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Women's Asian Cup match discussion thread

So only 35k crowed showed for the match in Perth. Pathetic just like the tv ratings.
 
Quicky said:
That game was a pleasure to watch and a window into how we can play.

I think we have hit on a formula with the team that finds a good balance. Kennedy screening our centre backs gives us extra defensive cover when we're open. It was great to have Catley back passing to midfield. Torpey was great again. Carpenter almost flawless defensively and her drive forward was crucial.

I'm not a big fan of Gorry but her pressing unsettled China and was so important, especially late. The biggest change though was Cooney-Cross in midfield. She works hard to present an outlet and she can dribble through or pass around. Great decisions and perfectly weighted passes.

Kerr, Foord and Fowler were class and super dangerous. I think Catley, Cooney-Cross and Carpenter from defense/midfield to attack created some great movement and provided good service to our forwards.

A special mention to Montemurro. When Hunt struggled he made the right call bringing on Heatley and it settled us. When Cooney-Cross stopped presenting for passes he brought on fresh legs. Every sub he made was the right call and timing.

I loved seeing the cohesion and swagger. It feels good to win. Now we just need to nail the final.
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Also, Kennedy made a 3 person CB defensive line at times, whilst the full backs went forwards in a 3-4-3 on occasions in possession.

If Aus lost the ball still in the defensive half, Aus reverted to a back 5 late in the game too.

Despite not being nimble at times, Kennedy won plenty of rugged hard balls. She isn't as nimble as Wheeler, CC and Gorry in jockeying, or turning and chasing if beaten, but she has immense strength and uses her body superbly in 1v1 physical contact duels. Kennedy is a decent distributor too - if she has adequate time on the ball. Plus Kennedy proved extra aerial power at both ends of the pitch at stoppages.

A lot of the game was played in the Matildas' half. China often boxed Aus in, with a Full Press and some judicious Intensive Squeezing.

I was really impressed with China's positioning and use of space as a team unit in Ball Possession Opposition at times, and their ability to close down space with well timed runs at Aussies.

Then again, by so often committing so many players in the Aus defensive half and the Chinese attacking half, when Aus managed to play through the first 2 Chinese lines, there was space to exploit between the Chinese defensive line and their midfield line.

Australia's accelerated attacks came off sometimes - with China lacking numbers at the back - and - having to turn, defend and run towards their own goal.

Totally agree, Quicky, about Montemurro making a good call. When Hunt was unusually having a worse game than normal, bringing Heatley on was prudent. If it hadn't been for Torpey's superb performance against North Korea at Left Back, I'm sure Heatley would have been CB and Catley Left B.
 
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HappyGuus said:
Yeah I'm not confident at all. I think they'll give us too many problems and we'll putting out spot-fires everywhere and get overwhelmed.
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If we have the game of our lives on Saturday and the Matildas can deal with the problems thrown at us by Japan in the final like we did in our last group stage match against South Korea, then we can still force extra time and get the job done like the Socceroos did in 2015 when they won the Asian Cup on home soil.
 
HonestSpursFan said:
Lani and Torps are having very good tournaments. Usually Torps wouldn’t start and Lani has proven she shouldn’t but this tournament they’ve been epic. Hopefully this form continues for Torps and she finds a big move. Thorns didn’t play her much but now she’s starting for Newcastle who are in the WSL2 and unlikely to be promoted this season.
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Some players play differently in the national team set up than their club scenarios at particular times, under specifc coaches.

Despite whatever their current club scenarios are, Kennedy, in midfield, and Torpey, at Left Back, have played as well as anybody in the team in the Asian Cup thus far, under the tutelage of Joe M.
 
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HappyGuus said:
Yeah I'm not confident at all. I think they'll give us too many problems and we'll putting out spot-fires everywhere and get overwhelmed.
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Haven't seen them play - yet. I just saw a frightening replay of a Japanese player who scored a superb goal - beating a couple of players with pace and consummate skill, then converting.

I think I heard on TV, Japan have scored 24 goals for - and 0 against. That is before playing South K. One pundit claimed they haven't played one of the better teams - yet.

Then again, I think North Korea played us off the park, but lost.
 
