When Australia played France at the last World Cup, the Socceroos had just two shots on target for the entire match.
The first was a one-on-one following a free-kick, and the second was the successful penalty by Jedinak after a French handball. There wasn’t a single shot on target from open play for the whole match.
Andrew Nabbout and Tom Rogic seemed to be invisible, Mathew Leckie seemed too busy defending to take part in attacks, Robbie Kruse had a shot but missed by miles and Aaron Mooy was ineffective at moving the ball forward.
It was as if Australia didn’t even have a front four.
Jackson Irvine came on with 20 minutes left and brought some energy, but was playing too deep to make a difference or have an impact up front.
All I can think of this time is to go with a basic 4-4-2 and pick players who can move the ball forward with good passing, hoping to get it to the strikers. In addition, Irvine should take up a forward playmaker role as he has excellent vision and can thread a pass, as well as score. He’d probably have been more effective in this role than Rogic if he’d been used here at the start.
With Mooy, Cameron Devlin and Keanu Baccus all capable of playing at defensive midfield, why not use try using Irvine further up, since he scored four times from 16 matches during qualifying?
As for the overall 4-4-2 formation, having two strikers gives you two targets to aim for if going long, making it harder for defenders to track both, while also leaving a second striker to support Garang Kuol if he comes on. Even if attacks aren’t successful, they’ll at least keep the ball up the other end more. Just sitting back and defending the whole match will eventually break down at some point.
When it comes to the defensive line, it hardly matters who you pick. None of them seem up to it. With key players returning from injury and others looking a bit flat at club level, they’re sure to provide plenty of nervous moments.
Up top I’d go with Jason Cummings and Mitchell Duke, although Martin Boyle could be an option if fit, while Leckie could also be another option. But Jamie Maclaren isn’t the kind of striker to use for fast breaks on counter-attacks. That’s not the way he scores most of his goals.
Behind the strikers I’d go with Irvine, who I mentioned earlier, followed by Craig Goodwin and Ajdin Hrustic (if fit) as the wide players and then Devlin as defensive mid. Goodwin, Irvine and Hrustic can all be good providers while Goodwin and Hrustic both have good defensive records, supporting Devlin. This creates a good balance between defence and attack.
If you want to mix it up a bit, you could arrange them in a table soccer 2-5-3 formation at kick off and transition to a 4-4-2 as the match gets going. It might confuse the French enough to put them off a bit as it is exceedingly rare and they likely won’t have ever seen it before.
As a slight positive, Kylian Mbappe was in the French squad in 2018 and failed to score. It might be the same this time for all we know.
My suggested formations:
4-2-2 diamond
Cummings-Duke
Irvine
Goodwin-Hrustic
Devlin
Behich-Rowles-Souttar-Karacic
2-5-3 (secret 4-4-2 diamond)
Cummings-Irvine-Duke
Goodwin-Behich-Devlin-Karacic-Hrustic
Rowles-Souttar
2018 formations:
Australia 4-2-3-1
Nabbout
Kruse-Rogic-Leckie
Mooy-Jedinak
Behich-Sainsbury-Milligan-Risdon
Ryan
France 4-3-3
Griezmann-Mbappe-Dembele
Pogba-Kante-Tolisso
Hernandez-Umtiti-Varane-Pavard
Lloris
Roberto Bettega
Roar Rookie
Just watching Iran getting pumped 3-zip at half time. If France turn up to play, we just have to hope that we too don’t suffer an embarrassing loss. Given the gulf in quality between the two sides, that’s the very best we can hope for.
Doran Smith
Roar Guru
Don’t risk Ryan as he hasn’t been playing and has been injured. Formation: 4-3-3 Redmayne, Atkinson, Rowles, Degenek, Behich, Mooy, Irvine, McGree, Leckie (Captain), Maclaren, Goodwin Substitutes: Tilio, Hrustic, Kuol, Cummings, Deng
Marcel
Guest
We've seen enough of Arnie over the years to know that we can expect " tournament" football. So 0-0 as the game plan for the opener....with maybe the dream of an Olyroos type smash and grab.
Marcel
Guest
Nice!!!...No room for Vuk? or are you keeping him for penalties?
Cameron Handley
Roar Rookie
i realise that i’ve left a guy out, which will probably be mabil or mcgree as a ‘second striker’. i use that term loosely.
