World Cup Qualification Thread for 2026 - Socceroos/Asia

[huddo]

3 Autos and Costa Rica in the first round battering Bahamas. I enjoy the range of nations but they're dropping of big time.

It's the SPFL of confederations, two teams too big to fail, and that's it. To add the corruption in Ligamex and the lack of youth development in the US is really fucking them.

 

[huddo]

You need the USA in the world cup commercially. I've not see any numbers but I would be pretty sure it would be the biggest windfall for Fifa. Hence the spots

No doubt they're up there.

 

[Decentric]

In hindsight we needed the wingers and Borrello to move a lot more. Very static last night. Yazbek and McGree certainly shifted Japanese lines a bit more. Not exactly successful ht there was change. I felt the final 25 was managed well.

Borrello, Metcalfe and Boyle did a massive amount of defensive running in BPO. They constantly closed down space.

Also, Yazbek and McGree were lucky enough to play against Japan when their Squeezing intensity dropped in the second half. This afforded Socceroos more time and space on the ball - although it was still tough.

 

[Decentric]

I think Japan can go deep at the 26WC. I suspect they'll play counter attacking football in the latter stages against the top teams. They're generally deadly playing that way. GK and CB has been a traditional weakness though

Japan believe they can win the WC.

I think they can play proactively and still compete against the top teams. When I looked up world rankings they are only behind the big South American two, Arg and Brazil; the UEFA Big Five leagues' national teams; plus Netherlands, Belgium, Portugal, Switzerland and Croatia - I think.

 

[huddo]

They need more consistency against defensive teams if they want to go all the way.

Especially noting there will be a bucket load more defensively aligned teams this WC because of the expansion to 48 teams

 

[Decentric]

Japan are at something that could be described as layering. The right wing will pass back and they'll go once more central but that winger lingers in a perfect diagonal spot allowing for a swift ball straight back allowing another flank attack.

They'll layer their options and they appear and get implemented like turning pages in a book.

Some Japan players stood free with their hands open and dismay at not receiving the ball. That's how free they were at times.

Our issue is we like to pass with our ankle bone so the ball bobs up every time.

The Squeezing and Pressing difference was that Aus kept a compact shape and didn't push the defensive line up too much, playing a deep defensive line, whilst trying to maintain shape most of the time by not moving a lot to close down Japanese defenders .

Conversely, Japan gegenpressed in their attacking third, sprinting at our players to close down space quickly. A number of Japanese players frequently did this simultaneously. The risk being if Aus could play a pass though the lines in the space created further back in the Japanese formation.

Most of the time Japan forced a turnover, or, Aus were forced to play back to Ryan. He often needed to hoof it, hence turning the ball over as the Japanese players were advantaged in having better body shape to play forwards in the subsequent 1v1 duels.

 

[Decentric]

So if things do go well in Saudi on Wednesday morning, we should have 10 potential games before the World Cup. Will hopefully be able to pick up some friendlies against different opposition. Not just Bahrain, Oman rinse and repeat:

September 1-9
October 6-14
November 10-18
March 23-31
June 1-9

@JS96 this is where you do your marvelous work and scope out which potential opposition is available...

Indonesia are quality friendly opposition in close proximity.

 

[Decentric]

From my view they looked incredibly narrow I think that was instruction from poppa which should of made it easier to win 2nd balls and play little 1 and 2s to get in behind but the japanese always had the numbers. They needed to be wider, but the defensive shape was clearly more important to Poppa.

Narrow is the preferred mode when the other team has the ball.

Spread the formation in possession.

 

[Decentric]

D makes me giggle the most of his summaries got to say.
Despite the many other players who missed out as mentioned it one of the worst Roo games I have watched in a couple and more decades being owned by a JapB team lacking caps that didn't really need to win let alone lacked scoring boots but man they pressured 90% of our players who can't shield recieving a ball well let alone control it when under pressure barring moments now and then we strung a few pass's together.


Yes verrelli Japan have class on and off the pitch wish we had what their system provides.

That is still a world class Japan team - despite being a supposed B team.

Still easily the best team Aus have played in the WCQs to date outside the Japan A team.

Japan have a 50 year football plan - using the Brazilian system as a model.

 

[Decentric]

To be fair Ange accumulated 19 points and only finished 1 point behind Japan and Saudi Arabia. In any other campaign that gets you through directly.

I agree with you about squad strength, i went to the qualifier in Melbourne where we drew 1-1 with Japan, we had 68% possesion and battered them but could only score via Jedinak penalty.

As we approach a decade on, we are seeing the reality that our focus is shifting on largely being good off the ball, with our current talent levels we dont have much other choice.

The u23s and younger Aus underage teams are more technically adept on the ball than the Socceroo seniors - comparatively.

 

[Decentric]

Man there is a lot of comments. Just a few points:

1. Having selected Tilio & Arzani who both can provide drive into the attacking zone, Popa chose to go with a single striker - Borello who had to fight for scraps. No idea what the intention was.

Popa needed more defensive impetus from his forwards in the first 50 mins..

Tilio and Arzani would have been worn out chasing ball if they started.

