Pun title pending: looking for suggestions to cover the Asian Cup etc.
Any thoughts on the win over Kuwait? I wasn’t able to watch the game but it looks like a superb result.
Pun title pending: looking for suggestions to cover the Asian Cup etc.
Any thoughts on the win over Kuwait? I wasn’t able to watch the game but it looks like a superb result.
Australian National Team Thread: Arnold Out edition?
Overall positive against Kuwait. Key points for me were:
Same problems up front. We had around a 24 percent cross completion rate, which is terrible against a team of Kuwait’s standard.
Arzani and Mabil both offered more than Leckie and Kruse. Leckie I thought was particularly poor. He’s increasingly standing out to me as a reason we’re low scoring, both as a provider and of his own accord.
Kuwait seemed like panelbeaters, but were apparently having an off night per their recent form. Their counter attack wasn’t without its merits, Danny V’s save in the 49th minute was great, and one of their free kicks nearly scraped in.
Sainsbury was dumb. Likely would have been off if it was a competitive match. Didn’t make a good case for himself as long term captain option.
Players seemed to be pretty well adapted to Arnold-ball already, which I thought was great for first game of his. I’m interested to see what he can do with a bench of competent players, how he adapts his tactics, rather than having a plan A ride-or-die starting XI.
It looked solidly hot. Kuwait with a lot of “injuries”
Leckie and Kruse both look past their best and are probably on the way out.
We saw supposed generational change under Ange, now hopefully we can see change occur continuously rather than in massive jumps.
This match gave an indication that it is on the way.
I don’t think a game v Kuwait provided anything other than a training run.
And I certainly won’t be drawing any conclusions about players from it.
It’s not always your best talent that shines against weak opposition.
Difference is that in qualifying we were struggling against the weaker teams. Good to come out with a decent result for once
Goodwin tipped for a call up. Would be warranted. No mention of the mullet just yet.
Good for SFC if Goodwin gets his call up. If anything’s guaranteed to put the brakes on a hot streak of goalscoring, it is a call-up to the green and gold.
Would hate to lose Grant for the Asian Cup, but the kid so deserves it, I’d be totally made up for him.
Grant should be a cert.
Hope not. Mainly because club >>>> country, but he’s really only had a couple of good games in a row, before that he was (naturally) struggling.
Strikes me as one of those situations where he’d be better served continuing the road back with SFC, however the current dearth of RB options might force Arnie’s hand.
Main thing going for us with Arnie is the fact that he manages injury returns very well, going back to his time with us. Hopefully he gives Grant time to recover and string more performances together. No point in calling someone up to the national team if they’re still getting into the swing of it.
Goodwin, Grant, Deng and Petratos train on players in a 27 man squad. Goodwin gets Socceroos call-up, but only as a train-on player
Can’t argue with Arnie’s trust in this league.
Are there any particular players people would like to see in the friendlies against South Korea and Lebanon?
Mabil is probably our form player, he has to start. (Scored a double this morning now)
Degenek as one of the CBs.
Amazingly push up Milligan as our deep midfielder in a 3, but dont think that’s gonna happen. Fitting Mooy and Rogic together is tough.
I never really rated Degenek but most of those games he was at RB. CB you cant argue hes put in the performances to really be pushing for a start or at least good minutes.
And yeah definitely Mabil. Would anyone know if hes been playing on the left or right or if hes been drifting?
Boyle would be the other one that would be interesting to see how he goes
Goodwin instead of Kruse please, although that probly wont happen till Lebenon. Keen to see Grant get a run of course and Boyle is an interesting one. Also interested to see how Arnie uses Rogic given his history with the lad.
I thought Grant was only training with the squad?
Grant and Goodwin with the train on squad for the Korea game but Arnie said they might get some time against Lebanon depending on how they train.
South Korea,bring them on!
Saturdays game will be a great test of where the Socceroos are after the WC.
Grant to replace Risdon,YES…another one over our Westy bros(?)!..ha ha
I’m looking forward to how GA goes against good opposition,whether he can adjust his system if things dont go to plan.
Great poaching coup to bring in the Scot with a Sydnee born father!
He sounds like he has really embraced the opportunity and the country as well which isn’t a guarantee with these situations: