Socceroos’ defence a worry amid World Cup qualifying goal spree
Plenty of goals and a renewed confidence can’t mask the fact the Socceroos have issues they need to address before qualifying for the 2022 World Cup gets serious.
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Twelve goals in two games is a return to please Socceroos boss Graham Arnold – but the two World Cup qualifying wins over the past week were a mixed bag for Arnold when he sits down to review them.
Defeating Nepal and Chinese Taipei never looked in doubt, but there are questions answered and raised in terms of the harder tests that lie ahead.
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THE PLUSES
1. Key men look confident. Self-belief is half the battle at this level, especially among the forwards, and there was an encouraging swagger from the likes of Jamie Maclaren, Adam Taggart and Awer Mabil.
That was admittedly against mediocre opposition, but compare their bullishness with Craig Goodwin’s struggles in Canberra last Thursday where his substitution eventually looked like an act of mercy.
2. Supply lines are forming. Arnold has spent his last two camps trying to build up the combination play among his forwards – not easy given time constraints and a lengthy list of candidates for the roles.
There were moments of flowing football against Chinese Taipei that seemed to be the fruits of that work, and though they came against niaive defences, that sort of combination football could prise open much smarter rearguards.
3. Rhyan Grant is surprising everyone. The A-League’s advert for dependability is adding more to his armoury, as evidenced by an early and waspish cross to allow Taggart to open the scoring last night.
Grant is thriving in a system where the centrebacks are protected by two defensive midfielders and the fullbacks can push high. Josh Risdon’s performances for Western United can only increase competition for that right back spot.
THE MINUSES
1. Arnold’s team has tempo issues. In both games in the past week they started strongly, and then largely put the cue in the proverbial rack once the win was inevitable.
There is an argument that the team was simply being professional, doing what it had to do with one eye on club games this weekend.
Goal difference is also less of an issue in a qualifying competition where teams are split by head to head records before their overall scoring margin.
But the counter argument is a need to be ruthless and manage games far better as preparation for facing the region’s powers later on the road to Qatar 2022.
2. The defence looks creaky. A spectator against Nepal, goalkeeper Mat Ryan was far busier than anticipated against Chinese Taipei and was beaten by one thumping header.
That came from sloppiness higher up the field, particularly Awer Mabil’s failure to prevent a cross coming in, but defensive structure has always been a hallmark of Arnold’s sides – it needs addressing.
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3. Schedule is painful for the fans. Last Thursday’s home clash with Nepal – not one to set the pulses racing in its own right – was the Socceroos’ only home game this year, following just a doubleheader in 2018.
That’s three games in 24 months — next year there is a home qualifier with Kuwait in March, before a double header on Australian shores in June.
The inevitable “out of sight, out of mind” effect makes it hard to engage the public – extensive marketing is needed for the second phase of qualifying starting in the second half of next year, against more dynamic opponents.