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Squiggle tips Saints at 51% chance -- What's your tip? -- Team line-ups »
Pretty woeful effort even with a few novices getting games.
Fowler made a terrible backpass for the first goal. Arnold sydney harbour bridged a regulation long shot near the post - 2-0. (Surely Tegan Micah is a better goalie if she can recover from injury in time for the Olympics). The 3rd goal was good pressure on our defence until we coughed it up.
Dylan Holmes came into midfield replacing Fowler for her first run in the 2nd half, and looked quite competant hitting targets with her passing - actually had the clearest chance to score, but deep in defence she tried to clear the ball across goal and kicked it directly to a Dutch player 10m out for an easy finish. The other goal was from a good long cross that split our defence and the ball was chipped over Arnold as she came out to the edge of the penalty box.
Three goals from clear mistakes but more disappointing were the senior players who let themselves down with basic technique and passing. Van Egmond especially sluggish again. Foord and Raso for every time they won the ball off their opponents would just as often give it straight back.
Can't really think of any good players in this game. Luik and Goad were pretty honest defensively despite the ocassional mistakes - and that's about it. Kerr tried hard running around everywhere like she always does to provide a target but couldn't get into the game with the horrible passes, and also being caught offside with her runs.
Compared to the Germany game, we did have far more opportunities to score and the Dutch defenders actually looked a bit nervous at times when we pressed them but there was too much individual play when we got our chances near the box. More than just a symptom of the players not being familiar with each others game.
Good write-up. I'm sure Gustavsson is already discounting the Olympics and looking ahead to the 2023 World Cup. Samantha Lewis puts it well:
These two friendlies, then, are not just a wake-up call to Gustavsson and his squad as the next four-year cycle begins. They are also a wake-up call to Football Australia and the domestic structures – both at W-League and national team level – that must improve if Australia is to develop the kind of depth required to compete in this emerging international landscape.
If that's the case, 2023 might already be a stretch and 2027 should be the target for Football Australia.
Netherlands humbling a reminder of Matildas’ place in world pecking order | Samantha Lewis
The 5-0 loss, following Sunday’s 5-2 defeat by Germany, prove Australia must temper Tokyo expectationswww.theguardian.com
Matildas play USA Sweden and New Zealand at the Olympics
Matildas play USA Sweden and New Zealand at the Olympics
Nice header by Kerr yesterday:
Much better defensive effort , can't remember any time during the match when we put them under sustained pressure going forward .
Raso had a good game ,same with the keeper . A draw probably a fair result IMO.
Yeah, looking forward to watching the replay later. Interesting that they tried Carpenter up front towards the end. There is an over-reliance on Kerr.
Carpenter started back and finished as a forward mid. Catley was left back and then was shifted to a wing. Raso started as a defender and finished as an attacker.
It might be something to do with finding players who can play multiple roles during a tournament or during a game with there only being a squad of 18 for they olympics - at least that's something I heard Gustavson mention that he was looking for in making decisions on his final squad in an interview he did prior to the Denmark game.
We actually have a lot of forwards - Simon, Foord, Gielnik, Raso, Fowler could all partner with Kerr up front.
Thought Polkinghorne was the best player over the 2 games. Raso was indefatiguable but her technique lets her down sometimes - playing the ball too far ahead of her or not being able to stop it close to her feet. Lucky she's so quick when she shows the ball to the opposition she can usually get there quick enough to recover it.
Micah was flawless. Way ahead of Arnold for mine as a GK option. The other starting debutant, Cooney-Cross showed quite a bit the longer the game went.
I'm not really convinced Yallop is up to it, but she also has played multiple roles over the last couple of games.
True but we never seem to have found someone that works well with her. They all seem to play as individuals. Compare that to how she works with Kirby and Harder at Chelsea.
Matildas squad for the Olympics. Just announced earlier today that the squads will be expanded from 18 to 22 players. Not sure if this means the 4 players alrdeady named as add-ons will all make it in the extended squad.
Other than Logarzo, who I thought was injured, there an no real surprises for me. Micah deserves a spot ahead of Arnold, maybe even ahead of Williams as the No 1 GK.
Matildas team locked in for Tokyo with official Olympic selection | Matildas