Australia’s Socceroos meet fellow 2006 FIFA World Cup finalists Ghana on Tuesday night at Loftus Road - the home of Queens Park Rangers - in London, with The Socceroos head coach Graham Arnold fielding a team without many of it’s big-name stars.

Arnold is not only without captain Lucas Neill, but midfielders Harry Kewell, Tim Cahill and Josip Skoko, with Middlesbrough striker Mark Viduka also out for the fixture against the African nation, with coach Arnold also confirming that defender Craig Moore is a doubt with a groin injury.

Coming into the squad in their places are Michael Beauchamp, Michael Thwaite and also Kasey Wehrman who has not appeared for the national team since 2001

Ghana did exceptionally well in their first-ever World Cup Finals, reaching the last 16 of the tournament despite being in one of the toughest qualifying groups that featured then world ranked No.2 team Czech Republic and the eventual winners Italy.

Arnold is full of admiration for The Black Stars, saying: "They play a totally different style of football than Europeans and South Americans.

“They’re pretty off the cuff, they’re unpredictable, they’re such good athletes across the field that they’re hard to play against, so it’s going to be a good experience for us.”

“They've got wonderful players all round the park, and I've had a look at them enough, I saw them at the World Cup when they made the last 16. They're a very athletic side."

“The negative side is obviously the injuries to the main guys but on the positive side it is a game against very good opposition which is going to test these new guys and see where we are at," said Arnold speaking from London.

With Neill ruled out because of a hamstring injury, Australia has lost one of its fastest defenders, with Arnold knowing how dangerous Ghana can be on the break, he is very wary of giving the Black Stars too much space to work into.

“I don't think we’ll be able to defend as high up the field as I normally like to because I don’t want to leave too much space behind us at the back,” said Arnold.

Arnold also admitted that he was intending to use some of his younger players in the match against Ghana.

“This a great opportunity against quality opposition to give the likes of Patrick Kisnorbo, Ryan Griffiths, Brett Holman, Shane Stefanutto, Kasey Wehrman an opportunity,” said Arnold.

“Brett Holman is very quick, I've gone for him with his athleticism and Ryan Griffiths is very quick, (so pace) won't be a problem,” Arnold said.

Last week Ryan Griffiths replaced Scott McDonald in another change to the 18-man squad that was initially announced.

Griffiths, 25, has scored seven goals in 35 matches with Romanian sides FC National Bucuresti and Rapid Bucuresti, while Holman, 22, has made 11 starts for Dutch side NEC Nijmegen so far this season.

Left-footer Shane Steffanuto will be making his debut for The Socceroos after three seasons with Norwegian side Lillestrom.

Four left-sided Socceroos have retired in the past year and Arnold is hoping Steffanutto will be able to come in to the team as cover.

“I’ve had, in the last 12 months, four left-footers retire in (Danny) Tiatto, (Stan) Lazaridis, (Tony) Popovic and Tony Vidmar, it's an area of the field that I think we're short,” said Arnold.

“It’s an opportunity to have a look in a friendly game at how Shane is, and how he fits in to the system and if he can handle the level.”

Ghana’s Black Stars, led by Frenchman Claude Le Roy who is no stranger to Australian football. After taking Cameroon to the 1998 World Cup, he put his hand up for the job of coaching the Socceroos five years ago, when Frank Farina was under fire.

Le Roy took the Ghana job after the World Cup Finals and has since led the team to impressive wins over Japan and South Korea.

Le Roy is expected to field a strong team to face Australia, with no major injury concerns for the match at Loftus Road on Tuesday evening (Wednesday Australia time)

The current Socceroos squad (team to be chosen from):

Goalkeepers: Mark Schwarzer (Middlesbrough, England), Michael Petkovic (Sivasspor, Turkey);

Defenders: Michael Beauchamp (Nuremberg, Germany), Craig Moore (Newcastle United, England), Shane Stefanutto (SK Lillestrom, Norway), Patrick Kisnorbo (Leicester City, England), Michael Thwaite (Wisla Krakow, Poland);

Midfielders: Mark Bresciano (Palermo, Italy), Scott Chipperfield (Basel, Switzerland), Jason Culina (PSV Eindhoven, Netherlands), Brett Emerton (Blackburn Rovers, England), Vince Grella (Parma, Italy), Mile Sterjovski (Basel, Switzerland), Luke Wilkshire (FC Twente, Netherlands), Kasey Wehrman (SK Lillestrom, Norway),

Forwards: John Aloisi (Alaves, Spain), Ryan Griffiths (Rapid Bucharest, Romania), Brett Holman (NEC Nijmegen, Netherlands).

Ghana Black Stars Team (to be chosen from):

Goalkeepers: Sammy Adjei (FC Moadon Sports Ashdod, Israel), Richard Kingston (BB Ankaraspor K, Turkey);

Defenders: Francis Dickoh (FC Utrecht, Netherlands), Shilla Alhassan Illiasu (Saturn,Russia), John Mensah (Stade Rennais FC, France), Habib Mohammed (Molde FK, Norway), John Paintsil West Ham United, England), Hans Adu Sarpei (Wolfsburg, Germany);

Midfielders: Eric Addo (PSV Eindhoven, Netherlands), Stephen Appiah (Fenerbahce, Turkey), Himinu Dramini (Genclerbirligi Ankara, Turkey), Michael Essien (Chelsea, England), Laryea Kingston (Locomotiv Moscow, Russia), Sulley Ali Muntari (Udinese, Italy);

Strikers: Junior Agogo (Nottingham Forest, England), Derek Asamoah (Chester City, England), Asamoah Gyan (Modena, Italy), Peter Ofori-Quaye (OFI Kreta, Greece).