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The Australian National Football Team General Discussion*OFFICIAL*

grazorblade said:
Metcalf is interesting

he is very creative and combines well with bos, toure and irankunda

but also combines so well defensively with his fullback/wingback

if you watch games with him, almost no chances come down the side he defends on

so I think you have to have him in a squad if you want to go through a phase in the game shoring up defense (either protecting a lead or stopping a team conceding early, the latter seems likely with poppa)
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I think we need to have Silvera, Metcalfe and Nisbet all in the squad. Between the three of them, aside from their primary positions they can cover every outfield position.
 
HonestSpursFan said:
Sega needs to get out of Pompey unless they fix their shit next season. He should be pushing for promotion.
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I'd like to believe that

but appart from end product he looks lost most games to be honest

that's pretty normal, lot less time and space

I'm hoping if pompey stay up (looking very likely) he will improve and dominate in a couple of years once he reaches a new playing weight and gets used to having less time and space
 
grazorblade said:
Metcalf is interesting

he is very creative and combines well with bos, toure and irankunda

but also combines so well defensively with his fullback/wingback

if you watch games with him, almost no chances come down the side he defends on

so I think you have to have him in a squad if you want to go through a phase in the game shoring up defense (either protecting a lead or stopping a team conceding early, the latter seems likely with poppa)
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Metcalfe does combine well. Assuming Toure and McGree are locks at LF and CF. I'd worry if you play Metcalfe in that front 3 that we don't have enough goals. I feel it needs someone who is scoring to balance it.

I would be considering Sapsford at RF as an option for that reason. He scores, assists, plays the role at club level, works hard off the ball.

Another option, which may be a bit left field, is to play McGree CM to allow another attacking option.

Metcalfe - Toure - Sapsford
McGree - Irvine

OR

McGree - Toure - Sapsford
Balard - Irvine

With Metcalfe RWB still capable of combining.

I look at that and like it, but then want more speed and start thinking of Irankunda/Nish haha.
 
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Frankly Speaking said:
The equation is now very simple for Volpato: it is impossible to imagine him playing for Italy; he opts for Australia and he gets to play in this world cup and, all being well, 2 more. The wildcard is whether his intransigence has already ruled him out for Popovic.
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Don't know about Popovic but for me if he makes himself available now I would put him in the squad for March to see how he fits in but only consider him for the WC if we get a few injuries. He would come into strong consideration for the Asian Cup and beyond.
 
A few interesting discussions. The world cup may change things but in terms of moving players on, Irvine should and will hopefully continue onto the AC and next WCQ.
Some chatgpt work:
1771881929439.png
Maybe their uptick in performance happens without him and it is just a correlation. But it is pretty big. There is no one I can think of on the immediate horizon who will challenge for his place based on their likely trajectories. Looking at at least two or three more years, injuries aside.

The Segacic, Irankunda, Volpato discussion.
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Of course they are all different types of players. Minutes down for Volpato but it is a better standard, also higher standard competition and a more defensive league, meaning the contributions are worth more.

1771883677819.png
 
Popa's showing his hand a bit with his attempt to persuade Volpato. If he's favouring inverted forwards then he's going to ask a lot of his wingbacks, assuming he wants them to make overlapping runs from deep. No problem for Bos. Problematic for Elder and Rowles, but Rowles should still be selected as a lcb in the back 3. Would be a pity for Elder to miss selection as he is our best set-piece delivery player, imo. There was a marked improvement in corners when he came on in the most recent friendlies. I can't recall who had been taking them. Back-up lwb options probably Behich and Metcalfe (who'd expect to be selected as a cm anyway). But I'd probably go for Italiano over Behich.
RWB more difficult. Silvera is sharpish but not express I'd say and questionable defensively but I wouldn't be surprised if Popa rolls the dice with him in this system. Back-up options is anyone's guess.
 
