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World Cup Qualification Thread for 2026 - Socceroos/Asia

Seeing NZ Chris Wood in EPL top leading scorers and compare to us making me feel jealous
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Then look @ 2 of our main strikers under Popa ( Duke & Yengi)

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Duke in J1
38 games 4 goals


Yengi's Portmouth in relegation zone and he hasnt scored 1 goal
 
mkxx said:
Seeing NZ Chris Wood in EPL top leading scorers and compare to us making me feel jealous
View attachment 792



Then look @ 2 of our main strikers under Popa ( Duke & Yengi)

View attachment 793
Duke in J1
38 games 4 goals


Yengi's Portmouth in relegation zone and he hasnt scored 1 goal
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I feel ya.

In Yengi's defence he's been injured and I'm fairly confident he'd have been okay if he weren't.

This isn't great either but a little less depressing than Dukes stats ... and shows we have other better options.

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MelvinsonofAlvin said:
During the Brisbane Mariners game they said something about Mikael Doka pledging his allegiance to the socceroos, do they mean he canactually qualify or did they just mean he supports them?WE simply odn tneed Aussies wh owere nt born here naymore.
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We don't need overseas Aussies anymore - not with genuine Aus links.

There is so much young talent coming through. Doka is a good player, but so are plenty of young Aussies. I've never seen anything like the quantity of quality in the young playing ranks!
 
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Perusing the AL looking at Socceroo prospects.

*Arzani - he is doing really well in most facets of the game, except he has been abysmal at shooting for goal. He probably had 2-3 big chances last weekend, and failed to covert any of them. One forced a fingertip save, but I think he has lost total confidence as a shooter at goal ATM.

Some of his off the ball running in attacking interplay, in combination with Machach, is some of the best I've ever seen from any Aussie attacking players - bar no-one! The runs are so instinctive, intelligent, and creative - with some of the complex one/twos. He disguises outside of the foot and shoelace passes, and eye of the needle passes in tight spaces. Arzani is also doing some excellent blocks, tackles and intercepts - new facets to his game. It is an absolute pleasure to watch a player like this in the AL week in and week out. But the Socceroos need wide players who score goals, like Milanovic and Brook.

Arzani can probably only be effective for 70 mins on the pitch.

*Thurgate - ostensibly, still only aged 24! I've read some people think he is a thug. There were some horrendous tackles from him last week. I'm worried he would concede critical free kicks in dangerous positions around our defensive Socceroo goal. Notwithstanding, Thurgate is doing well on and off the ball. Based on AL form he is probably playing better than recently selected Socceroo central mids Caceres and Brattan ATM, but of course he lacks their experience.

*Archie Goodwin - too young and inexperienced ATM. However, in the games I've seen him, he has a lot attributes as a big, strong target striker and an eye for goal. Has immense potential.

* Jordi Valadon - he has really improved his defensive game. He needed to. Last week he executed a superb sliding tackle with the correct non-preferred left foot with copybook technique running alongside an opponent on the defensive left flank. It was clean too.

His off the ball game is improving when the other team has the ball. He is reading the play well, to make timely intercepts at a very young age. He was being overpowered a lot physically. When it comes to JV's distribution, it is superb! Wonderful passer and mover in tight spaces in team build ups out of defensive into midfield. He needs less time and space to be effective than most players in the AL. He has fantastic vision and passes well over range too. I think his technical quality has him overtaking Teague in the quest for Socceroo selection. He is effective in playing out in tight spaces and negating gegenpressing.

* Walatee - very young ATM, but is hard to knock off the ball as a Right Winger. A lot of potential for the future.

* Teague- everything he is doing well, I think Thurgate is probably doing better - apart from fouling players. Teague concedes less free kicks and is a cleaner tackler. Also, his teammate Valadon is a fair bit slicker on the ball. Teague is very disciplined holding position, but sometimes goes forward, whilst Jordi V sits as the screener.

* Segecic - just about to look at his appearance off the bench in the last round against CCM. Blistering pace, and a decent technician on the ball - running with it and dribbling.

I identified Valalon, Youlley and Segecic, to join Jake Hollman, as impressive, slick midfield technicians playing for the Young Soceroos. Now theyare setting the AL alight, apart from Youlley who I think is in the Netherlands?

* Trewin - good CB as a ball winner and ball distributor. His defensive positioning is good too. Not sure where he is in terms of Socceroo selection yet?

* Atkinson - no way has he done well enough as RB, because he has lost far too many 1v1 duels playing in this position. Yet he is really improving as a midfielder, and winning 1v1 duels in this position. It is good because Talbot is too good a RB not to be playing for Melb City. I think it might be suiting Atko to be playing further forwards. Like Arzani, Valadon, Lachlan Brook, and Jake Hollman, excels at running with the ball and dribbling with his head up.

* Milanovic - his current scoring is good from wide positions. He was the same last season in the AL too. Against AL teams he is an effective ball carrier and dribbler too. He does his defensive duties as well. Moreover, he is a good header of the ball for a winger.

I must have missed quite a few others, but the young talent coming through is wonderful to see!
 
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Not "properly" but am scouting (yes I did a course during Melbourne's lockdowns) Jake Hollman during down time at work.
He covers lots of ground pushing up from midfield to assist Germain as a second striker and received the ball with back to goal often, can beat a man with quick feet, drops deep to play creator and definitely warrants selection as a utility if you ask me.
My choice for a Mr fix it at RWB as well.
 
%100 we will be in the intercontinental play offs!. Cant see us qualifying any other way.
 
NoMates said:
%100 we will be in the intercontinental play offs!. Cant see us qualifying any other way.
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If we win both March qualifiers, we are basically through as there will be dropped points from the teams currently on 6 points. Even if we get a win and a draw, I still believe that will be enough.
The last round of qualifiers are still just about live for everyone as there is still potential for any team to sneak into the play off positions.
 
DandyCasey said:
Not "properly" but am scouting (yes I did a course during Melbourne's lockdowns) Jake Hollman during down time at work.
He covers lots of ground pushing up from midfield to assist Germain as a second striker and received the ball with back to goal often, can beat a man with quick feet, drops deep to play creator and definitely warrants selection as a utility if you ask me.
My choice for a Mr fix it at RWB as well.
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Would love yours (and Decentric’s) thoughts on Zac De Jesus.

As our only Young Socceroos-eligible (2005 & younger) RB getting any meaningful game time, we as a nation really need him to kick on.
 
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