Arnold
Carpenter - Hunt - Kennedy - Catley
Raso - Gorry - Cooney-Cross - Foord
Kerr - Fowler

Subs
Micah
Polkinghorne(can play both Lcb/Rcb) - could see a replacement
Grant(can play both Lb/Rb)
Yallop or Vanegmond or Wheeler(cm/dm) - could see a replacement 
Chidiac(am/cm)

Weren't the rumours that Gorry is retiring?

I suppose, the Olympics are only next year, anyone retiring might see that as their final swansong.


Multi-quotes are pain in the butt on here, but Bruce McAveney is always class, even if he is an AFL tragic. Of all the sports journos in Australia that don't report/commentate/etc on football as their main product, he is easily the one to aspire to be in this country.

So you're not really changing anything and you keeping some under performers, or players who limit our playing style. 

Is the final round of the qualifying for the Olympics a random draw? So the best 4 teams are just randomly drawn against each other for a home and away leg to qualify. Be a pretty big event if we draw Japan.  

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024_AFC_Women%27s_Olympic_Qualifying_Tournament

Looks like it.

The only 'non-random' way I can see it being done is the 'highest ranked group winner' gets to play the highest ranked runner-up, and then the other two group winners play each other

Tony G should have rotated the team instead he played the same line up that looked very tired against England, hes done well with this squad making the semis but I feel we missed out for more given how far we have come too.
So its time the Matildas get a proved tactician that could get them into the next level where they can win a medal or even become the best in the world.

But what an journey it has been, Australia has put on a great show! 

I will enjoy the final, don't care who wins as long its a good game.

Very valid observation mate....

List who you would have…

Not sure if your Cooney Cross and Hunt statement is regards their set piece performances or their ability.

Because, ability wise, Cooney Cross has been outstanding in this tournament. Safe as houses in tight spaces and a great passing range. Her corners were great right up until the England game which, for some reason, were nearly all hopeless.

As for Hunt she is nothing short of fantastic. Player ratings for all the matches have show these 2 to be nearly our most consistent performances.

If it was about their set pieces ignore all that.

They need to be tougher on the ball. The biggest difference between us and Spain v England, besides their technique, was a willingness to accept contact and draw a foul when they were unable to move it cleanly. We lost the ball too much. 

One thing that was a stark difference in watching Spain England last night was how willing the GKs (particularly the Spanish GK) were able to snuff out long balls by coming to the edge of the 18 to collect the ball.

Arnold, more than Carpenter, is liable for our second vs England. She came out half way and then stopped. Not good enough.

Cooney-Cross linked to Chelsea

Yep, she hesitated 

I think we're in a transition phase now with a few expected retirements. 

I'd like us to move past some of our older players who don't have the pace to keep up. 

Maybe something like:

18-Strong Squad
GK: Arnold, Micah, Whyman
Def: Hunt, Kennedy, Catley, Grant, Carpenter
Mid: Fowler, Cooney-Cross, Wheeler, Chidiac, Gorry (if she sticks it out to the Olympics), 
Fwd: Kerr, Foord, Raso, Vine, Simon

Extended squad members
Def: Nevin, Morrison (I really like - perhaps a stretch)
Mid: Yallop, Sayer 
Fwd: McNamara, Siemsen, Crummer

There are real problems with our defensive and midfield depth. It may open the door for some of the names below to stick around. Or perhaps we get creative with some of our forward depth. Interested in peoples suggestions here?

Retired/Phased Out
Polkinghorne, Van Egmond, Luik, Gielnik, Kellond-Knight, Heyman

Starting 11

                      Arnold
Carpenter Kennedy Hunt Catley
          Wheeler Cooney-Cross
                      Fowler
               Raso Kerr Foord

Wheeler a G(never seen her put on gloves), guessing Williams… or Whyman?
I am for those you suggested to be phased out but we are 9 months out from squad selection and tony has the Olympics.
The possibles of Sayer, Siemsen and Crummer I don’t get, none have been any good for club or country to this point.
morrison a left sided cb is a maybe, never been named nor technically available to represent Aus.
mcnamara is one winger on the fringe but in a 18 women squad would have a very slim chance.
I doubt they move away from 4-4-2 formation..

It was a typo. I meant Whyman.

Morrison has citizenship I believe and intended her as a CB. 

I set that post out as an 18-man squad + depth. McNamara and others were depth. McNamara in particular we need to see more of imo. Would have got minutes in this WC early tournament as an attacking option. 

Not listed in my post but I really like the look of Ayres in W-League. A natural goal scorer but not sure if she has the athletic profile for NT level. 

Any players you think should be looked at? 

My post included, but was also aimed beyond the Olympics, and we should move past a 4-4-2 imo. 

A telling statistic from the third place play off was that 2 of the Swedish outfielders had played every minute of their tournament to that point. EIGHT, that is EIGHT of ours had.

Some say we had a manager, but I didn't see any evidence of it.

GK Whyman
CB Morrison/Mccormick/Checker
RB Doran
LB - 0
DM - 0
CM Hawkesby
RW - 0
LW Mcnamara
SS Dawber/Gaalabaadarachi 
S Ayres

Some say he made Einstein edit his Theory of relativity... twice, all we know is he is called the Swede..

Good list. I think Checker and Dawber in particular are good shouts. I'll need to keep an eye on Hawkesby. That list highlights we lack some depth particularly in midfield. I read Gaalabaadarachi has chosen to represent Argentina. 

In my opinion the team should be built around Mary Fowler and getting her on the ball more.

GK Lincoln 05  / James 02 / Templeman 03
LCB Fenton 03 / Rankin 03(was a lb) / Karapidis 06
RCB Chauvet 02 / Nash 04 / Chinnama 04 / Apostolakis 06 / Cuthbert 07
RB Bertolissio 06
LB Trimis 06
DM Murphy 05 / Wallhead 03(was a cb) / Lobo 05 / Holman 05
CM Hunter 03 / Dos Santos 05 / Kruger 06 / Prakash 06 / McMahon 07
RW Murray 04
LW Mcnamara 03 / Johnson 04 / Saveska 06 
SS Galic 06 / Furphy 02/ Rule 03(was a Rb)
S Keane 02 / Karic 05 / Ogrady 06

https://play.fifa.com/gott?fbclid=IwAR23KRHdBs-4yOEWJ_tbmNfLOF55H3ZsFgesv9ZFFG528TKJnDAAqPU4G5c

Vote for goal of the tournament 

IMO.

Best long range - Kerr (Australia)

So I just checked on Opta, apparently we ran more kms than most but also received less passes under pressure.

If there isn't enough evidence the style of play had limitations on the team then I dont know.

Need to let the ball do the work, it worked for both England and Spain.

Pretty soon the women will be subsidising the men.

$40 million sponsorship touted.

https://www.news.com.au/finance/work/leaders/cba-facing-fivefold-increase-in-matildas-sponsorship/news-story/a5c83e5da9273ae83a29f582971acd97

Jokes aside that is a decent whack of money for any team.

Hopefully it filters down to the a league where they earn very little. 

APL chose to tear the A-League from the FA for their own commercial interest

So don't hold your breath

FA have got plenty on their shopping list that's not about subsidising APL franchisees

I have no time for AFL flogs like Cornes but the bloke does have a point.

https://www.news.com.au/sport/football/world-cup/afl-great-says-the-reaction-to-horrific-matildas-act-was-soft/news-story/b34dd79488365b861d73621ba112df4a