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Socceroos vs Mexico/Switzerland - Pre-World Cup Friendlies 2026 🇦🇺🇲🇽🇨🇭

The midfield outnumber we allow is concerning. I think grazor identified this in his article. I reckon Irvine will be an energiser bunny chasing 3 extra opponents. I expect we'll get passed around quite easily. It feels a bit like Russian Roulette with a team of Turkey's calibre where you have guys like Guler, Yildiz, Yilmaz, Calhanoglu in that space.
 
When you play with a 3-4-3/5-4-1 it puts pressure on the two No.6s to play out of pressure and if they get outnumbered in there it will cause turnovers or the least we have to go long.

I notched the goal we scored came off the back of Metcalfe who was playing as one of the two No.10s making the run in behind, maybe its a way to go through the pressure if teams press high on us and by that it should be more space for the two No.6s to get on the ball more but the risk of playing more longer passes is they have to reach someone further up the pitch which is tricky which I guess why Tete Yengi was selected as he win duels and second balls with he's height.
Naturally you play with someone up front with speed but if they can reach the long pass as well.

Ideally i would like to use to play with a 3-4-3 diamond or 3-1-6 in possession which means more players in between the lines to play through the high press, that way a single No.10 can work closer with the No.9 as well.
If we can play through the first and second line of press it will release our wingbacks more forward but also our attackers will face forward when we have the ball as enter the final third.
 
dr. bellows said:
And is Irvine technically good enough to withstand a Turkish press in the first half playing in a 2 man cm?
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I’ve been guilty of overly focusing on his slightly cumbersome 2 touch passing, compared to our other DMs.

He does a lot else very well, including getting into effective body position to 1 foot pass with both feet - which might negate intensive Squeezing from Turkey.
 
Barca4life said:
When you play with a 3-4-3/5-4-1 it puts pressure on the two No.6s to play out of pressure and if they get outnumbered in there it will cause turnovers or the least we have to go long.

I notched the goal we scored came off the back of Metcalfe who was playing as one of the two No.10s making the run in behind, maybe its a way to go through the pressure if teams press high on us and by that it should be more space for the two No.6s to get on the ball more but the risk of playing more longer passes is they have to reach someone further up the pitch which is tricky which I guess why Tete Yengi was selected as he win duels and second balls with he's height.
Naturally you play with someone up front with speed but if they can reach the long pass as well.

Ideally i would like to use to play with a 3-4-3 diamond or 3-1-6 in possession which means more players in between the lines to play through the high press, that way a single No.10 can work closer with the No.9 as well.
If we can play through the first and second line of press it will release our wingbacks more forward but also our attackers will face forward when we have the ball as enter the final third.
Click to expand...
Very good first paragraph, Barca,

for the third it would be interesting to play with a 3-4-3 diamond midfield.
 
Quicky said:
The midfield outnumber we allow is concerning. I think grazor identified this in his article. I reckon Irvine will be an energiser bunny chasing 3 extra opponents. I expect we'll get passed around quite easily. It feels a bit like Russian Roulette with a team of Turkey's calibre where you have guys like Guler, Yildiz, Yilmaz, Calhanoglu in that space.
Click to expand...
Apparently Turkey are worth $750 mill transfer value, USA about $650 mill, Paraguay circa $250 mill and Aus $127 mill.

Yet Turkey only qualified at the last minute. So it is likely they have underperformed as a collective unit for a long time.

We have probably played more qualifying matches in tough conditions.

It is likely Aus is a better team unit, than the 11 individuals who comprise the team. There is also good mental strength - with the experienced players.

Turkey may have better individuals, but are they less effective as a team unit, and, decidedly less experienced at WCs?

It would be interesting to hear the views of the Swiss coach? They like Aus, have qualified for 6 WCs in a row. Only 10-11 teams worldwide have done this.

Would Aus be more comfortable playing in Vancouver, or, anywhere else in the world outside Europe, than Turkey?

Aus have played football globally. Turkey have been consigned to Europe.
 
Decentric said:
Apparently Turkey are worth $750 mill transfer value, USA about $650 mill, Paraguay circa $250 mill and Aus $127 mill.

Yet Turkey only qualified at the last minute. So it is likely they have underperformed as a collective unit for a long time.

We have probably played more qualifying matches in tough conditions.

It is likely Aus is a better team unit, than the 11 individuals who comprise the team. There is also good mental strength - with the experienced players.

Turkey may have better individuals, but are they less effective as a team unit, and, decidedly less experienced at WCs?

It would be interesting to hear the views of the Swiss coach? They like Aus, have qualified for 6 WCs in a row. Only 10-11 teams worldwide have done this.

Would Aus be more comfortable playing in Vancouver, or, anywhere else in the world outside Europe, than Turkey?

Aus have played football globally. Turkey have been consigned to Europe.
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Turkey haven't underperformed. They finished second to Spain in their qualifying group. They had one loss (albeit a big one to Spain) in qualifying, but were otherwise undefeated. Including the do-or-die knockout games. This is a match hardened outfit with quality. If we sleep on them we're toast. We're gonna rely on our resilience and defensive robustness.
 
