Low expectations accompany Aussie outsiders

beyondthecup — Wed, 05 Oct 2022 14:20:25 +0000

FIFA

When Australia qualified for Germany 2006, it was just the second FIFA World Cup of their history – and their first in over 30 years. Now, with the Socceroos heading to a fifth consecutive global finals, you might imagine that this is being celebrated as the continuation of a golden era.

But there is not, in truth, a huge amount of hope or excitement invested in the team heading to Qatar. Most Australia fans didn’t expect to be in this position earlier this year, and plenty at that stage were even calling for the team’s coach to be removed from his position.

Graham Arnold is made of stern stuff, though, and his vow – that the out-of-form Socceroos would “get the job done” in June’s Doha play-offs – was borne out by narrow, hard-fought wins over United Arab Emirates and Peru.

Arnold reflected after that “no-one in Australia had given us a chance”, and described his side’s qualification – at the end of a COVID-hit campaign in which they had to play 14 of their 18 preliminary matches overseas – as “one of the greatest achievements ever”.

It would be wrong, though, to suggest that the grit shown in those play-offs has sparked a surge in self-belief among Socceroos fans. With a team that lacks in the star names of years gone by, and a record of failing to win any of their six matches at the last two World Cups, those supporters will approach Qatar 2022 with modest hopes and low expectations.

Arnold’s approach and tactics

Given that his squad is not brimming with dazzling individual talent, it’s perhaps no surprise that the Australia coach has opted for a style that can best be described as functional.

Arnold’s Socceroos are not a team that seeks to monopolise possession and they are highly unlikely to lead Qatar 2022 in goalscoring and chance creation. Nor, despite their coach’s early suggestions that he would like to base his Australia team on Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool, do they tend to press aggressively, high in the opposition half.

Shape, solidity and a focus on exploiting set-piece situations have tended to be the pillars on which this Socceroos team has been built, and more of the same can be expected in Qatar. Arnold has, though, always attempted to include the likes of Ajdin Hrustic and Tom Rogic – players with the capacity to produce the spectacular – and recruiting Scotland-born Martin Boyle has given the team much-needed pace on the counter-attack.

The Australia coach has also proved himself willing to experiment, having road-tested various formations this year, and ready to gamble. The ultimate example of the latter was his decision, ultimately inspired, to replace captain and No1 goalkeeper Mat Ryan with Andrew Redmayne for the shootout against Peru, in which the ‘grey wiggle’ ultimately came up trumps.

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Arnold’s approach and tactics

Low expectations accompany Aussie outsiders