World Cup Qualification Thread for 2026 - Socceroos/Asia

[huddo]

I don't like Popovic's squad and don't agree with Teague or Arzani's selection. But 3 players out of 26 is hardly the spine of the NT.

It is the spine if you build your team around them, and Popa wants to build his teams attack around his wingers noting the lack of creative midfielders in the squad.

 

[Quicky]

It is the spine if you build your team around them, and Popa wants to build his teams attack around his wingers noting the lack of creative midfielders in the squad.

Popovic builds his team around defence. 5 defenders, 2 DM and a CF to press. I get the angst over his selections but its a stretch to say he's built a spine around Velupillay and Arzani.

 

[huddo]

Popovic builds his team around defence. 5 defenders, 2 DM and a CF to press. I get the angst over his selections but its a stretch to say he's built a spine around Velupillay and Arzani.

So how does he attack?

Besides he has chosen Teague in DM role.

 

[JS96]

So how does he attack?

Besides he has chosen Teague in DM role.

I don't think Teague will feature much. I feel not playing Balard in Bahrain sacrificed some good game management. Wild goals to concede but Balard would've controlled the pace better.

 

[Quicky]

So how does he attack?

Besides he has chosen Teague in DM role.

I mean so far we barely have. But i'd say mostly through our wing backs bombing for the by-line and hitting hopeful balls into the box.

None of those 3 are guaranteed to start or play. Velupillay the best placed with his NT form. But they're hardly the spine of the team.

 

[huddo]

I mean so far we barely have. But i'd say mostly through our wing backs bombing for the by-line and hitting hopeful balls into the box.

None of those 3 are guaranteed to start or play. Velupillay the best placed with his NT form. But they're hardly the spine of the team.

Well just have to wait and see.

 

[Villa Dan]

That's one of the worse socceroos squad in long time. Players not in form, players past it etc. He had the opportunity to freshen it up with youth and wasn't brave enough. Max Balard playing in Holland regularly, having a good season and yeah his not good enough just like Nestory who's playing regularly now puzzling. Use the kids and fresh blood now we got no excuses.

 

[mkxx]

Craig Goodwin not in the squad today in Saudi pro league
Maybe he is injured

 

[Villa Dan]

I think the conspiracy theory / chip on shoulder is a bit over the top. Popa is as competitive a bloke as you will ever come across, and he picks the players who he thinks will get him the results. The players left out are at best marginally better than those selected I say this personally preferring Balard, Irankunda and Toure were picked for this squad, I thought they had done enough, but it is marginal, not head and shoulders compared to the guys selected.

Everyone has to be honest and admit they like these guys primarily based on the level they are playing at, and media reports. None of us are watching these guys week in, week out to say one is better than the other (I doubt even the most committed of our Aussie Abroad followers have watched even half of Balard's 25 appearances). SPL, Eredivisie, Belgium, Denmark, Switzerland, these leagues are all probably an approximately equivalent level and the teams are all mid table teams, not the big clubs. If Nisbet was starting in La Liga, or Balard was at Ajax, or Irankunda has played 30 matches with 20 G/A, this is a different story, but they aren't (not yet).

Your last paragraph is contradicting yourself. Regardless Balard is playing in Holland team does not matter. Nestory is playing regularly now and not sure on Nisbet situation. All playing a level above the Aleague is the point. A fair few of the Aleague boys are in poor form or been injured that got picked. The kids in form got ignored.

 

[Cunningstunt]

There is a difference between getting picked every week for Ajax or Celtic compared to NAC or Hibs. Culina and Rogic being first team players is a much better confirmation of their quality compared to starting at smaller clubs. They have a lot more quality and competition within the squads, style of play is different as they are expected to win, they have continental football every year.

I considered the best players in Aliga to be around the equivalent of those European leagues (outside the really big clubs). This is a pool of probably 20 odd players. These guys go to the mid tier european leagues and do well (Balard, Nisbet, Triantis, O'Neill, Bos etc), while others come back home and do the same (Borello, Teague, Leckie, Thomas).

If we subbed out Arzani, Tilio, Velupillay for Balard, Irankunda and Nisbet I think the squad is slightly better, but it isn't changing the game. The problem I have is less about the individual selection arguments, and more about the unwarranted outrage. Because the outrage has consumed most of the discussion rather than anything interesting / useful about the different qualities players bring, experience of the squad, structure etc.

The squad has 5 players with 0 caps and 16 players with less than 15 caps. There are only 6 guys who have more than 30 caps (this feels very low historically). On paper he looks to be trying to bring through a new generation. To the point where, with only 6 veterans, I am worried about about the level of experience going into must win qualifiers. But I don't think I have seen this talked about anywhere, and it seems a lot of that is to do with the outrage over 2 or 3 selections / general dislike of Popa.

 

[vo2Max]

Which skillful kids did we have 15-20 years ago?

They were rubbed out at the time they became teenagers.

 

[Robbos]

Mile Jedinak, Arron Mooy, and Mat Ryan, we built a team around that spine for the next 10 years.

Mooy yes, Ryan a GK, Jedinak was a great player when under the pump like at Crystal Palace, he was not skillful when we played lesser teams in Asia, his first touch was terrible.

 

[huddo]

Mooy yes, Ryan a GK, Jedinak was a great player when under the thumb like Crystal Palace, he was not skillful when we played lesser teams in Asia, his first touch was terrible.

He was a DM. You don't look at a CB and ask why are they aren't breaking down an asian low block, so why are you asking a DM ?

Like Metcalfe, or Teague, or Ballard, his position required defensively aligned skills, and he wasn't just great, I rate him at Kewell, Schwarzer, Cahill and Viduka level.

