2026 World Cup Squad

[socceroosmad]

Why do I feel further down the line that Herrington could become our Yaya Toure? Examples escape me but rangy centre backs who've easily become 6's.

Circati and Herrington pass better than Irvine. Hey, Popa, bac 3 of Souttar Degenek and Burgess and put Circai and Herrington as a midfield block and Irvine as a 10. Irankunda, Bos and Toure as the snappy hounds and we're set!

This is not as silly as it sounds. Players don't have positions permanently tatooed on thir bums.
Another out of left field, juggle their positions solution to McGree injury could be front 3 of:

Mo Toure Tete Yengi Irankunda

That would scare the shit out of 'em

 

[socceroosmad]

I asked AI - (I know probably not the best judge) to critique the current camp squad and make 3 cuts - AI made the cuts but this is their precis

Squad 1 (Post-Cuts) becomes a very physical, wing-heavy side that will struggle to create chances through the center of the pitch if opponents clog the flanks.

I then asked the same of my 26

Squad 2 is a modern, flexible roster featuring an excellent blend of veteran leadership (Duke, Behich, Ryan) and elite creative youth (Robertson, Irankunda), making it far better equipped for a World Cup campaign.

Yeah AI has really improved since doing those FIFA coaching courses ...

 

[socceroosmad]

Wow been out of the loop a bit.

Robbie released after McGree injury? Bit of a weird one. We don't have alot to offer off the bench. Puts alot more pressure on Toure and Irankunda who are too young to carry this team.

What Toure and Irankunda have been through in their personal and professional lives so far more than compensates for their youthfulness.

 

[socceroosmad]

At the end of the day this squad probably means to large extent that we will not be playing through the middle at all. Sit back against a high line, win the ball, hoof it to Irankunda and Toure. Rinse and repeat.

You make it sound bad but if our midfield is our weak spot just bypass it altogether. It's not just us: in the EPL playing out from the back is no longer de rigeur; and the long ball is back!

 

[socceroosmad]

Metcalfe needs to be given a licence to turn it on. Enough of these feeble tap passes to pass the buck. Take the opportunities in front of you.

There must be a reason why he spends so much time on the St Pauli bench in a team struggling to avoid the drop ...

 

[DandyCasey]

This is not as silly as it sounds. Players don't have positions permanently tatooed on thir bums.
Another out of left field, juggle their positions solution to McGree injury could be front 3 of:

Mo Toure Tete Yengi Irankunda

That would scare the shit out of 'em

That would be my front three Yengi laying the ball off to and flicking headers towards Toure, Irankunda, Bos and Italiano.

 

[Mr Cleansheets]

Mo Toure Tete Yengi Irankunda

That would scare the shit out of 'em

The prospect of seeing opposition players with turd dribbling down their legs excites me.

 

[Monoethnic Social Club]

well I don't know what poppa is doing, I doubt he is just looking at wagon wheels

but I was baffled why borello was kept and duke was dropped since I saw them as similar players. One important use of data is humans are naturally biased and it provides an objective check on that - what am I missing that poppa might be seeing (assuming what he is seeing is performance and not incriminating photos)

as for quality of balls, xa per shot assist should measure that. If there is a big gap between xa as well as xa per shot assist then that shows his team mates suck at shooting

incidentally, if you pay for an account, the company that produces these wagon wheels have videos of every shot assist he has made this season, so it isn't just data but also the video context

Human bias, generated from a lifetime of experience is not a thing to be dismissed in favour of snapshots of moments of data interpreted incorrectly... I gather you are fan of AI?

There's lots of ways to skin a cat... thing is sometimes its just easier to boil her whole

 

[JS96]

Human bias, generated from a lifetime of experience is not a thing to be dismissed in favour of snapshots of moments of data interpreted incorrectly... I gather you are fan of AI?

There's lots of ways to skin a cat... thing is sometimes its just easier to boil her whole

Meat wouldn't be very spiced though, would it?

 

[JS96]

There must be a reason why he spends so much time on the St Pauli bench in a team struggling to avoid the drop ...

He was injured and the manager had favoured him the season before but started losing his head and feared changing what he had started with as not to lose face. St Pauli's biggest issue was no attack.

 

[JS96]

This is not as silly as it sounds. Players don't have positions permanently tatooed on thir bums.
Another out of left field, juggle their positions solution to McGree injury could be front 3 of:

Mo Toure Tete Yengi Irankunda

That would scare the shit out of 'em

The USA may also be concerned at set plays so imagine if we could stack one extra big man, or 2? Yengi and Herrington. Have Circati in midfield next to irvine.

I'm not one who thinks you need big mids as the best Hannover midfield ever average 1,72cm as a pair and came 4th in the league. However, if the USA have set play vulnerability then lets tower over them.

 

[JS96]

Nisbet has minimal minutes against Indonesia and it took all but 30 seconds for him to change the pace and movement of the game. Such an overlooked asset.

 

[JS96]

Tete is 06 Kennedy. Out of nowhere and has that height to get the ball. We must not underestimate his flick ons and he packs a good shot on the turn.

 

[grazorblade]

Human bias, generated from a lifetime of experience is not a thing to be dismissed in favour of snapshots of moments of data interpreted incorrectly... I gather you are fan of AI?

There's lots of ways to skin a cat... thing is sometimes its just easier to boil her whole

I dont think i dismiss experience.

Mixed feelings about ai. We havent figured out how to use it to be a net positive and its a bit of a crisis in the university sector where students are using it in a way thay impedes their learning

 

[DandyCasey]

The USA may also be concerned at set plays so imagine if we could stack one extra big man, or 2? Yengi and Herrington. Have Circati in midfield next to irvine.

I'm not one who thinks you need big mids as the best Hannover midfield ever average 1,72cm as a pair and came 4th in the league. However, if the USA have set play vulnerability then lets tower over them.

Irvine Trewin midfield

 

[JS96]

Irvine Trewin midfield

Do we transition to Okon, Trewin eventually? Something like a screen block.

 

[grazorblade]

Do we transition to Okon, Trewin eventually? Something like a screen block.

Okon id like to pair with someone mobile who likes to get forward since he has little final third product

Alagich or robertson?

 

[booney52]

The prospect of seeing opposition players with turd dribbling down their legs excites me.

There could be a book title for you there.

 

[DandyCasey]

Do we transition to Okon, Trewin eventually? Something like a screen block.

Rather O'Neill Trewin as a screening pair.

 

[HonestSpursFan]

There's lots of ways to skin a cat... thing is sometimes its just easier to boil her whole

Are you assuming the cat’s gender?