Matildas The Matildas Thread

[jhong]

Really missing Gorry.

 

[Around the Wicket]

Williams' last game

Ok.. why didn’t they let her play the 90?

 

[Around the Wicket]

Mitildas need to sack the coach we should be flogging this opposition

 

[Dory_77]

Ok.. why didn’t they let her play the 90?

Think it's pretty common in soccer - sub out the retiree so they get their own moment leaving. Did think it was a surprise it didn't happen 2nd half though.

 

[Dory_77]

Really missing Gorry.

EVE a bit too slow tonight. Need some extra energy.

KCC doing well; Carpenter and Raso linking up nicelt. Just need a bit more composure in the box

 

[jhong]

EVE a bit too slow tonight. Need some extra energy.

KCC doing well; Carpenter and Raso linking up nicelt. Just need a bit more composure in the box

Also be good to use Fowler more , to much down the one side .

 

[stax on the mull]

Good force on that header by Wheeler.

 

[stax on the mull]

Speed kills on the 2nd goal. Didn't think Raso would get that without being caught then to have the composure to slot it under the GK.

 

[CURVE]

Stunning through ball from Vine and brilliant finish from Raso.

 

[jhong]

Putting wheeler next to Coony-Cross changed the game . Looked a lot better going forward. 2-0 win lets the crowd go home happy .

 

[Dixie Flatline]

EVE a bit too slow tonight. Need some extra energy.

KCC doing well; Carpenter and Raso linking up nicelt. Just need a bit more composure in the box

Been that way for a couple of years. She's a mobile roadblock. Almost always slows down the play when she's in possession, dwells on the ball far too much and lets opponents get their defence ready. But she's probably the first on the plane to Paris under Gustavsson (she was vice-captain at one stage of the Matildas under Gustavsson; I don't think she is any more though).

Hat's off to Milicic. Thought he was an awful coach when he was in charge of the Matildas but he's worked wonders with China in a short space of time and with the language barrier to contend with as well. He had them disciplined and playing to a plan in both games. In the first game in particular, the low block China deployed really stifled Australia and the Matildas were unable to get anything going. Australia was also sloppy in possession and China really could have had more than one goal on the board by the time Heyman bobbed up with the equaliser.

To his credit, Gustavsson clearly studied the tape and came out with a more aggressive plan in the second game, but in cut-throat tournament football, you need to be on your game from the first whistle. I expect Zambia will deploy a similar defensive shape to China, but aren't anywhere near as good as China (based on the FIFA rankings, there's about 30+ countries between Zambia and China) and this is a game that Australia must absolutely win in order to have a prayer of advancing out of the group. Germany and USA will not want to slip up against Australia so they will be ultra-attacking.

The one thing Australia can't afford in the Olympics is to have Mary Fowler marginalised like she was last night. She's a very talented and creative player and can unpick defences with a sublime pass, but she can drift out of games too easily. Gustavsson needs to make sure that Fowler remains involved in the play.

 

[Dixie Flatline]

Mitildas need to sack the coach we should be flogging this opposition

Pretty sure Gustavsson's contract expires after the Olympics. He's probably ready to move on (was linked to the USWNT and the Sweden men's jobs after the World Cup but nothing eventuated). I think he's been flattered by the results in the World Cup and in the 2020 Olympics.

 

[stax on the mull]

I probably think Fowler was out of gas in the 2nd half just because of the minutes played. Her and Hunt were the only two that played the full 90 minutes in both games.

 

[stax on the mull]

Names of the players for the Olympics has been released

Arnold
Carpenter
Catley
Cooney-Cross
Foord
Fowler
Gorry
Heyman
Hunt
Kennedy
Micah
Polkinghorne
Raso
Torpey
Van Egmond
Vine
Wheeler
Yallop

Williams, Grant, Nevin and Freier are the 4 back ups.

 

[CURVE]

Happy for Heyman, she has been excellent for Canberra United since her return and her return to the Matilda's line up has been enjoyable to watch.

 

[Pres]

Names of the players for the Olympics has been released

Arnold
Carpenter
Catley
Cooney-Cross
Foord
Fowler
Gorry
Heyman
Hunt
Kennedy
Micah
Polkinghorne
Raso
Torpey
Van Egmond
Vine
Wheeler
Yallop

Williams, Grant, Nevin and Freier are the 4 back ups.

Grant terribly unlucky

 

[swingdog]

Grant terribly unlucky

Yeah, I would have had her in over Yallop, release Torpey upfield.

 

[GOALden Hawk]

The solution seems simple to me - Foord to the wing, Fowler to play in the 8 role with Yallop and EVE to the bench.

Fowler needs to be on the ball as much as possible, not sitting out on the wing. Use the pace of our FBs and Raso to do that.

 

[jhong]

Van egmond very lucky to be in squad . i Thought swapping her with Grant would be no biggie . Apparently not .

 

[Dixie Flatline]

Can question how Gustavsson his approach to introducing new players into the squad over his time in charge. Not really a fan of throwing together a Frankenstein's team and then wondering why they get smashed (e.g., friendly against Canada in Canada last year).

However, he clearly trusts EVE, Yallop and Polkinghorne to carry out his instructions on the pitch, but my worry is that Polkinghorne has zero pace any more and Australia will be facing fast attackers against the US and Zambia in particular. If Polkinghorne has to play minutes, it might get ugly.