A few things Jedinak achieved:

-He was named the fifth-best player in Europe, the best midfielder in Europe and the best player in the Premier League after the first three months of the 2014–15 season.

-He captained an EPL club long term.

-He had a 100% success rate from the spot.

-He single-handedly won us the Honduras playoff that got us to a world cup.

-He captained Australia to it's only piece of major senior mens silverware. Without the golden generation.

Christ, the bloke can't be everything, even Messi has weaknesses.

Besides, pointing out their positions doesn't discount them being the spine of the team for 10 odd years. Ryan was a sweeper keeper, it meant formations had to align. Mile was heavily a stopper that took pressure of the defender's and allowed players like Grant to become inverted, the DM could rotate in to the back line in defence if required.

 

[huddo]

There is a difference between getting picked every week for Ajax or Celtic compared to NAC or Hibs. Culina and Rogic being first team players is a much better confirmation of their quality compared to starting at smaller clubs. They have a lot more quality and competition within the squads, style of play is different as they are expected to win, they have continental football every year.

I considered the best players in Aliga to be around the equivalent of those European leagues (outside the really big clubs). This is a pool of probably 20 odd players. These guys go to the mid tier european leagues and do well (Balard, Nisbet, Triantis, O'Neill, Bos etc), while others come back home and do the same (Borello, Teague, Leckie, Thomas).

If we subbed out Arzani, Tilio, Velupillay for Balard, Irankunda and Nisbet I think the squad is slightly better, but it isn't changing the game. The problem I have is less about the individual selection arguments, and more about the unwarranted outrage. Because the outrage has consumed most of the discussion rather than anything interesting / useful about the different qualities players bring, experience of the squad, structure etc.

The squad has 5 players with 0 caps and 16 players with less than 15 caps. There are only 6 guys who have more than 30 caps (this feels very low historically). On paper he looks to be trying to bring through a new generation. To the point where, with only 6 veterans, I am worried about about the level of experience going into must win qualifiers. But I don't think I have seen this talked about anywhere, and it seems a lot of that is to do with the outrage over 2 or 3 selections / general dislike of Popa.

NAC beat Ajax this year.
Hibs beat Celtic this year.

From the start my position on Nisbet has been he offers a creativity and a versatility rarely seen from Australian players, to say it is "unwarranted outrage" ignores all those that keep excusing a lack of creativity in the national team as a lack of talent. The talent is there, it's just for some unknown reason is being ignored.

 

[Robbos]

Where were the skillful teenagers 30-35 years ago.
I have watched Australian football since 1974 World cup.
I have seen only 2 truly skillful footballers. Kewell & Dukes.

 

[Robbos]

He was a DM. You don't look at a CB and ask why are they aren't breaking down an asian low block, so why are you asking a DM ?

Like Metcalfe, or Teague, or Ballard, his position required defensively aligned skills, and he wasn't just great, I rate him at Kewell, Schwarzer, Cahill and Viduka level.

A few things Jedinak achieved:

-He was named the fifth-best player in Europe, the best midfielder in Europe and the best player in the Premier League after the first three months of the 2014–15 season.

-He captained an EPL club long term.

-He had a 100% success rate from the spot.

-He single-handedly won us the Honduras playoff that got us to a world cup.

-He captained Australia to it's only piece of major senior mens silverware. Without the golden generation.

Christ, the bloke can't be everything, even Messi has weaknesses.

Besides, pointing out their positions doesn't discount them being the spine of the team for 10 odd years. Ryan was a sweeper keeper, it meant formations had to align. Mile was heavily a stopper that took pressure of the defender's and allowed players like Grant to become inverted, the DM could rotate in to the back line in defence if required.

I am not doubting his ability as a defensive midfielder.
The Real Madrid side that won 4 Champions league, couldn't have done it with Casemiro, he did all the dirty work, but he was not what I call skillful.

 

[huddo]

I am not doubting his ability as a defensive midfielder.
The Real Madrid side that won 4 Champions league, couldn't have done it with Casemiro, he did all the dirty work, but he was not what I call skillful.

Well your interpretation of skill is then extremely narrow. There is more to skill then just Technical ability over the ball.

Schwarzer was not Technically gifted over the ball, but he is arguably Australia's greatest footballer.

 

[Robbos]

Well your interpretation of skill is then extremely narrow. There is more to skill then just Technical ability over the ball.

Schwarzer was not Technically gifted over the ball, but he is arguably Australia's greatest footballer.

In terms answering the question above about the fact that we no longer produced skillful players. Yes I do narrow it down.
We are good at producing players like Jedinak, but I do agree that he is one of the best the Socceroos ever had, likewise with Cahill, but these days, with playing out from the back & the press, if your touch is not there, you get targeted.
We do not produced players with great touch.

 

[Cunningstunt]

NAC beat Ajax this year.
Hibs beat Celtic this year.

From the start my position on Nisbet has been he offers a creativity and a versatility rarely seen from Australian players, to say it is "unwarranted outrage" ignores all those that keep excusing a lack of creativity in the national team as a lack of talent. The talent is there, it's just for some unknown reason is being ignored.

A smaller club beating or even finishing higher than a big club happens all the time. It is also true that the big clubs have access to the most talent, so playing first team for these sides is harder than playing first team at a smaller club.

I like Nisbet, would have been happy with his selection and agree with what you say about him. Also worth adding he is probably even more unfairly underrated because of his stature. But he is playing for Ross County who are fourth from bottom in Scotland in roughly the same position they finish every season. We are no more or less likely to qualify with him in or out of the squad.

 

[Barca4life]

The biggest drawback by playing in the aleague is the amount of games per season compared to the eredivisie that or the Scottish premier league where they play more games, I think the aleague is a good standard but comparing standards is difficult.