Graham Arnold must make the toughest calls of his Socceroos tenure when he decides who to tap and who to cull for his Asian Cup squad.
Just 23 players will travel to United Arab Emirates next week as Australia prepare to defend the title won by Ange Postecoglou's side in 2015.
Injured midfielder Aaron Mooy will be provisionally named in the squad on Thursday before a medical later this week, with Socceroos staff still hopeful the Huddersfield man can overcome a knee issue.
Perth Glory's Chris Ikonomidis and Netherlands-based Ajdin Hrustic are firmly in the frame as Arnold considers how best to bolster his side with goals.
There are question marks over every line of his squad, particularly the attack where no player seems certain of a place.
Tomi Juric, with just three league starts in Switzerland and no goals all season, cannot be selected on form but might be saved by his Socceroos experience.
Andrew Nabbout and Jamie Maclaren are likely inclusions.
With more football under his belt, Apostolos Giannou might overtake Juric in the pecking order, but both could miss out given Ikonomidis' sharp form for the A-League leaders.
The three goalkeepers are clear, with the key question in defence being Melbourne Victory's Thomas Deng or Sydney FC's Rhyan Grant at right-back.
Grant's versatility could give him an edge, while Deng's club teammates James Troisi and Terry Antonis are also set to miss out due to a logjam of talent in attacking midfield.
Antonis has been lauded for his A-League form this season, helping Victory to six straight wins, but suggested he wasn't confident in returning to the Asian Cup after being an unused substitute in the 2015 campaign.
"You want to represent your country and I've been playing well," he told AAP.
"But the coach picks the players he needs ... it'd be great to be in there. I know Arnie and he knows where I am."
Antonis said he hadn't been contacted by his former club coach in the build up to Thursday's announcement, but was eager to return to the continental championships.
"2015 was a great experience. Ange was the coach at the time and I learned so much in there ... being a part of that was amazing feeling," he said.
The majority of the Socceroos squad that suffered a group stage exit at the World Cup are likely to be retained.
Hrustic's strong form for Groningen has earned him transfer links to English football and the 22-year-old is a chance to earn his second cap in the UAE.
Australia's opening match of the Asian Cup comes on January 6 against Jordan in Al-Ain.
POSSIBLE SOCCEROOS SQUAD FOR ASIAN CUP
Goalkeepers: Mitch Langerak, Mat Ryan, Danny Vukovic
Defence: Mark Milligan (capt), Aziz Behich, Milos Degenek, Alex Gersbach, Rhyan Grant, Matt Jurman, Josh Risdon, Trent Sainsbury
Midfield: Mustafa Amini, Jackson Irvine, Massimo Luongo, Aaron Mooy (Ajdin Hrustic on standby), Tom Rogic
Attack: Martin Boyle, Chris Ikonomidis, Robbie Kruse, Mathew Leckie, Awer Mabil, Jamie Maclaren, Andrew Nabbout
Australian Associated Press
