When the teams were drawn together for Qatar 2022, Australia knew the most pivotal match in Group D would be the middle game against Tunisia.
Sandwiched between matches against the might of European heavyweights France and Denmark, Australia would be expected to take three points off the Africans.
But the Eagles of Carthage are flying under the radar and will provide a formidable test for the Socceroos.
Tunisia rode their luck in the opening game against the Danes, holding their much more fancied opponents to a 0-0 draw.
Denmark hit the post, had a goal ruled out by VAR and saw a fantastic save from a Christian Eriksen long-range pile driver
The Tunisians gave as good as they got though, also seeing a goal ruled out by VAR and requiring Kasper Schmeichel to pull out an amazing save.
Words like ‘combustible’, ‘competitive’, ‘tenacious’ and ‘ferocious’ come to mind when assessing the North Africans’ opening performance, but ‘feisty’ is the word that best describes the team’s display.
The feistiness of the first-half performance was summed up within the first few minutes by Aissa Laidouni’s bone-crunching tackle on Danish superstar Eriksen.
Laidouni immediately thumped his chest and revved up the fans in what has already become one of the photos of the tournament.
His commitment and all-action performance in the centre of the park could prove a real test for Australia’s maligned engine room this week.
In an alternative reality Tunisia could be playing in the Asian confederation, while Australia may well be in the African one. These sides are a mirror image of each other.
Like Australia, Tunisia struggled in World Cup qualifying, playing a dull brand of football from a coach the fans disliked, while also going through a transition of player personnel.
The Socceroos reinvigorated their playing group with a lot of younger players. Tunisia went the opposite route, fielding several players over the age of 30.
Tunisia have been regular qualifiers for the World Cup since 1998 but are yet to make it out of the group stage. The clean sheet against Denmark was their first since 1978.
The question is: how does Australia approach the next match against Tunisia?
After the pasting by the French, the Socceroos will have to be more proactive going forwards, which could play right into Tunisia’s hands.
The side plays a very awkward-to-handle 3-4-2-1 system, which reverts to five in the back line when defending.
Although the North Africans aren’t blessed with any superstars, most of this squad got their big break playing in France, which is one of the best countries in which to develop attacking players.
If that quality doesn’t shine through, then Tunisia will revert to the physical nature of the sport by getting stuck into tackles, winning 50-50 challenges and play-acting when a decision goes against them
Youssef Msakni has been the attacking metronome for over a decade. He can be a tricky customer to get a hold of, living up to his nickname ‘the mongoose’.
Wahbi Khazri has had a good start to the season with Montpellier in France. After being rested against Denmark, he will expect minutes against Australia.
Tunisia also have some good options in midfield. Playing alongside the feisty Laidouni is another combative midfielder in Koln’s Ellyes Skhiri, while Brondby’s Anis Ben Slimane will provide the team with width when they transition forward. Manchester United prodigy Hannibal Mejbri is a wildcard option off the bench.
Apart from a recent heavy defeat in a friendly against Brazil, Tunisia is known for their shape and defensive stability, with Lorient’s Montassar Talbi and Salernitana’s Dylan Bronn marshalling the back line.
The Socceroos and their fans must not overlook the North Africans. They have the necessary quality in the required areas to be a real threat.
On paper Australia versus Tunisia has all the makings of a war of attrition, with the winner likely to be decided by who wants it more.
M20
Guest
A winnable game but not simply an easy win. I want to see the Socceroos do well but that might mean Arnold stays on longer
TheSecretScout
Roar Guru
exclude the luck the saudi's had - their overall performance in how they went about the match, is how any small team should approach a big side especially at the international level not many sides will compete skill wise with argentina, but you can compete with them other ways. win the first balls if you lose them make sure you win the second, win the 50/50 balls, win your defensive headers, dont give the opposition space, tackle, foul, waste a few extra seconds at goal kicks, throws in, disrupt momentum by staying on the ground longer etc etc that level of aggresion is something i've never seen in a saudi side before, theyre well coached by renard - who has a decent history of coaching non fancied international teams club wise you've got another 30+ games to play expansive, internationally against these big guns you only get the one chance and you have to do whatever it takes tunisia showed enough against denmark in how agressive they will be, if australia can't match it - id expect another loss.
Nick Symonds
Guest
4-3-3 Mabil-Leckie-Goodwin Irvine-Devlin-Hrustic Leckie as centre forward Mabil and Goodwin as inverted wingers Irvine (box to box), Devlin (DM), Hrustic (creator)
jamesb
Roar Guru
In another angle, Tunisian fans would be thinking, ” easy three points against Australia”, after watching the French game. Consequently, some Socceroos would say, “Tunisia is a good side, but don’t have the heavyweight pedigree of a France.” I reckon it comes down to how both sides back up following a short 3-4 day turnaround. Which manager can rotate their squad more efficiently will go a long way towards getting a positive result. From the second game onwards, tournament football starts now.
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
What about Adelaide they see to be doing it , masters of dirty play and the darling of the commentary team , I have noticed Van Der Sagg, he said he learnt a lot at the club and he has all the dirty tricks now. The thing I dont understand is how Goodwin who normally is pretty clean, took on the role of hitman his last game before the world cup, and then is so meek against France.
Roberto Bettega
Roar Rookie
Franko/SS Really good points. Looking back, interesting how Messi never had a yard of space, and how often a Saudi player toe poked the ball from his grasp, never, ever getting the opportunity to dictate play, and sort of became a bit of a liability for the team (you'd never think such words would ever be uttered). Then we look back at Griezmann, a player already capable of perfectly weighted and directed passes in every direction, used to doing it at the highest levels of club land, but how about the oodles of time and space he was afforded. A stark difference in harassing, cutting down time and space, numbers at the ball, intensity, etc, etc Speaking of which, how about the massive swings in tempo that were visible in the midnight game, often jumping from slow, slow, slow, to all of a sudden a dozen players surrounding a ball, and only individual brilliance finding a way out, and then go, go, go. Amazing game. Another level of football again.
