After checking the footage again can confirm Borrello was a mile offside.

Yeah playing for fowls with that ref was a bit dumb, especially as a sub

if you get fly kicked to the face you can rub your jaw but otherwise needed to play on

The No 3 for Ecuador put him onside.

Best 23 atm imo

Ryan
Strain-Souttar-Rowles-Behich
Mooy-Irvine
Boyle-Mcgree-Goodwin
Duke

Gauci
Atkinson-Deng-Degenek-Bos
Devlin-Oneill
Leckie-Hrustic-Mabil
Borello

Thomas


Atkinson and Deng atm look to be the most in trouble with poor recent form.
Id try Rawlins(RB) and Rich-Baghelou(RCB) next

Is that money that tight the players are being paid with KFC?

Swap Devlin out for Baccus.
Devlin easily knocked off the ball.

He isn’t even a permanent starter for his newly promoted side. Only started in 60% of games, often warming the pine. Probably shouldn’t expect a below average j league player to defend well against a top 4 South American side

Early days. He's played 404 of the 450mins available.

I know these games were ‘reward’ for Qatar squad but  when down 2-1 in 2nd half would you sub on Tilio or Irankunda?! Pace, physicality and finishing skills Irankunda is better choice even if only 17 (same age as Kewell when first capped)

My bad I was including the cup games. Still got dropped for one game lol

Not the worst world when we can afford to ignore Arzani (not like he's done much of late) and even say Tilio needs to watch it as we've got better coming through.

As good as Rawlins is, I’m not sure he is ready for the senior team yet. Let’s see how he goes at the u23 Asian cup first. I wouldn’t mind seeing Rich though. Rich got himself sent off at the u23 Asian cup semi final against Saudi Arabia with a sneaky kick for no reason so im cautious of him also

Rb is a weak position

im probably most hopefully about mendanha at au. His best is great but his worst is pretty awful. Only 18 tho and i think he is learning a mew position. He seems to have a higher ceiling than rawlins and talbot but i could be wrong

Arzani out for rest of the season

Yep ankle injury. Seems he is doomed like Robbie Kruse or something. FMD 😡 

https://www.ftbl.com.au/news/macarthurs-arzani-out-for-a-league-season-with-serious-injury-592686

Best 23 atm imo... 

                       Langerak 
Karacic    Souttar     Rowles     Bos 
                Bacchus   Mooy 
Hrustic             Rogic          McGree 
                         Boyle 
                           
                           Ryan 
Atkinson    Deng     Good       Behich 
                    ONeill    Luongo 
  Kuol/leckie    Robertson       Goodwin 
                            Duke 
Reserve gk. Redmayne 

Circati (Deng) and Volpato (Hrustic) to come into reckoning if they choose Oz. 

   
                           

Poor lad he's had alot of bad luck recently, the memories from the 2018 World Cup is still there.

maybe our wingers are just hacked to death so much in the league they are injury prone before they even leave? or is it they haven't been conditioned enough as a pro? not enough games?

Seems common for young wingers: Arzani, Borello, Kruse all struggled with injury once they left.

Im sure ive missed a bunch also.

While some players added their names to the Scceroos rooster like Robertson & O'Neil, one of 2 dropped off, apart from Deng, I thought Tilio was out of depth in pace, strength & skill against this team.

Good post. I think you're close to how Arnie picks it. If it were me I'd go:

GK Ryan-Gauci-Thomas [Maynard-Brewer]
CB Souttar-Rowles-Wright [Circati]
RB Strain-Degenek-Miller
LB Behich-Elder-Bos
DM O'Neill-Baccus-Devlin
CM Mooy-Irvine-Metcalfe
AM McGree-Hrustic-Robertson [Volpato/Rogic]
RW Boyle-Leckie-G.Kuol
LW Goodwin-Mabil-Irankunda
S Duke-Borello-Cummings [D'Agostino]

A few wild cards in brackets due to allegiance or other things. A lot of those guys can shift around too. 

He did.

I'm  watching the replay.

A few notes from the replay I'm watching.

Some posters rudely and incorrectly tried to correct a poster who suggested Deng was playing as a left back. At times Behich tucked in  from the left flank in a line with  Devlin, whilst Degenek tucked in on the right to give Aus a  back three defensive line and a line of 2 in front. So Deng was a LCB in a back three at times.

Arnie obviously wanted to negate Ecuador's numeral  advantage in central midfield when we were building up from the back, by having Behich tuck in. When they were in possession in our attacking half, Behich reverted to his normal LB position.

The game should have been all over at the 20 min mark, when an unmarked Metcalfe mishit a lovely Goodwin cross at the back post. Metcalfe correctly assumed good body shape by shooting with his left foot, but it was an awful shot. His head was leaning back when it should have been placed  more over the ball.

Metcalfe is a much better defensive player than Mabil at right wing, but nowhere as effective as an offensive weapon.

Borrello has the advantage as a central striker that he shields and protects the ball quite well, holding it up reasonably  at times. He also has searing pace. Not many central strikers have both qualities.

I think this may have more to do with the bigger "workload" overseas personally... More matches, more intense training schedule and all while having to adapt in such a short amount of time.

Agreed mate.

Another problem watching the replay, is that our CBs were outmuscled quite a lot by the big Ecuadoran  central striker, Rodriquez?

In one action he shoulder barged Deng off the ball  and shot, and in others he  outpaced Wright, and Degenek, in different actions after  body on body duels.

Whether Souttar, Rowles, and a favourite of mine, Harrison Delbridge, could have negated him, I'm not sure? I think Souttar did in the first game. Maybe Rowles did in both?

This is completely unacceptable for our CBs, who have to be the  most imposing physical players in the team. 

Yep Tilio is unlikely to be in the next squad you'd think.
Metcalfe wasn't great but I do think he is worth persisting with as he is only just staring to be a regular starter for his club.

I can also see why Bacchus was played over Devlin at the world cup. 
He is streets ahead of him at this stage I think.
Get's stuck in just as much (without being a rugby midget psycho liability) and is way better on the ball.

Hopefully Robertson sorts out game time next season.

I thought O'neil slotted in very naturally and is well worth being picked again and hopefully grows into the role and finds a good club o/s

The only difference Tilio brings from other wingers is he's creativity and being able to play in tight spaces and combine well.

All the others have great pace and power which is only fine when the game is stretched but im not sure they can unlock defences especially when we need a goal and Tilio can offer that in he's game.

To be honest I thought G. Kuol looks well off the pace and yes he's only 18 but he doesn't look ready for this level yet he probably needs more experience maybe he should have played with the under 20 team.

Cummings should not be on this list and Volpato is unproven at this level.

The skilful players don't get protected in this league due to the physical nature of the a-league, the referee standard hasn't helped even though we seen the most red cards ever dished in a season ever nor the coaches antics on the sidelines which encourage this sort of play too.

After looking at the replay, I have some ideas about RB.

Degenek struggles against more mobile and quick right wingers.

In the game against Ecuador, Deng struggled against big, strong, fast central strikers - Rodriguez.  Wright and Rowles had no trouble with his strength.

Swap them around, although Degenek isn't as good as either Souttar or Rowles as a CB. Deng is more mobile than  Degenek is as a RB. Degenek played some nice crosses into the  pen box.  I don't know what Deng is like going forwards?

Atkinson is good going forwards, but if a more defensive minded RB is needed, I think Deng could  be tried as an alternative to Degenek at RB.