Matildas The Matildas and the 2019 Women's World Cup Thread

[stax on the mull]

Do you brink Polkinghorne back when she gets over injury?

Think Kellond-Knight makes a huge difference because she has the best technique of controlling and distributing the ball and the centre backs Kennedy and Catley moved the ball better into the midfield with Van Egmond playing a little higher up. Kellond-Knight also conceded the first penalty against Brazil.

Catley got caught out defending on a bigger striker for the 2nd Brazil goal though. On the other hand Polks is a little slow, and gave ball up to Italy with a heavy touch for a first goal, even though she initiated the better ball movement out of defence in the first game.

The big difference was that we didn't recycle back passes through the goalkeeper so often - where the movement so slow and predictable against Italy and passing by foot is the weakest aspect of Williams game.

I think the only way forward for this current Australian team is to score enough at the other end to cover over the deficiencies at the back.

 

[DeadlyAkkuret]

USA basically doing as they please against whoever they play.


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[swingdog]

Do you brink Polkinghorne back when she gets over injury?

Think Kellond-Knight makes a huge difference because she has the best technique of controlling and distributing the ball and the centre backs Kennedy and Catley moved the ball better into the midfield with Van Egmond playing a little higher up. Kellond-Knight also conceded the first penalty against Brazil.

Catley got caught out defending on a bigger striker for the 2nd Brazil goal though. On the other hand Polks is a little slow, and gave ball up to Italy with a heavy touch for a first goal, even though she initiated the better ball movement out of defence in the first game.

The big difference was that we didn't recycle back passes through the goalkeeper so often - where the movement so slow and predictable against Italy and passing by foot is the weakest aspect of Williams game.

I think the only way forward for this current Australian team is to score enough at the other end to cover over the deficiencies at the back.

I've never been that convinced with Polkinghorne and Kennedy at the back. They always look slow. KK has to play - would prefer her further upfield working with van Egmond.

 

[drd23]

KK has to play - would prefer her further upfield working with van Egmond.

IMO KK needs to play where van Egmond is playing now, and Emily plays further up instead of either Foord or Yallop

 

[Dixie Flatline]

Do you brink Polkinghorne back when she gets over injury?

Think Kellond-Knight makes a huge difference because she has the best technique of controlling and distributing the ball and the centre backs Kennedy and Catley moved the ball better into the midfield with Van Egmond playing a little higher up. Kellond-Knight also conceded the first penalty against Brazil.

Catley got caught out defending on a bigger striker for the 2nd Brazil goal though. On the other hand Polks is a little slow, and gave ball up to Italy with a heavy touch for a first goal, even though she initiated the better ball movement out of defence in the first game.

The big difference was that we didn't recycle back passes through the goalkeeper so often - where the movement so slow and predictable against Italy and passing by foot is the weakest aspect of Williams game.

I think the only way forward for this current Australian team is to score enough at the other end to cover over the deficiencies at the back.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, I think Kennedy and Polkinghorne are too easily exposed by better teams. They're good when the ball is played aerially into Australia's defensive zone, but they struggle to defend balls knocked on the ground. I've watched the Australia-Brazil game and Kennedy (and Catley as well) again just found it really difficult to cope with the runs from Debinha right throughout the game, and Ludmila when she replaced Marta at half-time.

Having said that, there's little in the squad to offer something different.

According to the FIFA match report, Milicic lined the Australians up in a 4-3-3 formation: Williams; Kellond-Knight, Catley, Kennedy, Carpenter; Logarzo, Van Egmond, Yallop; Foord, Kerr, Gienlik.

I would change the formation into a 4-1-3-2 formation as follows: Williams; Gema Simon, Catley, Kennedy, Carpenter; Kellond-Knight; Logarzo, Van Egmond, Yallop; Foord, Kerr. That would result in Gielnik being dropped for Gema Simon, who would come in and play left-back as she's previously done for Australia, and then have Kellond-Knight screen the vulnerable centre of defence.

 

[Dixie Flatline]

USA basically doing as they please against whoever they play.


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It will get harder for them when they reach the knock-out stage. Thailand obviously is the worst team in the World Cup and Chile is fairly mediocre. With Sweden also advancing this morning but not scoring anywhere near as many against Thailand as the Americans did, the USA v Sweden has the hallmarks of a dead rubber so I wonder whether the Americans will rest a few of their starters in preparation for the knock-out stage.

At the moment, if the current standings remain as they are, the US would play Spain in the round of 16 in Reims, while Sweden would play Canada in Paris (though currently Canada is second in group E only because the Netherlands have scored one more goal than the Canadians in the first two group matches in group E).

 

[Dixie Flatline]

Looks like some US pundits are still sensitive over the goal celebrations against the Thai.

 

[Dixie Flatline]

 

[juss]

So what's the scenario against Jamaica? Win and through at least as a 3rd place guarantee? Obviously that's the case if Italy beat Brazil and we at least draw through regardless. Think we need to cheer for the Italians here.

 

[drd23]

So what's the scenario against Jamaica? Win and through at least as a 3rd place guarantee? Obviously that's the case if Italy beat Brazil and we at least draw through regardless. Think we need to cheer for the Italians here.

Best case scenario is Brazil beats Italy and we beat Jamaica by 5 goals more than Brazil wins by

 

[SunGirl89]

Thailand obviously is the worst team in the World Cup

Are they though? 25% of the teams are ranked lower than Thailand. Thailand are 29, Jamaica is the worst at 53. Let’s see how we do against the lowest ranked team at the World Cup. Australia are #6, if we can’t win by at least 4 goals then Sam Kerr can suck on it.

