Awer Mabil - 6

He's quite inconsistent at national level, even within games. We find ourselves constantly admonishing his lack of efficiency, yet simultaneously recounting mostly positive performances at the end of each match.

Mabil's let off the hook a little by our dire lack of creativity in most positions. Of course, losing the ball is par for the course when you're an exciting winger. But his passing and decision-making also leaves a lot to be desired.

Ultimately, he may find it hard to keep his spot unless he can contribute more - and Boyle's short cameo in his position put him to shame.

Aaron Mooy - 8

He and Jackson Irvine have carried us through every remote challenge we've faced for as long as our recent memory spans.

Once again, he was crucial in allowing us to build attacks, transition from defence, retain possession...all the good stuff, he did it.

We rely so much on his dictating, that we really struggle when we need to raise the tempo or maintain pressure because that's not his natural game. We basically always end up playing Mooy-ball, whatever Arnie says. HIs set-pieces were generally disappointing though.

Jackson Irvine - 8

We are very chuffed with Jackson. He gets our coaches award for most improved player over the past 12 months and he's been our most surprising asset throughout these qualifiers.

The one issue we have that he is an erratic finisher.

That he actually scores goals for us, is testament to the fact that he puts himself in so many dangerous positions that even a stopped clock is right twice a day (also, playing against Nepal doesn't hurt).

To put this in context, Jackson, you have 34 caps and you've only scored one more goal than Harry Souttar. Please address this, love, Arnie.

Adam Taggart - 8

It was a big opportunity for Tags, taking on the toughest opponent in our group with Jamie Maclaren out of the fold, and he took it with aplomb.

It was a brilliant run and finish and this is one of the few instances where the striker really does deserve all the credit for a narrow victory.

Tom Rogic - 8

He may have wilted a little towards the end of the match, but to see him in full bloom is so striking that we're too overwhelmed to see any faults.

Whatever formation we have to use to allow Rogic to play at his magnificent best, we simply we have to use it. We don't have anyone like him and we're a little afraid we're not going to have anyone like him again.

It's a crime against humanity for him not to be playing for Celtic or the Socceroos. In fact, he looked a lot like someone who was either playing for a career or putting himself in the shop window.

Please, Tam, make the right move and get back to where you rightfully deserve to be.

SUBS

Mitch Duke - 6.5

We need to see more of him, but we're already pretty sure we prefer him to Apostoulos Giannou.

Martin Boyle - 7.5

Likewise, we prefer him to just about everyone with performances like that.

He clearly hasn't been brought up in the Australian system because while everyone else (bar Rogic) seems restricted by some imaginary force-field, Boyle can literally just skip onto the field and start taking people on.

In games like these with two cagey, sort-of-good, sort of shit teams doing battle, a player like Boyle makes all the difference.