Injuries to Jamie Maclaren, Martin Boyle, Andrew Nabbout and Massimo Luongo have caused a few selection questions for Australia’s next match against Jordan.
Adam Taggart has come up as the main option as their replacement, while others such as Apostolos Giannou, Chris Ikonomidis, Tom Rogic and Daniel Arzani have also been brought up for the clash. But we need to take a hard look at who we should take into the remaining qualifiers.
The teams that went to the World Cup in Russia and the Asian Cup in Qatar looked like the gang who couldn’t shoot straight. They failed to score a single goal from open play in Russia and they weren’t much better in Qatar.
In the final World Cup group match against Peru, the players in the starting front four had just 28 goals from 201 games between them, or less than one in seven. In Qatar, no player had more than ten international goals to their name and the entire 23-man squad had just 49 goals between them, which was only one less than Tim Cahill’s career total of 50.
We need to weight selections towards goal-scorers and most players won’t make the cut.
The list of players who could make up the front six is getting longer with Apostolos Giannou, Harry Sawyer, Al Hassan Toure, John Iredale, Nyko Smith, Martin Boyle, Adam Taggart, Jamie Maclaren, Lyndon Dykes, Milislav Popovic, Nikita Rukavytsya, Moudi Najjar, John Roberts, Dylan Wenzel-Halls, Mitchell Duke, George Blackwood and Ben Folami all popping up as potential strikers.
Then in the midfield and on the wings there’s an even bigger group made up of players such as Matthew Leckie, Awer Mabil, Aaron Mooy, Sebastian Pasquali, Riley McGree, Daniel Arzani, Tyrese Francois, Alexander Robertson, Remy Cho, Reno Piscopo, Cian Cuba, Isaac Danzo, Zach Duncan, Jackson Irvine, Tom Rogic, Ajdin Hrustic, Ramy Najjarine, Mustafa Amini, Massimo Luongo, Brandon Borrello, Chris Ikonomidis, Connor Metcalfe, Denis Genreau, Sam Silvera, Jacob Italiano, Kosta Grozos, Blake Ricciuto, Daniel De Silva, James Jeggo, Dimitri Petratos, James Troisi and Panos Armenakas. Phew…
That’s 32 players and you could go even further!
Graham Arnold has no shortage of options. (Photo by Francois Nel/Getty Images)
We have to cut this list down and it has to start somewhere, so I’ll begin with the strikers. Beginning with Boyle, he’s only scored about one goal in every five matches with Hibernian and he’s also injured himself again just after getting back from his last injury, so he’s out.
Moudi Najjar, John Roberts, Dylan Wenzel-Halls and George Blackwood are all A-League players and I doubt that any of them would make the cut for Jordan at short notice. But of all of them it’s Najjar who looks the most like the next Maclaren.
Nyko Smith was spotted by Rale Rasic and went to Brazil but got nowhere and Milislav Popovic seems to have followed a similar trajectory in Germany. Iredale is in the reserve team at Wolfsburg and is coming back from injury so he’s unlikely for Jordan. For similar reasons, Ben Folami is also out of consideration after just coming back from a ruptured Achilles.
Apostolos Giannou meanwhile has scored seven goals from 40 matches in Cyprus, which is only about one goal in every six. That’s not good enough if you want to play for Australia.
Mitchell Duke has scored twice from five matches for Australia and has scored six times from 12 for the Wanderers. But he also only scored three times from 89 matches with Shimizu S-Pulse from 2015-2018.
That leaves Taggart, Toure, Dykes and Sawyer.
Toure is in good form, but he’s tossing up between playing for Australia or for his birth nation of Liberia and it might not be good to put too much pressure on him to choose Australia in time for the Jordan match. If he needs time to think it over, that’s fine, and he can always join the Olyroos to see how he fits in.
Of the remaining three, Taggart is easily first choice making it a question of who should be second.
Lyndon Dykes has recently popped up due to his form in the Scottish Premier League where he has scored three goals in his first seven matches this season at Livingston. Playing in the Scottish Premier League also puts him in competition with Boyle if he has a good season.
