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Socceroos vs Turkey 2026 World Cup match thread 🇦🇺🇹🇷

Won't happen but after the friendlies I would go in with this:

GK: Mathew Ryan
LWB: Jordy Bos
RWB: Kai Trewin
CB: Alessandro Circati, Harry Souttar, Cameron Burgess
CM: Cameron Devlin, Jackson Irvine
Attacking mids: Nestory Irankunda, Cristian Volpato
ST: Mohamed Toure

Metcalfe, Herrington, O'Neill and Yengi look like they'll add something from the bench.

Devlin and Volpato look like excellent additions.

The commentators are waxing lyrical about Italiano. I thought he was really poor and will get punished against quality attackers.
 
JRD said:
Won't happen but after the friendlies I would go in with this:

GK: Mathew Ryan
LWB: Jordy Bos
RWB: Kai Trewin
CB: Alessandro Circati, Harry Souttar, Cameron Burgess
CM: Cameron Devlin, Jackson Irvine
Attacking mids: Nestory Irankunda, Cristian Volpato
ST: Mohamed Toure

Metcalfe, Herrington, O'Neill and Yengi look like they'll add something from the bench.

Devlin and Volpato look like excellent additions.

The commentators are waxing lyrical about Italiano. I thought he was really poor and will get punished against quality attackers.
Click to expand...
The feel good staff at Paramount don't criticise anyone. It's devoid of true analysis.

Italiano looked OK but was very vulnerable defensively.
 
I'm really concerned about the O'Neill-Irvine combo. I know he wasn't great in the March friendlies in the role but with a bit more football under his belt and playing really well this morning, I'd be tempted to play Metcalfe alongside O'Neill. Can at least play a killer ball. Also means you can have all of Volpato, Irankunda and Metcalfe starting.

For me Burgess/Herrington is a flip of the coin:

‐-----------------------Ryan---------------------------
-------Circati----Souttar---LucH/CamB-----
Italiano----‐-Metcalfe---Irvine----------Bos
----------Volpato-----------------Irankunda----
-------------------------Toure-----------------------
 
Herrington at fault for the goal - kept him onside. Burgess looked composed. I think Burgess starts.

Metcalfe looked good further forward than he does in the double pivot. I'd start Devline and Irvine there.

Still not sold on Italiano but Trewin really didn't impress there against a quality team (though really not his spot) - maybe Geria?
 
patjennings said:
Herrington at fault for the goal - kept him onside. Burgess looked composed. I think Burgess starts.

Metcalfe looked good further forward than he does in the double pivot. I'd start Devline and Irvine there.

Still not sold on Italiano but Trewin really didn't impress there against a quality team (though really not his spot) - maybe Geria?
Click to expand...
All very valid points. I agree that the Swiss goal was Herrington’s fault, he dropped back behind the defensive line too early.
 
For mine Burgess gets in on experience, Trewin is my first choice other midfielders, Irvine? not sold on but is difficult to drop, Irankunda did well against the Swiss receiving the ball with back to goal and it's Yengi's main attribute.

------------------Ryan
----Circati--Souttar--Burgess
Italiano--Irvine--Trewin--Bos
----Irankunda--------Yengi
-----------------Toure
 
Tony didn't have much good to say about Volpato in the press-conference. Saying he really struggled physically, which is true but it didn't show too much, I think the whole team struggled physically in the first-half. Also, alerted that Volpato more than likely to be "thrown on with 10 minutes to go" in the group games.

More than likely, Irankunda, Metcalfe, Toure front three against Turkey. I don't mind it, but if we are chasing a game, I'm hoping Volpato can give us a good 30 minute stretch instead of "10 minutes at the end".
 
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Like everyone says, this tournament just comes a bit too early for us. The Socceroos are in a transitional phase. We are probably going to struggle this tournament (not that we won't progress) but 2027 Asian Cup, we will be better and hopefully continuous improvement from there onwards.
 
Bbouy said:
Tony didn't have much good to say about Volpato in the press-conference. Saying he really struggled physically, which is true but it didn't show too much, I think the whole team struggled physically in the first-half. Also, alerted that Volpato more than likely to be "thrown on with 10 minutes to go" in the group games.

More than likely, Irankunda, Metcalfe, Toure front three against Turkey. I don't mind it, but if we are chasing a game, I'm hoping Volpato can give us a good 30 minute stretch instead of "10 minutes at the end".
Click to expand...
I didn't interpret Popovic saying that Volpato was more than likely to be "thrown on with 10 minutes to go" in the group games. When he made the 10 minutes to go comment, my understanding was that he was saying this was an option he had thought about specifically for this Swiss game to get Volpato some minutes.
 
Got to start Geria at RWB. The true tactic is he's not supposed to go high up anyway. Trewin didn't and only Italiano can. Bos is the attacker.

Start Devlin at LCM so he can cover when Bos goes forward. Geria in Irvine's side. Geria can come in and do a mature and professional job. He was excellent yesterday.
 
Alternatively I'd have Metcalfe at RWB so he can wander and then Devlin can cover that space. It's that simple that Devlin must start. No midfielder has given that much effort in the past 2 games then he has.

Watch the replay at the level of communication and coverage. I'll have to watch the first half again but the passive nature of O'Neill and Okon let Switzerland do what they wanted.
 
Bbouy said:
Tony didn't have much good to say about Volpato in the press-conference. Saying he really struggled physically, which is true but it didn't show too much, I think the whole team struggled physically in the first-half. Also, alerted that Volpato more than likely to be "thrown on with 10 minutes to go" in the group games.

More than likely, Irankunda, Metcalfe, Toure front three against Turkey. I don't mind it, but if we are chasing a game, I'm hoping Volpato can give us a good 30 minute stretch instead of "10 minutes at the end".
Click to expand...
The Volpato contribution was reminiscent of Arzani in 2018 so more time on the pitch is needed for something to happen.
 
Pretty disappointed in Italiano, O'Neill and Irvine today. Okon was a lot better 2nd half but anonymous first.

No way Irvine misses out so I'd pair him with Devlin, who was very good. Geria also impressed me - maybe start him for the first half defensive fest then bring on Italiano to get forward.

Irankunda must start and play as many minutes as possible, but also has to pull his head in. That nutcracker stunt this morning is likely to cost him a red in a proper match.
 
Socceroofan4life said:
One of the key things that I think we have for us is our x factor this time around.

Last world cup... we kinda had the same gameplan we do now. Defend, be compact. That was kinda it. We somehow managed to get a couple of goals despite no real plan to attack whatsoever and our defensive stability got us through.

This time around. Even if we are getting completely decimated in terms of possession I can always see us POTENTIALLY scoring at any time. Souttar from a set piece. Irankunda with a an amazing run or just a rocket of a shot outside the box or a free kick. Toure has potential. Volpato coming in. We got some pace in this side as well.

I feel like we have much more of an ability to come up with a play from nowhere this time around compared to 2022. Which has me feeling cautiously optimistic.
Click to expand...

Hindsight is a wonderful thing.

Hand on heart, I would have never predicted the run we had in ‘22.

I’ve always maintained that as aspirational as it is to be a team that controls the ball, we simply don’t have the talent to do it against the top level and I’m thankful that Arnie changed that direction for us in World Cups and seemingly Poppa is continuing the trend.

my only worry is that whilst I’m happy to be proven otherwise, I’m concerned that our shape and pressing triggers out of possession are not at the elite level, and we will get sliced open in the first half/chase each game.

I hope I’m proven wrong though.
 


That Venezuela goal is the reason Irankunda should start.
 
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