World Cup Qualification Thread for 2026 - Socceroos/Asia

[LFC]

See I agree & disagree with you here, the Asian teams are getting better, you can see it in their skills & also their fitness, are they world beaters, no, are they better than us, no. We should not be losing or drawing to the likes of Bahrain.
However, the attitude that this a 6 points easy is all wrong. These teams like I said are no world beaters, but we need to prepare well, go out play to the best of ability.
Japan beats Bahrain 4 zip in Bahrain we draw with Japan & draw with Bahrain. Our attitude has to change, we must go in with the same attitude against Indonesia as we do against Argentina.

yep agree on some points robbos.
Our close opponents are getting better than US - their touch for sure but its their application/want, we all grew up playing and hearing be first to the ball, be available keep moving/win 50/50's second balls.
Tactics aside its about application drive. We like in 2nd gear.
Attitude good point, I think we feel we are better than them, possibly due to the past ?? I just can't pick it but there is something there, arrogance ?, maybe too harsh but we as a nation have this outlook we are a better than some fellow asian neighbours no matter the code and our lifestyle differences.

Talking generally fellas, I've said this in the past, I think our expectations are too high, we have blunt attack, blunt midfield, be it Arnold now Poppa we hold shape defensively, thats what we seem to be better at than anything else (ie Japan draw) there's that saying good defense wins match's lol......but it ain't working.

Looking at the stats you shake your head.

Bahrain vs Australia - live score, predicted lineups and H2H stats

Bahrain vs Australia on Tue, Nov 19, 2024, 18:15 UTC. Check live results, H2H, match stats, lineups, player ratings, insights, team forms, shotmap, and highlights.

www.fotmob.com

Well we had more shots, 8 to 7, 4 on target that a couple should have been put through the net.
8 shots over 96mins ?!
Touch's in opposition box, 9 to our 26 !
Accurate pass's 272 our 441 - we got ball but doing what.
Corners 2 to our 6, I can't recall us winning the header (we had the height advantage) making their GK work or pick up the clearance take the shot on target but for Yengi 90+6min mark scramble thank the lord.

Anyway onwards and forwards with Poppa ball.

 

[Barca4life]

Hang on. These are questions to be asking Decentric, your mate who you've defended a 1000 times, not me.

Besides which you've been banging on about the new system for near on a decade on 442. Now you think it's all the FA's fault and everything needs to be turfed.

No need to attack me or others mate, everyone is entitled to their own opinion where you agree with it or not also I also don't know how got Decentic into this conversation you brought he's name up not me.

Like this new system you have to give it a chance to filter through, do I know how it will manifest no? You see promising things but until it filters into the senior team and club level then you know how it will look like.

Are you the disruptor by chance?

 

[Barca4life]

Get a grip, champ.

You sound like a friendly chap

 

[Hillbilly55]

yep agree on some points robbos.
Our close opponents are getting better than US - their touch for sure but its their application/want, we all grew up playing and hearing be first to the ball, be available keep moving/win 50/50's second balls.
Tactics aside its about application drive. We like in 2nd gear.
Attitude good point, I think we feel we are better than them, possibly due to the past ?? I just can't pick it but there is something there, arrogance ?, maybe too harsh but we as a nation have this outlook we are a better than some fellow asian neighbours no matter the code and our lifestyle differences.

Talking generally fellas, I've said this in the past, I think our expectations are too high, we have blunt attack, blunt midfield, be it Arnold now Poppa we hold shape defensively, thats what we seem to be better at than anything else (ie Japan draw) there's that saying good defense wins match's lol......but it ain't working.

Looking at the stats you shake your head.

