I like Carpenter too mate, but she was a traffic cone at times last night.... 

Maybe if out of 10...... and thats being generous.... Vine, Raso and a few times Gorry (and Chidiac for the 15 seconds that muppet gave her on the pitch) maybe deserve a favourable rating the rest ...... sadly, not. 

Exactly, and JJ will need to be there ready to hand Tony G his termination notice as soon as that final whistle is blown. The amount of bad selection & sub decisions he's made in the past 2 weeks is ridiculous.

What rating do we give Gustavason out of 5.

-2.?

Let’s face it!!
he has spoilt the party for all Aussie Football fans. 

Part of the problem though is that Carpenter is as technically deficient as the rest of them. Her first, and sometimes second, touch is horrible. I was just walking out of lunch with some friends an hour ago and the match was being shown on the screen there, and the first thing I saw was Carpenter receiving a not very difficult ball and taking three touches to get it under control. Her crossing is very hit and miss as well. Yes she has got speed and desire, but technically she is a long way behind. 

I can't believe with all the resources the PSG have one of the coaches there haven't dragged her aside and showed her how to shoot and what to do when she gets up the pitch 

It's baffling. And I think she's our second highest paid player.

Pretty harsh on the PSG coaches. Not really their fault she doesn't play for them

Hey Keeper 66, agreed, the only players that have at least a fair level of technique are the younger generation… and I don’t include carpenter in that either.
But we’ll need more than technical ability to beat Canada…..

Well, we aren't going to develop improved technical skills between now and Monday, so yes I agree we will need more than technical ability to beat Canada. Let's hope we can use those Aussie attributes of strength, speed, and will to win to get us through.

chances are even if we 'draw' it will be a disaster as we need Ireland to beat Nigeria by 2 which i doubt will happen 

it would almost be a miracle to get the win against Canada they only need a draw they can defend and soak up pressure hit us on the break and be happy with a 0-0 

tactically they have us over a barrel and we look fairly toothless upfront even if Kerrs back she couldnt possibly be 'fully fit' - it is all a bit of a shambles 

i personally reckon we're out - would love to be wrong on this one but the chances are slim at best 

Got luck against the 10 women in the Canadian team

If Ireland win 1:0 we advance with a score draw.
If Ireland win by 2 we advance with a goalless draw

Say Ireland have a 2 goal lead and our game is still goalless. It'll be very nervy for all involved. If it's the case near the end I don't think either side would want to push for a win but the risk is a late single goal saves Nigeria.

It's supposedly in our hands. OK just win then.

https://ultra.zone/2023-FIFA-Womens-World-Cup-Group-Stage#group=b

The problem is when someone is technically limited being taught may still not eradicate the issue because you cannot execute it. This is an issue of ball development and how we teach young players to play. If you can’t use both feet and the various places with your feet then you need extra touches to adjust slowing down the play or mis kicking simple passes. I wish in this country instead of being obsessed with playing up and putting unprepared kids into sport we get them used to the ball at their feet in isolation. We then convert ballers into athletes not the other way around. Looking at the countries around us I can see they are building technically and athletically better female players. With our high prices for youth football and limited understanding in our coaches I cannot see things getting better soon. 

Lyon. My mistake.

Williams
Grant - Hunt - Polkinghorne - Catley
Carpenter - Gorry - Cooney-Cross - Raso
Chidiac - Foord


5 Sub options
Kennedy
Wheeler
VanEgmond
Vine
Fowler

Assuming still injured
Yallop
Simon
Kerr

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.foxsports.com.au/football/matildas/fifa-womens-world-cup-2023-sam-kerr-injury-update-for-matildas-vs-canada-game-calf-injury-details-press-conference/news-story/d1962f4c975f0abbff85f9d059588d8a

This is going to be a historic night either way with the result hopefully it's a good one. Bloody nervous for this 

I've sad all along that Tony G plays a different style of football from what most Aussie coaches are now doing. Our lot are trained in a similar way to the coaches in France, Netherlands, Spain, Germany and Belgium - if they undertake coach education in Aus. Still a number of former high level; Aus players undertake coach education in England - which was different a few years back.

