Socceroos World Cup Qualifiers Socceroos V China/Japan

[GOALden Hawk]

Saudis only getting a draw against Bahrain at home is fantastic as well.

China beat Indonesia too.

 

[AJ_2000]

 

[Cromulant]

Not sure how we did it, but we did.

Great result.

 

[Zidane98]

View attachment 2143411

Get two wins in Nov and we will be looking pretty. Other results will take care of themselves.

 

[Zidane98]

Superb defensive performance. Kept Japan to wide areas mostly. They sent in quite a few crosses from Mitoma & co but that's exactly what we wanted and they were all mopped up with relative ease.

Luongo would be a boost against them at home. Bos(s) another really good game, surely not far off a step up to the likes of Bundesliga, Serue A etc.

We gotta lock Robbo down with FIFA and we're set in mid.

If we qualify I like the look of a Bos/Circati/Souttar/Miller back 4 with Gauci commanding them.

We just need a prolific striker.

 

[Cromulant]

Superb defensive performance. Kept Japan to wide areas mostly. They sent in quite a few crosses from Mitoma & co but that's exactly what we wanted and they were all mopped up with relative ease.

Luongo would be a boost against them at home. Bos(s) another really good game, surely not far off a step up to the likes of Bundesliga, Serue A etc.

We gotta lock Robbo down with FIFA and we're set in mid.

If we qualify I like the look of a Bos/Circati/Souttar/Miller back 4 with Gauci commanding them.

We just need a prolific striker.

Easier said than done, weve never really had a real prolific striker.

 

[burge13]

Superb defensive performance. Kept Japan to wide areas mostly. They sent in quite a few crosses from Mitoma & co but that's exactly what we wanted and they were all mopped up with relative ease.

Luongo would be a boost against them at home. Bos(s) another really good game, surely not far off a step up to the likes of Bundesliga, Serue A etc.

We gotta lock Robbo down with FIFA and we're set in mid.

If we qualify I like the look of a Bos/Circati/Souttar/Miller back 4 with Gauci commanding them.

We just need a prolific striker.

Our final 3rd has been the issue for 15 years, we just dont produce class goal scorers...

We've pretty much always had good defenders, work horse midfielders, the odd quick winger, always good GK. But for some reason never any class up front, no idea how you that multi generational issue though

Would have liked Kuol to go on with it. He was direct, rapid, and could score, Doesn't look like the european move has helped development there which is another issue. Young players going overseas to ride the bench!

 

[Zidane98]

Our final 3rd has been the issue for 15 years, we just dont produce class goal scorers...

We've pretty much always had good defenders, work horse midfielders, the odd quick winger, always good GK. But for some reason never any class up front, no idea how you that multi generational issue though

Would have liked Kuol to go on with it. He was direct, rapid, and could score, Doesn't look like the european move has helped development there which is another issue. Young players going overseas to ride the bench!

It is a conundrum looking forward to 2026.


I can see us lining up like this in 2 years time:


--------------Gauci-----------------

Miller-------Circati-----Souttar-------Bos

--Robertson------O'neill------Metcalfe

----McGree--------Yengi---------Irankunda

Squad options of

Glover

King
Rowes
Burgess
Deng
Atkinson
Baccus
Yazbek
Hrujstic
Devlin
Goodwin
Silvera
Stama
Kuol




Irvine, Lungo & Goodwin while key starters now are going to be 33-35 for 2026. I doubt Luongo will still be going at 34. Irvine & Goodwin possibly as squad members.


Obviously a question mark over whether we can convince or force the issue with Volpato. If we could lock him down he would take McGree's place in the lineup. I have confidence in another 2 years time Irankunda will be starting regularly at a high level.

CF options at this stage seem to be Kuol, Yengi & Stamatelopolous. Out of those 3 Yengi seems the one with the greatest potential. Can you think of any other candidates?

Cumdog could have been an option (30 when WC 2026 comes along) but he ruined his international career by joining the Indian league. Guys like Duke, Maclaren, Taggart, Boyle etc are all going to be 33-35 and too old to be our starting CF. I would expect perhaps Boyle and one of these make the squad as backups. Probably def not Dukey as he'll be hitting 35 in 2 years time.

