Socceroos vs Paraguay 2026 World Cup match thread 🇦🇺🇵🇾

[grazorblade]

I think Mooy was competing for the AM spot with a guy called Shinji Ono, rather than a DM spot with La Rocca. Mooy had played 21 games in 3 seasons when he arrived at WSW. In fact some may argue that Mooy’s career actually took off under Popa ….

I dont recall where he played every game that season, but against us he replaced la rocca as a double pivot in the grand final

 

[grazorblade]

Luongo + injuries

The 46 game season killed him. Reckon if he played buli 2 he ends up as a bundesliga regular

Wouldnt mind robbo jumping onto the continent with his body

 

[NicCarBel]

I will lol if in the end, the 9th placed of the 3rd places ends up on 3pts and -3 GD because means I was right on the money from the start from like 5-6 video game simulations

 

[HappyGuus]

Our path now predicted to be Belgium then Argentina

 

[JS96]

We showed good examples of counters against Turkey and there were glimpses of attack against the USA albeit poor. The tactics and selections hold us back immensely. I want to see our better ball players after the world cup linking up with Bos and McGree. We had a lot of ball against Cameroon but that was scrappy too.

 

[Socceroofan4life]

That Jedinak interview is so bizarre lol.

Like.. the press in our country really isn't that bad. It's so relaxed compared to pretty much the entire footballing world. Yet time and time again our national coaches and set ups get SO annoyed by it. Like come on you gotta handle it better.

 

[JS96]

Jedinak comes from a time where the play was equally shit and we didn't impose ourselves on the match. The reference to Bosnich was just one of so many.

He's right people can have an opinion. He'd just argue the players know it has to be better. As for kicking them while they're down, it's more about giving them a dose of reality of how much they lacked. Popovic won't ever be fronted on this.

 

[Socceroofan4life]

Also Paraguay will go for the win 10000000000%

They are a South American team and we are a nation who calls our national team the socceroos lol. Football is in there blood, they had to go against Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina to get here. Their first world cup in 16 years. They are not going to play for the draw against us lol. They will not fear us.

We can hopefully play this to our advantage though and use that kinda South American built in arrogance against them. They thought they were better than the USA before their game, part of the reason why I believe they abandoned their defence first philosphy and went for the attack, and the USA DESTROYED them. Hopefully we can do the same.

Looking at the two squads and we should not fear them either. We can definitely win with the talent we have.

 

[LFC]

Also Paraguay will go for the win 10000000000%

They are a South American team and we are a nation who calls our national team the socceroos lol. Football is in there blood, they had to go against Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina to get here. Their first world cup in 16 years. They are not going to play for the draw against us lol. They will not fear us.

We can hopefully play this to our advantage though and use that kinda South American built in arrogance against them. They thought they were better than the USA before their game, part of the reason why I believe they abandoned their defence first philosphy and went for the attack, and the USA DESTROYED them. Hopefully we can do the same.

Looking at the two squads and we should not fear them either. We can definitely win with the talent we have.

Look I have hope we do give them the game its deserved, depending our starting line up first and foremost imo.
No doubt they are going to hit us hard - play the dark arts - no matter losing one of their best Almiron.
Yep its in their blood and they are going to go down fighting to the last second.
We got to meet them full stop ! bugga a draw mentality we got to go for the win.

 

[JS96]

Also Paraguay will go for the win 10000000000%

They are a South American team and we are a nation who calls our national team the socceroos lol. Football is in there blood, they had to go against Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina to get here. Their first world cup in 16 years. They are not going to play for the draw against us lol. They will not fear us.

We can hopefully play this to our advantage though and use that kinda South American built in arrogance against them. They thought they were better than the USA before their game, part of the reason why I believe they abandoned their defence first philosphy and went for the attack, and the USA DESTROYED them. Hopefully we can do the same.

Looking at the two squads and we should not fear them either. We can definitely win with the talent we have.

