Socceroos/A-League/FFA Cup/Asian Champions League

[CrazyMatt]

Graham Arnold has announced the Socceroos squad for the Asian Cup, please note the AFC have allowed nations to name 26 man squads as opposed to 23 man squads as done in previous tournaments.

Goalkeepers:
Matty Ryan (AZ Alkmaar, Holland) (captain)
Joe Gauci (Adelaide United)
Lawrence Thomas (WS Wanderers)

Defenders:
Harry Souttar (Leicester City, England)
Kye Rowles (Hearts, Scotland)
Cameron Burgess (Ipswich Town, England)
Thomas Deng (Albirex Niigata, Japan)
Jordy Bos (K.V.C Westerlo, Belgium)
Lewis Miller (Hibernians, Scotland)
Aziz Behich (Melbourne City)
Nathanial Atkinson (Hearts, Scotland)
Gethin Jones (Bolton, England)

Midfielders:
Jackson Irvine (FC St Pauli, Germany) (likely vice captain)
Riley McGree (Middlesborough, England)
Connor Metcalf (FC St Pauli, Germany)
Aiden O’Neill (Standard de Liege, Belgium)
Keanu Baccus (St Mirren, Scotland)
Patty Yazbek (Viking FC, Norway)

Forwards:
Mitch Duke (FC Machida Zelvia, Japan)
Craig Goodwin (Al Wehda FC, Saudi Arabia)
Martin Boyle (Hibernians, Scotland)
Bruno Fornaroli (Melbourne Victory)
Marco Tilio (Celtic, Scotland)
Sam Silvera (Middlesborough, England)
Kusini Yengi (Portsmouth, England)
John Iredale (SV Wehen Wiesbaden, Germany)

Predicted starting 11 (4-3-3)

GK: Ryan (c)
RB: Miller
LB: Bos
CB: Souttar
CB: Burgess
CDM: Baccus
CM: Irvine
CM: McGree
LW: Goodwin
RW: Boyle
ST: Duke

Channel 10 and Paramount Plus will cover all the games.

Schedule:

Australia vs India
Saturday 13th January, 2:30pm local (10:30pm AEDT)
Ahmad bin Ali Stadium, Al Rayyan

Syria vs Australia
Thursday 18th January, 2:30pm local (10:30pm AEDT)
Jassim bin Hamad Stadium, Doha

Australia vs Uzbekistan
Tuesday 23rd January, 2:30pm local (10:30pm AEDT)
Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah

Group A
Qatar (Hosts and reigning champions)
China
Tajikistan
Lebanon

Group B
Australia
Uzbekistan
Syria
India

Group C
Iran
UAE
Hong Kong
Palestine

Group D
Japan
Indonesia
Iraq
Vietnam

Group E
South Korea
Malaysia
Jordan
Bahrain

Group F
Saudi Arabia
Thailand
Kyrgyzstan
Oman

There’s also unconfirmed reports the Socceroos will play a pre-tournament friendly away to Bahrain on the 6th January. But there’s a bit of conjecture whether or not that’ll go ahead.

 

[CrazyMatt]

There’s also unconfirmed reports the Socceroos will play a pre-tournament friendly away to Bahrain on the 6th January. But there’s a bit of conjecture whether or not that’ll go ahead.

Its going ahead:

 

[HaroldBishop]

Sammy Kerr has ruptured her ACL, not having a good run with injuries. Olympics also not far away.

 

[CrazyMatt]

Sammy Kerr has ruptured her ACL, not having a good run with injuries. Olympics also not far away.

Yep, she’s out of the Olympic campaign for sure. An absolute dagger blow for our medal chances.

 

[CrazyMatt]

Its going ahead:

View attachment 30063

2-0 Socceroos win.

 

[Flanno]

Yep, she’s out of the Olympic campaign for sure. An absolute dagger blow for our medal chances.

Damn she can’t catch a break at the moment. If there’s a silver lining for Matilda’s it would be that we were without her for the majority of the World Cup and the girls still went pretty well!

