Women's World Cup - France 2019

[wendybr]

Over already I think.

[wendybr]

We didn't deserve a win today.

[wendybr]

Can't argue with that.

Congrats Norway.

[Paul01]

So are we all glad that we don't have Milicic as Wanderers head coach?

[SomeGuy1977]

Bugger

[marron]

Yep. They really should have had a couple of those chances go in. We were unlucky with some VAR stuff but they were still better. 

[wendybr]

Just now, marron said:

Yep. They really should have had a couple of those chances go in. We were unlucky with some VAR stuff but they were still better. 

Yep.

[Cynth]

Heartbreaking but I don't think we deserved a win today. Norway the better side. 

(Although the red card was a bit harsh I think)

[wendybr]

"It was scintillating...it was thrilling......"  commentators.

No not really. We scrambled.... and clearly were second best all night.

[Paul01]

4 minutes ago, wendybr said:

"It was scintillating...it was thrilling......"  commentators.

No not really. We scrambled.... and clearly were second best all night.

We are always second best against technical teams ie European teams.

Our junior development needs more focus on skills over tactics

[sonar]

Sad to see us knocked.ut but we weren't the better team and didn't deserve it.

A question for those in the know do the Wanderers women get the same back up with our academy as the men.? Is there a dedicated pathway for juniors via the Academy..?

[wendybr]

So...what is there to look forward to in an Oz football sense now??

Not with the women, with anything? 

[marron]

5 minutes ago, wendybr said:

So...what is there to look forward to in an Oz football sense now??

Not with the women, with anything? 

Fallout from the sacking?

[MartinTyler]

57 minutes ago, Paul01 said:

So are we all glad that we don't have Milicic as Wanderers head coach?

Yeah I think he's a better assistant than head coach.

[wendybr]

40 minutes ago, marron said:

Fallout from the sacking?

Yes bring it on! That's already emerging...and fair enough!

What else is there..on the pitch though?

It felt so important for the Matildas to do well....to become a positive focus for football.

What else is there? 

 

[alexd]

45 minutes ago, MartinTyler said:

Yeah I think he's a better assistant than head coach.

Lennon/McCartney

Jagger/Richards

Popa/Milicic

[btron3000]

I disagree that Norway were clearly better. We were all over them second half, goal had to come.

We lost this tournament in the first game. Just like at the past couple of tournaments. Even a draw with Italy and the Netherlands were the toughest team between us and a semi final.

That said, they weren’t good enough and all the top teams would have beaten them. This campaign just had the feel of one being one big struggle. Off the field you had the sacking, the team talking themselves up way too much, Sam firing off about “the haters”. On the field we had too many players out of form/coming back from injury, and the crazy idea to change defensive style with only a handful of games to implement it.

The team was better a year or two ago. All the important players were in form and they had more stability and versatility, a combo that is hard to find. De Vanna is cooked as an international player, Sam’s touch was poor and she was snatching at and rushing chances. Caitlin Foord still hasn’t got back to her best since injury (the amount of times her or Sam gave the ball away was shocking), and the injuries at the back were costly, as was the desire to play a certain way, which was surely the reason Catley - who is a quality left back - was selected ahead of Polkinghorne (ability to pass, so jeopardising defensive solidarity to pick the best passer). We were also one dimensional in this tournament - use our pace. That was it. When we had Michelle Heyman and Kyah Simon at their peak we had more options. Heyman can hold the ball up and Simon can do a bit of everything, including find space with good movement and passing. I think we looked our best in the brief moments of Brasil and Norway games where Sam played out wide and Foord played up top.

The worst part is this was our best chance. Like when we won the Asian Champs League, we did so when the opposition were on the verge of significant investment. South America are finally starting to take women’s football seriously, Europe are pumping heaps of money into the game (watch out if England make it to semis or beyond), and Asia are improving. With the way the FFA are going it’s hard to see how we’re gonna keep up.

It’s really sad to hear all the girls say that they feel they let people down. They were the ones let down, by the FFA. But it was the first time that they went into a tournament with significant public support and this idea they could win it. Not sure they handled it well. Hopefully they’ll take stock, go back to being the humble Matildas (e.g. realise that telling people to suck it after one win is a bit premature, not talking about winning it all when you’ve never been to a semi etc.), put their heads down and bounce back better for it.

[btron3000]

38 minutes ago, wendybr said:

Yes bring it on! That's already emerging...and fair enough!

What else is there..on the pitch though?

It felt so important for the Matildas to do well....to become a positive focus for football.

What else is there? 

 

Our new team and stadium.

Olympics next year.

But yes, the struggle that is Australian football continues. Apart from the glorious Hiddink era, it’s always been this way!