Arzani was just hitting his straps in the last 10 mins.

 

[Decentric]

I think Ange lost the squad with the back 3 change. They clearly weren't comfortable and he persisted. Remember the stupid ideas where Wright would run on the ball to the sideline and kick it inward to be intercepted and you'd have Sainsbury all alone in the middle?

Ange also persisting with Leckie and Kruse didn't help. I'd have to look who else we had then but often the 11 was ridiculed. Juric was massive that campaign.

Ange played a bizarre formation.

He changed it to a little used formation at club level - 3-6-1. Players were unfamiliar with it.

 

[Decentric]

I dunno mate, we all recognise he parks the bus, and we all recognise he plays players that are defensively sound. It's not the issue though, the issue is the players he's chosen regularly can't retain the ball in midfield.

To be honest his style is the perfect foil to the Japanese technical ability, but that does negate the problems his teams have from playing it out from the back.

Popa isn't a tactical genius, he plays a 5-4-1, only pushing the wingers and wing back up when countering. Turning the 5-4-1 to a 3-4-3 for single attacks than reverting when/if it falls apart.

Popa has improved the team unit, since taking over from Arnie.

And, apart from against Japan in both games, in all other games to date, Aus has had more ball than opponents, except Ind in Aus, and more shots, plus entries in pen box. Can't remember China in China ? Might have to check the stats section?

Popa's Socceroos have been easily the most successful against Japan in WCQs since about 2010. The Japan in this campaign is the best Asian team ever too.

 

[Decentric]

What's everyone's thoughts on the amusing irony we get to go to Saudi and fake injury, roll on ground, scream in pain and just generally act like pricks? Hope the boys don't miss out on returning this sort of nonsense.

To Saudi's credit they don't do it.

Bahrain are the biggest time wasters!

 

[Decentric]

I like Miller but he is one player in our line up who could give away a penalty or worse still get red carded.Geria is calmer so it might be wiser to start him.

I think Geria is better anyway as a RB, RWB or RCB.

 

[huddo]

Popa has improved the team unit, since taking over from Arnie.

And, apart from against Japan in both games, in all other games to date, Aus has had more ball than opponents, except Ind in Aus, and more shots, plus entries in pen box. Can't remember China in China ? Might have to check the stats section?

Popa's Socceroos have been easily the most successful against Japan in WCQs since about 2010. The Japan in this campaign is the best Asian team ever too.

As I said, Popa's ultra defensive block is the only way we can play Japan, so I'm not upset about it occuring vs Japan, it's how we have played them every game for the past 20 years.

My issue is when he goes and plays an ultra defensive block vs teams like Indonesia. Why? We should have the cattle to control the midfield. We had 77 completed passes in Indonesia's half when we beat them 5-1, they had over 200!!!

Tony G Matildas were the greatest Matildas team to play in a WC, it doesn't negate the shit tactics, man management, and youth development that he had, that now leaves the Matildas in a world of hurt.

It's great he has achieved the short term goal of getting to a WC, but when our debutants are 34/35 year old Aleague players, excuse me if I'm not a little worried.

 

[Pasquali]

 

[DandyCasey]

Borrello, Metcalfe and Boyle did a massive amount of defensive running in BPO. They constantly closed down space.

Also, Yazbek and McGree were lucky enough to play against Japan when their Squeezing intensity dropped in the second half. This afforded Socceroos more time and space on the ball - although it was still tough.

Feel Jake Hollman is ready made for that inverted winger Popa role, Angus Thurgate as well if he wants to play ultra defensive.

 

[DandyCasey]

I think Geria is better anyway as a RB, RWB or RCB.

Borrello can also play RWB or at least has done so in Germany.

 

[LFC]

That is still a world class Japan team - despite being a supposed B team.

Still easily the best team Aus have played in the WCQs to date outside the Japan A team.

Japan have a 50 year football plan - using the Brazilian system as a model.

Obviously the better NT we’ve faced But their bench and fringe players wouldn’t be rated as world class.
I have not seen much mention of Brazilian modelling through my reading over the years.
FYI

Japan's Way as a National Football Philosophy​

Japan Football Association (JFA) has formulated “Japan's Way as a National Football Philosophy” and will disseminate it as a vision to be shared with all football stakeholders across the country.

“Japan's Way” is a roadmap to bridge the gap between the present and the future, working backwards from the “ideal state” of what Japanese football would be like if the dream set out in The JFA Declaration, 2005 – “to have 10 million football families and win the FIFA World Cup™ by 2050” - were to be realised.

In an effort to further develop Japanese football, JFA has been promoting the “quaternity” approach in which the four sections of “National team's strengthening,” “Youth development,” “Coaches training,” and “Grassroots,” share the same knowledge and information to maintain a close relationship between each other. In addition to this approach, we intend to share the newly formulated “Japan’s Way” to football families across the country, further discuss the approach, and create an action plan to carry out our vision.

To realise a future in which “Japan lift the World Cup trophy,” we aim to become a country where everyone involved in football can enjoy playing football and live a happy life, and to build a system that can combine the strength of the entire nation to take on variety of challenges.