Arnold challenges McGree, Socceroos to fire at Asian Cup
Graham Arnold has challenged Riley McGree to add more goals to his game as the coach searches for a more lethal edge to his side at the Asian Cup, starting in Saturday's clash with India.
Goals win football matches. A clean sheet is fantastic, you’ll never lose a match if the opponent can’t score on you. But until you can put the ball in the back of the net in some manner yourself, be it from open play, a set piece, or a penalty, you’re not coming away with the win, either.
Socceroos coach Graham Arnold knows this. A striker in his playing days, he put the ball back into the net 19 times across his 56 appearances for the Socceroos. And as he prepares to field what he believes will be his strongest possible XI right from the off at this year’s Asian Cup, he’s made nurturing a hunger for goals one of his major points of emphasis with the 26 players at his disposal in Qatar.
Pacing the group with 12 goals at a senior level, Mitch Duke is one of just two players in the Socceroos squad who have travelled to Doha with double-digit international goals to their names – and the other one is central defender Harry Souttar. Indeed, only seven members of the squad have found the back of the net at a senior international level at all.
“It's been a concern since Tim Cahill retired. I think even under Ange, Timmy was the main goal scorer there as well,” said Arnold. “It's something that we've tried to share amongst the team and amongst the front players and how important it is to have those players getting into the box and getting those chances to score.
“It's also very, very important, our set pieces and that we get our set pieces right. Because at the end of the day, set pieces can change the game as well. So, you know, we're working on all those patterns and we're working on finishing and getting plays in those positions to put the ball in the back of the net. And that's all we can do.”
Bruno Fornaroli, Kusini Yengi, and John Iredale, with four senior international caps combined, make up the rest of the striking contingent behind Duke; all possessing some combination of form, attributes, and/or potential to carry some of the goalscoring load for Arnold.
So too, does Riley McGree; a player that Arnold says he has in particular been pushing to get amongst the goals on a more consistent basis – believing it to be the next step that will elevate him to new levels not only with the national team but also at his club. The 25-year-old has seemingly shaken off a foot injury that waylaid him for several months with Middlesbrough but now looms as a significant contributor in Doha.
While nominally listed as a midfielder, McGree’s positioning at an A-League Men’s level more often than not had him just as deep if not deeper than the strikers that he played with and during his time with Boro he's played out on the wing, as a second-striker, and even as a centre-forward.
Possessing a single international goal scored against Vietnam during 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifying, McGree has scored 13 goals in 73 appearances since landing at the Riverside Stadium, with his best return coming during his 49 games with Adelaide United, where he netted 14 times in 49 games.
“Riley, that's something that I'm pushing at Riley and talking to him about is getting him in positions in the box to score,” said Arnold. “Because I do believe he has that quality to score goals. Once he gets that into his game, you'll see him go to a higher level of potentially club football as well.
“Riley's fit, he's ready to go. If anything – this is in a positive way – the injury has just given him a bit of a break and he's freshened up and he looks fantastic.”
Arnold said that every member of the squad was fit and healthy heading into their opening game of the tournament against India, kicking off late on Saturday evening Australian time.
This included first-choice goalkeeper Mat Ryan, who has been wearing a protective facemask on the track after suffering a fractured cheekbone with club side AZ Alkmaar last month. Arnold confirmed his skipper had been in full training since the squad landed in Doha but stopped short of affirming questions asking if he would start.
“Mat is training back fully, the last three days, four days since we've been in Doha here,” Arnold said. Training very well.
“All the boys are fit, healthy, and ready.
“I can't give you the starting lineup at the moment. But we've got everyone fit and healthy.”
“Our full focus is just on India. Getting our game plan right and performance right. What's crucial is our energy when we go out there on the pitch.
“That's what we can improve from the other night against Bahrain. Sometimes we were standing still. I want movement off the ball all the time. Runs in the back of people and making sure that the energy is right and that full focus is just on this first game of India.
“We'll put out, in my view, the best [available] starting lineup and we'll go one step at a time. We're here to win seven games.
“Our expectations are high. I always put high expectations on the boys and the boys have shown over the last year, against top opposition, our standards and I expect them to be retained.”
The Bahrain fixture referred to, a 2-0 friendly win in Abu Dhabi in which an Amine Benaddi own-goal and Duke strike was enough to win it for the Socceroos, was notable in that Arnold’s side, again, struggled to break down an intransigently deployed, steadfast backline.
Struggling to find a way through and create clear-cut chances, the Socceroos would eventually fashion just one more shot than their opponents, despite significantly more possession
“The Bahrain game. I thought it was a perfect preparation game that we could have had,” said Arnold. “That's what we'll get, where nations will sit back and try to frustrate us. It's important we don't get that type of thing in our brains.
“It's important that we're patient and we stick to what we're good at. That's retaining the ball, moving the ball quickly, and penetrating in behind. Boys showing individual skill in one-on-one situations is hugely important against this type of opposition and I do believe we've got the players here to do that.”
Header Image Credit: Socceroos