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MAT RYAN: AUSTRALIA SPOT IN DOUBT
Arsenal goalkeeper Mat Ryan has a big battle on his hands if he wants to keep his place as the first choice in the Australia national team.
Mat Ryan has not done anything wrong but the form of Mitchel Langerak means that the Gunners shot stopper has to look over his shoulders ahead of the qualifiers later this year.
Australia have not kicked a ball since November 2019 due to Covid-19 but that is set to end in June when the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers resume in the Asian section. Australia will play four qualifiers in the space of 12 days in the month of June meaning that Australia manager Graham Arnold has a big decision to make in the goalkeeping area of his team ahead of the qualifiers.
Socceroos boss Arnold must decide whether to stick with Mat Ryan, who's now the second choice goalkeeper at Arsenal or pick Langerak. Langerak has been in sensational form for Nagoya Grampus in the first division in Japan.
Ryan has a lot of work to do to keep his place in the Australia team as he has spent a lot of the current season on the substitutes’ bench. He started the season as the first choice goalkeeper at Brighton and Hove Albion in the Premier before he lost his place to Spanish international Robert Sanchez.
The Australia goalkeeper had to leave Brighton for Arsenal on loan after losing his spot to Sanchez. Since arriving at Arsenal, he has failed to dislodge German shot stopper Bernd Leno as the number one goalkeeper in the team. Ryan has played just one game for Arsenal whom he supported as a child while growing up in his native Australia.
While Ryan is having a hard time with playing minutes in English football, Langerak has made a big mark onJ-league since signing for Nagoya Grampus in 2018.
Langerak broke the record for the most clean sheets last season in the J-league with 17 before keeping five clean sheets from the first six games this season. He has conceded just an own goal this season as he helped his team to second position. His team has a perfect league record this season and they trail defending champions Kawasaki Frontale on goal difference.