World Cup Qualification Thread for 2026 - Socceroos/Asia

[Decentric]

I think Balard could be amazing in Popovic's system. The distances between the two 6's and 10's are really short, which allows for quick combinations to move through the centre and from one side to the other, and crucially means when we lose the ball, players can quickly close down to win it back/prevent a counterattack. But this means a specific profile of player is necessary, midfielders who can play quickly both because of their mind/interpretation of space but also their ability to produce fast touches and passes. In my opinion, Balard is great at keeping the ball under pressure and producing these quick actions, done a very similar thing for the Mariners in a similar structure last year. I think he'd really improve the team.

The distances vary between players within and between the lines depending on the phase of play - the distances condense in Ball Possession Opposition to keep the shape compact, but tend to expand to stretch the other team and make the formation bigger in Possession.

Must admit from watching CCM a bit I can't think of Ballard/Balard's strengths and weaknesses? Was probably focusing on Farrell, Nisbet and A Kuol more.

Also, there are players who are better on the ball than off it. Hrustic, Brattan, Irankunda ( ATM), are far better on the ball.

Players like Leckie, Metcalfe, Duke and Irvine are better when the other team has the ball. They disturb opposition build ups well.

 

[Decentric]

Poppa at the sydney derby, could be considering Caceres, Borello, Milanovic. ?? You never know.

Welcome to the forum. Melvin.

Borrello needs to be scoring regularly to be considered.

MIlanovic made a lot of progress last season - more than Villupillay.

Nishan V has improved a lot this season though.

Caceres is a good player, but a bit old ( although Brattan is older) and is a bit one foot dominant. Caceres is a better ball winner than Brattan. He gets to more contests.

 

[Decentric]

Geez Mancini would of been a decent coach for us. Yes he's pragmatic but he knows how to win.

Welcome to the forum, Jas!

Good to see you 'transfer'.

I'd prefer an Aussie coach.

Mancini is steeped in a different philosophy than we use in Aus. He has been inculcated in the Reactive school of football from Coverciano in Italy. We've looked to Proactive Spain, France, Netherlands and Germany for our coaching methodology.

 

[Decentric]

So Nicholas Lennon saying he has an exclusive that Graham Arnold will be interviewed for Saudi job. Just stop right there! This would be Football Australia's rumble in the jungle.

The scenes if we didn't but maybe Arnold can do us a sneaky favour and fuck it up and their faith in him is his do or die management for the next round.

Incredible - if true?

 

[Decentric]

JBow04.

Thanks for writing the article. I also like your diagrams to illustrate points made.

I noted against live in the game against China the weird 6-2-2 they went to after scoring, as a defensive mechanism, Partial Press. I can't remember ever seeing that shape before, as you alluded to it in your article.

The Aus 3-4-3 flat midfield in Possession, almost a 3-2-5 when both FBs/Wing backs push up high and overlap in the attacking third;

5-2- 3 in Defensive Transition and Ball Possession Opposition in the more advanced part of the pitch;

and the 5-4-1 in Ball Possession Opposition deeper in our defensive half;

works quite fluently against both teams, but mainly the 5-4-1 in BPO in repelling Japan.

 

[JS96]

It's so obvious we should aim to have Robertson, Balard and Mo Toure in the side. We've got to call them up and work on quick integration.

 

[onedaywinners...]

It's so obvious we should aim to have Robertson, Balard and Mo Toure in the side. We've got to call them up and work on quick integration.

Completely agree!

It almost feels harsh to just resign Duke to the bench full time, but if the standing captain Ryan can just be benched straight away then surely that is where the likes of Duke and Behich now belong.

 

[Quicky]

It's so obvious we should aim to have Robertson, Balard and Mo Toure in the side. We've got to call them up and work on quick integration.

It's going to be an interesting selection battle for the number 6. Who do you prefer between O'Neill and Balard? You've then got Luongo, Baccus, Yazbek, Nieuwenhof.

 

[onedaywinners...]

It's going to be an interesting selection battle for the number 6. Who do you prefer between O'Neill and Balard? You've then got Luongo, Baccus, Yazbek, Nieuwenhof.

Don't know if it's just me but I've never been very excited about O'Neill after watching him. Haven't seen a lot of his club football but in the GG I've always thought he hasn't had a great tempo about his play. Just seems like he plays ok.

VERY keen to see Balard and see what all the fuss is about. Makes complete sense that a key part of that CCM midfield from last season would be able to slot into a higher level overseas. Pretty sure he won their player of the year award.

