Adelaide United goalkeeper Joe Gauci keen to eliminate errors ahead of Asian Cup squad selection

Adelaide United goalkeeper Joe Gauci hopes his quest for ‘perfection’ leads to an improvement in the Reds’ form and selection in the Socceroos’ Asian Cup squad.

Joe Gauci is in contention for Asian Cup selection. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

Adelaide United goalkeeper Joe Gauci is searching for the “perfect game” to help not only the Reds but also his own chances of being selected in the Socceroos’ Asian Cup squad.

The Reds are hoping to avoid a third successive defeat and a fourth loss in five games on Friday night at CommBank Stadium against Western Sydney Wanderers.

Much to Gauci’s frustration, his indifferent from has contributed to Adelaide conceding 12 goals in its past four matches.

“I’m still making mistakes every game,” he said.

“I’ve tried to reduce the glaring ones and the ones that result in goals.

“I’ve been pleased with some of my games, but at the same time, I haven’t played a perfect game once this season.

“I’ve asked myself the question of how can I be better?”

Joe Gauci is chasing the ‘perfect game’. Picture: Brett Hemmings/Getty Images

With Socceroos coach Graham Arnold naming his Asian Cup squad next week, a faultless performance from Gauci – as well as his Wanderers counterpart Lawrence Thomas – on Friday night would be extremely timely.

Adding to the selection intrigue is the fractured cheekbone suffered by Australia’s captain and first-choice keeper Mat Ryan, who is racing against the clock to be fit for the Socceroos’ Cup campaign, which starts in Qatar on January 13 against India.

“There’s always incentive to perform,” Gauci said.

“If I can keep the ball going, keep a clean sheet and be successful for Adelaide, then the result of that could be that I get selected for the national (squad), and then the result of that could be that there might be an opportunity to play, so I just take each step as it comes.

“There’s no point in talking about hypotheticals when the squad hasn’t even been announced. and I’m sure Mat will be fit and firing and ready to go for the Asian Cup.”

Reds coach Carl Veart said Gauci had been “working hard” to improve his form.

“That’s all you can ask from him,” said Veart, who added that lapses in concentration from his entire team were proving costly.

“We’ve been punished this season when we’ve switched off a little bit in games. It’s something that we’ve made a conscious effort to try to fix.”

The Wanderers are also hoping for a better defensive display on Friday night after losing 4-3 at home to Melbourne Victory last Sunday.

Wanderers coach Marko Rudan said his team was “eager” to make amends for the defeat.

“It’s a matter of making sure we’re more consistent with our mindset and the way we prepare for every game,” Rudan said.