As for Sawyer, he’s a bit of an outsider but one worth considering. At 195 centimetres he provides an aerial threat and he’s been a prolific goal-scorer in the Philippines and Hong Kong. He’s now returned to Australia to join South Melbourne, but he’s also getting interest from Sydney FC.
Taggart is the best choice for striker in the match against Jordan while Dykes would make a good substitute. But it would also be interesting to have Iredale as striker and Sawyer as a second striker in a 4-4-2 formation like 2006 in Germany. With two tall strikers who can both score with their heads and Harry Souttar coming up during corners, that’s some pretty serious aerial firepower.
Alternatively, a future strike team of Iredale and Toure would also sound promising if Toure does decide to play for Australia and Iredale breaks into the Bundesliga.
Nick Symonds
Guest
1) NPL level perhaps, but he really does tower over his opponents. Josh Kennedy scored 17 goals from 36 matches for Australia, it would be good to have that again. 2) The list of players is just a starting point. I wouldn't pick all of them and although I've mentioned Piscopo in the past I've had another look and might reconsider. 3) Maclaren is a poacher, Toure can dribble then shoot and Sawyer is a target man, so they all have different styles and have different strengths. Yet you think that Toure and Sawyer would fare "terribly" based on the performance of a poacher and the game plan that's based around him, it's apples and oranges.
Fadida
Roar Rookie
So we are choosing based on height? Route one football. Lovely
Fadida
Roar Rookie
Quick response, goals in Philippines and Hong Kong? NPL level. You don't choose a WC squad based on potential. I wonder how many of those players you have actually seen? Not many given they aren't even playing first team. I'm wondering what you are seeing in Piscopo in the hour he has played this season. They may all turn out to be great, but you have to choose a team based on current ability. To put everything in context, McLaren has smashed in A-league goals every season and yet he struggles when playing decent international opponents. How on earth do you think the likes of Toure and Sawyer would fair? Terribly
Griffo2
Guest
Would also be bringing in Kenny Dougall for Bailey Wright who cant get game time for his club since coming back from injury. So there will be a minimum of 3 squad changes in the game against jordan. Another back up striker with Maclaren out (Dykes or Duke?); another left back due to Smith unavailability (Gerbach or Davidson?) & a centre/right back & defensive midfield option to replace Wright ( Kenny Dougall or Deng?). My vote is get the Scotland in before Scotland do in order to increase depth and future playing stocks. That is, Dykes, Southall and then Gerbach.
Griffo2
Guest
Height is a good option against east asian sides as the inclusion of Harry Souttar has shown. But need pace also as asian sides like Japan and South Korea are very quick up front and rely upon counter attacking breaks.
Griffo2
Guest
Brad Smith may also need to be replaced in the Jordan match as he will play off in USA MLS Inter conference grand final just 4 days before the Jordan game. Not enough break time for him to do recovery, travel to jordan and train with the squad. So Behrich to start left back and Gerbach to come in as back up to replace the celebrating Smith? Which is a good thing because Gerbach is a left footed talent that needs to be developed and is in the Olyroos squad anyway.
Griffo2
Guest
Iredale is not just tall he's also as solid as a brick shiestenhausen as well. Strongly built lad.
TenTribesOfTexasOnItunes.
Guest
Good article. Speculative but a good read. Coincidentally highlights the depth of future talent in Aust ranks. If only half the players nick names here reach their full potential then the future is bright for Aust soccer. I also agree that Sawyers should not be being ignored as he is. Hes a beast and Aust needs tall striker options with McClaren and Taggart the current options for the smaller striker role with Boyle and Mabil as other options that can also work on the wings. Having said that, Dykes is the best option at the moment to cover for MaClarens unjury. He needs to be poached away from Scotland now anyway and with Taggart still in good form and Gianou offering experienced back up Dykes as 3rd striker wont get much game time anyway first up so give him some end game minutes just to claim him and keep him developing for the future. Hes only 24 and will be peaking come next world cup. His pace and height up forward are a genuine asset to the team. Not often u can find a soccer player with that combination in Aust as they are often playing other sports - AFL or basketball.
