Having had a week or so to reflect, that was actually bloody awful.

Our lot may have just stepped off a plane and had only a measly week together but those were two of the lamest Socceroos performances in a long time – and we’ve seen a few stinkers!

First match: I’d give pass marks to only a handful of the starters – Mabil, Boyle and Ryan. Mooy and Irvine had their moments but Taggart and Hrustic were anonymous and the back four were about as solid as fairy floss. Any opponent ranked in the top 100 would have punished us.

Particularly worrying was Sainsbury. I’ve long been one of his biggest supporters but that was an abject performance as he gave away simple pass after simple pass in the back third and was muscled off the ball to create an early chance. Milos Degenek seems to have waned also, so the need for Rowles and Wright to get back on the park is so important. If Harry Souttar can get back playing he might be a chance but he will be very unfit after so long out. We are paper thin at the back right now.

And Mooy, I think, is not the answer at #6. He is fine on the ball, but when we get pressed and turn over possession he’s not fast enough to screen the back four properly. He gave away a number of fouls, due to a lack of pace, that might have had more serious repercussions in a competitive match against world class opposition. I think he can still do a job as an #8 but we need a relentless tackler behind him.

So, the second match...

On the Sunday we got to have a look at the next gen.

I was hoping Langerak would play in goals, but Redders was rewarded for his Grey Wiggle performance against Peru. That was a bit of a waste as Redders does not have the chops to challenge Ryan. Langerak does, so Arnie should have had a look at him.

Atkinson and Strain shared the right back position, with Joel King on the left. None did their chances any harm but none were particularly tested.

Thomas Deng returned at centre back, with Harrison Delbridge. Again they both did well (much better than Sainsbury and Degenek) but were not under a lot of pressure.

There were a lot of contenders for central midfield. I really wanted to see Cam Devlin get a start as the snappy terrier at #6, but was happy enough to see a double pivot with Denis Genreau and Connor Metcalfe next to him. Devlin and Keanu Baccus also got minutes.

Riley McGree started in the #10 role with Connor Metcalfe coming forward also in attack - not that there was much of that in the first half.

That left an attacking third of Marcus Tilio, Mitchell Duke and Mat Leckie (who'd played the whole of the Thursday match). I watched with fingers crossed to see whether Garang Kuol and Jason Cummings would get at least half an hour to terrorise the tiring All Whites.

It has to be said, the Young Guns looked a lot better than the so-called Plan A, but still struggled to make inroads in the first half. Thankfully, that changed after half time when (apparently) Arnie told the boys to lose the shackles and have a go. All of a sudden we started to play.

The Kiwis were pressed deeper into their half and the creative talents of the Aussie boys were finally given free rein. Metcalfe's cross for Duke was exquisite and in that couple of seconds, both probably underlined their names on Arnie's list.

When the changes came we finally got a look at Devlin and Jason Cummings, with Ryan Strain also getting a run. All did well, but to be fair, the All Whites were already looking beaten.

This status was confirmed when newly minted Magpie, Garang Kuol, came on and blew the defence away with a performance that belies his callow years. There is no way Arnie can leave him out for Qatar.

Kuol's rampaging run led to a penalty - ably converted by debutante Cummings - who also needs to be on the plane as he adds such a point of difference. McLaren and Taggart are both good at what they do - but they're mainly tap-in merchants and the Socceroos are not set up properly to enable their skills.

Cummings can also do tap-ins, but he comes for the ball - sets up chances for others - and scores from outside the box. He's the closest we have to the complete striker, although Kuol can play there also and is arguably (already) the best finisher in the squad. Rewatch his A-League highlights if you doubt me.

The Future

In the second half, in particular, there was so much more pace and snap in that side, and while I appreciate that Arnie wanted to reward his veterans with a showcase in Australia, he lost the chance to mix the best of the Old Guard with the best of the new – which is what will need to happen in Qatar.

Especially when you consider that Tom Rogic and Kye Rowles will definitely make the final squad of 26 (if fit), that means seven (at least) of the current 31 must miss out.

Based on Thursday night’s showing, I deeply hope that Arnie goes with youth over experience when it comes down to the hard decisions.

At least one of those decisions will be particularly tough. Trent Sainsbury is Arnie’s son-in-law and while his form in the past has always made him easy to pick, you’re only ever as good as your last match…

If Sainsbury is picked (on the basis of past performance) ahead of a promising youngster, then there will inevitably be accusations of nepotism and that’s the last thing we need.

I'd say the kids did well enough on Sunday to result in a significant changing of the guard on the eve of the World Cup, but it really will depend on how many go back with their clubs over the next few weeks.

But wherever the choices are hard...

Plan B Arnie!

 

Adrian's books can be purchased at any good bookstore or through ebook alchemy. His first sci-fi novel (Asparagus Grass) will be published by Hague Publishing in early 2023.