 

[Cromulant]

Volpato won't play for us

 

[Zidane98]

Volpato won't play for us

At this stage, no.


We do have the right to call him up though and if he refuses we can have him suspended from club football for 2 weeks. Obviously we are not going to go down that path yet as it is unlikely he'll play for Italy but it is an option.

 

[Cromulant]

At this stage, no.


We do have the right to call him up though and if he refuses we can have him suspended from club football for 2 weeks. Obviously we are not going to go down that path yet as it is unlikely he'll play for Italy but it is an option.

You do have to wonder whether a chance to go to the WC is a better bet than the large likelihood of never playing for Italy but wanting to.

It's not like he hates the country, he just has higher ambition

 

[Bleedblueandgold]

A vital point, now beating SA in the next game is crucial.
Lucky that they drew as well.

 

[Zidane98]

You do have to wonder whether a chance to go to the WC is a better bet than the large likelihood of never playing for Italy but wanting to.

It's not like he hates the country, he just has higher ambition

A lot of it seems agent driven.

World Cup 2026 dangling in front of him will be a carat difficult to resist.

 

[burge13]

It is a conundrum looking forward to 2026.


I can see us lining up like this in 2 years time:


--------------Gauci-----------------

Miller-------Circati-----Souttar-------Bos

--Robertson------O'neill------Metcalfe

----McGree--------Yengi---------Irankunda

Squad options of

Glover

King
Rowes
Burgess
Deng
Atkinson
Baccus
Yazbek
Hrujstic
Devlin
Goodwin
Silvera
Stama
Kuol




Irvine, Lungo & Goodwin while key starters now are going to be 33-35 for 2026. I doubt Luongo will still be going at 34. Irvine & Goodwin possibly as squad members.


Obviously a question mark over whether we can convince or force the issue with Volpato. If we could lock him down he would take McGree's place in the lineup. I have confidence in another 2 years time Irankunda will be starting regularly at a high level.

CF options at this stage seem to be Kuol, Yengi & Stamatelopolous. Out of those 3 Yengi seems the one with the greatest potential. Can you think of any other candidates?

Cumdog could have been an option (30 when WC 2026 comes along) but he ruined his international career by joining the Indian league. Guys like Duke, Maclaren, Taggart, Boyle etc are all going to be 33-35 and too old to be our starting CF. I would expect perhaps Boyle and one of these make the squad as backups. Probably def not Dukey as he'll be hitting 35 in 2 years time.

I think from what we know you've nailed it but there's always bolters. Someone will score goals or look the goods for a callup between now and then

Duke should be out of the squad now. Need to look ahead and he offers very little anyway

 

[Zidane98]

I think from what we know you've nailed it but there's always bolters. Someone will score goals or look the goods for a callup between now and then

Duke should be out of the squad now. Need to look ahead and he offers very little anyway

Definitely. Been a great servant of the Socceroos but the reality is he won't be playing at USA 2026 at the age of 35 so I really don't see why he gets a gig these days.

Obviously Yengi was N/A this window due to injury but surely one of Boyle, Stama, Iredale or even Borrello when he is fit & firing would be the go to CF's in Yungi's absence.

 

[Bleedblueandgold]

You do have to wonder whether a chance to go to the WC is a better bet than the large likelihood of never playing for Italy but wanting to.

It's not like he hates the country, he just has higher ambition

He turned down the chance to go to one WC already.
We were gonna pick him for the last WC with Italy not qualifying.
He also (seemingly) mocked us not qualifying directly for the same WC on Instagram.

Cristian Volpato explains why he rejected Socceroos World Cup call, Arnold leaves door open for Australia debut | Sporting News Australia

Australian-born AS Roma talent Cristian Volpato has explained why he rejected a call-up to the Socceroos team for World Cup 2022 in Qatar.

www.sportingnews.com

 

[Cromulant]

He turned down the chance to go to one WC already.
We were gonna pick him for the last WC with Italy not qualifying.
He also (seemingly) mocked us not qualifying directly for the same WC on Instagram.

Cristian Volpato explains why he rejected Socceroos World Cup call, Arnold leaves door open for Australia debut | Sporting News Australia

Australian-born AS Roma talent Cristian Volpato has explained why he rejected a call-up to the Socceroos team for World Cup 2022 in Qatar.

www.sportingnews.com

And yet he jumped on board once we got there.

