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Home sweet home … almost
The Socceroos’ first match back on home soil in 763 days promised so much but, in the end, offered no goals for the 23,314 in attendance to savour.
Instead, the raucous crowd were treated to an intense 0-0 draw that now leaves Australia no closer to a fifth successive World Cup berth.
As Graham Arnold’s men remain three points adrift of group leaders Saudi Arabia, Japan meanwhile moved to within a point of Australia after their 1-0 victory over Vietnam.
At the halfway mark of this third and crucial qualifying phase, the Socceroos are on track to qualify for Qatar ... but only just.
What comes next is a trip to the Middle East to face China and if any Australian fan is concerned about what’s to come, be it home or away, Arnold remains as confident as ever.
“We’re in a great spot,” he said. “It’s all in our hands… the most important thing now is to go play China and get three points and have a great Christmas.”
Don’t go A(ny)wer
You could forgive the Saudis for struggling to communicate amidst the cacophony of Australian support at Western Sydney Stadium, but when Awer Mabil was withdrawn, their collective sigh of relief was loud and clear.
Mabil was a menace for much of his 67-minute stint and proved Australia’s main threat; routinely stretching the left-hand side of the pitch and exploiting the space in behind his opposing wing-back.
But for what the first half lacked in the final ball, the second almost produced the telling one; as Mabil’s long-range free-kick forced Mohammed Al-Yami to make two saves in a matter of seconds, with the ensuing deflection falling just wide.
It was a frantic few seconds – Australia’s best, at that – but it, strangely, was Mabil’s last as Arnold instead opted to bring Mitch Duke on for the remaining 20 minutes.
The 26-year-old’s substitution seemingly took the rest of the Socceroos’ energy with it, as the Green Falcons awoke with an attacking intent not seen since the opening moments of the first half.
While Arnold may cite fatigue as the main factor in his decision, it made one thing abundantly clear: if Australia’s defeat to Japan told us Mabil must start matches, yesterday’s draw told us he needs to finish them.
False nines?
The ‘false nine’ has become increasingly common in world football and, when done correctly, can pull players out of position and disrupt a defence to deadly effect.
On Thursday night, Arnold deployed two of them to lead his 4-4-2 formation and it’s safe to say it garnered little success.
Mathew Leckie and Ajdin Hrustic were the two men tasked with the role, but rarely did they truly trouble the opposition – a frustrating fact amidst all the Socceroos’ dominance in possession.
In truth, one tactical tweak from Arnold did prove more effective in the second half, though it was only in transition, as Hrustic returned to the midfield to find Mabil and Martin Boyle in advanced positions wide of Leckie.
Without the ball, however, Australia persisted with the ‘false’ 4-4-2 and it often left one wondering how much more effective they’d be if at least one number nine had been deployed from the get-go.
Saving captain Ryan
Australia entered their qualifying clash against Saudi Arabia desperate for three points, but were it not for Mat Ryan, they would have left with none.
The Socceroos captain had little to do for much of the match, often watching from afar as his teammates tried to break down a side yet to taste defeat in Group B.
In the 75th minute, however, that all changed.
First, Ryan had to be at his best to deny a driven shot from Salman Al-Faraj. Minutes later, the Sociedad shot-stopper was again called into action to thwart Salem Al-Dawsari.
The late Saudi resurgence, orchestrated by Mohammed Kanoo, Abdulelah Al-Malki and Al-Faraj, almost overwhelmed the home side and Al-Dawsari thought he’d done enough five minutes from full-time – only for Ryan, again, to make the save.
It was the type of performance Ryan will need to replicate if the Socceroos are to have any success in the second half of this qualifying phase, but on the basis of last night’s showing, you feel the 29-year-old is more than ready for the mission.
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Renard v Arnold I
An intense affair brought forth no victor last night in western Sydney, but perhaps just as enticing as the battle on the pitch was the one taking place just a few metres from it.
Graham Arnold and Herve Renard went toe-to-toe in a tactical battle made all the more fluid by the Socceroos’ desperation to return to the top of Group B.
As Arnold’s false nine-laden 4-4-2 formation enjoyed the majority of possession further up the pitch, Renard responded with a back five that sat deep in an attempt to avoid anything in behind.
Midfielder Mohammed Kanoo was integral to Renard’s setup, having split time between the defence when his team lost possession and up alongside Abdulelah Al-Malki when they won it back.
Though the Socceroos still found success out wide, once fatigue set in, and with the score still level, Renard’s noticeable shift 15 minutes from full-time soon tipped the balance.
The Frenchman matched Arnold with a 4-4-2 formation of his own – one that allowed Kanoo and Al-Malki to capitalise on the physical exertions of Jackson Irvine and James Jeggo, and it almost paid dividends.
A flurry of late chances set up a nervy finish for the Socceroos and though they managed to hold on, Renard might fancy himself in the rematch with Arnold on home soil next March.
