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World Cup Qualification Thread for 2026 - Socceroos/Asia

HappyGuus said:
Kasey Bos?? That's a bizarre selection. He's not much chop as a defender.
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For left back there is Behich & KBos. at LW I assume Tilio will fill the role although he is better suited to the right. I am assuming that KBos is back for either position.
 
huddo said:
My point about Matthews is, the kid got introduced with 90 minutes against Bahrain, away as a debut in a team that revolves around defence. He wasn't even in the matchday squad 6 days earlier. That's not how you blood youth.

My issue isn't with the players themselves, it's with the selection process, we are seeing players get favoured for no other reason than that they have affiliations with the coaches. How are potentially better players meant to demonstrate they are better? Training Camps, that's just ridiculous.

Teague is yet to be tested, against Japan and SA I'll make my mind up about the bloke. Vellupiley, admittedly I've been pleasantly surprised.
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When I saw Matthews listed in the 11 I was dumbfounded. Thankfully he had an excellent debut. An unlucky header for the goal but Souttar needed to shout and sidefoots it clear. We've actually had a lot of good defensive debuts which could give a false sense of security.

I agree the throwing in of players seemingly at will is risky and more so favouritism. Popovic keeps saying Balard wasn't what they were looking for. I'd like to see him try to break that down.
 
I am full of solutions today (yeah, I know, full of something anyway).

The test that should be applied to players for the Socceroos is simple.

They have to want to play for the chance to lose in Green and Gold rather than playing for the chance to win anything.

If you don't want the shirt enough you don't get the shirt.
 
RIMB said:
I am full of solutions today (yeah, I know, full of something anyway).

The test that should be applied to players for the Socceroos is simple.

They have to want to play for the chance to lose in Green and Gold rather than playing for the chance to win anything.

If you don't want the shirt enough you don't get the shirt.
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I agree. Many big nations with a great list of players have failed because they didn't want to fight for the shirt. Of course ability is a part of it but seeing some too squads collapse makes it very obvious how bad a team can be when they're not there upstairs.

Bad attitudes like Hrustic aren't welcome either.
 
Indonesia will beat China. You can just tell by the occasion. If Australia don't win they'll be bouyed on.
 
I will be glad when Popovic is gone. Popovic's teams at their best have offered dour, grinding, functional football. We are allowed to hope for more from our national team. We are allowed to hope for a coach who does not select players like Mitch Duke and the son of his assistant coach, who offers only occasional minutes in a reserve team as a CV, over a player who is a regular starter in the Dutch first division. That, actually, is not a lot to ask for.

Anyone else remember how Popovic froze Mooy out at the Wanderers?
 
I will leave my judgement of Poppa until after these two games... he came in during a very tough time and had to get results which may be why he has picked who he has. But I expect after we qualify he starts looking at these younger guys who weren't picked as options at the WC.
 
jas88 said:
I will leave my judgement of Poppa until after these two games... he came in during a very tough time and had to get results which may be why he has picked who he has. But I expect after we qualify he starts looking at these younger guys who weren't picked as options at the WC.
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Agreed - I’m no fan of him that much and some selections as many mention but these next 2 games are his finales and ours watching from the cheap seats.
 
Cunningstunt said:
Mooy was in no way frozen out at WSW.
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My recollection was that he was on the bench quite a lot - that was what I meant. My perception at the time (allowing for the uncertaintly of memory) was that he had to leave WSW to find a coach who would back him. I could be wrong.
 
melbcityguy said:
Right then lads what the starting line up?
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----------------------Ryan---------------------
-----------Geria--Circati--Burgess----
Miller-----O'Neill--Teague-------Behich
---------Boyle-----------------Arzani--------
--------------------Taggart-------------------

Only one I'm doubtful of is Arzani.

Although with all this being said, Popa regularly pulls a surprise.
 
Mooy wanted to play further forward in the role occupied by Ono at the time. He was still a regular starter, this did increase to guaranteed started at City.


----------------------Ryan---------------------
-----------Geria--Circati--Burgess----
Miller-----O'Neill--Teague-------Behich
---------Boyle-----------------McGree-----
--------------------Duke------------------------

McGree looked quite good in patches on the left and I believe he has played in this type of role for Middlesborough. What is his conditioning like? Boyle has reportedly been great for Hibs, but it felt like we looked a lot better when Velupillay came on at half time for him against Indonesia.

Most matches there has been a surprise selection or two, so who knows.

Maybe Degenek comes in for Geria. I would expect Geria to be targeted on the ball.
 
Feel like Degenek will start but maybe he's even better for Saudi away if it counts for so much.

McGree needs to start but also needs to work like never before. O'Neill will start and we'll see quickly how jet lagged he is having arrived only Monday across so many time zones.
 
Main thing here is to see how much possession we can get unlike the away game. Midfield will be packed with Endo and Sano I think. It'll be a midfield battle.
 
McGree so far has been a story of unrealised potential. Hopefully this next is the season where the injuries leave him alone. Pace, technique... he has the capacity to be one of the most complete Australian players we have seen, but he turns 27 this year. It really is now or never.
 
Frankly Speaking said:
McGree so far has been a story of unrealised potential. Hopefully this next is the season where the injuries leave him alone. Pace, technique... he has the capacity to be one of the most complete Australian players we have seen, but he turns 27 this year. It really is now or never.
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Goodwin showed up late, mcgree can too
 
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