Some have written on here that  one should play to a team's strengths - which at face value makes sense. We have a number of players with a lot of pace - Vine, Kerr, Foorde, Raso and Carpenter. However, Gustavvson's counter attacking game, devoid of a number 10 or attacking midfielder, has relied on the pace of our about half our team on the break. Against Nigeria, who were  possibly quicker over the turf all over the pitch, it didn't work. The Plan B, was to deploy a target CB, Kennedy, in attack and play  aerial balls. Although she did eventually score a well taken, headed goal, too late in the game.

The Matildas have played well through the build ups on the back from  the keeper, defensive line and central midfield line, but haven't been able to play the possession game in the attacking half as effectively. It is more difficult to do it, but it looks like Tony G hasn't done it a lot on the training ground either.

The writing was on the wall even before the WC tournament, the Matildas had been lucky in friendlies that I'd seen. The same with the ferst WC game against Ireland.

* Scotland - Matildas were the better team early in the game, but Scotland shaded us for most of the mid and latter part of the  match. They also negated our pace. They were the better side, by a fine margin, and deservedly won.

* England - they were clearly the better team. They played a slick possession game, more like what our national style tries to do.  England dominated territory, possession, played a lot more balls into the pen box - and had more a lot more shots on goal. We were more clinical around goal, while they missed a lot of  scoring chances.

* France- similar to England. They had more possession, territory, played more balls into the pen box -  and had more shots at goal. Again we were more clinical, from far less opportunities. Again  France played the slick possession game our national teams try to play under Aus trained  coaches. We are heavily steeped in the 4-3-3  formation as a development system - like our parent countries  -  Germany (4-2-3-1), France, Belgium, Netherlands and Spain. Tony G isn't from this school.

* Ireland- first game in the WC. We were considerably   better until  Catley scored the penalty. Then they came home stronger and were unlucky not to score. Apparently, they are one of best set piece specialists in world  football. Credit to our resolute defence.

The  aforementioned  matches did not  augur well for the Matildas going far in this WC, or succeeding  in the Nigeria fixture. Particularly if we met France or England again in the WC.

Also, from memory last time we played Canada,  with a fit Kerr, they were  the better side. There was a young US based Canadian  CB who  dominated Kerr, 1v1, and completely shut her out of the game. 

The problem for Australia is that a non football person from Football Aus, probably  appointed Tony G. A Football Aus Technical  Director, with a profound football background, or a panel of TDs/senior coaches, should appoint club/national team coaches, like they do in France.  

Gustavvson may have terrific player management skills, keeping a Matildas happy  camp, but his weakness is that he isn't  an Aussie trained coach - or one of the European parent countries where we have borrowed their football  curriculum /methodology.

Sacking Stajcic, who according to others on here, said that senior Matildas liked him pushing them hard to be better, but not the  younger Matildas ( who would  have little long term idea about what was best for them),  the latter appearing to be significant criteria in ousting  Stajcic from the role. The decision may lead to an early exit from this WC - with the best players we have had.

Same, Ive goat a bad feeling...... hope Im just being pessimistic and am proved wrong. 

If was Gustafson I would lineup the team like this:

                            Arnold

Carpenter      Hunt       Kennedy      Catley

                            Gorry

Raso          Chidiac       Fowler         Vine

                           Foord

Another version with an extra midfield to fit in Cooney-Cross or EvE


                         Arnold

Carpenter      Hunt     Kennedy     Catley

                        Gorry

          Cooney-Cross      Chidiac

                        Fowler

              Raso                 Foord

Either way something has to change, if we want this World Cup campaign to stay alive.

Think Arnold had shocker 2nd half vs Nigeria. Experience of Williams needed i think. Chidiac should definitely start

It's OK

ABC reckon Matildas can draw then get through in the tie-breaker game.



https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-07-31/matildas-womens-world-cup-australia-canada-match/102667844

WTF??? 

Chidiac has to start.

In Melbourne today and if like to be optimistic but geez it's hard.

Does Canada have a bloke in their team that has come out as trans or is it a woman who identifies as non-binary? 

Hahaha

Danielle has updated it, but she couldn't be fucked working out that a 2 goal win to Ireland will make the draw enough.

well opta says 37% chance of win compared to 34% for Canada.
https://theanalyst.com/eu/2023/07/canada-vs-australia-2023-womens-world-cup-prediction-preview/
Analysis/stats I've never been a fan on must win games or Finals.
On the day is what matters and she who takes their chances.
Fingers crossed is all I can hope.

Hahahaah I was looking forward to a tie breaker game ..... maybe I could get farkin tickets to it hahahahahahaahahahaha