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Socceroos vs Egypt - 2026 World Cup R32 - Sat 4th of July 4am AEST

Players like Salah are great players for a reason.

Same as Mbappe and Kane.

They got their name by being consistently good - so hoping we catch someone of Salah's capability on a bad day and holding him ineffective for 90+ minutes is a bit of a nonsense.

If he plays, we have to score more than Egypt - because they will score.

If he doesn't play I expect them to score still - but not as many true attacking moments for us to defend so 2 goals should be enough for us.

As long as Popa doesn't put Velupillay and someone else up front as chasers in a negative attacking threat role like he has done so many times in the past and he actually selects a forward group with positive attacking intent then I think we can score a couple.

As a side note - I like Velupillay.

I can imagine Popa's head saying "I fucked up against the US but Egypt aren't the US so my idea should work this time".

He is still Popa after all.

Play negative football for a half and hope to win in the second half: Egypt to win.
Play positive football from the start, score then go defensive: Egypt to win.
Play positive football for 90+: We win.
 
NoMates said:
Got to laugh at everyone here that thinks we r in for a chance at beating Egypt lol. Can’t wait for the salt cum Saturday morning. Stats don’t lie and we don’t have a chance in hell to get a result. Plus the we will have a Sth American Ref that will favour all things Egypt.
Egypt 6 - 0 Socceroos.
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Much better write off thanks.
 
I feel we are 2 or 3 players short on where we need to be for this game, Leckie and the Velupillay selections were baffling with the former getting injured against the US, and Italiano the only genuine right wing back as well.

Hoepfully Popa has a plan to navigate this given the threat of Egypts front line, we need to be very good to beat them.
 
Maybe he kept Leckie for a RWB option because we had no stock in that position and he was a better alternative.
Serious though, we lack in many positions at this Level. It goes from the best at that position to literally no one else is even near that level
 
NoMates said:
Got to laugh at everyone here that thinks we r in for a chance at beating Egypt lol. Can’t wait for the salt cum Saturday morning. Stats don’t lie and we don’t have a chance in hell to get a result. Plus the we will have a Sth American Ref that will favour all things Egypt.
Egypt 6 - 0 Socceroos.
Click to expand...
Noted.
 
I have an uncomfortable feeling that this game is where Popas dire tactics and selections bite us on the arse.
Hope I'm wrong.
 
Frankly Speaking said:
I have an uncomfortable feeling that this game is where Popas dire tactics and selections bite us on the arse.
Hope I'm wrong.
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We made the last 32 of the World Cup. That was looking pretty shaky when he took over nearly 2 years ago. While his tactics are a bit dour (not dire) I think his selections have proven to be pretty sound overall.
 
Alex M said:
We made the last 32 of the World Cup. That was looking pretty shaky when he took over nearly 2 years ago. While his tactics are a bit dour (not dire) I think his selections have proven to be pretty sound overall.
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I'm hearing similar to you off forum.
 
highkick05 said:
Maybe he kept Leckie for a RWB option because we had no stock in that position and he was a better alternative.
Serious though, we lack in many positions at this Level. It goes from the best at that position to literally no one else is even near that level
Click to expand...
I'll have to credit Grazor some time ago with suggesting Metcalfe has the skill set for WB. Excellent suggestion!

Someone else mooted Villupillay. Also, has the skills and engine. Another sage suggestion.

I'm perplexed Popa hasn't used either at WB?

I'm a Popa supporter too. I think he has done a good job, with the cattle we have, and their relative experience.
 
Frankly Speaking said:
I have an uncomfortable feeling that this game is where Popas dire tactics and selections bite us on the arse.
Hope I'm wrong.
Click to expand...
Sorry to say, with due respect, but you are wrong, FS.

Popa - WCQ though Asia.

- Knock out rounds in WC with easily the lowest team aggregate transfer value for the Roos in the group.
 
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Decentric said:
I'm hearing similar to you off forum.
Click to expand...
We can always argue about fringe selections but I don't think anyone who missed the squad was anything other than a fringe selection at this point in time. Hopefully a couple improve to the point where they aren't soon. With one or two expected retirements and/or age catching up with a couple of others who don't retire they may be good selections for January. I wouldn't object to some of these expected retirements getting 55 minutes or so in one of the Brazil friendlies as a farewell.
 
Alex M said:
We can always argue about fringe selections but I don't think anyone who missed the squad was anything other than a fringe selection at this point in time. Hopefully a couple improve to the point where they aren't soon. With one or two expected retirements and/or age catching up with a couple of others who don't retire they may be good selections for January. I wouldn't object to some of these expected retirements getting 55 minutes or so in one of the Brazil friendlies as a farewell.
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Obviously hindsight is 20/20, but Boyle (or even Younis) over Velupillay and Leckie would have been my preference and they would have gotten minutes.

Otherwise, a backup wingback would have been very handy. The problem, of course, was that nobody's form was good enough to demand selection.
 
The Egypt coaches press conference was interesting.

He said: I don’t think we’ve met any opponent we haven’t studied meticulously in smallest details.

He also said we were a team that likes physicality, long balls, set pieces, had experience and liked possession.

I couldn't tell if he was serious but it didn't strike me as a coach who really understood how we play.
 
Alex M said:
We made the last 32 of the World Cup. That was looking pretty shaky when he took over nearly 2 years ago. While his tactics are a bit dour (not dire) I think his selections have proven to be pretty sound overall.
Click to expand...
They were sound outside Leckie/Vulipillay. He had a mare the US game.

I wish Irankunda was kept wide and Yengi used in Tourss absence.

The broader squad selection was not great imo.
 
Popovic's coaching performance has been excellent but flawed. He has gotten the absolute best out of our defensive players and their qualities. This is commendable.

Paradoxically we are sitting on the best group of attacking players we have had in 20 years. In contrast these players are being set up in a manner that it is incredibly difficult for them to perform.

The isolation, distance between midfield and attack, lack of progressive movement from central midfield, wide combinations, poor set pieces, setting up favourible conditions for forwards to impact all needs improvement.

There is a foundation there and Popovic needs to evolve our offence and fix these issues. Maintain our identity but find the balance which is lacking.

I'll give Popovic his due but he won't win me over until he successfully addresses these issues and evolves the team.
 
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