Hopper
Roar Rookie
We have short (pun) memories if we think height or physical presence is going to upset the top Asian teams. Gone are the days of Asian intimidation. From what I've seen of the player, Toure is just about ready. If he was 23 and playing as he is, you would bring him in. Can we afford not to.
jamesb
Roar Guru
Didn't realize that Iredale is that tall.
Nick Symonds
Guest
Note: The question marks were an emoji that didn't make it. :unhappy:
Nick Symonds
Guest
Point 1: The original title was different and had "pt. 1" on the end of it, I also included a mention of part 2 at the end and how I would deal with the wingers and midfielders. Changing the title has changed the context and has confused you. Not your fault. Point 2: I specifically came to a shortlist of Taggart, Toure, Dykes and Sawyer. I then ruled out Toure for the Jordan match but supported him being in the Olyroos squad. As for Sawyer, I only said that he was worth consideration as a target man. Then after that I came to the end result of Taggart to start as striker and to have Dykes on the bench. Dykes as I mentioned, is playing regular football with the 1st team at Livingston in the same league as Boyle and has scored 3 goals in his last 7 matches. Would you have any objection to Taggart and Dykes? Point 3: As I said, I don't think that Toure should take part in the Jordan match, but others do say that he should so that we can pin him down and not lose him to Liberia. But he does look quite good and I mentioned him in the context as part of "a future strike team" with Iredale "if Toure does decide to play for Australia and Iredale breaks into the Bundesliga." Point 4: As you mention, Sawyer didn't stay at the Jets. But he has been scoring at a goal every two matches in the Philippines and Hong Kong. With his height of 195 cm maybe he would be good as a target man against Asian opposition. What do you think? Point 5: These are all players who get mentioned as potential squad members in news stories and by other people on social media. All I'm trying to do is narrow it down a bit. Please also keep in mind that I'm trying to keep to roughly around the word limit, so I do have to rattle through them with a minimum of words. - TOURE HIGHLIGHTS: "A few reasons why Al Hassan Toure has been promoted to the senior squad. ????" https://www.facebook.com/adelaideunited/videos/1301140936744244/
Jack George
Roar Guru
Won't he just get sent off?
The Ball Bobbled
Roar Rookie
Matt would get sent off
Redondo
Roar Rookie
Dustin Martin is free
Nick Symonds
Guest
HEIGHT: Dykes = 188 cm Iredale = 189 cm Kennedy = 194 cm Sawyer = 195 cm Soutar = 198 cm
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
They need to pick Matt Simon, you have got to look at the weaknesses of the opposition and your strengths. How many of the goals have been scored off crosses and set pieces.
Para+Ten ISUZU Subway support Australian Football
Roar Rookie
For me I would like to see Awer Mabil, and Daniel Arzani as our wide deep flankers and the strikers; I'm leaning towards two target men, in Taggart and Duke to lead the attack.
jamesb
Roar Guru
You got to admit, he does do his research.
Fadida
Roar Rookie
Another classic Nick article. You've googled a list of every player qualified for the NT that is playing overseas and thrown their names onto a list. Nearly all are failing to get a game in obscure leagues or lower divisions in countries like Austria. The second part of the master plan is to put forward the name of every u-23 striker you've heard of based locally, despite most of them unable to command a starting spot in the A-league!! Toure has played 3 games! And you want to call him up for a key WC qualifier? Total madness. Sawyer?! He's playing at South Melbourne! He couldn't get a contract at the Jets. George Blackwood? George Blackwood to be in the WC squad? Oh Nick, you do make me laugh. Pasquali, Da Silva, Piscopo (you always include him), none if whom are even good A-league players yet, and then the likes of Grozos, Silvera etc who can't even get a game. In the A-league. You want them to play WC qualifiers???? 16 yo Robertson? Who is playing kids football? Great choice. Francois has at least played a senior game. About 3 of them. Clearly you play a game of Football Manager, search criteria set to Australian/midfield /striker and then throw all their names onto an article to show how in depth your football knowledge is. Total madness