Jedi’s force gets more powerful with Luke in the Socceroos

The Socceroos’ 2-0 loss to Belgium last week brought up a number of concerns from fans across the world, but what was most damning about the performance was the lack of control our midfield generals exerted on the game.

Mile Jedinak and Mark Milligan were completely overrun in the middle of the park, and far too often they were unable to push their team forward and conceded too many turnovers.

The Socceroos were forced to use the wings to attack Belgium, making forays forward predictable and easy to deal with. Tim Cahill was an isolated figure up front in the lone striker’s role, and only a magical ball onto his head was going to result in an Australian goal.

While the Socceroos’ oldest head, Marco Bresciano, once again showed his skill set in the number 10 role, his two midfield partners in Milligan and Jedinak were largely ineffective going forward. The midfield trio has to change if Ange Postecoglou is to get the Socceroos playing the fast, attractive and attacking football he desires.

Bresciano’s powers are on the wane and it’s clear that Postecoglou needs to identify a number 10 to replace him, even when favoured pick Tom Rogic is on the injury table. But it’s clear he also needs to find another central midfielder, too.

The current problem holding back Postecoglou’s dream of attacking football lies in the Milligan and Jedinak partnership. The two, as I briefly outlined last Friday, are too alike. While Postecoglou has history of playing two holding midfielders at Melbourne Victory, playing Milligan and Jedi together just isn’t working.

Both hold similar roles in the Socceroos’ team, acting as enforcers who can break down their opponent’s attacks and lay off short passes to more creative teammates. But as soon as they attempt to take on the creative role themselves, the team falls apart.

This is not a criticism of their abilities, rather a brutal assessment of their limitations. Both do their jobs admirably but at some point Postecoglou has to realise that playing them together hurts the side.

With Bresciano close to retirement there has to be a concerted effort to identify a midfield trio who can adapt to the way Postecoglou wants to play. It seems Milligan in particular is a personal favourite of Postecoglou’s from his time at Melbourne Victory, while Jedi was named as captain ahead of Tim Cahill following Lucas Neill’s decline.

Postecoglou stuck with Jedinak and Milligan throughout the World Cup and now looks like pairing them together for the Asian Cup next year. But Ange needs to put his trust in a different partnership.

That doesn’t start with the demotion of Jedinak, but the dropping of Milligan. The Melbourne Victory man is unfortunately the fall man due to Jedinak’s captaincy .

But it begs the question, is Jedi indispensable to this Socceroos side? Does he have the necessary qualities to make him undroppable? That is, among other attributes, a quality that a captain must have.

Jedinak has a number of starring qualities and he has been held in high regard at Crystal Palace for quite some time. He’s a crucial part of their tactical make-up, but do the Socceroos really want to be playing football similar to Palace?

Jedinak has found his niche and he’s bloody excellent at it. He breaks down play in a well oiled machine and relies on others to take on the attacking duties. He is a holding midfielder in its most traditional sense and his steel in midfield is an asset the Socceroos should cherish.

But does the team require those attributes in every single game? Would it not be better to field a player who can both tackle and pass? One who can chase back runaway attackers to make a goal-saving tackle but also bomb forward and make a late run into the box.

Jedi is a quality player, but his limitations mean that he’s not the man to take Postecoglou’s tactics to the next level. He will play a crucial role in the side for the next five years but at times his powers won’t be necessary. Deep-lying playmakers have roles in almost every successful side in the modern game, Postecoglou has to realise this.

But since Ange went with Jedinak instead of Cahill when announcing his captain back in May, he now has to guarantee the former a starting role. So Jedi is here to stay, and the Socceroos can still move forward with a traditional holding midfielder, Postecoglou just needs to install a partner who can take on the creative load.

So who should Postecoglou turn to?

There are a few options out there, but the problem is that while Postecoglou seems happy to experiment with the defence there is no sign of him introducing new blood in the middle of the park. Hopefully that will change on Tuesday morning against Saudi Arabia.

There has been an uproar over the fact that Australia have lost five games in a row. Chill out, I say. Football is a results business, yes, but the main objective since Postecoglou took over has always been the Asian Cup. Saudi Arabia is a must-win game, there’s no doubt about it, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t see some more changes in the starting 11 in preparation for January.

Massimo Luongo needs to get his chance on Tuesday in the number 10 role. He showed some impressive touches against Belgium and has to replace Bresciano so we can test an alternative option for the Asian Cup. Bresc is a starter, without question, but there has to be a solid plan B. Joshua Brillante should also be tested in the starting 11 alongside Jedinak.

But what about the other options out there?

Erik Paartalu would be an interesting choice to come into the Socceroos set-up and the 27-year-old is a former Ange disciple. He’s plying his trade in Thailand at the moment, with Muangthong United, but is thought to be chasing a move to the J-League.

Closer to home is Terry Antonis, who was denied his Socceroos chance due to injury, and Mitch Nichols, who is looking to rediscover his Brisbane Roar form at Perth Glory this season after a short stint in Japan with Cerezo Osaka.

But the man for the future, and for the Asian Cup, is most definitely Luke Brattan. He epitomises what a deep-lying playmaker is all about. Why he wasn’t take to Brazil is mystifying, as was his snub for this current squad. He played a crucial role in Brisbane Roar’s premiership win last season.

Equally adept as an enforcer, he has a passing range to match that of Brisbane teammate Thomas Broich and the ability to play a defence-splitting ball. This kid is key to the Socceroos realising Ange’s tactics. He has to be involved in the friendlies against the United Arab Emirates and Qatar come October and has to be at the Asian Cup.

If Postecoglou wants to realise his style of attacking football, a deep-lying playmaker is the way to go. Neither Jedinak or Milligan will ever be able to replicate that role, it’s just not in their game. But it’s essential to Postecoglou’s game plan and Luke Brattan fits the bill.