Looking at that squad, I imagine his best XI would look something like this: Arnold; Catley (c), Kennedy, Hunt, Carpenter; Fowler, Gorry, Cooney-Cross, Raso; Foord, Heyman. I've assumed a 4-4-2, but Gustavsson may actually prefer a 4-3-3 so that Fowler or Raso are more advanced further up the pitch.

 

[swingdog]

Can question how Gustavsson his approach to introducing new players into the squad over his time in charge. Not really a fan of throwing together a Frankenstein's team and then wondering why they get smashed (e.g., friendly against Canada in Canada last year).

However, he clearly trusts EVE, Yallop and Polkinghorne to carry out his instructions on the pitch, but my worry is that Polkinghorne has zero pace any more and Australia will be facing fast attackers against the US and Zambia in particular. If Polkinghorne has to play minutes, it might get ugly.

Looking at that squad, I imagine his best XI would look something like this: Arnold; Catley (c), Kennedy, Hunt, Carpenter; Fowler, Gorry, Cooney-Cross, Raso; Foord, Heyman. I've assumed a 4-4-2, but Gustavsson may actually prefer a 4-3-3 so that Fowler or Raso are more advanced further up the pitch.

Which isn't a bad starting XI.

It's the back-up defence that's concerning. Personally, I would have taken Grant and move Catley in if one of the centre backs went down.

 

[Dixie Flatline]

Which isn't a bad starting XI.

It's the back-up defence that's concerning. Personally, I would have taken Grant and move Catley in if one of the centre backs went down.

I'm also concerned that Kennedy is error-prone and can be exploited by pacey forwards as well (Kennedy isn't slow, but she also isn't quick). She offers versatility in that she can also play midfield and be a makeshift striker in case Heyman or Foord get injured, but she can offer a roller-coaster ride in tournament football.

At least we're not seeing the likes of Jenna McCormick anywhere near the Matildas any more.

 

[swingdog]

I'm also concerned that Kennedy is error-prone and can be exploited by pacey forwards as well (Kennedy isn't slow, but she also isn't quick). She offers versatility in that she can also play midfield and be a makeshift striker in case Heyman or Foord get injured, but she can offer a roller-coaster ride in tournament football.

At least we're not seeing the likes of Jenna McCormick anywhere near the Matildas any more.

Thank God Clare Hunt emerged.

Strikers and centre backs are the two things we seem to struggle to develop in Australian women's football.

 

[Dixie Flatline]

Bored at work this morning, so reading the thread from start to finish. Came across the 2020 Olympics squad from three years ago.

Name	Position	Age (in 2021)	In the 2024 squad
Lydia Williams	Goalkeeper	33	No
Teagan Micah	Goalkeeper	23	Yes
Mackenzie Arnold	Goalkeeper	27	Yes
Laura Brock	Defender	31	No
Charlotte Grant	Defender	19	No*
Courtney Nevin	Defender	19	No*
Alanna Kennedy	Defender	26	Yes
Steph Catley	Defender	27	Yes
Clare Polkinghorne	Defender	32	Yes
Ellie Carpenter	Defender	21	Yes
Aivi Luik	Defender	36	No
Emily van Egmond	Midfielder	27	Yes
Elise Kellond-Knight	Midfielder	30	No
Tameka Yallop	Midfielder	30	Yes
Chloe Logarzo	Midfielder	26	No
Kyra Cooney-Cross	Midfielder	19	Yes
Sam Kerr	Forward	27	No
Hayley Raso	Forward	26	Yes
Caitlin Foord	Forward	26	Yes
Emily Gielnik	Forward	29	No
Kyah Simon	Forward	30	No
Mary Fowler	Forward	18	Yes

So, from the squad that went to Tokyo three years ago, Lydia Williams (retired), Aivi Luik (retired), Elise Kellond-Knight (not selected), Chloe Logarzo (not selected), Sam Kerr (injured), Emily Gielnik (not selected) and Kyah Simon (not selected) aren't going to Paris, and they're replaced by Katrina Gorry, Michelle Heyman, Kaitlyn Torpey, Cortnee Vine and Clare Wheeler (Mackenzie Arnold was initially a reserve for the 2020 Olympics but was added to the main squad when the IOC allowed the squads to expand to 22 players).

Charlotte Grant and Courtney Nevin were added to the main squad for the 2020 Olympics and are reserves for the 2024 Olympics.

We have a pretty old squad going to the 2024 Olympics. Seven players 30+ are representing Australia (Arnold, Catley, Gorry, Heyman, Polkinghorne, Van Egmond and Yallop). Also have three 29 year old players going (Foord, Kennedy and Raso). The youngest player in the squad is again Mary Fowler (21 years old), while Cooney-Cross (22 years old), Kaitlyn Torpey and Ellie Carpenter (each 24 years of age) are the next youngest.

Pressure is on the team to bring home a medal, given the age and experience in the squad, but I'm just not sure whether Australia is good enough. I hope they are.

 

[jhong]

I was quite impressed with Cooney-Cross , aside from a couple of times she tried to dribble around the entire Chinese midfield . Coming along nicely .