I've only just joined this Asian Cup discussion - as I've been flat out off forum.

Has anyone else raised this? I think some of the Asian refs are now letting a lot of physical stuff go on - and aren't calling blatant fouls that were obvious a decade ago.

I also feel like opposition players have plenty of scope to be overly physical with Aussie players, but if we mete out the same physicality, the whistle goes!

Am I biased?
 
Decentric said:
Did the Tilies draw 60 000 at the same stadium a while back?
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The Matildas had 44,379 in attendance for opening day against the Philippines at the same stadium on March 1st so crowds have been more or less similar, bearing in mind that our tournament opener was on a Sunday and those figures from the semi-final are for a Tuesday evening match.
 
rebelliousfeminist974 said:
The Matildas had 44,379 in attendance for opening day against the Philippines at the same stadium on March 1st so crowds have been more or less similar, bearing in mind that our tournament opener was on a Sunday and those figures from the semi-final are for a Tuesday evening match.
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Thanks.

At one stage in recent times I thought the Matildas had usurped the men's Test cricket team as the most popular national sporting team.

For once on Legacy Media, the ABC has the Tilies ahead of the AFL in the TV sports bulletins.
 
erogenouszone said:
LOL @ EVE getting gametime.
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I've had reservations for years, but EVE has been played by about 4 Matildas coaches in a row.

She must do a lot of things well - that are harder to discern.

* Good leadership.

* Good at following team game plans.

* Organises players around her effectively.

* Speed of thought - reads the game well.
 
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rebelliousfeminist974 said:
Official attendance 35,170 for the Matildas' semi-final against China at Optus Stadium.
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Good crowd. I guess Perth is just so isolated that would 40k have had interest in tickets for a game at HBF? Unlikely. Thankfully Sydney has a mix of decent sized grounds. I know availability is a factor but Parramatta shouldn't be used if demand will be that bit more in the city.

Australia vs Indonesia was strongly promoting tickets up until matchday but by the hype at the game I felt the Olympic stadium could have gotten a bit more but the atmosphere was perfect for Moore Park that night.
 
Decentric said:
Also, Kennedy made a 3 person CB defensive line at times, whilst the full backs went forwards in a 3-4-3 on occasions in possession.

If Aus lost the ball still in the defensive half, Aus reverted to a back 5 late in the game too.

Despite not being nimble at times, Kennedy won plenty of rugged hard balls. She isn't as nimble as Wheeler, CC and Gorry in jockeying, or turning and chasing if beaten, but she has immense strength and uses her body superbly in 1v1 physical contact duels. Kennedy is a decent distributor too - if she has adequate time on the ball. Plus Kennedy proved extra aerial power at both ends of the pitch at stoppages.

A lot of the game was played in the Matildas' half. China often boxed Aus in, with a Full Press and some judicious Intensive Squeezing.

I was really impressed with China's positioning and use of space as a team unit in Ball Possession Opposition at times, and their ability to close down space with well timed runs at Aussies.

Then again, by so often committing so many players in the Aus defensive half and the Chinese attacking half, when Aus managed to play through the first 2 Chinese lines, there was space to exploit between the Chinese defensive line and their midfield line.

Australia's accelerated attacks came off sometimes - with China lacking numbers at the back - and - having to turn, defend and run towards their own goal.

Totally agree, Quicky, about Montemurro making a good call. When Hunt was unusually having a worse game than normal, bringing Heatley on was prudent. If it hadn't been for Torpey's superb performance against North Korea at Left Back, I'm sure Heatley would have been CB and Catley Left B.
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If it wasn't, it should alway's have been the intent to play Catley at centre back. She was nominated for a Ballon D'or in that role. I also think the South Korea game showed we lack speed there, and Catley is quicker than Hunt and Heatley. I think we've found our balance.
 
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Quicky said:
If it wasn't, it should alway's have been the intent to play Catley at centre back. She was nominated for a Ballon D'or in that role. I also think the South Korea game showed we lack speed there, and Catley is quicker than Hunt and Heatley. I think we've found our balance.
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To be fair Steph Catley has also been playing as a centre back at club level which has suited her better, and I think going into the final we'd have her at centre back and play Kaitlyn Torpey at left back.
 
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