It was the battle of the Socceroos on Friday night – and with Graham Arnold sat in the stands, Western United’s Josh Risdon took the plaudits, nullifying the impact of Macarthur FC winger Daniel Arzani in a hard-fought 1-1 draw at AAMI Park.
Risdon and Arzani were Socceroos teammates at the 2018 FIFA Men’s World Cup; Risdon spoke in the build-up to Friday night’s about the difficult task which lay in store for him in the one-on-one matchup, but the 30-year-old put the clamps on Arzani, whilst laying on the crucial assist for his side’s equalising goal in the second half.
Risdon finished the game with 51 passes to his name, creating five chances for one assist – which should have been two, if not for a close-range header from Dylan Wenzel-Halls which was saved by Bulls keeper Filip Kurto.
Heading into Round 3, Risdon said: “I know (Socceroos head coach Arnold) is looking at players who are playing well and every week so I’ve got four games, really, to put my best foot forward and see what happens.”
He did his World Cup hopes no harm on Friday night in front of the Socceroos boss.
“Clearly we’ve given him man of the match,” said former A-Leagues striker Daniel McBreen in the Paramount+ post-game analysis. “He was getting forward, he was getting shots on goal, crosses in the box. He should have had another assist when he put that ball in for Wenzel-Halls.
He was fantastic. He won that battle fair and square tonight.
“I think so too,” Paramount+ analyst Grace Gill replied. “In terms of nullifying Arzani going forward – he keep Arzani really quiet. I think Risdon well and truly came out on top.”
Risdon finished the game with his head heavily bandaged thanks to a header early in the game – or so it seemed.
“I was shifting some furniture this morning and it clipped me on the side of the head and opened me up,” Risdon told Paramount+ pitch side reporter Michael Zappone. “I patched it up as best as I could – but I think it was one of my first headers when it split open again. All good now! Just a little cut.”
“I think John Aloisi might have to have a word to you about that!” Zappone replied.
It was an improved defensive performance from Western on Friday night, which resulted in the champions collecting their first point of the campaign to avoid drawing closer to an unwanted record: of all defending champions, only Brisbane Roar had lost more games to start a season (four in 2014-15).
“With the two teams we played in the last couple of weeks, their forwards like to stay very high,” Risdon continued. “So (head coach John Aloisi) definitely did say that if one of me or Ben (Garuccio) go forward, he wants one of us to just cover, and get that active defence right.
“It’s very hard because obviously we like to bomb on with the attack – but obviously first and foremost our job is to defend. When you’ve got players who stand up by the halfway line you’ve got to remind yourself to get called back by one of the centre-halves to get back.”
Yorke eager to push De Silva into Socceroos frame: ‘It’s my duty’
Macarthur FC head coach Dwight Yorke says he feels duty-bound to elevate attacking midfielder Daniel De Silva into the Socceroos frame, after the 25-year-old impressed against Western on Friday night.
De Silva put his most dangerous display of the season together at AAMI Park, creating four chances and taking three shots from 62 touches.
Yorke challenged De Silva to push for a Socceroos call-up in midweek, and backed up the claim after his side’s 1-1 draw with Western.
“Listen, you can’t fault Danny as far as I’m concerned,” Yorke said post-match.
“I put it out there because I’ve had the experience of playing international football, I’ve had the experience of playing at the very top.
What I see (is) a damn good player in Danny, and that’s exactly what I watched.
Yorke continued: “It’s my duty as the manager to push someone (of) his class to get into the Australian (team).
“It’s not my decision to pick the squad, but I know the quality he’s got and if you’re looking for someone that has the class and can make a little bit of a difference not just with his energy but his football intelligence – put it this way, we’re delighted that he’s our player.”
Noone committed to help Macarthur’s cause ‘wherever that may be’ after excelling in unusual role
Over the past three seasons, Macarthur FC winger Craig Noone has carved out a reputation as one of the Isuzu UTE A-League’s most dangerous wingers.
But in his first start of the 2022-23 campaign, the Englishman proved his versatility by slotting into the central midfield role left vacant by injured Bulls captain and excelling against Western United.
Noone got the assist for Macarthur’s opener with a cross fired in from a corner routine, and ended the game with 56 touches, playing 30 passes and six crosses, making nine ball recoveries, taking two shots on goal and creating six chances to go with his one assist.
“Davila went down, and obviously it was a big loss for us, and big shoes to fill as well,” Noone told Paramount+ post-match, reflecting on his new role.
“The boss (Dwight Yorke) mentioned: ‘Just go in, you’ve got a football brain, do your best’. I tried to do that, and I’ll continue to do that for the team wherever that may be.”
Noone began the season as the second-most expensive player in Official A-League Men Fantasy – and his display against Western showed why he’s got the hefty price tag of $519,400. He rewarded the 2.6% of managers selecting him in Round 3 with a points haul of 16 against Western.