If we can take anything out of the USA game it was the goals came from 2 silly lapses whereas we did keep them out centrally. Doesn't matter in the goals total but on the balance of play perhaps we weren't that shaky.

The 2nd half attack was just hoping for something to happen. I'd rather we start like that then sub the tired players off.

 

[JS96]

Depending on the circumstances Paraguay should much more fancy a point than not but they'll want to avoid Germany. Given Belgium and Argentina await both teams are trapped and that's the nature of the world cup.

Paraguay are still in a tough spot with a loss.

 

[jimshady]

That Jedinak interview is so bizarre lol.

Like.. the press in our country really isn't that bad. It's so relaxed compared to pretty much the entire footballing world. Yet time and time again our national coaches and set ups get SO annoyed by it. Like come on you gotta handle it better.

People cry out for our journalists to ask the tough questions, he gets a real easy one that everyone in the world is asking, and he cracks the shits. I thought these guys get media training?

 

[socceroosmad]

It will be really, really interesting how Paraguay approach this game.

Whilst a draw will be sufficient for them, a loss could well be catastrophic and a win would see them face a more palatable Rd of 32 opponent. Knowing a loss could well eliminate them, I think we're most likely to see a more conservative approach from them, with a desire to jag a goal on the break. This is more or less how they play, but just interesting how their approach is well dependent on the consequence of the result.

I've got a feeling that this is going to be a helter-skelter end -to-end game like NZL v EGY which is crazy given that us and them are both seen as defensive

 

[socceroosmad]

And they didn't sit back like a bunch of soft cocks either. I get tactics however in many ways people see that and wonder why Australia continues to play such a conservative playing style in World Cup after World Cup.

Kiwis really showed us up today with their skill and more importantly intent and will-to-win. First half at least

 

[Bbouy]

It's so hard to predict the starting XI against Paraguay. Genuinely can see anything happening. Tired legs, attack vs defence, yellow cards, I can see anyone in the starting XI against the US being rotated.

 

[JS96]

Sometimes 4-5 rotations see a massive jump in energy but also risks a sleepy confused display. I like the Chile 2017 example where we overhauled our 11 and were unrecognisable.

 

[grazorblade]

Sometimes 4-5 rotations see a massive jump in energy but also risks a sleepy confused display. I like the Chile 2017 example where we overhauled our 11 and were unrecognisable.

you would imagine it would affect combinations, including defensive combinations, chopping and changing this much. He must prioritize conditioning above just about anything else?

 

[Bbouy]

you would imagine it would affect combinations, including defensive combinations, chopping and changing this much. He must prioritize conditioning above just about anything else?

He definitely does because it's the style he wants to play, it's the reason why Irankunda nor Volpato start. Not that their conditioning sucks but when they are on the pitch they are relied upon heavily. Against the US, Irankunda was essentially doing sprint after sprint which is a lot harder than 90 minutes of regular endurance running. Irankunda probably has a good strong 60-70 minutes in him at this level.

 

[grazorblade]

He definitely does because it's the style he wants to play, it's the reason why Irankunda nor Volpato start. Not that their conditioning sucks but when they are on the pitch they are relied upon heavily. Against the US, Irankunda was essentially doing sprint after sprint which is a lot harder than 90 minutes of regular endurance running. Irankunda probably has a good strong 60-70 minutes in him at this level.

I just put chatgtp on its highest setting to look at every club he has been in. chatGTP is getting pretty darn impressive, putting 10 xis per club in a table and analysing them

Anyway, it said that for wsw he averaged 3.5 changes per game, Karabukspor 5.0 per game, perth: 3.2 and victory 2.8

that seems super high compared to other a league coaches?

 

[JS96]

you would imagine it would affect combinations, including defensive combinations, chopping and changing this much. He must prioritize conditioning above just about anything else?

We've already seen enough change that many can slot in. Geria and Herrington are easy fill ins. Mabil, Volpato are fine. Devlin should get a start.