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
Australia need to hope Tunisia have overextended themselves in the physical battle with Denmark, and carrying bruises and niggles as well as being exhausted. Its more a case of hoping Tunisia underestimate Australia than the other way around. They should park the bus, and hit on the counter. Mooy is going to be there and with him there the only midfield battle you would win would be against a kids team.
TheSecretScout
Roar Guru
its hypocrisy of the highest form, thats always been the arnie way. but like i said, its hard to hold him accountable - when the journalists get their questions Veto'd first by the media manager. they're told not to ask certain things, it happens to all journalists (eg to irans coach about the issues at home, portugals coach about ronaldos club issues etc ) factor in that arnie also has supporters in well known pundits (bosnich and slater) and you can see why hes reasonably teflon to criticism
Mark
Guest
Can't believe Arnold said they ran out of legs and no one pulled him up about his hypocrisy in selecting players who have just come back from injury or who were'nt playing regularly when he said prior that if you were'nt playing regularly you would'nt get picked. Should have absolutely been roasted for that. If you can't stick to your ultimatum's then you can't be asking for trust from the players to play your way.
TheSecretScout
Roar Guru
once again, arnie should think before he speaks at press conferences. he's been beaten up non stop since talking about aussie dna and being competitive - which didnt happen against france. its been one of his worst trademarks as a club club and its followed through to international level, he constantlly says outrageous things says one thing, then does a completely different thing the issue is no australian journalists holds him accountable, theyre too afraid to ask the hard hitting questions and a lot of the times the questions they ask are veto'd first by the media manager of the socceroos
Franko
Guest
There's been a shift in psyche, absolutely, this is compounded by the slightly youthful nature of Arnold's squad and the education they've had. These guys sit in hours and hours of meetings around inclusion and diversity and mental health and learning to be a great person etc. We then expect them to come out and repetitively foul, scratch, push, agitate and get under the skin to bend rules to scrap a result. The two ideals seem incompatible?
TheSecretScout
Roar Guru
the squad does have players that have 'mongrel' in them Eg irvine, mcgree, devlin. but that inner mongrel should've been released against the french, that was the game of this group to actually lock the opposition down with defensive tactics, fouling etc it wouldnt have been pretty to watch, but as argentina found out - that type of intensity coupled with the dark arts of tactical fouling can really ruin a sides momentum.
Roberto Bettega
Roar Rookie
In the early part of this world cup, it would appear that a few countries have stolen the so-called "Aussie DNA". If anything, the socceroos have regressed in this area over the years. Couple that with the fact that our close, in tight touch and ball control skills are severely lacking (when compared to the better national teams), and the question has to be asked: What are the competitive advantages of the current socceroo squad?
TheSecretScout
Roar Guru
cannot lose that midfield battle to tunisia. might be time to tack the shackles off that little pitbull, devlin (still not sold on him at international level) but this is the perfect game where his destructive qualities might actually benefit the side and fire team mates up laidouni & skhiri vs irvine/mcgree & devlin in the engine room could be quite tasty
TheSecretScout
Roar Guru
most dangerous match of the group stage, that a large portion of the supporter base believe is an easy win. - its going to be anything but that, if australia don't meet tunisia in the 'feistyness' department they will struggle in this match lets see if that famous arnie mantra of "Aussie DNA", "never give up", "fight to the death" actually is followed through by the players - because it was missing against france
Franko
Guest
Shuffling the deck chairs on the titanic to some extent. I'm not sure big changes are required. I think Arnie will back in Atkinson to bounce back, could swap out Duke but I think he likes that "defensive" No9. McGree had a shocker but I agree, he has the X factor and showed that with the chip to Irvine when he hit the post.
The Sports Lover
Roar Rookie
I'm sure the Socceroos won't take Tunisia lightly but I don't think I can say the same for most Australian part time fans.
Stanley
Roar Rookie
One thing Tunisia showed against Denmark was that they had speed, and any team with speed are going to trouble the Socceroos. Hopefully after seeing what Saudi Arabia and Japan did in the second half of their games Arnold will pick a team with more of an attacking attitude. Unfortunately I can't see us getting a single point at this world cup.
Mark
Guest
Whilst not World Cup related, Kisnorbo has signed on as manager for Troyes in Ligue 1. First Aussie coach in a big 5 league. Good luck to him and I suppose shows the benefits of the CFG system. Rado Vidosic is appointed interim manager which will be interesting to see how he goes. Had a tough time with Roar but has been pretty decent with City's womens teams over thelast three years. Rado's son Dario is also taking over the women's team and had a win 4-1 against Wellington last weekend.
Mark
Guest
I think it's time to drop Mooy and run with a hard as nails DM. The only one in the squad I think can do this effectively is Devlin, be ready to sub him after first yellow card though. I would persist with McGree who has some X factor and Irvine deserves to stay in. Both Leckie and goodwin to stay on the wings. feel Duke may be more suited to this game due to his hustle and bustle (I hate saying this) than Maclaren and Cummings up front, but if he's doing nothing in the first half then we would might be best to change up to a City front three to see if their playing together regularly helps rather than Cummings and Kuol. I'm thinking Atkinson will be full of fight after the bath he got but would'nt be surprised if Degenek comes in and Wright might be best for Rowles. Behich was solid enough. So you're stuck with Ryan as keeper because the other two are not up to scratch. But it's Arnold, he'll do whatever he does and won't make much sense anyway.