After the disaster that was the Socceroos’ Round 3 World Cup qualifier against Bahrain, the path to North America 2026 and a spot in the WC finals appears to have become a little more complicated than expected after falling at the first hurdle. As is often the case in Asian play when the Socceroos are involved, cagey teams like to sit deep, frustrating and foiling, leaving Graham Arnold’s men intensely enraged and ultimately exposed for possessing a lack of real quality and creativity in the attacking third. Plenty feel the clubs for which Socceroos represent around the globe should translate to them beating teams perceived to be inferior, yet the continued improvement in Asian opponents slowly but surely looming into more serious contention in confederation play, clearly exposes the Socceroos.
That was precisely how Bahrain managed to snatch the win in the opening match of the campaign. Kusini Yengi. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images) The Australian national team needs to jettison the underdog tag that serves them well at the World Cup and start to play like bullies against teams such as Bahrain and their next opponent Indonesia.
Hitting on the counter is a valid means of attack yet not what Graham Arnold should have his team set up to do against countries the Socceroos are capable of defeating. There is almost a sense of the pathetic when a result against a team set to delay, frustrate and annoy the Socceroos plays out. Such was the case against Bahrain.
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