Oman friendly a chance for Arnold to cement his plans for Australia’s Asian Cup campaign

How Australia shapes up in Sunday night’s pre-Asian Cup friendly against Oman will be the best guide yet on how new coach Graham Arnold will structure his side for the tournament.

The Socceroos’ Asian Cup defence kicks off tonight in a pre-tournament friendly against Oman in Dubai.

The opponents are managed by Pim Verbeek, who was in charge of our boys from December, 2007 until resigning after the 2010 World Cup.

He oversaw a relatively successful period for the national team, which achieved an all-time high FIFA ranking of 14. Ironically, his assistant was current Socceroos coach, Graham Arnold.

It is the only practice match the Socceroos will play before their first game in the Cup against Jordan on Sunday night. Oman is ranked 82, the Socceroos 41 — but this will count for nought as both teams seek to find balance before the competition begins.

Socceroos Alex Gersbach and Mustafa Amini with coach Graham Arnold. Picture: AAP Image/Brendan Esposito

This is especially the case for the Socceroos. It has been well documented that injuries to key players Aaron Mooy and Matt Leckie have thrown a spanner in the works of our title defence.

Mooy has been ruled out, while Leckie is being treated in the UAE with the rest of the squad, and a decision will be made on his future in a few days. He won’t be playing tonight and at best he may be available for the second stage of the tournament.

Arnold will try a new(ish) midfield tonight and a forward line with players who have had very few match minutes together.

It was going to be intriguing to see just how Arnold set up in the midfield while Mooy was still in the frame.

I think he is much better suited higher up the pitch in a role with a bit less defensive responsibility, allowing him to be creative.

But Arnold has Tom Rogic pencilled in to this slot, so Mooy would have played a bit further back. Now the door is open for Mustafa Amini, who’s been flying under the radar in Denmark for the past few seasons after four years in Germany.

Amini and Massimo Luongo (QPR, England) would be a great combination as a central paring and would suit Arnold’s style of play.

Then again, team captain Mark Milligan could be released from his central defensive role back into midfield. That will come down to the form and match fitness of Trent Sainsbury, who struggled at the back in two friendlies in Australia last month.

Up front, Arnold has talked a lot about using pace and mobility to break down opposition defences. He certainly loses some speed with the likely loss of Leckie, one of the quickest players in Europe.

However, new additions to the Socceroo scene Martin Boyle (Hibernian, Scotland), ex Adelaide United Awer Mabil and Perth’s Chris Ikonomidis are no slouches. Boyle, who covers the ground well and has feet like a boxer’s hands when he has the ball, can all do the job if Leckie fails to come up.

Ikonomidis is the form player in the A-League and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him slot straight into Leckie’s role.

He plays as a second striker for Perth and is the reason they are top.

And of course, there is Robbie Kruse. Given Arnold wants a ‘high press’ from his front men as well, Kruse’s engine will be handy getting the hard work done out of possession.

The permutations are many but there can only be one favourable outcome. Arnold is a renowned tactician and the days in camp leading up to tonight’s game and the next handful will be an intense educational experience for the players, young and old alike. Arnold’s personal mantra of ‘expect to win’ will become that of the team. We are incumbent Asian champions and winning it again this time will be even tougher.