Apostolos Giannou hoping to start in Socceroos’ quarter-final clash
With playmaker Tom Rogic suspended, Socceroos boss Graham Arnold is hatching a plan to outfox the United Arab Emirates — and striker Apostolos Giannou could be part of the surprise.
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Graham Arnold always claims to have a Plan B, C or D — now the Socceroos boss is ready to shift through the tactical gears in a crunch quarter-final.
With master playmaker Tom Rogic suspended, Arnold is hatching a plan to outfox the United Arab Emirates and reach the semi-finals for a third consecutive time.
Apostolos Giannou could line up in a front two to fill the creative vacuum, and the striker contends it’s “up to the coaches to find the way” to surprise the hosts nation’s defence early on Saturday.
Experimentation will be underway in the last couple of tactical training sessions in Al Ain, but Arnold could opt to temporarily discard his front three, which struggled to rotate against Uzbekistan, in favour of two No.9s and two No.10s.
He’s already also floated the option of a diamond midfield.
“It could surprise the other teams, maybe they think we’ll play a certain way and we’ll play a different way,” Giannou said.
“That’s up to the coaching team and coaches to find the way. We’re just there to execute what they tell us.”
Within the space of three weeks Giannou has risen from Asian Cup squad omission to potential starter in the wake of Martin Boyle’s injury, and his pedigree has proved an asset.
Now, having scored in the group stage against Palestine and added a spot-kick in the penalty shootout against Uzbekistan, the 28-year-old would relish the opportunity to form a strike partnership, likely with Jamie Maclaren.
In such a scenario, Robbie Kruse could be a prime candidate for one of the No.10 roles given he’s fresh, having played mostly off the bench including the round of 16 when many toiled through 120 minutes.
Chris Ikonomidis, Massimo Luongo and Awer Mabil would also be contenders to slot in behind, if indeed that’s the way Arnold goes.
Giannou has increased his versatility since moving from China to Cypriot side AEK Larnaca, but particularly thrived as one of a pair.
“I prefer someone to be close, actually I prefer to be the second striker in a game rather than the one who sits up there and waits but either way I’m happy,” he said.
“The more numbers you have up front, it’s not that easy for the others to predict what you’re going to do.
“If you have one striker it’s more easy — if you have three defenders, what are you going to do?”
Giannou’s second Socceroos coming is two-and-a-half years after the Greece-born marksman switched allegiances to Australia.
Lured to the green and gold by Ange Postecoglou, he played five games in 2016 but soon found himself on the fringes while struggling for game time at Guangzhou R&F.
He felt the move back to Europe had helped his game immeasurably.
“It sure has,” he said.
“I’m coming to an age that I’ve played a few games, so I don’t feel like the youngster who comes on and needs to find himself.
“But sure, the Europa League, that was actually a big part of why I went there because that was the main goal of the team, to play in the Europa League. When you play there, it’s a different higher level, everything improves.”
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