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

B

Bbouy

Squad Player
Joined
Oct 24, 2024
Replies
413
TWO WEEKS before the Socceroos are on the doorstep of the World Cup. These two friendlies are the final chance to iron out the kinks.

  • Mexico: A hostile, high-intensity preview of what to expect in North America and playing these types of teams.
  • Switzerland: The ultimate litmus test for our defensive structure.
Test players, experiment with positions, try strategies and most importantly avoid injuries.

🇦🇺 v 🇲🇽 - 31st May - Pasadena, California

🇦🇺 v 🇨🇭 - 7th June - San Diego, California

Let’s go! 🇦🇺⚽
 
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We'll be about hitting peak fitness then. Got the camp before and these two games. 2022 was awkward without friendlies but a decent enough training before.

2010 was decent but we looked so bad the first game. 2014 was a long flight over and then that boring Croatia friendly.
 
These are two top practice games. We shouldn't be looking at implementing entirely new stuff here but it'll help us understand some weaknesses better. We've not had this much of an intensive build up since 2010 in my opinion.

2010 NZ, Denmark, USA.
2014 RSA U21 and Croatia
2018 Czech Republic and Hungary
2022 Chicken or Beef on board Qatar Airways flight 74
 
JS96 said:
These are two top practice games. We shouldn't be looking at implementing entirely new stuff here but it'll help us understand some weaknesses better. We've not had this much of an intensive build up since 2010 in my opinion.

2010 NZ, Denmark, USA.
2014 RSA U21 and Croatia
2018 Czech Republic and Hungary
2022 Chicken or Beef on board Qatar Airways flight 74
Click to expand...
How do you feel about managing rest with our starters vs getting them up to speed and building chemistry?

I personally think we should maintain a safe boundary of over-playing and over-training them especially with these two games. They can play (especially against Switzerland), but against a tough and physical Mexico, we should really focus on trying out the players who have that 1 game to possibly make the World Cup Squad the following day, no need to risk our best players.
 
Bbouy said:
How do you feel about managing rest with our starters vs getting them up to speed and building chemistry?

I personally think we should maintain a safe boundary of over-playing and over-training them especially with these two games. They can play (especially against Switzerland), but against a tough and physical Mexico, we should really focus on trying out the players who have that 1 game to possibly make the World Cup Squad the following day, no need to risk our best players.
Click to expand...
I agree. I think keep people conditioned and sharp but surely we shouldn't be trying to gone tactics at this stage.

I forgot Liechtenstein in 2006. We played a mixed side there. We went hard against the Netherlands.

31.5 is the Mexico game and the squad deadline. 1.6 is the final day to announce the squad.
 
My 11 for Mexico

Ryan/Izzo
Italiano
Souttar
Herrington
Burgess
Bos
Devlin
Irvine
Velupillay
Metcalfe
Toure

Could do a mix of many and I really don't feel like risking. Circati will be off the jet lag but then but maybe a game without him and we can get the final touches against Switzerland.
 
JS96 said:
My 11 for Mexico

Ryan/Izzo
Italiano
Souttar
Herrington
Burgess
Bos
Devlin
Irvine
Velupillay
Metcalfe
Toure

Could do a mix of many and I really don't feel like risking. Circati will be off the jet lag but then but maybe a game without him and we can get the final touches against Switzerland.
Click to expand...
I was thinking who I'd be most devastated if they got injured and it was Toure, Bos, Ryan, Circati as the big four. I'd be so nervous with 3 of those guys in that XI.
 
JS96 said:
My 11 for Mexico

Ryan/Izzo
Italiano
Souttar
Herrington
Burgess
Bos
Devlin
Irvine
Velupillay
Metcalfe
Toure

Could do a mix of many and I really don't feel like risking. Circati will be off the jet lag but then but maybe a game without him and we can get the final touches against Switzerland.
Click to expand...
Irankunda?
 
JS96 said:
My 11 for Mexico

Ryan/Izzo
Italiano
Souttar
Herrington
Burgess
Bos
Devlin
Irvine
Velupillay
Metcalfe
Toure

Could do a mix of many and I really don't feel like risking. Circati will be off the jet lag but then but maybe a game without him and we can get the final touches against Switzerland.
Click to expand...
If Tete Yengi's in the squad then I would love for him to get some minutes. I think you have to start all the fringe players, no point risking a player like Bos for no reason whatsoever.


Ryan
Bennie
Souttar
Herrington
Burgess
Behich
Irvine
Devlin
Metcalfe
Robertson
Yengi

It won't happen but would be nice to try Robertson up higher. My team is extremely random but just need to test players out. Against Switzerland, I'm definitely putting more starters in and starters coming off the bench too.
 
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