to Paraguay who are struggling. Ecuador flying winning 2:0 away to Chile.

Big two already in. Ecuador with a 6 point lead then it's Colombia and Peru on 17. Chile, Uruguay 16 and Bolivia 15. 

Shit, I did not know the Asian playoff would be a single game, that sucks. We are a bit better than UAE and Lebanon, 1 game makes it more about luck and makes a pen shootout more likely.     

Arab cup starts end of November. Morocco and Algeria sending reserve teams with an 'A' while Tunisia appear to be in full strength. All the other usual suspects there and there was also a big qualifying tournament a while back.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOK5Ev2Lovs

Brazil WC game snippets. Forgot how intense the game was.

I still love Grella's studs up challenge.
Can't get away with that anymore!!!

Great highlights. Love that kit.

Geez I remembered that we should've scored in that game but forgot just how many good chances we had and some really close ones.

Had totally forgotten. VAR would've murdered him for that. Some of the Chipperfield and Culina tackles were class. 

I was at that game. We really took it to them and Harry took it to the ref at FT.

Came away feeling very positive despite a 2 - 0 loss... and the very long drive from Munich back to Heyingen. A deer ran in front of our car at exactly midnight.

The EUFA WCQ playoff draw will be held in 3 hours and the interconfederation WCQ matchups for June 13th and 14th in 2022 should also be drawn as well.

https://www.fifa.com/

Stream of Playoff draw here. Actually quite nervous and sickened by the prospect. 

https://youtu.be/dGOLH2tE7gg

Draw live. 

Portugal and Italy in same group so one will miss out. 

OK here we go. Uefa has single semis and finals with a home team. Intercontinental surely has to be neutral ground. 

OK AFC seems to be home against South America. 

It will either be neutral or in Qatar. In June, which we know is stinking hot. Qatar is meant to be hosting OFC knockout in March and CAF knockouts in March if they drop back to a single leg.

Well then.
Arnold should stop being an idiot and pick players in their correct positions, playing and stop playing his favourites 
And he needs to stop talking sh**

Arab cup underway. Exciting to see Asian and African nations face off. Unfortunately for us it's even more game time for our group opponents.

I think our calendar is way too tight but an expanded ASEAN tournament would be enjoyable. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xG_pDATbCzs

Oman vs Iraq. Seems FIFA TV Youtube showing every game. Great.
 
Saudi are in the group with Morocco Jordan and Palestine so it'll be interesting to follow but there's not much we need to find out these days. Upon further inspection only 6 of the Saudi 23 have a cap so it's a great opportunity for them and something I lament Australia not really having. The U23 camps have been some opportunity at least but we need more.

When was the last time Australia played in an AFF or ASEAN tournament?
It seems that the previous incumbents (when it was FFA) saw playing in these tournaments as beneath our position in the world.

We should just field a side w/youth and/or uncapped home-based players; it'd be out of necessity anyway so it's not like ppl can accuse the first-team Socceroos of snubbing it on purpose💡

2013 in the East Asian/EAFF Cup; the senior NT's still yet to participate in the ASEAN Cup.

The EAFF preliminary round was fun to see our young players get together. Back then we had Rogic, Ryan, Mooy, Antonis, Behich and Taggart all gain exposure to the national set up. It was in the month of December.

The tournament proper was in June and saw Juric get some real exposure. Sainsbury made the squad and maybe that's where Holger became a massive critic. Interesting too is this period saw Holger in pretty good esteem as we'd just qualified for Brazil and then we got to see a lot of young players. Weirdly though Leckie was in top form and wasn't being picked and the cracks really came through against Brazil and France.

I'd kill for the current bunch of young players to get brought together. It's improved under Arnie with the olyroos but I want more camps and games. As many as possible. 

https://youtu.be/JGKx5VyPPIc

Just watched Tunisia vs Mauritania and Tunisia smashed them. It reminded me of our 05 friendly vs Jamaica. Managed to find the full game on the 03 friendly vs Jamaica in Reading. On 7....Harps didn't need long for a pun :D

A full strength Jordan sneak a 1:0 over a very inexperienced Saudi squad.

Egypt and Algeria with more regulars than Tunisia but all North African teams cruising so far. UAE looked sharp. Quite the novelty seeing the inter confederation matches. Should be it's own confederation really then East Asia joins with Oceania. 

State Government set to bid for crucial Socceroos World Cup qualifying clash against Japan at Optus Stadium

Perth bidding to host Japan WCQ at Optus