Australia will head into Wednesday morning’s (AEDT) enormous World Cup opener without one player, and unable to start another, who would have been certainties to face the reigning world champions.
Martin Boyle’s cruel withdrawal from the tournament due to injury and attacking midfielder Ajdin Hrustic’s management of ankle problem means Graham Arnold has some big calls to make in the coming days.
Mathew Leckie appears the likely beneficiary of Boyle’s withdrawal, though in-form Craig Goodwin will push pushing for a start on the flank along with Awer Mabil.
73-cap veteran Leckie revealed Boyle was “devastated and disappointed” after failing a final fitness test but isn’t revelling in what it might mean for him.
“I’m not sitting here thinking about those things now that he is not involved,” Leckie said.
“I’ve just done everything I could to prepare myself for this tournament.
“… whether I am on the field come kick-off, that’s obviously up to Arnie, but I’m just proud that we are here and whoever takes the field will do a job.”
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Australia have multiple options in how they cover for Hrustic, who will be fit to feature but not start against Kylian Mbappe and Co.
Riley McGree, in great form for Middlesbrough in the championship, is a like-for-like replacement while there is also an option to push Aaron Mooy further forward allowing for a call-up for the likes of Cam Devlin as a defensive midfielder.
Arnold is a big fan of Devlin and the Scotland-based 24-year-old’s workrate and tenacity could be valuable in midfield against the might of the French.
Mitch Duke is the favourite to start up front with A-League aces Jamie Maclaren and Jason Cummings strong options off the bench. Midfielders Mooy and Jackson Irvine are among the first names on the team sheet.
Arnold could be tempted to start both Harry Souttar and Kye Rowles in central defence, despite a relative lack of minutes for both — but Milos Degenek and Bailey Wright are ready to go — while Aziz Behich is a lock at left back and Fran Karacic seems likely to edge Nathaniel Atkinson on the right.
Atkinson insists even the players are not yet sure of who will get the call-up.
“Arnie’s pretty tight-lipped. But we all very close here but it’s the World Cup and it gets to the point here you just want to win games,” Atkinson said.”If it’s me, or Fran, or even Thomas Deng … I’ll be the first one to help out any way possible.”
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Arnold is giving nothing away about his team or tactics and a surprise switch in formation isn’t out of the question but based on previous teams the starting XI could look something like this:
Mat Ryan (gk, capt), Aziz Behich, Harry Souttar, Kyle Rowles, Fran Karacic, Jackson Irvine, Aaron Mooy, Awer Mabil, Riley McGree, Mathew Leckie, Mitch Duke.
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The loss of Boyle means Leckie’s Melbourne City teammate Marco Tilio will officially join the squad, having been flown to Qatar earlier in the week as cover.
Tilio was among those considered unlucky to miss out on the initial 26-man squad and Leckie says the 21-year-old is ready for the step up to the biggest stage.
“I believe he is (ready),” Leckie said. “He was also preparing to give himself that opportunity to be selected and now he’s here.
“He’s a very talented player and he’s a player that can make things happen in moments in a game. So I’m sure he’s super excited and if he gets his chance he’ll definitely take it.
“… I think his mentality needs to be that regardless of what’s before he’s here now and it’s funny how football works, I can almost guarantee that he’ll play some sort of role with the team.”
Meanwhile, Leckie revealed the the Socceroos remaining from Australia’s campaign in Russia four years ago are seeing Qatar as an opportunity to make amends. In that campaign they picked up a point against Denmark but fell to France 2-1, and Peru 2-0.
”Ironically we play two of the same teams (France and Denmark) this time and us as the leadership group had a bit of a chat about it,” Leckie said.
“We said this is our second chance … last time and we were so close but so far. Last time and although we threw everything at it, it was small details that we missed out on.
“So it’s a second chance to make things right and give us an opportunity to make things go the other way.“
NO BENZEMA REPLACEMENT AS FRANCE TEAM LEAKED
Defending champions France will not replace the injured Karim Benzema in their World Cup squad, as Didier Deschamps defended questions about the team’s handling of the world’s best player.
In a huge blow to France’s hopes of retaining the trophy in Qatar, Benzema was ruled out after the Ballon d’Or winner injured his left thigh in training on Saturday.
Deschamps said he would not ask for a replacement for the Real Madrid forward even though FIFA’s rules give him until Monday to do so.
Deschamps told France’s TF1 that although the Benzema setback was “not nice”, he was confident in the depth of his squad.
“But we have an objective and we have a quality squad with players who know what awaits them. I have confidence in them.”
Deschamps brushed away questions about the French team’s handling of Benzema who had been nursing an injury for the past month.
“I know that you’re looking for controversy,” he said. “But everything is under control, (the inury) was not even caused by him accelerating or shooting.
“Anyone could have a problem like that and get injured.”
Deschamps said Manchester United centre-back Raphael Varane would be available for the match though he was not in the likely starting XI that was leaked by French news outlet L’Equipe on Saturday.
Possible France team: Hugo Lloris (Tottenham), Benjamin Pavard (Bayern Munich), Dayot Upamecano (Bayern Munich), Ibrahima Konate (Liverpool), Lucas Hernandez (Bayern Munich), Aurelien Tchouameni (Real Madrid), Adrien Rabiot (Juventus), Antione Griezmann (Atletico Madrid), Ousmane Dembele (Barcelona), Kylian Mbappe (PSG), Oliver Giroud (AC Milan).
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Atkinson, meanwhile, has a simple strategy when it comes to readying himself to take on some of the biggest names in world football if he gets the chance.
“I’m a big believer in, I don’t really care who you play against, whether that’s France or coming up against a Scottish Premier League team or any elite team,” he said.
“I think it’s 11 men on the pitch and we’re all human.
“Everyone is capable of making mistakes and doing great things and I think that’s a positive, being an Australian and having that mentality.”
Even when it comes to $250m megastar Kylian Mbappe?
“I’ll just pretend he’s from Melbourne City and that I used to train with him or something like that,” Atkinson said.
“Yeah, obviously they are world class players and they’re at the top of the game in Europe and that’s obviously what we all aspire to be, but once we cross that line it’s just another human.”
