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Socceroos vs USA 2026 World Cup match thread 🇦🇺 🇺🇸

FeedTheBrox said:
People are suggesting a 6 day break shouldn’t be a problem for us. Normally I would agree, but that Turkey game would have knocked the stuffing out of us. If not physically, then definitely mentally.

Popa will 100% make changes to the starting 11 if he senses any weariness. I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if we see a change in the midfield (Irvine or Volpato), and at the back (Hetherington and Geria). Yengi too if Toure is under any fitness cloud.
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Aint no way Volpato plays as a DM/CM in a 2. Only positions he'll play in this system is as one of the Inside wingers which is his favoured position anyway. Popa could take the option of moving Metcalfe to CM (his natural position) and putting Volpato RAM.
 
Bunch_of_hacks said:
Aint no way Volpato plays as a DM/CM in a 2. Only positions he'll play in this system is as one of the Inside wingers which is his favoured position anyway. Popa could take the option of moving Metcalfe to CM (his natural position) and putting Volpato RAM.
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He could play Metcalfe & Okon DM/CM & Volpato at RAM, then bring on Irvine & O"neill to shore it up & also replace forward line with Mabil, Yengi & Leckie for experience.
 
Keeper66 said:
Mabil starting??? I’ll have some of what you’re having thanks!
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yep, Volpato all the way for starters being mentioned.
Mabil, maybe last 10mins one day :) then again he might make me look a goose for A Change haha
 
LFC said:
yep, Volpato all the way for starters being mentioned.
Mabil, maybe last 10mins one day :) then again he might make me look a goose for A Change haha
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The fun of this sport is to look like a goose, so many of us looked like a goose with Poppa, I for one asked can we sack a manager mid tournament after I saw the lineup for last Sunday. Total Goose.
 
Robbos said:
The fun of this sport is to look like a goose, so many of us looked like a goose with Poppa, I for one asked can we sack a manager mid tournament after I saw the lineup for last Sunday. Total Goose.
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hey IF he makes me look a goose 3 times + I'll never type a wrong word about him ever again.
Yes I set the bar high hehe
 
LFC said:
hey IF he makes me look a goose 3 times + I'll never type a wrong word about him ever again.
Yes I set the bar high hehe
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The way Poppa plays his football, the knives will be out when he fails. Al least with Ange we can say we lost, but geez we got entertained, with Poppa, when we lose all hell will break out.
 
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I watched New Zealand play today.

They got their two goals by coming forward in numbers and constantly shifting the ball from one point to another to create weaknesses and movement in defence. When they tried to build an attack using more static means they were shut down and often turned the ball over allowing a counter. Then as soon as they took the ball in fast and direct again the Iran defence was running round after shadows and exposed.

The US team apply an equally disruptive attacking pressure - with players running second and third option at speed.

If we go to the point of danger they will have another, then another, then another attacking option. We are going to have to be totally focused on the width of the box and track every runner and secondary option all game if we are to stifle them. We cannot afford to give them time and space round the edge of the box - especially towards the end when we have been pulling our heads in and trying to just dig in.

That is a huge ask of any team, and the US has the cohesion to make it hurt if one player gets left alone anywhere near the box.

For our part, both of our goals were largely individual efforts in terms of team movements and build up creating the general opportunities but the individuals taking it on and creating the shot. We have relied on 'simple' goals (which I acknowledge count exactly the same as beautifully complex goals) for ages now and that is fine when we take our chances, but less effective than a quality cohesive attacking system if our individuals struggle to break free or to be clinical in the moments that count.

We rarely open up the opposition and grant someone an easy finish.

Going to be a lot tougher game against the US. We could concede in the first 5 minutes if we go into the game thinking we have cracked the code for our impenetrable defence. Luckily we can think such things as supporters, knowing that Popa will not let the team think they have the ultimate defence system in place.

My fear is that the enthusiasm of blocking attacks will draw players out of the structure to close down the nearest danger and expose us elsewhere.

I have a healthy concern to temper my hopeful optimism.
 
Football purists would decry Popovic's game tactics as anti-football because of his obsession with setting up a mid and low block defence.However I would call it excellent tournament strategy whereby you play to your strengths.Arnie with a far less talented team at the last WC used defence as the bedrock of the Socceroos relative success at that tournament.Popovic has built on this but he now has some talented and fast attacking players in Toure and Irankunda.
Arnie did have Mooy who was the conduit between the defenders and our attackers-McGree,Leckie,Duke and Goodwin.Based on the performance against Turkiye Okon is filling this role though he does not have the football nous of Mooy but he will develop this with more game time.
By 2030 all of our present technically proficient players such as Nestory,Bos,Okon,Circati ,Herrington and Volpato will be at the peak of their powers and with players such as Robertson,Alagich,Quintal,Bennie,Dukuly,Badolato,Adams,Leonard,Kikianis,Taylor,Akon ,Eames ,etc we will have a cohort of players who can play a more open and fluid style.This would depend on the coach but even if Popa is still around I would hope he could see the benefits of playing a style which puts pressure on opponents rather than letting them come onto us.
 
