Another important difference between this playoff and the previous playoffs is the format. I learned on zumroad.com that the game is still played between the third-place teams in Asian Groups A and B, but it's not a home-and-away epic of the past but a one-off game. There is good news for soccer coach Graham Arnold, as Coomans does not consider the June heat a major factor at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium. I was there not too long ago. It will be 17-18 degrees on the field, which is very comfortable. The downside for Australia is that they would have fans at home cheering them on.

Kennedy was prolific at NT level and never got the oceanic boost the other boys did. I forgot how good he was considering the guys around him. Only aussie to win bundesliga player of the month also.

They dont even have the same quality from 4 years ago with the likes of Pizzaro and Farfan not involved anymore.

It will come down to a few small details within the game but they are beatable as some won't believe.

But no doubt the respect is there.

I also reckon it'll be close.

I simply mean that it's probably complacent, not to mention somewhat disrespectful, to think "scared of Colombia, but not much to fear from Peru".

That kind of thinking reminds me a bit of the way many of the Uruguayans viewed us in 2005. I think that we should have just as much respect for Peru as we would for Colombia.

I accept your point if there is a complete player who can attack and defend better than Atkinson waiting for the call up (and there may well be).

My point was that if the manager says "don't make a forward run" to a player who is able to balance out a good opponent somewhat by sometimes putting them on their backfoot with a dangerous run then he needs to be selecting a right back who is concrete and fast in defence and not choose a player who has good defence and better attacking capability.

Some players will fit a manager's game plan better than others, and in a national squad with a manager who makes some really crap decisions about the playing roster and the style of play we need to have players who can get the best out of those crappy instructions.

Arnie sets our team up for constant attacks against us and gambles on us holding out - where another manager might recognise that attacking back fast does a lot to stop your opponent pushing forward all the time.

For Atkinson specifically, yes he got bossed against UAE - but he can and has played much better against ALM opponents who are roughly equally skilled and speedy as the UAE guy turning him into a traffic cone. It might be that he was isolated against UAE where for City he was a member of a strong and functional unit. Maybe experience will lift him, maybe exposure will lift him, maybe he won't ever attain the big stage mentality. I just think it too early to write him off on the UAE performance.

 Josh Kennedy and John Aloisi both had close to 1 goal scored  for every 2 games they played. 

I am biased being a CCM fan but Rowles is one of the most improved players in the  A-League.He had a tough couple of years when CCM really struggled and in reality were a NPL standard team but with Stajcic ad Monty at the helm his improvement and decision making have come on tremendously.Could be a Socceroos captain one day.

An an example...

Tilio is by far the better ball player but who would you trust to do his defensive duties, know when to stick or go and not leave the fullback in the lurch in a massive game?

Leckie or Tilio?

first rule of a knockout game is don't lose. 

Trouble is there's so much more to being a winger these days especially in a team like ours in international games of this importance/pressure.

Ie. defending and covering your fullback intelligently.

It's why I would choose Goodwin over Mabil or Leckie over both in this game

RIMB, just to touch on in bold.
Your position is your specialty no matter the diff of tactics - I can't cop that.
People keep saying that about one of the best attacking backs in the game TAA, his flaw is his defense in your own half but every single player has to adapt and improve their game.
Atkinson was owned front on 1v1 and was left for dead, his recovery was pretty meek where as I've seen TAA run his arse off to recover his error and he's no sprinter and other times its over red rover a goal has eventuated or assist.
Might I add re our Roo games, how many times are we dominating so our wing backs "per say" can play their game ?
Against the minnows of minnows not decent NT opponents.
More like Atkinson needs to improve his overall game period.
By the way, I can't recall the time I've been "confident" of a win from our guys barring those exceptions that don't mean much.

I think it expose's how long the cupboard is bare more than anything else......
IMO he's like a gun fighter turning up with a knife - he may run his arse off but yer nothing else there especially for a attacking winger.
His Bundas return
245 games - 27 goals.
OK not all wingers are "scorers" per say wonder what his "assists" are but no matter never see enough of that during his NT games.
Looks like we gonna drag him along for as long as poss like we did with Cahill < at least he was effective despite NOT being a proper frontman.

