libelous said:

I look forward to your analysis.

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I’m 3000 k away from home ATM. I’m enjoying having a break from analysis!

I haven’t scrutinized the Tillies like the Roos, but I’m pleased Joe M is having success, as I like what he is trying to do stylistically more than Tony G.

rebelliousfeminist974 said:

It's definitely safe to say that Sam Kerr hasn't been the same since making her return from injury and heading into future major tournament cycles we should start to think about replacing her altogether with either Holly McNamara or Skye Halmarick.

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Wow!

A big call!

Kerr still looks okay at the point of the attack.Not a bad strike to score against Mexico too.

McNamara looks promising.

Decentric said:

Not exactly sure of their ages, but Yallop and Heyman have been good servants for the Tillies.

Heyman was playing until pretty recently.

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They are both past it at international level, it’s the younger cohort that we should be looking at.
As an aside, I value your technical opinion and would appreciate you viewing more Matildas games.
I think we are going through a transition phase and the more opinions we can get for the female side is the game the better.

rebelliousfeminist974 said:

Sam Kerr was better today because the Matildas were able to capitalise on the chances created and turned them into meaningful shots at goal, but eventually she'll have to be phased out in favour of Holly McNamara or Skye Halmarick.

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I still don’t get your obsession with Halmerick, sure she has potential but right now she’s a long way off a Matildas start.

libelous said:

They are both past it at international level, it’s the younger cohort that we should be looking at.
As an aside, I value your technical opinion and would appreciate you viewing more Matildas games.
I think we are going through a transition phase and the more opinions we can get for the female side is the game the better.

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With everything I now like doing to analyse Roo games it takes hours and hours per game. It is very rewarding at the end though - as one can list the more subtle and hard to identify things that players do, or a team does.

The searing pace and ball carrying/dribbling of Kerr, Foorde, Raso and Carpenter, even Vine, stand out for the Tillies - and - is easy to identify as a strength.

EVE is one where it takes a lot more analysis to see strengths.

I can’t believe Joe M plays EVE above Wheeler at any time, but it has happened. I’m sure he would have plausible reasons though.

In terms of strengths where women are every bit as good as men are - organisation, game sense, communication, vision.

Underage, the consensus amongst coaches, is female players learn more quickly.

rebelliousfeminist974 said:

Sam Kerr was better today because the Matildas were able to capitalise on the chances created and turned them into meaningful shots at goal, but eventually she'll have to be phased out in favour of Holly McNamara or Skye Halmarick.

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Sadly, players can decline very quickly, late in their careers. Injuries and wear and tear can occur all too rapidly.

Decentric said:

With everything I now like doing to analyse Roo games it takes hours and hours per game. It is very rewarding at the end though - as one can list the more subtle and hard to identify things that players do, or a team does.

The searing pace and ball carrying/dribbling of Kerr, Foorde, Raso and Carpenter, even Vine, stand out for the Tillies - and - is easy to identify as a strength.

EVE is one where it takes a lot more analysis to see strengths.

I can’t believe Joe M plays EVE above Wheeler at any time, but it has happened. I’m sure he would have plausible reasons though.

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For all the strengths of the aforesaid players what I find lacking is cohesion. Our best technical player is Fowler but no one seems to know how to play with her. Maybe your technical analysis can throw some light on this.

libelous said:

For all the strengths of the aforesaid players what I find lacking is cohesion. Our best technical player is Fowler but no one seems to know how to play with her. Maybe your technical analysis can throw some light on this.

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That is a really good point, L.

In the first Mexico game the rest of the team just didn’t pass enough to Fowler playing RW. Nearly every time she was involved, which wasn’t enough in the first half, she did really good things, on the ball, or defending.

I’ve wondered if Fowler is better playing number 10 in a 4-3-3 midfield defensive triangle, or, a twin 10 in a 4-3-3 attacking midfield triangle? She has been effective playing there before.

I’m perplexed that Joe M plays EVE at 10 instead of Fowler?

I’m a huge MF fan. So is my NPL playing offspring. Ditto my wife!

Matildas need MF on the ball a lot in the attacking half, body position facing forwards. She has technique on the ball, vision and game sense.

rebelliousfeminist974 said:

Sam Kerr was better today because the Matildas were able to capitalise on the chances created and turned them into meaningful shots at goal, but eventually she'll have to be phased out in favour of Holly McNamara or Skye Halmarick.

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I’m watching a replay of the ALW GF - on after the Matildas game.

Holly Mc has just scored 2 incredible goals in the first half! Wow!

Different styles of goals too.