John Newy
Guest
Cameron, we thinks the same. I think you’re on the money. At least I hope. But what about Mabil? This team sadly doesn’t have goals in them. My trust is not in Arnie to come up with better options.
Grem
Roar Rookie
Perhaps a 2-5-1-2-1. Redmane and Ryan in goals, Atkinson, Deng, Soutter, Wright and Behic in defence. Devlin as a screen, Leckie and Goodwin as attacking mids and Duke as striker! Let’s cheer them on and enjoy the game. We’re at the World Cup facing one of the best teams in the world. This will be great.
Cameron Handley
Roar Rookie
it’s all shenanigans. if we open up and throw the kitchen sink, it will be 3-0 in 25 minutes
ockeroo
Roar Rookie
? Perhaps 1-6-1-2-1 - Ryan; Atkinson, Deng, Souttar, Degenek, Rowles, Behich; Devlin; Irvine, Mooy ; Cummings ?
Will
Guest
If back 4: Ryan Atkinson Souttar Rowles Behich Irvine Mooy Mabil McGree Leckie Cummings If back 3(with the rumours they might play a back 3/5): Ryan Deng Souttar Rowles Atkinson Irvine Mooy Behich/Goodwin McGree Leckie Duke We will be doing alot of running, and I suspect the likes of Mabil, Hrustic, Tilio and Kuol to be useful off the bench if we need a goal or to just track back when the space might open up depending on how the game will unfold.
Free flowing FC
Roar Rookie
Good thoughts mate and I really hope we have a red hot crack in the opening 20mins. Give them a rattle and they might just crack…lloris is prone to howlers as well
Nick Symonds
Guest
Tunisia beat Japan 3-0 in a friendly on June 14.
Nick Symonds
Guest
INTERVIEW: Atkinson said in an interview that: "we need to throw the kitchen sink at them". Sounds like an attacking approach to the match.
Cameron Handley
Roar Rookie
we also will not flog tunisia, not even close. they’re clearly the third best team in the group, and could get something against France
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
France didnt have any great chances, the shots on target France had long range with no power. Sainsbury had the best chance of the night from the set piece. Milligan in 2018 was still a good central defender, the stupid thing was using him in the midfield in other games, Sainsbury in 2018 was not quite the 2015 Sainsbury but still pretty good as well. Risdon still good in 2018. Mooy was playing in the premier league in those days. Behich a bit younger and faster than these days. Nabbout had tremendous pace in 2018 , he still has pace just his hamstrings only seem to be working 50% of games. McLaren isn;t that fast but he is express compared to Cummings. Leckie has slowed down a little but still faster than the others.. One option I would look at is copy NZ 2010 with longball , they had three big strikers all of whom had decent pace, so there was no clear target man any of the three could head it and the any of three could chase the knock down, Leckie Duke as a duo the same applies to them.
Cameron Handley
Roar Rookie
it's going to be a back 5, with a double pivot in front. there's a 0% chance Arnie presses them from the start.
Naughty's Headband
Roar Rookie
Maybe try the Flying V then?
Aiden
Guest
Its a tough one. The temptation is, worry about goal difference for this one, try and flog Tunisia, and show some endevour to win/draw the third game. I think many massively underestimate Denmark (in comparison to France) and they also underestimate the ability of France to self destruct. A few things about France. They don't know our players, but they know from last time that we can be hard to break down. They are very unsettled atm with injuries and not the most comfortable defenders (yes they are good ... but listen to French commentary and they are not confident) and they have a divided dressing room. They have not had great form coming in. That in mind ... I think we need to be tactically agile. Go out in the first 20 and absolutely rip into them, press them. Don't sit back, that let's this nervy FRench team off the hook. If it feels like we are getting results, keep hammering. However, if we concede early and/or it looks like they are playing through our lines with ease ... yes make adjustmments and fall back into more of a 4-4-2. Try and preserve goak difference. I feel Denmark are the more settled team. I see us going down 1-0 or 2-0 to France and the result being worse against Denmark if we are not careful.
Aiden
Guest
Two lines in front of the penalty box. Amusingly deployed by Victory against Manu U. And we still got pumped.
Bruce
Guest
Free flowers fc - your team would wipe the floor with France who have never won anything of note (except for 2 World Cups and 2 Euros). If the Socceroos don’t win there must be a Royal Commission!