Bahrain vs Australia - live score, predicted lineups and H2H stats

Bahrain vs Australia on Tue, Nov 19, 2024, 18:15 UTC. Check live results, H2H, match stats, lineups, player ratings, insights, team forms, shotmap, and highlights.

www.fotmob.com

Well we had more shots, 8 to 7, 4 on target that a couple should have been put through the net.
8 shots over 96mins ?!
Touch's in opposition box, 9 to our 26 !
Accurate pass's 272 our 441 - we got ball but doing what.
Corners 2 to our 6, I can't recall us winning the header (we had the height advantage) making their GK work or pick up the clearance take the shot on target but for Yengi 90+6min mark scramble thank the lord.

Anyway onwards and forwards with Poppa ball.

Your last point on corners is what shows our lack of application. Not one of our 6 corners resulted in a header at goal (maybe 1, I am thinking now), but both their corners resulted in headers toward goal. How is that possible, given we have a clear height advantage? Are they better at disrupting our moves? Just plonking 4 or 5 big blokes on or near the penalty spot and hoping for the best doesn't cut it, but it seems that is plans A, B, and C.

 

[vo2Max]

You sound like a friendly chap

Yeah nah, I'm just your bog average realist.

 

[LFC]

Don't know.

I haven't sat in on the meetings and I haven't asked him. It's unlikely they're doing it just for something to do. There must be some rationale.

Edit. Just read the article you posted. Seems harsh.

Muz imo I find Imports help develop the younger GK's in the Clubs they played with.
They come from various backgrounds/OS Clubs that would have had more competiton at various levels and more games than we do here so its a strange ruling they decided, like MSC ahs mentioned I think it would be single figures at a guess.
Love to know what their logic was behind it.

 

[LFC]

Your last point on corners is what shows our lack of application. Not one of our 6 corners resulted in a header at goal (maybe 1, I am thinking now), but both their corners resulted in headers toward goal. How is that possible, given we have a clear height advantage? Are they better at disrupting our moves? Just plonking 4 or 5 big blokes on or near the penalty spot and hoping for the best doesn't cut it, but it seems that is plans A, B, and C.

Mate robbos said before, attitude incl application.
A couple of our corners when watching being they didn't clear it very well and the ball was in the air, I was watching some of our guys close to the ball keep having both their feet still planted on the ground whilst 2/3 of theirs were leaping to win the ball for a 2nd clearance.
Like WTF, what don't go for the second ball in their danger zone !

 

[LFC]

Hang on. These are questions to be asking Decentric, your mate who you've defended a 1000 times, not me.

Besides which you've been banging on about the new system for near on a decade on 442. Now you think it's all the FA's fault and everything needs to be turfed.

Hey Muz,

TBH imo I don't recall Barca being a KVblah blah devotee - he's been quite critical of our whole lack of eco system if I recall right and not overly banging the wonderful curriculum.
In the end of system is the FA mind you.
Of late Barca went on about the Disruptor annoucement couple of years back and wondering whats doing for you hear nothing much coming out another example he's plugged.
Don't recall him defending as quoted, think that someone else who sides alot on the stats front, thats cool thats the way they see the game.

 

[Muz]

Hey Muz,

TBH imo I don't recall Barca being a KVblah blah devotee - he's been quite critical of our whole lack of eco system if I recall right and not overly banging the wonderful curriculum.
In the end of system is the FA mind you.
Of late Barca went on about the Disruptor annoucement couple of years back and wondering whats doing for you hear nothing much coming out another example he's plugged.
Don't recall him defending as quoted, think that someone else who sides alot on the stats front, thats cool thats the way they see the game.

Maybe not KNVB but a HUUUUGE national curriculum advocate for sure. And what I was replying to was his criticism of the FA for all our ills now.

And I'm not saying the NC is bad. 90% of people criticising it have never read it.

 

[Balin Trev]

Goodwin and McGree are not being played as wingers, they are being played as dual 10’s looking to cut in on to their favourite foot. Miller and Bos/Behich are meant to be the players giving width.

unorthodox system not suited to Goodwin at all- better as winger in 442.
Like i said Popa all over the place with his formations/players and it’s giving shaky results

 

[zimbos05]

Or...

