Regardless of the current 3-1 outcome in opposition to China, the Socceroos squad appears to have clear issues on the subject of attacking gamers. It’s particularly damning that the participant with the very best targets per match ratio for Australia throughout that match was a defender, with Harry Souttar scoring 11 targets from 33 matches, or one aim in each three video games.
The primary striker was Mitchell Duke, who has scored 12 targets from 43 matches for Australia which might be a couple of extra video games than he ought to have had. It really works out to about one aim in each 3.6 matches, whereas he was solely the ninth-best striker within the A-League when he was first chosen for the 2018 World Cup squad.
He’s now in Japan, the place he’s solely scored 4 occasions in 28 matches, or one in each seven. He additionally hasn’t made a single help.
Wanting on the remaining forwards you will have Apostolos Stamatelopoulos, Craig Goodwin, Nestory Irankunda, Samuel Silvera, Daniel Arzani and Nishan Velupillay. You could possibly additionally maybe embrace Riley McGree and Ajdin Hrustic together with them, however they is likely to be higher utilized in midfield.
When you take out McGree and Hrustic then the midfield turns into a lot thinner with simply Jackson Irvine, Keanu Baccus, Aiden O’Neill, Patrick Yazbek and Luke Brattan. It’ll be a debut for each Yazbek and Brattan, whereas O’Neill has performed simply 15 occasions for the nationwide squad. There’s an actual lack of expertise right here with out McGree and Hrustic.
Right here’s a listing of gamers within the present squad together with their targets per match data:
Forwards
Duke (12/43)
Goodwin (7/28)
Irankunda (1/5)
Arzani (1/7)
Silvera (0/7)
Velupillay (1/1)
Stamatelopoulos (0/0)
Forwards (A-League)
Stamatelopoulos (Jets = 17/25)
Irankunda (Adelaide United = 8/25 + 6 assists)
Silvera (Mariners = 8/29 + 5 assists)
Arzani (Victory = 4/31 + 6 assists)
Velupillay (Victory = 8/77 + 5 assists)
Midfield
Irvine (11/73) [1 goal per 6.6 matches]
Hrustic (4/27 since 2022) [1 goal per 6.75 matches]
Baccus (1/20)
McGree (1/26)
O’Neill (0/15)
Yazbek (0/1)
Brattan (0/1)
As you’ll be able to see, there isn’t a lot to work with and the shortage of expertise and depth is evident. In reality, this squad choice is so unhealthy that it warrants asking whether or not Tony Popovic needs to be eliminated based mostly on that alone.
However we’re caught with him for now, so how is likely to be one of the best ways a arrange the squad?
To start with, it is likely to be greatest to make use of a 5-2-3 formation because the Belgians used efficiently of their 3-2 win over Japan on the 2022 World Cup. It’s a bit uncommon, however let’s go together with it.
Beginning with the striker, Duke could also be out with harm and fairly frankly he’s not that nice anyway, so it appears prefer it’s time for Stamatelopoulos to make his debut in a match in opposition to the strongest crew in Asia in an necessary fixture for our qualifying marketing campaign.
Taking a look at his highlights, he scores a whole lot of his targets along with his head which I assume makes him the following Tim Cahill. Though like Cahill, his model as a striker dictates a special model of play, which is probably not one of the best ways ahead long run.
On the left it’s a really clear selection with Goodwin, leaving solely the appropriate in query. Irankunda struggled within the match in opposition to China, maybe creating a chance for another person to begin in his place.
It’s principally a statistical toss-up between Silvera and Irankunda, which means that Silvera might be the go to choice if you wish to exchange Irankunda as a starter. Then you possibly can nonetheless convey on Irankunda in the direction of the top in opposition to tiring legs.
At this level it must also be famous that regardless of his aim in opposition to China, that Velupillay has each the bottom targets per match ratio in addition to the bottom assists per match ratio of the ahead choices. His lone aim in opposition to China was a statistical fluke, as was Lewis Miller’s.
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In midfield, I’d go together with McGree and Hrustic who would possibly mix effectively with Jordan Bos and Miller as wingbacks. On the left this may offer you a Bos-McGree-Goodwin mixture whereas on the appropriate you’ll have a Miller-Hrustic-Silvera mixture.
That is how the attacking gamers look in a 5-2-3 formation:
Goodwin – Stamatelopoulos – Silvera
McGree – Hrustic
Possibly you prefer it, perhaps you don’t, however given the accessible choices that is what I’ve provide you with. Goodwin, McGree and Hrustic are the skilled gamers, whereas Stamatelopoulos will probably be on debut and Silvera will get simply his eighth look.
Maybe it’s simply ok to probably get by, however the total squad has such low expertise and such poor depth that it doesn’t go away you a lot to work with. Specifically, the poor targets per match ratios of those gamers go away lots to be desired, and nobody needs to be stunned after they appear to lack lower by.
However that’s right down to the gamers that Popovic himself chosen. It could be time to discover a new coach.