Australia show the way, as the World Cup dominates the view

The Independent’s football newsletter [The Independent]( October 28, 2022 [View in browser](   [The Independent]( [The Independent]( The Independent is proud to be media partners of the BT Sport Action Woman Awards 2022. Each year these awards celebrate the achievements of brilliant and inspiring female athletes. [To see the nominees and cast your vote please click here.](   Australia show the way, as the World Cup dominates the view A video that represents a genuinely significant moment [Australia’s creditable World Cup video has had significant impact](, and that goes as far as Qatar, who have recently been more proactive against criticism. This is the first real pressure the state has had from a qualified, and that is hugely significant given that it’s in a context where human rights groups have struggled to get federations to back calls for Fifa to match prize money with compensation to migrant workers. That is one reason this is so significant. It’s also why it’s worth addressing some of the ludicrous backlash the players have received. Many of the responses have been the usual: that if they care so much they should boycott; that it’s an empty gesture… all of this is wrong. The first thing to say is that no less an authority than human right groups stress that it is hugely unfair to place the burden of all this on the players, especially as regards a boycott. They’re still just young men with careers and dreams, and for many this might be a unique chance to go to a [World Cup or to win one](. If that is the case, it is unfortunate on them - with that of course being relative to the much more grave issues around Qatar - that it comes at a point in history when figures way over their heads have made such a controversial hosting decision. That’s why there have been no real call for the squads to boycott. That said, if players are going, they should go on with full awareness, as well as their own leverage. They do have some responsibility there. And that is what Australia are exercising. What was so impressive about this was that it was no vague gesture like an armband. It was a clear tackling of core issues around this tournament. This is why human rights groups have been so keen for federations to talk up, [because this World Cup](can have two positive changes. It can bring investigations into worker deaths, and compensation for the families of migrant workers. The players can assert huge pressure there. Other squads are already taking notice. Many are wondering whether they should do something similar. That could be an even greater effect of this. An old line, for a new problem Some coaches have recently uttered a line to top professionals that any underage player would be familiar with. That is that you are more at risk of injury if you pull out. You can guess what that refers to. [Every World Cup]( player will of course rightly insist that they are still giving 100% even though the tournament is around the corner, but not even they can discount subconscious effects. It is obviously on the back of players’ minds. Some figures within Premier League clubs have even had conversations about whether any lack of intensity in recent weeks can be sensed. That remains to be seen, with three match weekends left. It does show an extra folly of a mid-season World Cup, given it has to be so crunched. It remains ridiculous that the tournament will start just a week after domestic leagues break. With a normal summer World Cup, the lead-in is obviously much longer, so the season isn’t affected in the same way. This is almost as much of a disruption as the fact they’re breaking for the tournament at all. There’s the psychological effect, as much as the tangible effects. More levers required at Camp Nou Barcelona’s Champions League elimination has not just brought embarrassment for the club, after a summer like that. It might also warrant some moves. There is a feeling that [Frenkie de Jong will also form the main saga this January](as the club needs to raise funds. Manchester United are still interested. Forest no longer a pushover, as Arteta needs a lift For a team at the top of the league, there is suddenly a different pressure on Arsenal. It’s not just about staying top. It’s about staying close to top form. The sense has grown that they are running out of the momentum that propelled them earlier in the season. Recent performances have not been convincing. There’s been a slackness corresponding with a lack of edge in attack. [It started with the win over Leeds United](. And while that could initially have been reframed as a developing team learning to win when not playing well, the flip side is that it could be a sign of a season levelling out. It’s why the draw away to Southampton brought more concern. The caveat to those is both were away games, and Arsenal’s home atmospheres have brought an extra force this season. It might be needed on Sunday. Although it would have been expected a few weeks ago that Mikel Arteta’s side would just brush Nottingham Forest away, the renewal of Steve Copper’s contract has also brought a change of approach there. Forest are more defensively canny, much less porous. [It’s an awkward game for Arsenal and, perhaps, in its own way, an acid test.]( Rodgers has a similar reassessment Brendan Rodgers has actually taken a similar approach at Leicester City. In order to arrest a slide, he has brought the team right back. They no longer seek to dominate possession but to play on the transition. It is all the more pointed this weekend given who they are playing. [Manchester City aren’t just playing a Leicester who have righted themselves a bit](. They’re up against a defence that is less porous and, at the other end, offer precisely the kind of breaks that Pep Guardiola sides struggle with. BT Sport Action Woman Awards 2022 We have teamed up with BT Sport for their brilliant awards celebrating women in sport. Don't forget to vote for your winner. The deadline for voting is November 9. [To cast your vote click here](.   Top stories [Arsenal in danger of running out of steam before World Cup break]( [Antony’s controversial circus trick was the act of a true Manchester United winger](   Miguel's Dispatches [The World Cup is now close enough]( that it will dominate all discussions around the Premier League, as well as invite a lot of international interview requests. Any player on the brink of going to Qatar will be of interest to media. It’s instructive how some clubs have different policies on this. Some only allow interviews that pertain to their club, as they don’t want any distraction. A handful genuinely just don’t have the time, due to European football. And then there’s a few who believe that having a player at a World Cup is good reflection on the club, so are all too willing to invite media. Some of those have even put on full sessions with players.       QUOTE OF THE WEEK "I don’t see honesty in this type of situation, when I don’t see this I become really upset." A quote that Antonio Conte will almost certainly face punishment for   Reading the game quiz Reading the game quiz There are 15 managers who have been in charge of a team in the Premier League and also at a World Cup. Name them. ([You can find out the answers here](. The answer page will be updated weekly and contains answers from previous newsletters, too)   INDYBEST /BEST SPORTS BUY]( Fitbit Sense 2 review With the second-generation device, the company wants you to feel mindful about your body at all times. 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