Socceroos Depth Chart: Who is likely to be in Australia's World Cup squad?

Sometimes, it can be harder to deal with an abundance of possibilities than a paucity of them; a bounty of potential pathways (and ramifications) inducing a paralysing sense of uncertainty and overanalyzing.

Is it a conundrum that can only ever be born from a position of privilege? Absolutely. But just months out from his side facing off with France in the first game of their 2022 men's World Cup campaign, Socceroos coach Graham Arnold is embroiled in such a pickle.

Preparing for a tournament that will define his legacy, how does the 58-year-old, having stunned Peru in a penalty shootout to book a place in Qatar, sort through the player pool that has been developed in recent years to determine the lucky 26 that will receive the honour of calling themselves a World Cup Socceroo?

With the challenges of COVID compounding the general levels of rotation one would expect throughout a qualification campaign, the coach used 48 players during his quest to secure a place at Qatar 2022, including 17 that were making their senior debuts in green and gold.

The early portion of his tenure also saw him take charge of an Olyroos unit that booked a place at the Olympics for the first time since Beijing 2008 and, though that role has now ceased, he has continuously made fostering a pathway between the under-23s and the seniors one of his major priorities. In fact, until World Cup qualification was secured, that was what Arnold saw as his greatest accomplishment with the national teams.

Adding further challenges, players not a part of those two cohorts but that have nonetheless been knocking on the door of the squad will undoubtedly be reinvigorated in their efforts to impress by a chance to play at a World Cup -- the peak of any player's career -- in the months ahead.

And the fabled bolter, a player that emerges from the blue and, through a combination of momentum and a groundswell of support, becomes undeniable, cannot be discounted in a World Cup year.

So many players, so many options, but so few slots for Qatar.

- Jump to: Goalkeepers | Left-back | Centre-back | Right-back | Central midfield | Attacking midfield | Wingers | Strikers

Providing some respite -- as well as a potential lifeline for players on the fringes of his squad -- a small luxury on this front was gained in June when FIFA confirmed that nations would be allowed to bring extended, 26-player squads to the World Cup, three more than the standard 23. Arnold says that, as a result of the changes by FIFA, 16 places in his squad are now realistically still up for grabs in the coming months and that the extra slots would allow him greater scope in approach.

"We can probably take an extra centre-back now in case you want to play three at the back or five at the back," he explained to ESPN.

"Another creative player and maybe another winger or a striker. It depends, again, on who is in form. If someone's doing exceptionally well in a position where you can change the system or the style of play and make a difference."

Though the cliche is that there are never any guarantees when it comes to selection, that Arnold has already penned in 10 players that will -- barring injury -- be on the plane to Qatar shouldn't be surprising. His approach has always been to put his trust in a core group of players within his system and it is widely expected that he will seek to reward the players that bought into his vision and delivered the Socceroos the fifth straight appearance at a World Cup.

If anything, that only 10 players have established themselves solidly in the coach's plans just four months out from the tournament would surprise many but, perhaps, this low number is due to another blessing-turned-curse for the Socceroos boss.

Arnold, having worn the green and gold 56 times himself, has frequently spoken of his affection for his players and his desire to foster a spirit of camaraderie in the team. The squad's messaging in the wake of the Peru upset, taking aim at the doubters both at home and abroad, certainly suggested that an "us against the world" mentality and unity in purpose has been well and truly forged.

But now, the gaffer holds the thankless task of deciding which players, which members of his "Socceroo family," will have their dreams of playing on the biggest stage in world football dashed.

For some, still in the formative stages of their careers, they will be able to regather their thoughts and turn to the 2026 World Cup across North America. But for other, more seasoned players, 2022 may represent their last realistic chance of reaching football's pinnacle. If they haven't been fortunate enough to be on hand in previous campaigns, the phone call that never comes shapes as an utterly devastating blow.

To avoid such a fate, the Socceroos coach is very clear about what needs to be done

"Match minutes are crucial," he told ESPN. "You're going to go into a World Cup where the games are going to go 100 miles an hour. They're every four days -- we play on the 22nd, 26th and the 30th [of November]. So players need to be extremely fit and be able to back up straight away.

"So it's first and foremost match minutes and form. I'm looking at everyone all the time. As long as they're performing well."

So, with all that in mind, what does a potential Socceroos depth chart look like heading into a crucial few months? It's impossible, of course, to know exactly who Arnold has in mind for the tournament, but one can make educated guesses based on factors such as incumbency, familiarity and previous selection policy.

As a result, the higher places on the chart would ostensibly fill themselves. Nonetheless, further down there is scope to pontificate on a few surprises, or muse over a few bolters.