Maybe it's the higher tempo of international football that puts more pressure onto them than they normally would at club level.

Because, let's be honest, most of our players are 2nd stringers in the lower leagues of wherever.

Bahrain are ranked number 76 in the world. None of their players play out of the country except for 2. Those two play in UAE and Malaysia.

We are ranked 24 and have players across Europe including for some big clubs or in top leagues.

It's not a case of being entitled to win, but rather that teams so far below us are being made to look far better than their rankings suggest. All this whilst we are struggling to show that we are actually ranked 24 in the world. It should not be that difficult to do the basics against a side that is ranked 50 places below us.

 

[Muz]

Bahrain are ranked number 76 in the world. None of their players play out of the country except for 2. Those two play in UAE and Malaysia.

We are ranked 24 and have players across Europe including for some big clubs or in top leagues.

It's not a case of being entitled to win, but rather that teams so far below us are being made to look far better than their rankings suggest. All this whilst we are struggling to show that we are actually ranked 24 in the world. It should not be that difficult to do the basics against a side that is ranked 50 places below us.

I agree. I take your point. However I still think it may be a factor.

Perhaps we should set up a NC based on the milieu of Middle East football and be inculcated in it.

 

[no hesitation]

Or...

Maybe it's the higher tempo of international football that puts more pressure onto them than they normally would at club level.

Because, let's be honest, most of our players are 2nd stringers in the lower leagues of wherever.

Not sure if this has been touched on, but I think it’s a combination of factors. Asian teams are getting better at setting up in a mid/low block. This puts more pressure on our players to be able to carry the ball (successful dribbles) to break their lines. At the moment we don’t have this balance.

Realistically out of this crop maybe Circatti out of defence is capable technically and Velupillay showed he is capable as well as well as Bos.

Players like Irvine, Metcalfe etc would have a bit more of this balance at club level. Having players around them who have this ability so all they have to do is win the ball back and then make a simple layoff. They don’t have the ability or speed to carry and break lines which is why they might look off the pace at international level.

In terms of development the younger generation seem far better at successfully carrying the ball than the aforementioned, it will be an interesting transition seeing them step up and ultimately take over from this crop.

 

[Monoethnic Social Club]

Maybe not KNVB but a HUUUUGE national curriculum advocate for sure. And what I was replying to was his criticism of the FA for all our ills now.

And I'm not saying the NC is bad. 90% of people criticising it have never read it.

Most people critiquing the NC are criticising the NEED for a NC, not that it is a poorly written or divisive per se, it follows the vanilla trend of overseas football methodology at the end of the day...

My personal beef is that it papers over the cracks of what we are NOT doing developmentally and therefore by its existence prevents forward growth... Some of our fellow posters on here are teachers I gather .... they adhere to their state's education curriculum (some more so than others) but I am willing to bet the ones with the most engaged and brightest students who achieve the best results tend to utilise EVERY learning opportunity at their disposal.

People running the show at FA, and the so called Dutch Mafia are no more than substitute teachers, come in for the two days and handed a "Football for Dummies" text book and told .... "stick to the book"....

 

[Monoethnic Social Club]

Not sure if this has been touched on, but I think it’s a combination of factors. Asian teams are getting better at setting up in a mid/low block. This puts more pressure on our players to be able to carry the ball (successful dribbles) to break their lines. At the moment we don’t have this balance.

Realistically out of this crop maybe Circatti out of defence is capable technically and Velupillay showed he is capable as well as well as Bos.

Players like Irvine, Metcalfe etc would have a bit more of this balance at club level. Having players around them who have this ability so all they have to do is win the ball back and then make a simple layoff. They don’t have the ability or speed to carry and break lines which is why they might look off the pace at international level.

In terms of development the younger generation seem far better at successfully carrying the ball than the aforementioned, it will be an interesting transition seeing them step up and ultimately take over from this crop.

