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Socceroos vs Cameroon/ Curaçao March 2026 🇦🇺🇨🇲🇨🇼

How should Australia do March?

  • European based camp

    Votes: 7 38.9%

  • North American based camp

    Votes: 6 33.3%

  • Australian based camp

    Votes: 4 22.2%

  • Middle Eastern based camp

    Votes: 1 5.6%
  • Total voters
    18
My thoughts.

Juric did better as a hard working target 9 against less physical defenders than Cameroon.. Part of the first Mabil goal, with a clever backheel assist that Mabil read. Juric has had hardly any shots on goal in the 2 games - a worry.

Hrustic- another poor game. How Popa selects him above Arzani perplexes me. I saw him make a rare block and turnover. Low workrate and determination. Played 1 superb cross for Mabil to hit the post. Maybe he will surprise me when I compile stats slowly. Despite playing regularly for Heracles, bottom of the Eredivisie for most of the season, he is only useful as a flat track bully against weaker teams with Deep Defensive Blocks.

Mabil - didn't think he was particularly good, but his goal was superb! Well anticipated from Juric's back heel and terrific strike under pressure! Two good other positions to score too.

Trewin - just isn't the fast ball carrier to carry out explosive accelerated attacks like Bos and Italiano. Struggled out wide. He and Metcalfe should have swapped positions. Trewin is a far better CB or DM.

Behich - mediocre. Already analysed.

Metcalfe - wrong position at DN. Need him in more attacking roles, as he runs with the ball well out wide.

O'Neill - normal solid game as a ball winner and distributor.

Herrington - if you are reading this, Mono, he was worse in this game, but so was Circati. Will have a closer look on the replay. Saw a mishandling error around 20 mins. The cohesion between Circati, Herrington and Trewin was mediocre.

Circati - poor game by his standards. Played a lot of straight balls on the ground to DMs closely marked, lost the key heading duel that resulted in the goal. Still did some good things, and scored a brilliant goal.

Rowles - a candidate for our best in the first 60 mins. Can't help being outpaced for the goal. Not sure if he anticipated tracking the runner quickly enough?

Ryan - good coming off his line, but the goal went underneath him.

Subs
Nishan V - proved more closing down pressure when Cur were on top from 45 mins to 60 mins, and was better than Hrustic and Mabil in general play.

Bos, McGree and Iran - what an impetus they had! They were so much better than the players they replaced. Clear WC starters and top Roo players.

Okon Jr - thought was pretty good.

Robertson - really like the look of him. Looks like a decent technician - good first touch, fast handling speed, plays well in confined spaces. Wish Popa had replaced O'N ( who he knows a lot about) with Robbo much earlier.
 
Decentric said:
My thoughts.

Juric did better as a hard working target 9 against less physical defenders than Cameroon.. Part of the first Mabil goal, with a clever backheel assist that Mabil read. Juric has had hardly any shots on goal in the 2 games - a worry.

Hrustic- another poor game. How Popa selects him above Arzani perplexes me. I saw him make a rare block and turnover. Low workrate and determination. Played 1 superb cross for Mabil to hit the post. Maybe he will surprise me when I compile stats slowly. Despite playing regularly for Heracles, bottom of the Eredivisie for most of the season, he is only useful as a flat track bully against weaker teams with Deep Defensive Blocks.

Mabil - didn't think he was particularly good, but his goal was superb! Well anticipated from Juric's back heel and terrific strike under pressure! Two good other positions to score too.

Trewin - just isn't the fast ball carrier to carry out explosive accelerated attacks like Bos and Italiano. Struggled out wide. He and Metcalfe should have swapped positions. Trewin is a far better CB or DM.

Behich - mediocre. Already analysed.

Metcalfe - wrong position at DN. Need him in more attacking roles, as he runs with the ball well out wide.

O'Neill - normal solid game as a ball winner and distributor.

Herrington - if you are reading this, Mono, he was worse in this game, but so was Circati. Will have a closer look on the replay. Saw a mishandling error around 20 mins. The cohesion between Circati, Herrington and Trewin was mediocre.

Circati - poor game by his standards. Played a lot of straight balls on the ground to DMs closely marked, lost the key heading duel that resulted in the goal. Still did some good things, and scored a brilliant goal.

Rowles - a candidate for our best in the first 60 mins. Can't help being outpaced for the goal. Not sure if he anticipated tracking the runner quickly enough?

Ryan - good coming off his line, but the goal went underneath him.

Subs
Nishan V - proved more closing down pressure when Cur were on top from 45 mins to 60 mins, and was better than Hrustic and Mabil in general play.

Bos, McGree and Iran - what an impetus they had! They were so much better than the players they replaced. Clear WC starters and top Roo players.

Okon Jr - thought was pretty good.

Robertson - really like the look of him. Looks like a decent technician - good first touch, fast handling speed, plays well in confined spaces. Wish Popa had replaced O'N ( who he knows a lot about) with Robbo much earlier.
Click to expand...
I wonder if jurics improvement was also partly due to it being his second game and coming out of his shell?
 
Cur had some good footballers. I think all of the team are Dutch dual nationals.

They played very well from 45 - 60 mins.

Does anyone know, without me looking them up, how many play Eredivisie and Eerste?

Many seemed to know Bos.
 
Decentric said:
It could be. Less physicality too from Cur defenders than Cameroon.

It just worried me Deni J had so few shots. Liked his workrate.
Click to expand...
Yeah i guess we need to figure out who our 2nd and 3rd best strikers are after juric, so im happy to be patient unless someone bursts onto the scene
 
grazorblade said:
Yeah i guess we need to figure out who our 2nd and 3rd best strikers are after juric, so im happy to be patient unless someone bursts onto the scene
Click to expand...
I think Yengi has been the next best target striker after Toure.

It is just that his club scenarios aren't working out.

I also get the impression the current Roos love the camaraderie of the national team. Yengi might be happier in the Roos than his clubs.
 
Cunningstunt said:
I suspect he may want to include Irankunda, McGree and Metcalfe in the midfield and sees Metcalfe shifting to CM alongside Irvine. He is probably happier with Italiano than the alternate CM options.

View attachment 6078
This is my best guess at the first 11 currently. I am unsure about CB5, CM9 and RW (only if Metcalfe displaces Irankunda for an alternate CM). The rest I think are locks at the moment. Maybe some of the tactics nerds could comment on how a Irvine / Metcalfe pairing might function?
Click to expand...
Close to mine, but O'N is the best DM.

Also, Herrington was worse against Cur than against Cameroon. Maybe he plays more at left CB than right?
 
Cunningstunt said:
I suspect he may want to include Irankunda, McGree and Metcalfe in the midfield and sees Metcalfe shifting to CM alongside Irvine. He is probably happier with Italiano than the alternate CM options.

View attachment 6078
This is my best guess at the first 11 currently. I am unsure about CB5, CM9 and RW (only if Metcalfe displaces Irankunda for an alternate CM). The rest I think are locks at the moment. Maybe some of the tactics nerds could comment on how a Irvine / Metcalfe pairing might function?
Click to expand...
I'm very happy with Italiano.

If he is getting bullied, Miller is great to bring on!
 
Last edited:
JS96 said:


Curaçao goal. Why is Behich so far away from pressing? It's clear that Rowles and Circati have their jobs at the back. Rowles also far off the mark and Trewin got skinned on the other wing. Trewin and Rowles aren't fast enough. Geria also unnecessarily deep keeping the man onside.
Click to expand...

Good identification of culpability, JS.

Behich poor closing down, but Circati also lost the 1v1 heading duel.
 
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