dr. bellows said:
Popa's showing his hand a bit with his attempt to persuade Volpato. If he's favouring inverted forwards then he's going to ask a lot of his wingbacks, assuming he wants them to make overlapping runs from deep. No problem for Bos. Problematic for Elder and Rowles, but Rowles should still be selected as a lcb in the back 3. Would be a pity for Elder to miss selection as he is our best set-piece delivery player, imo. There was a marked improvement in corners when he came on in the most recent friendlies. I can't recall who had been taking them. Back-up lwb options probably Behich and Metcalfe (who'd expect to be selected as a cm anyway). But I'd probably go for Italiano over Behich.
RWB more difficult. Silvera is sharpish but not express I'd say and questionable defensively but I wouldn't be surprised if Popa rolls the dice with him in this system. Back-up options is anyone's guess.
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Italiano plays on the right and I'd say is in the box seat for RWB. He is the only player not named Miller that looked comfortable there in qualifying, though Popovic didn't experiment much.

Silvera is naturally more left sided and more advanced. I worry about his form in that role when played there for the NT, it was poor albeit had Hrustic shielding him upfield, which has to have exposed his side. Still the WC is a step up from qualifiers so it isn't going to be easier.
 
Cunningstunt said:
A few interesting discussions. The world cup may change things but in terms of moving players on, Irvine should and will hopefully continue onto the AC and next WCQ.
Some chatgpt work:
View attachment 5593
Maybe their uptick in performance happens without him and it is just a correlation. But it is pretty big. There is no one I can think of on the immediate horizon who will challenge for his place based on their likely trajectories. Looking at at least two or three more years, injuries aside.

The Segacic, Irankunda, Volpato discussion.
View attachment 5594
Of course they are all different types of players. Minutes down for Volpato but it is a better standard, also higher standard competition and a more defensive league, meaning the contributions are worth more.

View attachment 5595
Click to expand...
Would love to see Sapsford added to that analysis with Sega et al.
 
Quicky said:
Italiano plays on the right and I'd say is in the box seat for RWB. He is the only player not named Miller that looked comfortable there in qualifying, though Popovic didn't experiment much.

Silvera is naturally more left sided and more advanced. I worry about his form in that role when played there for the NT, it was poor albeit had Hrustic shielding him upfield, which has to have exposed his side. Still the WC is a step up from qualifiers so it isn't going to be easier.
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If he's opting for inverted forwards then I'd expect a left- right combination but, as you say, Popa did play him at rwb last friendlies so maybe he will persist with that.
 
Quicky said:
Would love to see Sapsford added to that analysis with Sega et al.
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1771905586858.png

Added all reasonable contenders for the spots and ranked them by G/A per 90. Based on past squads I expect we are looking at McGree, Metcalfe, Irankunda, Boyle, Velupillay in that order. I would rather Sapsford and Segecic in for the latter two. Not expecting Volpato to change form on being a shit bloke.

Edit: Chatgpt was being a POS for some reason. Not sure if Feb games are included.
 
Cunningstunt said:
View attachment 5604

Added all reasonable contenders for the spots and ranked them by G/A per 90. Based on past squads I expect we are looking at McGree, Metcalfe, Irankunda, Boyle, Velupillay in that order. I would rather Sapsford and Segecic in for the latter two. Not expecting Volpato to change form on being a shit bloke.

Edit: Chatgpt was being a POS for some reason. Not sure if Feb games are included.
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To be honest Nicolas Milanović is not in the same conversation as the others (except Nishan Velupillay though as was pointed out before he seems to get picked anyway).
 
Not sure about Silvera for RWB. Whenever I seen him play there for Boro he spends most the time tucked inside as an extra midfielder. I'd be seriously looking at Bennie for that role. Very good at getting to byline, has a good cross and physicality to deal with the position. It's whether he can defend against a top class winger.
 
5 seconds for a throw isn't very long but I agree they need to speed up. The sub idea is good.
 
NicCarBel said:
Mistaken identity was already a VAR permissible check though, so I don't know why they are saying it again?
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i guess its for yellow too?

Call me crazy but I miss the injustice or the luck of bad decisions in big games

Our history looks different thoguh. We qualify for 1998 but miss out on 2006
 
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