Time is running out for him, back then Italy were sniffing around.... now not so much

 

[Zidane98]

He turned down the chance to go to one WC already.
We were gonna pick him for the last WC with Italy not qualifying.
He also (seemingly) mocked us not qualifying directly for the same WC on Instagram.

Cristian Volpato explains why he rejected Socceroos World Cup call, Arnold leaves door open for Australia debut | Sporting News Australia

Australian-born AS Roma talent Cristian Volpato has explained why he rejected a call-up to the Socceroos team for World Cup 2022 in Qatar.

www.sportingnews.com

We didn't pick him as he wasn't going to be playing much of a role apart from off the bench. If he was picked he would have to play.

 

[Zidane98]

Gauci looks a real quality keeper. If Martinez is hanging around long term at Villa he definitely needs to move on to somewhere where is #1. Too good to be a backup.

 

[Bleedblueandgold]

We didn't pick him as he wasn't going to be playing much of a role apart from off the bench. If he was picked he would have to play.

Where do you get that info from? He was the one that rejected us. The quotes from him and Arnold clearly reflect that.

he declined our opportunity to come to play for Australia at the World Cup," Arnold said on Fox Sports News.

 

[Zidane98]

Where do you get that info from? Afaik he was the one that rejected us. The quotes from him and Arnold clearly reflect that.

Arnold decided to not select him.


Not sure if you understand how international selection works. Any eligible player is obliged to play when called up by their national team. Refusal means suspension from club football in every instance if the association officially selects a player.

Some players have gentleman's agreements eg retirements but ultimately the NT association retains all the power.

Arnold & FA decided to not select him in the end. He was never named in an official squad you will find for Qatar 22.

 

[Bleedblueandgold]

That's because he didn't want to play for us as he still had a preference to play for Italy and didn't want that door to be closed.
If Arnold selected him anyway knowing he would refuse to play resulting him being suspended from his club, then he would've burnt all bridges lol.

 

[Zidane98]

That's because he didn't want to play for us as he still had a preference to play for Italy and didn't want that door to be closed.
If Arnold selected him anyway knowing he would refuse to play resulting him being suspended from his club, then he would've burnt all bridges lol.

You're not getting it. Players cannot refuse an international call up if they are eligible to play for their NT. This is enshrined in FIFA rules as if that wasn't the case clubs would definitely withhold players from international to protect their players from risk of injury.


Arnold wanted to select Volpato (probably for experience) but decided not to after discussing it with Volpato. It is for this reason that Volpato was never selected or named in an official Qatar 2022 squad.

If Arnold had of named him in the squad for Qatar 2022 he would have been obliged to play. FA & Arnold made the decision that it wasn't worth forcing the issue at the time.


Italy also could have forced the issue but seemingly have no interest.

 

[Bleedblueandgold]

You're not getting it. Players cannot refuse an international call up if they are eligible to play for their NT. This is enshrined in FIFA rules as if that wasn't the case clubs would definitely withhold players from international to protect their players from risk of injury.


Arnold wanted to select Volpato (probably for experience) but decided not to after discussing it with Volpato. It is for this reason that Volpato was never selected or named in an official Qatar 2022 squad.

If Arnold had of named him in the squad for Qatar 2022 he would have been obliged to play. FA & Arnold made the decision that it wasn't worth forcing the issue at the time.


Italy also could have forced the issue but seemingly have no interest.

I am getting it lol, Arnold was not gonna select him when he didn't want to play just to get him suspended and guarantee he will never choose to play for Australia again.
It's not about the FIFA rules, we didn't select him out of good-will in the hope he would voluntarily play for us in the future.
Enough, please...

 

[Zidane98]

Bit of an overreaction there mate. Idgaf about England and I don’t see why you’d bring up cricket in this conversation.

Did you watch the game? We were shithouse. If that’s the way we’re going about our football we’re basically conceding we’re happy to be a 30-50 ranked side. What’s the point?

What on earth lol. We played an excellent game containing them.


Did you see what the score was when Japan played China at home?

7-0 win to Japan.

Very few sides go to Japan and shut them down like we did last night.