Quicky said:
Turkey haven't underperformed. They finished second to Spain in their qualifying group. They had one loss (albeit a big one to Spain) in qualifying, but were otherwise undefeated. Including the do-or-die knockout games. This is a match hardened outfit with quality. If we sleep on them we're toast. We're gonna rely on our resilience and defensive robustness.
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Thanks, Q.

Who else was in Turkey’s UEFA WCQ group?

Maybe they have their act together this time?

Relative to Aus they haven’t played a lot of football outside their own continent.

We’ve seen many good UEFA teams (not powerhouses) struggle outside Europe in previous WCs - Belgium, Denmark in Qatar ( ranked 10th in world at the time), England (pre Southgate), compared to their performances in Europe.
 
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Quicky said:
Turkey haven't underperformed. They finished second to Spain in their qualifying group. They had one loss (albeit a big one to Spain) in qualifying, but were otherwise undefeated. Including the do-or-die knockout games. This is a match hardened outfit with quality. If we sleep on them we're toast. We're gonna rely on our resilience and defensive robustness.
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yep and yep.
Some here do not watch much or any euro games/leagues etc....
Also the qualifying beating chest is worth only so much.
To qualify they at times have to take on Spain/Netherlands/Germany etc take that to deal with on top of their emotional challenges when under the pump/microscope from the press and supporters.
They have lacked in organisation/Discipline and far more issues than our NT ever experiences.
Their team have some top new young players in top leagues - be wary they have the goods.

D - IF I was a betting man I'd be punting each way win win.
 
LFC said:
yep and yep.
Some here do not watch much or any euro games/leagues etc....
Also the qualifying beating chest is worth only so much.
To qualify they at times have to take on Spain/Netherlands/Germany etc take that to deal with on top of their emotional challenges when under the pump/microscope from the press and supporters.
They have lacked in organisation/Discipline and far more issues than our NT ever experiences.
Their team have some top players - be wary they have the goods.
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A lot of good points in this post, LFC.

However, corporate club football and international football are different.

Last time in Qatar, Danish fans, and media, thought they would walk over Aus.
However, reading Danish media, those in the know, like FC Copenhagens’s Tech Dir, and others, were terrified of playing Aus.

Why?

- The commitment to the collective team unit attitude of Aussies playing in Den.

- The Socceroos had played 20 WCQ games across Asia, including the sudden death game against Ecuador (was it?). Den had only played 10 WCQs with their toughest opponent being Scotland - all a short distance from home. Aus perceived as a more battle- hardened team used to playing in tough cons.

- Consistent WCQ across 5 comps.

- The Socceroo team unit being greater than the individuals comprising the team.

- A holistic national system, with national underage teams upwards playing a similar way.
 
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Decentric said:
A lot of good points in this post, LFC.

However, corporate club football and international football are different.

Last time in Qatar Danish fans, and media, thought they would walk over Aus.
However, reading Danish media, those in the know, like FC Copenhagens’s Tech Dir, and others, were terrified of playing Aus.

Why?

- The commitment to the collective team unit attitude of Aussies playing in Den.

- The Socceroos had played 20 WCQ games across Asia, including the sudden death game against Ecuador (was it?). Den had only played 10 WCQs with their toughest opponent being Scotland - all a short distance from home. Aus perceived as a more battle- hardened team used to playing in tough cons.

- Consistent WCQ across 5 comps.

- The Socceroo team unit being greater than the individuals comprising the team.

- A holistic national system, with national underage teams upwards playing a similar way.
Click to expand...
yes I understand all that - all the typical old cliches come to mind as well.
Classic punch above your weight, thats long time Roo DNA - we've had to fight even way back in the '74 days, nothing new there to me.
We have hardly been an outright fav for games as long as I can recall.
IMO we have ridden our luck (some will say smart play by Arnie parking the bus such as yourself play to your strengths and granted) for years with exactly what you have mentioned.
Sure on paper so many look better than us just as that Dane game, as we know cupsets occur, its not your day yaddayadda.......

This is a next gen young Turk team, yep they may not handle the pressure ? they may not link up well ? they may implode ?
All to play for as they say - all the prep and time in the world doesn't guarantee success as well.

I'm anxious, excited, scared - we may even be surprised and come out of the blocks looking great :)
4 more days can't wait !
 
LFC said:
though I don't think Okon is ready yet - if he proves me wrong all the merrier.
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depends what you mean by ready

be our best option in that position? It's a close call

be world cup standard? Unfortunately we are still a bit away but I'm hoping our aussie grit gets us over the line and we have some reasons to party the next few weeks
 
grazorblade said:
depends what you mean by ready

be our best option in that position? It's a close call

be world cup standard? Unfortunately we are still a bit away but I'm hoping our aussie grit gets us over the line and we have some reasons to party the next few weeks
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Ah the eternal statistic optimist outlook could I say 🤔😉
We are still but away read you agree 👍
I don’t see the grit like we were of yesterday but that’s where I hope you’re right !
 
Robbos said:
Australia doesn't produce world class midfielders, our first touch not there, the best we had are Bresc (the best), Mooy & Rogic & currently no one of that standard in this current crop, Robertson is the closest, but really not close.
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Robbos - world class is too high the bar lets say great talent that had vision/ability and touch such as mentioned.
 
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