 

[Dixie Flatline]

Polkinghorne ruled out of the Jamaica game and Yallop faces a fitness test to be ready. Fowler will be in the match day squad.

 

[Dixie Flatline]

Are they though? 25% of the teams are ranked lower than Thailand. Thailand are 29, Jamaica is the worst at 53. Let’s see how we do against the lowest ranked team at the World Cup. Australia are #6, if we can’t win by at least 4 goals then Sam Kerr can suck on it.

13-0 and then 5-1 suggests that Thailand is the worst team in the competition.

 

[Frank Bunn]

Are they though? 25% of the teams are ranked lower than Thailand. Thailand are 29, Jamaica is the worst at 53. Let’s see how we do against the lowest ranked team at the World Cup. Australia are #6, if we can’t win by at least 4 goals then Sam Kerr can suck on it.

Qualification is political by the Federations. The African countries in the tournament are ranked between 38 and 49, whereas many UEFA countries ranked higher missed out.

I think they've expanded to 24 teams too soon. A few of the teams are not competitive. And the huge stadiums have been empty. Would have preferred 16 teams and some games being played in smaller grounds that were full.

 

[Dixie Flatline]

Not sure whether it is true, but I have seen it posted online that Thailand is only playing because North Korea was banned from competing due to performance enhancing substance issues.

 

[swingdog]

Solid win but we didn't look too have many alternative avenues to goals (De Vanna was holding onto the ball too long, Foord seemed to struggle to get into it today, Raso was good) and the defence is still dodgy against pace. Jamaica could easily have had another couple with Shaw.

Good to bank the points, but still need to improve.

 

[juss]

Happy to go through, not convinced we are playing well enough to progress much further though. Possibly a Quarter Final?

Great from Kerr to perform like that, she needed to after getting distracted recently.

 

[drd23]

Great performance from Kerr. She did well to convert so as many half chances as she did and to pounce on a couple of mistakes by Jamaica.

The defense still needs to improve - yes the goal they scored was a great move, but it remains a worry that we continue to concede in the same manner. Agreed that De Vanna held the ball too much.

I thought Roestbakken was pretty impressive for a kid in her second game

 

[giggler99]

Matilda's will play Norway in the next match.

Round of 16:
Norway V Australia 22 Jun 9pm aest Stade de Nice

 

[raven echo]

Kerr was great. Agree with the sentiments that De Vanna held the ball way too long. Raso was good, especially her run for the third goal. Defence still gives me a heart attack every time.

It was the weakest opposition we've played thus far, so I'm not reading a lot into the scoreline. Defence really has to improve, if we're going to go much further.

 

[corbies]

Not sure whether it is true, but I have seen it posted online that Thailand is only playing because North Korea was banned from competing due to performance enhancing substance issues.

This isn't really what happened. North Korea were banned from competing at the 2015 World Cup for testing positive which allowed Thailand to qualify for that tournament. As a result of N.Korea's ban they were unseeded going into qualifying for the 2018 Asian Cup (which doubles as the qualifying tournament for the World Cup) which meant they got drawn in a group with S.Korea who advanced to the Asian Cup in front of them on goal difference.

The Thai's then got a pretty weak group to qualify for the Semi's of the Asian Cup (which also qualified them for the World Cup). However in the Semi they played us and we only beat them on pens after a 91st equalizer by us.

 

[SunGirl89]

A very unconvincing 4-1 win, many thanks to the Jamaican keeper for helping us avoid France.

Our World Cup starts now. Lose to Norway and the campaign has been a failure.

Great match from Kerr but when we play better sides, will we have anyone to score goals?

 

[stax on the mull]

Some of the issues in defence will be improved by the return of Kellond-Knight and likely Polkinghorne, just because of experience. Catley back to her usual position on the left side and Yallop in midfield. We turned the ball over easily and allowed lots of space to counter - that was biggest problem the defence had.

Not the best game from Lisa De Vanna. Perhaps its age and limited game time this year although she did show a bit game vs USA prior to the tournament. It used to be a cinch for her to pass one opponent, often two and get a shot or play a dangerous ball into the area - now she struggles to get around one opponent, although they said in the commentary she was matched by Jamaica's quickest defender. Last 20 minutes bench sub is probably her role now, although I expect Mary Fowler to be given a run some time in the next game.

Aivi Luik looked very good on the ball when she came on for the last 5 minutes.

 

[CakeEater]

Scotland eliminated from World Cup in cruellest circumstances

Argentina’s Florencia Bonsegundo converted a retaken penalty in stoppage time to seal a staggering comeback from three goals down to draw 3-3 with Scotland, a result that has eliminated Scotland in “farcical” and cruel scenes.

www.news.com.au

Scotland got gipped you can’t say that’s a severe move off the line.

If they start doing that in the men’s game so many pens will get retaken

 

[stax on the mull]

Scotland eliminated from World Cup in cruellest circumstances

Argentina’s Florencia Bonsegundo converted a retaken penalty in stoppage time to seal a staggering comeback from three goals down to draw 3-3 with Scotland, a result that has eliminated Scotland in “farcical” and cruel scenes.

www.news.com.au

Scotland got gipped you can’t say that’s a severe move off the line.

If they start doing that in the men’s game so many pens will get retaken

There was one in France's 1-0 win over Nigeria where Renard hit the post with the shot but got to take it again. Now we get to the knockout rounds there'll likely be some games going to penalty shootouts, so the VAR could come into it a lot.