Don't worry about 1 v 1 or taking on a few players... Id like to see a Socceroo who can physically trap a zingy pass to within 3 feet of their own body FFS.....

 

[Monoethnic Social Club]

What's the saying you cant harvest your own crop if you don't help it grow it and nurture it properly.

this is the Ancestry.com era of the Socceroos mate... we dont need to harvest our own crop, we just jump the fence on other country's fields and harvest theirs..... hahahahahahahaahah

 

[jas88]

Any obvious exclusions?

If Daniel Bennie can get into the QPR side more consistently he should be looked at. To even come off the bench for 20-30mins at 18 is a good achievement. Looked good for the u20s too got the frame to play in socceroos imo.

 

[LFC]

Not sure if this has been touched on, but I think it’s a combination of factors. Asian teams are getting better at setting up in a mid/low block. This puts more pressure on our players to be able to carry the ball (successful dribbles) to break their lines. At the moment we don’t have this balance.

Realistically out of this crop maybe Circatti out of defence is capable technically and Velupillay showed he is capable as well as well as Bos.

Players like Irvine, Metcalfe etc would have a bit more of this balance at club level. Having players around them who have this ability so all they have to do is win the ball back and then make a simple layoff. They don’t have the ability or speed to carry and break lines which is why they might look off the pace at international level.

In terms of development the younger generation seem far better at successfully carrying the ball than the aforementioned, it will be an interesting transition seeing them step up and ultimately take over from this crop.

We've been hearing of the next younger gen for sometime/years.
Even so none are breaking down the doors dramatically baring Irakunda who is still yet to hold down a starting up spot at club.
The rest are in lesser leagues but the exception therefore why are they not being selected ? we have not much to lose they way I see it.
Bahrain had just 2 players that play out of their own league for eg.
With all our OS experience old players and new we're still struggling to look like a semi decent co hesive opponent.
Playing against mid low block NT's has been going on for sometime now its not new.
IF you lack dribblers the other way is faster ball movement/triangles/control we can't do that as well (we have been slow for yonks) incl having some younger gens selected at times.
Hayden Matthews @ 20yrs got a 5.7 player rating might I add.
Miller you could count as a young un @ 24 rated 6.9 but he's scarey.

In the meantime whilst Poppa is at his honeymoon stage, meaning he isn't going to risk much, his approach is damage control so defensive.
Taking the reins he doesn't want to be scarred with loss's and our chances blown entirely, hence the strange selections on experienced players like Caceras (who rate talking ability) but that whole squad screams hold your stations barring Bos @ 22 and the 2 mentioned above, rest are mid/late 20's in the prime and over 30 !

These U23's we're led to believe are next best thing, why haven't 1 or 2 standouts been given a debut, well we won't see them I expect.

Stat dribbles were
3(43%) them, 2 (13%) us.
I can't believe players we have at this level selected can't dribble.

 

[Frankly Speaking]

I would be very wary of assuming a win over Indonesia. They are definitly the dark horse in this group.

 

[Kitwally]

I didn’t stay up to watch the game live (it was 2:15am in my time zone) but I woke up at 7:15 and immediately watched a full replay. It was interesting reading the hysterical comments after the game after the quickfire brace from the Bahraini player. Lots of posters blaming Ryan, Matthews etc which is ridiculous. And the starting team selected from the squad - perhaps with the inclusion of Bos instead of Behich and Balard for Irvine - was basically what people on this forum have been braying for, in particular Yengi starting over Duke. There was nothing Ryan or any keeper could have done about those two goals. And though Yengi scored two goals and is a big improvement over Duke, he also missed an absolute sitter, and could perhaps be forgiven for hitting the post with his chest instead of scoring. People on this forum love hating on Miller. I thought he had a reasonably good game and as LFC mentioned above he got a rating of 6.9. As a few posters have said, four months until the next two matches, hopefully some of the forum favourites: Toure, Iredale, Nisbet, Irankunda et al kick on and make themselves un-unselectable.