As an eg
Young Tilio Snr career to date
68 games - 14 goals.
NT + U20/U23 to date
19 games - 13 goals > 12 goals in U20's.

Kye Rowles has come a long way since when he started, it shows how important match minutes is for a young player (100 games for CCM later) he looks alot different player.

Whilst quick in a straight line, he's not agile.  As a full back, he'd be easily put off balance and beaten by tricky skilled wingers. Other than Cahill, I can't think of any Australian player that had a good scoring rate. Kewell averaged 1 in 3 and Viduka 1 in 4.

I have a feeling it will be a close game, let's just say that.

Thanks for posting this.

Hadn't seen the extended interview. Arnie said some interesting things.

At last he isn't talking big about how the Socceroos should be dominating opponents - and was respectful towards opponents.

There's a really decent article in the SMH by Dominic Bossi about the Peruvian side, entitled The Argentinian master coach and why Australia should fear Peru.

There's a reason they've finished above Colombia and Chile. Here's a snippet




https://www.smh.com.au/sport/soccer/the-argentinian-master-coach-and-why-australia-should-fear-peru-20220608-p5as07.html

Leckie has all these attributes and more, but to only score 13 goals in 71 games as a winger and central striker - is simply appalling!  Has any player in history, for any international  team, ranked about where we are or higher, had  a player playing  71 games as a winger and striker, who has such a low  goal conversion rate - 13?

His rate of scoring is about  1 goal every 5 - 6 games. This is simply atrocious!

Leckie's lack of composure  inside the penalty box has cost us dearly in many, many games over nearly a decade. 

Yet all of Ange, Bert and Arnie  have kept playing him in the front three. I'd love all three coaches  to explain their rationale, as to why he is favoured over others?

I think Leckie should have been converted to a Right Back or/and Left Back 10 years ago.

https://youtu.be/1lxDrYtOg-8

Post game press conference 

In  the first half in particular, the Socceroos played a fairly languid Squeeze. There was little evidence of a Full Press - more of a Three Quarter Press. There wasn't an aggressive Squeeze to disturb build ups high up the pitch either.

It seems Arnie wanted to maintain a compact  defensive shape at all costs - in the first half. He played safe. However, when Atkinson was a little advanced, given there was often only one DM sitting, Mooy, he wasn't mobile enough to cover both full backs as they advanced up the pitch a bit, simultaneously.

At time Irvine tracked back to make a Midfield Defensive Triangle manifestation of the 1-4-3-3, but I'd surmise, he spent more of  his time in the Attacking Midfield Triangle playing as a second number Ten. This enabled him to spore that critical first goal as the trailing midfielder. 

Both UAE wingers were too quick to give head starts in our Defensive Transitions and when UAE attacked on the break.

All in all though the second half was the best we've played for some time. Players, and Arnie, claimed it was due to more time in camp - and Arnie being able to coach Covid 19 free.

Arnie also claims the Right Back issue, is a collective one and he will be able to rectify it on  the training track. He claimed having time in camp, and last week's Jordan friendly, have been invaluable preparation. Wright was too slow over the turf to deal with the UAE pacy left winger if Atkinson  was far too forwards when we  lost the ball.

Another phenomenon,  (not having watched much A L this season), was how fast Kye Rowles has improved in recent times. It was only a few years ago he was an average Aussie Under 16/17 CB. Once he was unlucky to concede a foul against UAE with a well timed sliding tackle close the the pen box, which I thought was legit, but he tackled off the wrong foot.

Imagine 4 years ago, anyone suggesting Rowles would be playing this game and not Daniel Arzani!

Can't believe you've been watching the game longer than me!

Macca needs  service , but is a pretty composed finisher.  Last season in particular, he received more service at City than he usually receives with the Socceroos. Today he nearly scored from  almost nothing - having to shoot half blind, where it was difficult to assume good body shape. It forced a desperate UAE keeper save.