ClockworkOrange said:
I expect if Poppa had attacked after we went goal up and conceded, many on here would have been calling for his head.
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The tactics were never a surprise and he was never going to do that - that's exactly how everyone expected him to play and he played to our strengths. The team put out was the only surprise - expect more against the USA.

Having said that he will go in with the exact same team and surprise me again!!
 
patjennings said:
Having said that he will go in with the exact same team and surprise me again!!
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The Socceroos cannot be retaining the same playing list against the United States because what worked against Turkey will not work against them especially given how dangerous their midfield of Malik Tillman and Christian Pulisic is, in addition to the fact that Folarin Balogun and Giovanni Reyna both rely on pace and agility to get inside the box and find the back of the net so we'd expect Cristian Volpato to possibly be fielded in the starting XI on Saturday so we can at least match their pace and shut them down early.
 
The following are locks I think:

GK: Beach, Burgess, Circati, Bos, Metcalfe, Irankunda.

That leaves 5.

Of the 5, Souttar, Mo and O'Neill are locks if fully fit and ready to start. I have only listed them as question marks because of pre-tournament fitness issues (O'Neill and Souttar) and Mo's injury scare against Turkiye. I'll assume they are ready.

There has been talk of Ryan potentially coming back in, but I would stick with Beach. His ability with his feet will be even more valuable against the US and their press than it was against Turkiye. I also don't think it makes sense to drop him after what was probably the best goalkeeping performance ever by an Australian at a World Cup.

I think Irvine will (and should) start against the USA.

On the other two.

Italiano got through a mountain of work and was run ragged. Almost every Turkish attack went down his side for 90 minutes. The Turks were actively targeting him and avoided attacking down Bos's side. They'd done their homework.

Italiano mostly handled it pretty well - much better than he did in the two warm up games - but he was caught badly out of position a few times and Circati bailed him out. He played reasonably well but would have been exhausted. Geria made us much more defensively solid when he came on, so might be an option if Italiano is anything but 100% fresh.

Okon Engstler set up the goal which was amazing but both he and O'Neill were pretty ineffective on the ball for long periods. They were absolutely dominated in midfield. Despite this, I thought O'Neill got better and better as the game progressed and I have more faith in him keeping his spot. The assist aside, I think he was the better of the two.

My predicted lineup.

GK: Beach
RWB: Geria
CB: Circati, Souttar, Burgess
LWB: Bos
CM: Irvine, O'Neill
AM: Metcalfe, Irankunda
ST: Toure
 
Given Metcalfe supported Italiano so well, I'd put Metcalfe at RWB and then have Devlin start and assist him. Perhaps Behich starting and Bos further up could work. Maybe start Bos at RWB and then the USA will have to be wary of that side.

I just don't have faith in Hrustic to fight.
 
JRD said:
The following are locks I think:

GK: Beach, Burgess, Circati, Bos, Metcalfe, Irankunda.

That leaves 5.

Of the 5, Souttar, Mo and O'Neill are locks if fully fit and ready to start. I have only listed them as question marks because of pre-tournament fitness issues (O'Neill and Souttar) and Mo's injury scare against Turkiye. I'll assume they are ready.

There has been talk of Ryan potentially coming back in, but I would stick with Beach. His ability with his feet will be even more valuable against the US and their press than it was against Turkiye. I also don't think it makes sense to drop him after what was probably the best goalkeeping performance ever by an Australian at a World Cup.

I think Irvine will (and should) start against the USA.

On the other two.

Italiano got through a mountain of work and was run ragged. Almost every Turkish attack went down his side for 90 minutes. The Turks were actively targeting him and avoided attacking down Bos's side. They'd done their homework.

Italiano mostly handled it pretty well - much better than he did in the two warm up games - but he was caught badly out of position a few times and Circati bailed him out. He played reasonably well but would have been exhausted. Geria made us much more defensively solid when he came on, so might be an option if Italiano is anything but 100% fresh.

Okon Engstler set up the goal which was amazing but both he and O'Neill were pretty ineffective on the ball for long periods. They were absolutely dominated in midfield. Despite this, I thought O'Neill got better and better as the game progressed and I have more faith in him keeping his spot. The assist aside, I think he was the better of the two.

My predicted lineup.

GK: Beach
RWB: Geria
CB: Circati, Souttar, Burgess
LWB: Bos
CM: Irvine, O'Neill
AM: Metcalfe, Irankunda
ST: Toure
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Good analysis
 
Quicky said:
I've got a feeling we're going to start Trewin in midfield to assist Italiano defend the right side. Feels like a Poppa sort of call.
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I think Kai Trewin will run well as a defensive midfield anchor who can assist Jacob Italiano in defending the right hand side but we need to be able to shut their midfield down early before they have a chance to progress the ball downfield also.
 
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