Discussion Road to Canada , Mexico & USA - 2026 FIFA World Cup

Joined
25 Jul 2012
Messages
47,726
Likes
107,804
AFL Club
Collingwood
#42
No goals scored and 5 points dropped... not exactly an ideal start!
Slip up against China next , we may as well pack it in.

Need a convincing win because it's then Japan away 😱

Certainly needed maximum points from the Bahrain , China and Indonesia games.
 
Last edited:
Joined
14 Dec 2022
Messages
1,664
Likes
5,409
AFL Club
Carlton
#43
Slip up against China next , we may as well pack it in.

Need a convincing win because it's the Japan away 😱

Certainly needed maximum points from the Bahrain , China and Indonesia games.
The fact Saudi Arabia seem to be struggling just as much as us will help if we get our act together (presuming they don't).
 
Joined
25 Jul 2012
Messages
47,726
Likes
107,804
AFL Club
Collingwood
#44
The fact Saudi Arabia seem to be struggling just as much as us will help if we get our act together (presuming they don't).
They gave China the lead then got a player sent off , winner in the 90th minute so definitely not firing on full cylinders yet either.

Might see Australia and Saudi Arabia finish 3rd & 4th , now that would make things interesting.

Wasn't on FTA last night so not sure how many of their Dutch players Indonesia had but they are improving rapidly.

Bahrain have always been around the mark.
 
Last edited:
Joined
15 Mar 2019
Messages
15,010
Likes
57,839
AFL Club
Hawthorn
#45
Slip up against China next , we may as well pack it in.

Need a convincing win because it's the Japan away 😱

Certainly needed maximum points from the Bahrain , China and Indonesia games.
This is a pretty good summary. China game is crucial now, even a draw there is going to make things tough for a top 2 spot. Japan look to have locked in one of those spots, we need to focus on keeping up with Saudi Arabia and maybe Bahrain who are the main threats for second over the next few matches, and we are still some chance. Hopefully Japan can beat Saudi Arabia in SA next month to help out a bit.
 
Joined
25 Jul 2012
Messages
47,726
Likes
107,804
AFL Club
Collingwood
#46
This is a pretty good summary. China game is crucial now, even a draw there is going to make things tough for a top 2 spot. Japan look to have locked in one of those spots, we need to focus on keeping up with Saudi Arabia and maybe Bahrain who are the main threats for second over the next few matches, and we are still some chance. Hopefully Japan can beat Saudi Arabia in SA next month to help out a bit.
I think before the campaign started we would have wanted maximum points from Bahrain , China and Indonesia Home & Away.

Beat Saudi at home and try for a point away , hope for at least a point at home against Japan and a miracle away should get us 2nd.

Dropping points obviously makes things more difficult

Top 2 from the 3 groups automatically qualify then 3rd & 4th go to Stage 4 ( 2 groups of 3 , winners advance , runner-ups play off , winner advance and loser goes to the Confederation play o***).

After 2 games , we might be struggling to get 3rd or 4th , fingers crossed we improve
 
Joined
20 Dec 2016
Messages
10,758
Likes
52,281
AFL Club
Carlton
#47
Wasn't on FTA last night so not sure how many of their Dutch players Indonesia had but they are improving rapidly.
I don't know about Dutch specifically but I think they said on the call there was only one homegrown player in the starting XI. Not that we can complain with the likes of Souttar, Boyle and Circati...
 
Joined
25 Jul 2012
Messages
47,726
Likes
107,804
AFL Club
Collingwood
#49
Match Day 3

Australia v China
Bahrain v Indonesia
Saudi Arabia v Japan
 
Joined
25 Jul 2012
Messages
47,726
Likes
107,804
AFL Club
Collingwood
#50
I don't know about Dutch specifically but I think they said on the call there was only one homegrown player in the starting XI. Not that we can complain with the likes of Souttar, Boyle and Circati...
Big ambitions in place so good on them chasing players with Indonesian blood links

Looks like 8 of the starting XI were born in the Netherlands and another one born in Belgium who played for Netherland U17 & 19's

Hard to fathom we defeated them 4 nil in the round of 16 in the Asian Cup earlier this year.
 
Joined
25 Jul 2012
Messages
47,726
Likes
107,804
AFL Club
Collingwood
#54
Luongo out of retirement ✓

Arzani in the Squad , has he been missing out under Arnold ?

Circati has done a ACL 😅

In Popovic we trust 😀
 
Joined
9 Dec 2015
Messages
1,725
Likes
2,332
AFL Club
Hawthorn
#55
2 squad changes after the initial announcement, with Luongo now injured

The October and November windows will show whether Australia are chasing a top 2 (direct qualification) spot or lowering expectations to a 3rd/4th place (playoff) spot, it is going to be tough given the change of coach but hopefully the team is energised in attack after the disastrous September games.
 
Joined
25 Jul 2012
Messages
47,726
Likes
107,804
AFL Club
Collingwood
#56
Other games in the group are :-

Bahrain v Indonesia - does a draw help us better ?

Saudi Arabia v Japan - need a Japan win (if we factor them finishing top)
 
Joined
20 Dec 2016
Messages
10,758
Likes
52,281
AFL Club
Carlton
#58
This is just embarrassing now.

Another hour of being unable to unpick a team that's parking the bus, coming right up...
 
Joined
14 Dec 2022
Messages
1,664
Likes
5,409
AFL Club
Carlton
#59
1-1 at half time... Lucky for the set piece goal cos we haven't looked like scoring otherwise.
 
Top