Ah those two weeks in glorious European sunshine seem like a dream now. When we scored in the 83rd minute today - the same minute Timmy scored against Japan - I thought we’d run over Norway in the same fashion. But no, back to typically bad luck Aussie football!

[wendybr]

4 minutes ago, btron3000 said:

Our new team and stadium.

Olympics next year.

Thanks Btron...

Yes to all that...but what is there between now and the A League starting.

When do we start in the FFA Cup?

[wendybr]

7 hours ago, btron3000 said:

I disagree that Norway were clearly better. We were all over them second half, goal had to come.

We lost this tournament in the first game. Just like at the past couple of tournaments. Even a draw with Italy and the Netherlands were the toughest team between us and a semi final.

That said, they weren’t good enough and all the top teams would have beaten them. This campaign just had the feel of one being one big struggle. Off the field you had the sacking, the team talking themselves up way too much, Sam firing off about “the haters”. On the field we had too many players out of form/coming back from injury, and the crazy idea to change defensive style with only a handful of games to implement it.

The team was better a year or two ago. All the important players were in form and they had more stability and versatility, a combo that is hard to find. De Vanna is cooked as an international player, Sam’s touch was poor and she was snatching at and rushing chances. Caitlin Foord still hasn’t got back to her best since injury (the amount of times her or Sam gave the ball away was shocking), and the injuries at the back were costly, as was the desire to play a certain way, which was surely the reason Catley - who is a quality left back - was selected ahead of Polkinghorne (ability to pass, so jeopardising defensive solidarity to pick the best passer). We were also one dimensional in this tournament - use our pace. That was it. When we had Michelle Heyman and Kyah Simon at their peak we had more options. Heyman can hold the ball up and Simon can do a bit of everything, including find space with good movement and passing. I think we looked our best in the brief moments of Brasil and Norway games where Sam played out wide and Foord played up top.

The worst part is this was our best chance. Like when we won the Asian Champs League, we did so when the opposition were on the verge of significant investment. South America are finally starting to take women’s football seriously, Europe are pumping heaps of money into the game (watch out if England make it to semis or beyond), and Asia are improving. With the way the FFA are going it’s hard to see how we’re gonna keep up.

It’s really sad to hear all the girls say that they feel they let people down. They were the ones let down, by the FFA. But it was the first time that they went into a tournament with significant public support and this idea they could win it. Not sure they handled it well. Hopefully they’ll take stock, go back to being the humble Matildas (e.g. realise that telling people to suck it after one win is a bit premature, not talking albout winning it all when you’ve never been to a semi etc.), put their heads down and bounce back better for it.

Yes to almost all of that (stll think Norway was clearly stronger though)!!

Great post to put the whole thing in perspective. 

 

[Smoggy]

2 hours ago, MartinTyler said:

Yeah I think he's a better assistant than head coach.

Peter Taylor type to Clough.

Edited June 23, 2019 by Erimus

[mack]

Stupid high line cost us the goal then the red card.

Shootout proved a good corner shot will always beat a keeper who can't dive now because of the VAR idiocy.

[Paul01]

6 hours ago, Paul01 said:

We are always second best against technical teams ie European teams.

Our junior development needs more focus on skills over tactics

So the FFA development curriculum focuses too much on tactics and not technical ability.

Therefore this is an FFA fail at both the macro level (curriculum) and the micro level (getting rid of Stajcic, for all his faults just before a world cup).

FFA fail..............yet again.

[tardotz]

Once again Australian football over promise and under deliver......but the FFA does have a lot to answer to this the round

 

[Carns]

7 hours ago, wendybr said:

When do we start in the FFA Cup?

Draw for the Round of 32 is scheduled for June 26, so it'll start mid to late July.

[wendybr]

18 minutes ago, Carns said:

Draw for the Round of 32 is scheduled for June 26, so it'll start mid to late July.

Thanks Carns.

So....quite a while to wait. 

[Carns]

34 minutes ago, wendybr said:

Thanks Carns.

So....quite a while to wait. 

The draw is this week and the games will commence in a few!

Impatient, much?

[Wanderboy]

58 minutes ago, wendybr said:

Thanks Carns.

So....quite a while to wait. 

Don't forget about our game against Leeds United in 27 days.

[wendybr]

1 hour ago, Carns said:

The draw is this week and the games will commence in a few!

Impatient, much?

Yes!

I actually enjoy watching the earlier rounds, before we even join in.

 

[wendybr]

1 hour ago, Wanderboy said:

Don't forget about our game against Leeds United in 27 days.

Not sure this is worth getting too excited about.

Had enough of humiliation over the past few seasons. 

<whispers...but shhh..don't tell anyone I said that >