A tale of two squads

THE squad of 21 announced for the Socceroos game against China highlights the strange nature of the Singapore friendly.

Pim Verbeek will now be casting an eye over 38 players in the space of four days - all the while trying to get Australia a step closer to South Africa 2010.

It smacks of trying to run before he's walking.

The match against China is of vital importance. A win would place Australia a minimum of five points ahead of third place and make them almost certainties to qulify for the second stage.

A loss... well, let's not think about that just yet.

Rather than trying to assess the maximum amount of players, Verbeek should be concentrating on developing the right strategy around the top players.

The second tier should then be groomed for filling spots that arise through injury and suspension

Good early results will give Verbeek the opportunity to look ahead, but at this stage, he simply cannot do everything.

Anyway, here is my pick for the match. Scott McDonald and David Carney are probably the unlucky ones to miss out of this selection.

The difficulty Australia faces is if Josh Kennedy does not recover from his ankle injury in time for the game.

Kennedy did not make it on to the bench for Karslruhe's weekend game against Eintracht Frankfurt.

His size against China could have been a great advantage, holding the ball and laying it off to the running, attacking midfielders.

With Troisi, McDonald and Holman all small players, Kennedy's absence would concede the height advantage.

---------------------Schwarzer------------------------

--Emerton--Beauchamp--Neill--Wilkshire-------

-------------Grella--------------Culina-------------

-----Bresciano-------Cahill---------Kewell-------

----------------------Kennedy---------------------

Subs: Federici, Carle, Kisnorbo, McDonald, Valeri, Carney and Holman