 

[CrazyMatt]

Not the cricket score some pundits were expecting, but the Socceroos did dominate India overall despite it finishing only 2-0. Australia always have trouble breaking down teams that completely park the bus.

 

[CrazyMatt]

So the Asian Cup has been turned upside down after Iraq shockingly beat Japan, that now takes Japan off our side of the draw in the KO stages, provided we don’t bottle it against Uzbekistan in the last game. Japan now on track to play Sth Korea in the round of 16, which will send home either one of the hot favourites early. The only way we can face the winner our of that game is if we make the final.

 

[Flanno]

So the Asian Cup has been turned upside down after Iraq shockingly beat Japan, that now takes Japan off our side of the draw in the KO stages, provided we don’t bottle it against Uzbekistan in the last game. Japan now on track to play Sth Korea in the round of 16, which will send home either one of the hot favourites early. The only way we can face the winner our of that game is if we make the final.

Sounds like we should be worried by Iraq then

 

[CrazyMatt]

Sounds like we should be worried by Iraq then

Always are, just one of those teams we’re hit and miss against.

 

[Mr Ryan]

Is this tournament getting any traction in Australia?

I’m hearing less about it than the A-League.

 

[CrazyMatt]

Is this tournament getting any traction in Australia?

I’m hearing less about it than the A-League.

Eh, the group stage of this tournament is usually unfairly given a lack of coverage in the mainstream media anyway, when we hit the knockouts things should get a bit “louder”. The watch party things are still going, albiet on a smaller scale, that should pick up a bit later in tournament. There would of been a big one in Sydney for the India game as Unite round was on in the A-League and a heap of people travelled from interstate for it and it was extremely well attended, but the equipment malfunctioned due to the heavy rain so it was moved to a bunch of nearby pubs, which was fun.

 

[HaroldBishop]

Eh, the group stage of this tournament is usually unfairly given a lack of coverage in the mainstream media anyway, when we hit the knockouts things should get a bit “louder”. The watch party things are still going, albiet on a smaller scale, that should pick up a bit later in tournament. There would of been a big one in Sydney for the India game as Unite round was on in the A-League and a heap of people travelled from interstate for it and it was extremely well attended, but the equipment malfunctioned due to the heavy rain so it was moved to a bunch of nearby pubs, which was fun.

Dunno about unfairly, really who could be expected to care about games vs India and the like.

 

[CrazyMatt]

Dunno about unfairly, really who could be expected to care about games vs India and the like.

You’d be surprised.

 

[CrazyMatt]

A 1 all draw to finish up and we finish top of the group. Definitely wasn’t pretty but first job is done. Looking likely to be taking on China, Indonesia or Palestine in the round of 16 depending on results.

 

[CrazyMatt]

A 1 all draw to finish up and we finish top of the group. Definitely wasn’t pretty but first job is done. Looking likely to be taking on China, Indonesia or Palestine in the round of 16 depending on results.

Indonesia it is. Sunday, 10:30pm our time.

 

[HaroldBishop]

Indonesia it is. Sunday, 10:30pm our time.

Not many sports where there's more interest in the womens' team at national level. That's not a knock on the Socceroos either btw.

 

[Flanno]

Not many sports where there's more interest in the womens' team at national level. That's not a knock on the Socceroos either btw.

Well, Matilda’s had the benefit of a World Cup in Australia played at very accessible times. If the men’s World Cup was on in Australia, the coverage and excitement would’ve been even higher.

I don’t think there would be many staying up late to watch Matilda’s play Indonesia either

 

[Mr Ryan]

Absolutely.

Part of what made the Matildas so amazing was the fact that it was a one off.

From here on, all Women’s World Cup matches aren’t going to be on at prime time and it’s going to take some effort to watch.

 

[bort]

Absolutely.

Part of what made the Matildas so amazing was the fact that it was a one off.

From here on, all Women’s World Cup matches aren’t going to be on at prime time and it’s going to take some effort to watch.

And they’ll be playing against the achievements of the recent world cup

Not looking like doing as well? Excitement will be down a bit