Socceroos Team News

Timmy Cahill and Mark Bresciano have been revealed as the two mysterious attackers who are under injury clouds ahead of tomorrow night’s World Cup Qualifier with Uzbekistan.

Fox Sports reports that Cahill is suffering from a calf injury, while fellow attacking midfielder Bresciano has a back problem. To further add to the woes, defender Michael Beauchamp and midfielder Carl Valeri are also on the injury list. Pim Verbeek has said that he will wait till the very latest before deciding whether the four players will take the field tomorrow and in what capacity.

Some good news coming from the Socceroos’ camp is that Harry Kewell has been passed fit to play, with Pim saying that Kewell is currently at the healthiest – mentally and physically – state he’s been in for a long time.

With this latest team news, I think the formation tomorrow will be a 4-4-1-1, with Scotty McDonald up front by himself. Schwarzer’s spot is unquestioned, as is Neill’s. I fancy Chris Coyne starting with the skipper, with Chippers on the left and Wilkshire on the right. Grella and Jake Burns as the two holding midfielders, allowing Carney and Culina to attack on the wings. Kewell to tuck in behind Macca and push forward whenever he gets the chance.

I don’t think it will be an overly attacking side, Pim has gotten us all this way being practical, and I think that’s the sort of 1-0 or 2-0 performance we can expect tomorrow night. Pim won’t let the boys get carried away, securing a win is important, but not at the risk of a loss.