Tough Asian Cup calls loom for Socceroos for Arnold

Graham Arnold must make the toughest calls of his Socceroos tenure when he decides who to cull for his Asian Cup squad.

Socceroos coach Graham Arnold has some tough calls to make

Graham Arnold must make the toughest calls of his Socceroos tenure when he decides who to tap and who to cull for his Asian Cup squad.

Just 23 players will travel to United Arab Emirates next week as Australia prepare to defend the title won by Ange Postecoglou’s side in 2015.

Injured midfielder Aaron Mooy will be provisionally named in the squad tomorrow before a medical later this week, with Socceroos staff still hopeful the Huddersfield man can overcome a knee issue.

Perth Glory’s Chris Ikonomidis and Netherlands-based Ajdin Hrustic are firmly in the frame as Arnold considers how best to bolster his side with goals.

There are question marks over every line of his squad, particularly the attack where no player seems certain of a place.

Tomi Juric, with just three league starts in Switzerland and no goals all season, cannot be selected on form but might be saved by his Socceroos experience.

Andrew Nabbout and Jamie Maclaren are likely inclusions.

With more football under his belt, Apostolos Giannou might overtake Juric in the pecking order, but both could miss out given Ikonomidis’ sharp form for the A-League leaders.

The three goalkeepers are clear, with the key question in defence being Melbourne Victory’s Thomas Deng or Sydney FC’s Rhyan Grant at right-back.

Grant’s versatility could give him an edge, while Deng’s club teammates James Troisi and Terry Antonis are also set to miss out due to a logjam of talent in attacking midfield.

Antonis has been lauded for his A-League form this season, helping Victory to six straight wins, but suggested he wasn’t confident in returning to the Asian Cup after being an unused substitute in the 2015 campaign.

“You want to represent your country and I’ve been playing well,” he said. “But the coach picks the players he needs … it’d be great to be in there. I know Arnie and he knows where I am.”

Antonis said he hadn’t been contacted by his former club coach in the build-up to tomorrow’s announcement, but was eager to return to the continental championships.

“2015 was a great experience. Ange was the coach at the time and I learned so much in there … being a part of that was amazing feeling,” he said.

The majority of the Socceroos squad that suffered a group stage exit at the World Cup are likely to be retained.

Hrustic’s strong form for Groningen has earned him transfer links to English football and the 22-year-old is a chance to earn his second cap in the UAE.

Australia’s opening match of the Asian Cup comes on January 6 against Jordan in Al-Ain.

Striker Nathan Burns finds himself mired in a goal drought and well out of contention for a third appearance at the Asian Cup.

Burns, 30, takes solace that the Wellington Phoenix are showing glimpses of a revival but he desperately wants to play his part.

After a lean run in Japan for two-and-a-half years, Burns hasn’t bothered the scorers in 22 A-League games since his return to Wellington midway through last season.

The contrast is stark from a 2014-15 campaign in which Burns had bagged 10 goals by Christmas, hoisted the Phoenix to the competition lead near season’s end, won the Johnny Warren Medal and earned a Socceroos recall for the victorious 2015 Asian Cup.

His frustration has been evident in seven Phoenix appearances this season but he’s impressed Mark Rudan enough to earn a start in the last three, coinciding with their unbeaten run.

Striker Roy Krishna has been finding the net and Sarpreet Singh has schemed dangerously behind the front two.

“I think just from a team perspective I want to get on the score sheet, because I feel like I can be a massive threat too,” Burns said.

“If I can get into the form that I am capable of, then it’s a lot scarier for the defence.

“I think with Roy and Sarpreet and myself in good form, it would be hard to stop.”

Burns has linked well with the pair but has lacked conviction when through on goal.

Finding himself in good positions is half the battle, which Burns believes he’s nailing for the sixth-placed Phoenix.

“Getting the ball into the back of the net should be the end result,” he said. “It’s a different situation to what I’ve been in before but I’m happy with my game and the condition of my body, so I just have to keep shooting and have that belief, and eventually they’ll go in.”

The Phoenix will start favourites on Saturday when they host second-from-bottom Brisbane Roar, who have lost their past three games.

AAP