His  defending when the Socceroos were in Ball Possession Opposition was pretty good too. He won one very effecticve covering tackle late in the game.

Agree with most of this post.

Agree.

I went the day without hearing the score so I could watch it this evening.

If Arnie had played that team in that way (or similar) throughout the earlier qualifiers we would already be going to the WC.

Good to get the win obviously, but was there anyone feeling comfortable with our victory before the final whistle?

Leckie was pointless in the middle - and immediately more dangerous when moved wide late in the game.
Boyle is fast and skilful with the ball at his feet and can deliver.
Atkinson is an attacking back - but he was played in a defensive back role tonight. It uses half of what he can bring and he is the wrong player for that role. He is good enough to play in the NT if he is allowed to play the type of role he is good at.
Goodwin is in the team for his crossing and set plays basically. His striking is hit and miss and unfortunately tonight was the miss side. He gets into space and he gives us options with his passing. I would not be writing him off.

All over the park we were chasing the ball when an opponent passed back and ran on. It was bloody stupid watching the number of times UAE did a give and go leaving us with two players chasing the new ball player and a free run in behind by the other. It was mindless and inexperienced play by players who are not mindless and inexperienced. I don't understand that happening so often - especially up UAE's left wing - he is already fast so why continue to give him 4 metres head start.

Ref did not do enough to penalise foot stomps and ankle rakes. I don't care which team does it, if the ref awards a yellow to one then they should all be. Foot stomps seem to be the trend watching this game and the U23's. More than I can recall seeing in any other game and I am guessing some of that is because there is bugger all penalty for it.

I do believe that if we had played a bit more like we did tonight, and with players closer in skill/fitness/speed to those on the park tonight, we would have qualified already.

Not that we don't still have a lot to improve on - especially at the pointy end with the way we still slow down and let our opposition get their whole second line of defence behind the ball after we have gotten through them.

They won... That is all.  On that performance, I doubt they'll get past Peru; and if they somehow do, it will only be to be make up the first round exiting numbers.  No way we will ever get out of the group stages when they rig the baubles to always have two top tier nations in each group.

#BringBackGuus

Sounds  like   the  FA   chose   really   well ...

It probably shows a weakness in Melb City's play this season, he certainly doesnt bring the same in creativity as Noone did and probably why Melb City weren't as dominate like last season.

I'm sure Arnie's staff have all the info on Peru......
Their 20/22 WC quali stats are
P 18
W 7
D 3
L 8
GF 19
GA 22

It was poor first half by both teams and it showed with the tension of the occasion.

The second half was a bit better, I thought our goal was well worked with us winning the ball high up the pitch and good play by Boyle but the equaliser was disappointing straight after we scored I thought Arnie did little to protect Atkinson 1v1 with Hamad the young skilful UAE attacker who made a mockery of Atkinson in that situation. 

But the 2nd goal was opportunistic with Hrustic who was our best player in the park and probably Australia's best player in general anyway, he hit the volley very well and took a deflection of the UAE defender but anything that counts you take it especially in these elimination games where you need to find a way to win at all costs.

To be honest Im not scared of Peru, yes they finished ahead of Colombia and Chile but they dont have any names that would worry me I think if we play with that similar intensity that we did in the second half I think we can beat them.

Im curious if Sainsbury comes back if he lines up with Wright or Rowles, otherwise I won't not change the lineup too much unless Taggart is available again.

Arnie was a very physical striker though not as strongly built as Leckie. He does like his spearheads to be in the mould of Leckie and Duke because of his own style.D'Agostino is more skilful but has some physicality about him and can shoot from distance.Macca is the quintessential poacher which is useful if your middies can feed him the ball in the box.

I don't know anything about the Peruvian defence but hopefully our management team have had a look at them and have a plan for which type of striker will worry them. 

Leckie was an excellent player for us during his prime years in the Bundesliga. He had the touch of a giraffe but he was hell fast, a powerful dribbler and could get in behind defences with his bullocking runs. There's no point playing him as a striker with his back to goal but he simply concedes posession whenever it lands at his feet, due to his satanic technique.