Welcome!

By registering with us, you'll be able to discuss, share and private message with other members of our community.

Sign Up Now!

2026 World Cup Squad

patjennings said:
Rowles and Geria are in simply because they will start as wing backs. Bos will start as LW and Italiano may come on if we are chasing the game.

Popovic will be safety first. Lock down everything. He won't want Turkey and USA to attack areas behind offensive wing backs.
Click to expand...
Rowles isn't fast or versatile enough against these teams as a wing back. I hope I'm wrong but we saw enough against NZ and someone else who escapes me.

Geria would be fine there but putting both these guys as wing backs stifles our attacking options.

I don't mind Bos higher up anyway and his attacking assets need to be exploited. I think we need to restructure and pack our midfield too.
 
JM47 said:
Starting to think Devlin's form is irresistible. Especially as such a defensive warrior and with doubts around Yazbek and O'Neill.

My squad as it stands:

Ryan
Izzo
Gauci

Train on: Beach

Circati
Souttar
Herrington
Burgess
Degenek
Trewin
Italiano
Bennie
Bos
Behich

Train on: Rowles, Geria, Borges-Rodrigues

Irvine
O'Neill
Devlin
Robertson
Yazbek

Train on: Okon-Engstler, Balard

Irankunda
McGree
Hrustic
Metcalfe
Boyle

Train on: Goodwin, Mabil, Velupillay

Toure
T.Yengi
Leckie

Train on: Duke

Tough to choose one of Boyle, Leckie and Duke and tough decision to leave Okon-Engslter out. If Yazbek is out, then he is the next man up.
Click to expand...
In the past Leckie has been touted as a right back and more recently as a midfielder. Given the midfield has been our weakest link for a while, and now with injuries to Yazbek, O'Neill and maybe Irvine, I'd trust Leckie in there. He's a warrior.
 
socceroosmad said:
In the past Leckie has been touted as a right back and more recently as a midfielder. Given the midfield has been our weakest link for a while, and now with injuries to Yazbek, O'Neill and maybe Irvine, I'd trust Leckie in there. He's a warrior.
Click to expand...
I trust Leckie's heart but how many lost balls or intercepted passes can we accept if it starts to go bad?

It makes perfect sense he's entered the frame but is also absolutely nuts he's being considered when we have Balard and Devlin likely missing out.
 
Ok first xi, 2nd xi to provide an understudy for each role, 1 extra keeper and 3 players chosen for tactical reasons


FIrst xi


----------------------------ryan----------------------------
-------------circati----souttar--herrington------
-italiano---------irvine---okon--------------bos-
---------irankunda----toure-----mcgree-------

---------------------------izzo‐---------------------------
----------geria--------matthews---burgess----
-bennie--------leckie---oniell----------behich-
----------metcalf-----t yengi--------goodwin-


3rd keeper: gauci, beachs form has dropped off

Tactical subs to shut down a game if u have a lead: duke and devlin

Tactical sub to open a game and chase it if behind: robbo
 
JS96 said:
I trust Leckie's heart but how many lost balls or intercepted passes can we accept if it starts to go bad?

It makes perfect sense he's entered the frame but is also absolutely nuts he's being considered when we have Balard and Devlin likely missing out.
Click to expand...
Ryan
Italiano
Circati
Souttar
Burgess
Bos
Devlin/Leckie/Balard/Irvine/Metcalfe/ Robertson/Okon-Engstler
Irankunda
Toure
McGreee
 
Leckie is a super mobile, athletic mid that has moments of brilliance but will cough up the ball if trusted in build up and doesnt win the ball much, so he is my understudy for irvine. Challenge is there isnt really an understudy for okon since scicluna isnt there

Leckie might be an option for right inside forward since he is better at recieving a long pass, particularlyin the air. He is also an option for rwb
 
grazorblade said:
Leckie is a super mobile, athletic mid that has moments of brilliance but will cough up the ball if trusted in build up and doesnt win the ball much, so he is my understudy for irvine. Challenge is there isnt really an understudy for okon since scicluna isnt there

Leckie might be an option for right inside forward since he is better at recieving a long pass, particularlyin the air. He is also an option for rwb
Click to expand...
It's all true but god are we really going to go back to Leckie as an attacking outlet too? I was over the moon for his world cup goal but for too long had he been an ineffective attacker. He's just not clinical. The old guard redeem themselves at the last but keep us in a world of bother up until that point.

An Irvine Leckie midfield would provide a lot of vision and awareness which is a big part of how our games will be won or lost. I don't want to see players trailing their man, conceding a goal and the head die shrugging moment. They should use that energy to get goal side.
 
JRD said:
Is there any recent news on O'Neill's status? He's my favourite to start next to Irvine if he's fit but it's probably risky given Irvine has his own concerns (and is a certainty to be in the starting 11).

I agree with the calls for Bennie to make the 26. He's a profile we don't have much of but need.
Click to expand...
poppa claims its just a niggle he has been carrying and is likely to be there
 
Quicky said:
It doesn't look drastically different over that time period at club level for Balard.
Click to expand...
Screenshot_20260514_200029_FotMob.jpg
Eighth best player on a relegation team doesn't point to setting the world on fire. Down from 6.9 last season.

Makes sense his form is down given their league position, but he is probably still a better player now with the second year under his belt. Hardly screaming to be selected though.
 
Quicky said:
NYCFC have refused to put a timeline on O'Neill's return. They said he has been dealing with an existing injury. He ruptured an ankle ligament in 2024 so complications from that? Apparently he is on rest/no loads atm.
Click to expand...
Aiden O'Neill had a pre-existing ankle injury before sustaining the injury in New York City's MLS game against DC United so he might possibly be doubtful for the World Cup given how close we are to the tournament getting underway.
 
rebelliousfeminist974 said:
Aiden O'Neill had a pre-existing ankle injury before sustaining the injury in New York City's MLS game against DC United so he might possibly be doubtful for the World Cup given how close we are to the tournament getting underway.
Click to expand...
Not training 2.5 weeks before the squad lodgement deadline is racing the clock.
 
JRD said:
I agree with the calls for Bennie to make the 26. He's a profile we don't have much of but need.
Click to expand...
Welcome to the forum! Daniel Bennie is definitely a shout to make the final 26-player list for the Socceroos given that he ranks highly in chance creation so could be a good option for us in midfield, but likely he may only be a differential option.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top