Although the vast gap between the stars was evident, there was no backtracking for the Socceroos against England as the hosts edged out a narrow 1-0 win at Wembley Stadium.
An Ollie Watkins goal was all that separated the two nations, but Graham Arnold’s side could feel uneasy about taking nothing away from the competition.
Despite the defeat, there was plenty to like about the Socceroos’ performance as they pitted themselves against another world power while a tactical tweak could prove intriguing going forward.
Foxsports.com.au breaks down the competition into Socceroos talking points!
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THE PHRASE INSPIRING SOCCEROOS AGAINST FANTASY OPPONENTS
Graham Arnold has talked about “Australian DNA” throughout his tenure as Socceroos coach, but it continues to ring true in every game the team plays.
Even though England fielded what many would consider a second-tier roster, they nonetheless boasted hundreds of millions of dollars worth of talent.
Even when England brought on Marcus Rashford, Kieran Trippier and Phil Foden in the second half, it was a timely reminder of the vast gap in depth available.
It would have been easy for most teams to roll over and accept their fate, but not for the Socceroos.
As assistant coach René Meulensteen – who spoke at the post-match press conference after Arnold lost his voice – pointed out, a four-word sentence summed up why the team would not make a not back.
“The only thing we have to respect everyone, but we are not afraid of anyone,” Meulensteen said.
“Without a shadow of a doubt, he has world-class players in every position. But for us, I think if you look back, we had a fantastic game plan, we were very well organized.
“There are not many national teams, I tell you, who have the courage to put pressure on the big teams.
“Because I tell you, most national team coaches think they haven’t had enough contact time with the team, so they’re willing to take a calmer approach.
“We always pull out all the stops and push where we can and I think that’s admirable.”
Certainly, England had the lion’s share of possession, with 67 percent, compared to 33 percent for Australia.
Despite their time on the ball, it was the Australians who produced more chances and had 14 shots in total, including four on target, compared to England’s nine and three on target.
It’s further proof that Australia can mix with the big boys, even if there is a vast gap in terms of available star power.
THE AUSSIE STARS’ FAVORITE SAYS IT ALL
The fact that a number of players were devastated after the match is proof that the Socceroos were more than good in the competition.
Ryan Strain saw an effort cleared off the line, England keeper Sam Johnstone made a flying save to deny Keanu Baccus and Connor Metcalfe was denied by the post in cruel scenes.
Just like in Argentina’s World Cup, the Socceroos were left wondering what could have been as they attempted to recreate the exploits of the 2003 team that beat England 3-1.
Jackson Irvine, who miraculously recovered from a serious ankle injury to start against the Three Lions, said it was “without a doubt” a missed opportunity to take the lead over their historic rivals.
“You can feel it in the locker room after the game,” Irvine told reporters after the game.
“You think after an occasion like this (we would be happy) but it was a bit flat.
“It speaks to the mentality of the group, you know, coming into a place like this against an opponent like this and feeling like there was something going for us tonight, a little missed opportunity.”
That sentiment was echoed by Craig Goodwin, who made an exceptional shift down the left wing and took several free kicks that worried the England defense.
The Al-Wehda striker believes the team now needs to develop that lethal streak in front of goal that other top teams in the world possess if they are to achieve the results the Socceroos’ performances deserve.
“I think we played really well, created some really good chances, but we probably need to be a bit more ruthless with the ones we have.
“In the end we played against top opposition and one of the best international teams in the world.
“So we’re proud of that, but obviously we’ve got to try and refine those areas and the chances that we create – and hopefully from there we can take our game to the next level.”
Who knows when Australia will face England next, but you can be sure that England manager Gareth Southgate will no longer view this match lightly.
BACKLINE HEADACHE ARNIE WILL WELCOM
For the second game in a row, Arnold named Kye Rowles at left-back as Cameron Burgess positioned himself as left centre-back alongside Harry Souttar.
It’s an interesting storyline from Arnold, especially as Rowles is traditionally a central defender and formed an impressive partnership alongside Souttar.
But Burgess’ form for club Ipswich Town made him impossible to ignore and earned him a deserved call-up to the national team.
Rowles was given the difficult task of shutting down England livewire Jarrod Bowen, who was in scintillating form for club West Ham United.
Although the Hearts defender got off to a slow start and was caught napping for a brief moment, Rowles has certainly grown into the competition and proven to be a reliable option.
The decision to play Rowles at left-back also represents a slight tactical adjustment on Arnold’s part given that Aziz Behich, who has often been first choice in that position for several years, is set to move up and down on the side.
The same goes for Jordan Bos, who has established himself as Behich’s potential successor at the position, but knows how to play further if necessary.
However, Meulensteen stressed that it was all about keeping the team’s options open and praised Rowles and Burgess for their performance.
“It’s always good to have players who can play multiple positions,” Meulensteen said.
“It’s difficult for us during the September or October windows to be able to use Australian players because the A-League hasn’t started, so those players weren’t fit enough. That was the case. ‘Aziz.
“We know Kye can play there. Kye is very comfortable there and with Cam Burgess coming in, to see what we can do there.
“Once again, Cam Burgess delivered an exceptional performance. This is another option for us.
It’s a headache for Arnold and his coaching staff to consider moving forward, but it’s certainly a welcome one.
“COURAGEOUS” YOUNG PEOPLE NOT IMPRESSED BY THE OPPORTUNITY
A match against England at Wembley is an intimidating coliseum for any player, let alone any number of inexperienced Socceroos.
But Keanu Baccus, Ryan Strain and Connor Metcalfe didn’t seem at all intimidated by the occasion.
Strain, making his first Socceroos debut, was tasked with keeping £100 million superstar Jack Grealish quiet while Baccus had to close down an England midfield featuring Jordan Henderson, James Maddison and Conor Gallagher.
As for Metcalfe, he had to do his best to stop England’s early attacks and simultaneously help spark those of the Socceroos once they took possession.
Although Strain was shown a yellow card for a cynical foul on Grealish, the Manchester City superstar was largely hampered by his opponent before being replaced by Lewis Miller in the 74th minute.
He also came within inches of opening the scoring, with only a desperate goal-line clearance from Lewis Dunk denying him a goal.
As for Baccus, he was one of the best of the Socceroos in a very active midfield in which he showed all his physical and technical qualities.
Metcalfe almost got on the scoresheet himself, but headed his header against the post in the dying minutes.
It’s safe to say the next generation of Socceroos have left Meulensteen impressed.
“You have to give these boys a huge amount of credit,” Meulensteen said.
“The courage they had, I think that’s the mentality that sets us apart.
“We can take on all the different nations. We’re just trying to find that little extra bit of quality to really put them to the sword, and that’s what we’re looking for.
