QPR's Massimo Luongo feels like his combination with Melbourne City's Aaron Mooy is blossoming with each game as both thrive on the freedom they have in the Socceroos' fluid midfield set up.
The pair were sensational in the middle of the park as the Socceroos ran out comfortable 3-0 winners against Kyrgyzstan in Canberra on Thursday night in a vital World Cup qualifier.
With skipper Mile Jedinak and Mark Milligan providing a solid base behind them, Luongo and Mooy have license to attack and it’s paying off for coach Ange Postecoglou.\
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“It’s a good [relationship]. I think we’re both clever enough to adapt to the way each other plays,” Luongo said of his combination with Mooy.
“We’re not afraid to give the ball up to each other. I know if I pass it to him I’m a good chance to get it back or I’m in a good position to get it from someone else.
“Millsy’s [Milligan] was in there as well, it sort of compliments us as well to have him and Mile [Jedinak] getting about the pitch.
“It was the first time we set up [this way] but it was quite fluid. Everyone is quite comfortable in their positions anyway regardless of the formation,” he added.
Milligan certainly likes what he sees from the duo, praising them both for their performances, with Mooy having a hand in both second half goals.
“They were both outstanding. Mass played a little deeper and more central tonight than he has in the last couple of games. He looked comfortable,” Milligan said.
“I think Aaron Mooy looked very comfortable on the ball. He can play a number of positions and he’s doing it at club and international level as well.”
Despite dominating from the opening whistle, the Socceroos didn’t get the breakthrough until five minutes before the break when Jedinak swept home a penalty after Nathan Burns was brought down in the box.
Having missed a couple of excellent opportunities as well as hitting the woodwork, things could have come back to haunt the Socceroos but Luongo insisted they always knew Kyrgyzstan would buckle.
“That’s the thing with our style. We don’t want to change it from minute one to minute 90,” he said.
“We just kept banging on the door and we had a few chances. We didn’t put them away but they were getting tired and we were breaking them down.
“Even if we went in 0-0 at half-time we knew the second half would have been a lot easier for us if we just kept doing the same thing because they aren’t as fit as us, they travelled far to get here and they aren’t used to it.
“It [the goals] was bound to come and they usually do in our games.”