Asian football expert @JohnnyDuerden has the inside word on Australia’s opponents in World Cup qualification this week, the unbeaten Green Falcons from Saudi Arabia.
Two games, two wins and a chance to go three points clear at the top of the group.
Milicic confident analysis can give Australia the edge
Saudi Arabia and Australia meet on Thursday night (Friday morning AEDT) full of confidence and looking to take another step towards the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
Recent form?
Despite the identical hauls so far, the Green Falcons have not been quite as assured as the Australians in the 180 minutes of action thus far.
A home game with Thailand ended 1-0 but it was not a great performance from the hosts, who needed a late, and fairly soft, penalty to take the three points.
A draw would probably have been a fairer result.
The performance against Iraq in Malaysia was not much better. The first half was disappointing with misplaced passes and barely a sight of goal.
With defeat looming, there were two late penalties to give Saudi Arabia a 2-1 victory that had looked extremely unlikely with ten minutes left on the clock.
If, as they say, a team that plays poorly and wins is a strong one, then Saudi Arabia is very strong indeed.
Still, there are six points in the bag with a hope that there are still at least a couple more gears in this team.
How they will play?
This has been a cause of debate in the local media.
Coach Bert Van Marwijk's favourite 4-2-3-1 formation is likely to come out to play once again, though that may become more of a 4-5-1 on Thursday night in what is the biggest test of the coach's time in the Middle East so far.
But maybe not. There has been some debate as to whether it is better to attack the Caltex Socceroos or sit back and look to hit on the break against a visiting team that will get forward as much as possible.
This has included calls for two strikers to start against the Asian champs and the Saudis have some experienced goal-scorers on the international stage.
Key men
Nawaf Al Abed
Once scored a goal after just two seconds for Al Hilal. The title as the world's fastest goal is disputed but the talent on display is not as the diminutive playmaker fired home from the halfway line.
As well as being the team's major creative outlet, the 26 year-old has nerves of steel. He stepped up to score both penalties against Iraq last month.
Nasser Al Shamrani
Guess who's back?
Western Sydney Wanderers fans will remember the Al Hilal striker from the final of the 2014 AFC Champions League final.
The striker was banned for spitting in that game and that absence and injuries have seen him fade from the international scene.
The 2014 AFC Asian Player of the Year did not make the squad in the two previous games. If he plays, and he may start on the bench, he will have plenty to prove against Australia.
And facing him could be Matt Spiranovic, who he’d remember from that momentous final in Riyadh. It'll be interesting to see how this battle may play out.
Coach philosophy?
Bert Van Marwijk needs no introduction as he took his native Netherlands to the final of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
It wasn't always as free-flowing as past national teams but there was plenty of hard work and team spirit.
The coach has tried to instil a greater level of discipline in Saudi Arabia but this is still a work in progress.
The team has yet to really click going forward though sailed through the previous round of qualification.
The Green Falcons have become a little harder to beat however as they have shown already.
Expectations in Saudi?
Still relatively subdued.
Nobody is getting carried away as the results so far have exceeded performance –and there has been some criticism of the way the team has played.
Australia is respected as Asian champion and especially after a professional performance in Abu Dhabi last month.
A draw would be seen as satisfactory.