I think tonight was Kerr playing with a drive and mentality that has been missing in recent times. She looked that much hungrier and active. It has felt to me like Kerr has not been putting in the effort for 'meaningless little games' but turned that around tonight. Not as effective as she has been in the past, but I think well and truly enough to warrant her place (if she keeps that up).

Foord did just as many tunnel vision runs and ball hoggers, but the balance was in her favour tonight. Mexico did not seem to shut her down in the numbers they did last game and she had more opportunities to get into space after beating her first opponents. If you give her space she can burn you. I liked her play tonight most of the time. Against a better defensive group I think she will try to do it all herself and constantly lose the ball again, but tonight she did well.

Our backline, including the keeper, were shocking in the first half. So many times they played to some sort of script rather than playing on the experience that has earned them their spots. There were so many moments that just should not have happened with experienced defenders. Heatley bore the brunt of that at half time - and fairly so on the night. Doesn't mean anything beyond it being a bloody awful game for her this time. Slight improvement at the start of the second half with Rule on but still pretty poor in their decision making. Mexico identified and exploited a weakness. We were not good enough to recognise it and counter which is a worry.

Mary Fowler seems sluggish since she came back. I am hoping that is something she will train out because her impact was nothing on what she used to do. Both her vision/execution and her speed to the challenge were less.

In front of goals she took 3 weeks to line up a shot and I have to say she wasn't alone in that. The moments we had to take advantage of a situation we generally stuffed about winding up for a shot and lost it.

I always like Raso.

Several times, in different parts of the ground, we had players getting in each others way - messing up the flow or taking the ball of another's boot. Totally understandable when we play mix and match with our squad and perfect for friendlies to iron those out. Just noting it.

Bloody commentators! After our first goal one of the commentators said 'a training ground move'. The first 'pass' was a shot that Wheeler took far too long taking that was deflected high and wider to Kerr. She tried to knock it at the goal and it bounced off the defender back to Kennedy centrally who turned and buried it. Just like they practiced it...?

The speed of our attack was significantly better than with Van Egmond in midfield. We were not clinical or overly skillful across the whole game, but having a full set of players who were capable of physically keeping up with the play going in both directions gave us options that we have been missing. In the second half, we started looking backwards then running the ball up the middle. Just having that option was a breath of fresh air where we have been limited to close plays up the wings with Van Egmond holding a place there. Please look at the difference having 3 lines of attack to mix and match is Joe and make use of that.

A much better feel to the game during the second half. Criminally poor at the back in first half. Signs of change and the hope that it continues.

18,441@ Parramatta

Best 23 atm imo

-First 11
GK Micah
RCB Hunt
LCB Kennedy
RB Carpenter
LB Catley
DM Gorry
CM Cooney-Cross
AM Fowler
RW Raso
LW Foord
S Kerr

-Reserves
GK Arnold, Whyman
RCB Heatley
LCB Morrison*
RB Torpey
LB Nevin edges Grant ftm
DM Wheeler
CM Gomez
AM Sayer edges Galic ftm
RW Vine or Freier
LW Mcnamara
S TBD Rasmussen/Ayres/Johnson/Keane etc

Reptilia said:

Best 23 atm imo

-First 11
GK Micah
RCB Hunt
LCB Kennedy
RB Carpenter
LB Catley
DM Gorry
CM Cooney-Cross
AM Fowler
RW Raso
LW Foord
S Kerr

-Reserves
GK Arnold, Whyman
RCB Heatley
LCB Morrison*
RB Torpey
LB Nevin edges Grant ftm
DM Wheeler
CM Gomez
AM Sayer edges Galic ftm
RW Vine or Freier
LW Mcnamara
S TBD Rasmussen/Ayres/Johnson/Keane etc

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I think we can forget Kayla Morrison now. She’s 29, still at Victory and FIFA hasn’t let her switch yet. Leia Varley could be one to look out for though.

That being said there’s no way Clare Wheeler gets benched for Katrina Gorry. Alanna Kennedy also shouldn’t be a CB, she’s a DM now and I probably wouldn’t start her either.

Decentric said:

Not exactly sure of their ages, but Yallop and Heyman have been good servants for the Tillies.

Heyman was playing until pretty recently.

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Meeks is 34, Michelle is 37. Both have been good servants but neither should be near the squad anymore.

Decentric said:

I’ve seen Ashtongate post here responding to me in others responding to him, but I see no content/words he posts. He has been on my Ignore list for a year.

One of the tiny percentage of G and G posters who is constantly negative towards a range of posters.

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If you ignore someone I think that means you can’t see any of their posts and they can’t see yours. I don’t think that gets rid of replies though.