 

[JS96]

It's going to be an interesting selection battle for the number 6. Who do you prefer between O'Neill and Balard? You've then got Luongo, Baccus, Yazbek, Nieuwenhof.

Spoiled for choice and then there's Irvine with a locked start. He shouldn't always start. I think Irvine and Duke from the bench if we're winning is a good way to unsettle opponents. Let them use their experience and better stamina against a tiring team. An opponent who isn't tired can read them too easily for the first hour.

Balard is playing the better football it seems. O'Neill is on the comeback.

 

[JS96]

Don't know if it's just me but I've never been very excited about O'Neill after watching him. Haven't seen a lot of his club football but in the GG I've always thought he hasn't had a great tempo about his play. Just seems like he plays ok.

VERY keen to see Balard and see what all the fuss is about. Makes complete sense that a key part of that CCM midfield from last season would be able to slot into a higher level overseas. Pretty sure he won their player of the year award.

O'Neill was excellent against Ecuador on debut and then it's been bumpy. I think that game he was next to Baccus and Irvine was forward so there's a compatibility issue with Irvine and O'Neill. We need to play Balard, Robertson and Nisbet at one point.

 

[grazorblade]

Oniell is about 30 months older than balard but only 1 year ahead in career success.

Comparing their fotmob progress (*'s mean played in europe)
O'Neill Balard Teague
u22. 6.8 7.0 7.2
u23 7.2 7.1 7.8
u24 7.5 7.4
u25 7.6 6.8*
u26 6.8*
u27 6.9*

I suspect they are similar in quality to be honest. Teague should peak at a slightly higher level though

 

[Mr Cleansheets]

I suspect Teague could make the breakthrough this year.

We are quite blessed when you look at our midfield options right now. Robertson, Balard, Nisbet, McGree, the Hoff, Teague, Yazbek will be the core of the midfield over the next five years (plus others yet to feature). Irvine, Baccus, Metcalfe, O'Neill etc will fade. Luongo may have an Indian Summer...

Looking good if we make the transition timely enough.

 

[Quicky]

Spoiled for choice and then there's Irvine with a locked start. He shouldn't always start. I think Irvine and Duke from the bench if we're winning is a good way to unsettle opponents. Let them use their experience and better stamina against a tiring team. An opponent who isn't tired can read them too easily for the first hour.

Balard is playing the better football it seems. O'Neill is on the comeback.

I'd like to see Balard given a go if Luongo is out. I want to see us rotate until we hit a winning combo.

Irvine should not be an automatic selection. I agree i'd like to see him as a sub against a tiring defence, that could br dangerous.

 

[Quicky]

Oniell is about 30 months older than balard but only 1 year ahead in career success.

Comparing their fotmob progress (*'s mean played in europe)
O'Neill Balard Teague
u22. 6.8 7.0 7.2
u23 7.2 7.1 7.8
u24 7.5 7.4
u25 7.6 6.8*
u26 6.8*
u27 6.9*

I suspect they are similar in quality to be honest. Teague should peak at a slightly higher level though

Thinking of Teague a best AL based Socceroos 11 would be a fun exercise.

 

[hellas_johnny]

Options are starting to come available again. Mabil, karacic, elder, toure, iredale, all getting game time and even scoring the last 2. Yengi is also back and playing aswell. Competition for spots should be good for next line up. Noway players such as bratten and yazbek make the squad if everyone is fit, Robertson if paperwork is ready should be straight in aswell.

The other outlier is volpato, will popa try to chat to him, he's playing well in serie b and a position at need more of

 

[Vieri]

Robertson if paperwork is ready should be straight in aswell.

Kind of reminds me a bit of the Cahill paperwork fiasco pre-2006!

 

[grazorblade]

Thinking of Teague a best AL based Socceroos 11 would be a fun exercise.

Pretty tricky this early in the season... maybe something like?

--------------------------Thomas-----------------------
-------Grant---Hall--Matthews--Bos-----
-----------------Teague--Brattan---------------------
-----------------------Valadon -------------------------
----Nishant/Milanovic/Tilio -Taggart-----Arzani------

 

[grazorblade]

Kind of reminds me a bit of the Cahill paperwork fiasco pre-2006!

Curious to hear more. I only vaguely heard about it, but never in detail!

 

[Dan_The_Red]

Kind of reminds me a bit of the Cahill paperwork fiasco pre-2006!

Must be more to the Roberston situation than just paperwork, i mean he made his debut last year surely it doesnt take over a year to get it sorted...