Caltex Socceroos keeper Mat Ryan isn't sure what formation Australia will play on Thursday night - or even if he'll play - but he's convinced the new 3-4-3 set up is the best way to take our national team forward.
Here's what the Valencia keeper (on loan at Genk in Belgium this season) told the media ahead of Sunday afternoon's training session and fan day at Adelaide Oval.
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THOUGHTS ON THE NEW 3-4-3?
We were introduced to that system in the last camp and the boss [Ange Postecoglou] and coaching staff have been planning that for a long time. Getting the team into a position where we can be competitive at the highest level.
He thought it was the right time to introduce this system and put plenty of thought into it, and in the last camp we didn’t get the result we wanted [in Tehran] but in the second game [in Sydney] we got a nice positive result.
All the boys are buying into it.
Thursday will be another opportunity although we haven’t gone into the tactical side [yet for the Saudi game]. I’d imagine we’d be sticking with that [3-4-3] if the coaching staff believe it’s the best system to get the job done.
KEY TO MAKING 3-4-3 WORK?
Like anything, the more time you put it into practice the clearer the roles become. And everyone knows what’s wanted from them. And the more comfortable we’re with it the more progress we’ll make with it.
Persistence [with the system] is what’s going to help make us a better team. And part of being a professional is respecting the coach’s instructions.
We all believe that and hopefully Thursday night will be another example of that.
THE APPROACH?
We’ll try starve them of possession and going forward with relentless attacks. Hopefully creating chances and finishing them [chances] off. We’ve got to be respectful of them but whatever we face, we must overcome that.
IMPORTANCE OF SAUDI GAME?
I treat every game with the same amount of respect. [But] it’s a vital point of our qualification phase. If we stick to our fundamentals we’re confident we can deliver the performance that we need. We’re in a really good spot in the group. Two home games and one [away] to Japan [remain].
SAUDIS QUALITY?
They’re in the position they’re in as a reward for what they’ve done. They’re a good team unit with some dangerous players going forward. They’re similar to UAE but more of a team unit.
HAS LOAN SPELL AT GENK SINCE JANUARY IMPROVED HIM?
I was pretty proud of my performances [for Australia] even when I wasn’t getting regular game time [in La Liga with Valencia]. In saying going to Genk you want to play and I feel towards the end of my loan period at Genk things were coming along more naturally with a flow and rhythm.
PRESSURE FOR SPOTS IN CALTEX SOCCEROOS
The last camp was a clear example of that - my spot is not guaranteed either. I'm not sure what the squad will be for Thursday night. The boss has always said he doesn't want anyone being relaxed for their position. They're always up for grabs.
The Caltex Socceroos tackle Saudi Arabia in a crucial World Cup Qualifer in Adelaide on June 8. Click Here for Tickets
