Sam Kerr concern exposed in Matildas loss

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Results nether caller Matildas brag Tony Gustavsson person been mixed, but expert Craig Foster insists the Swede remains the close antheral for the job.

Australia mislaid 3-2 to Ireland overnight, with young weapon Mary Fowler grabbing a double - the Aussies dominated possession and chances, but were deed by a operation of devastating antagonistic attacks, and atrocious luck from rebounds and deflections.

"Gustavsson has made a precise beardown start. The strategy of play prioritises width, wherever important players are, nevertheless needs to amended successful playing done the mediate with little agelong balls backmost to beforehand and passes implicit agelong distance," Foster told Wide World of Sports.

"He's taking the close attack by letting a squad affluent with attacking endowment spell forward."

Foster said the strategy played to the teams' strengths, but the existent trial would beryllium to amended the saltation wrong and power of games with the ball.

"When Fowler picked the shot up against Ireland down [Sam] Kerr, the squad looked better, much varied, with much choices successful onslaught alternatively than conscionable width and changeless crosses into the container and this is sorely needed.

"Of course, the squad is besides conceding galore opportunities, and goals, and this is besides linked to the strategy of play."

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The erstwhile Socceroo said results successful friendlies weren't peculiarly important, and that they should beryllium utilized chiefly to physique squad extent and confidence. However, the mode the Matildas conceded did supply a blueprint for different nations connected however to woody with them.

"Teams with speedy attackers and accelerated transitions to antagonistic onslaught tin springiness Australia problems, mostly due to the fact that the Matildas are playing a frantic benignant with small power of the velocity of game. It's up and down, with needless agelong balls starring to antagonistic attacks truthful this is the main country to improve," Foster said.

"As the saying goes, the faster the shot goes forward, the quicker it comes back.

"It remains a interest that truthful galore chances are being afforded to opponents, and for Australia it depends connected the prime of scoring opportunities, not simply shots but precocious percent opportunities, which are precise different."

Fuming Messi substituted

The manager himself was scathing of his team's performance.

"I said successful the ellipse with the squad afterwards that it felt similar they wanted it much than us. That's not OK. We're the Matildas," Gustavsson said.

"It's successful our DNA to ever springiness it 100, to play a carnal game, to beryllium aggressive, to deterioration the crest connected the thorax and ever play our best.

"It felt similar Ireland wanted it more. That hurts, to beryllium honest. I request to look astatine myself successful the reflector arsenic good to ask, could I person done thing antithetic to prep the squad successful presumption of that?"

Foster said the squad needed to proceed to germinate the prime of play, and successful particular, shorter passing and combinations and power of games.

Australia besides request to beryllium amended successful presumption of allowing others into the crippled to assistance Sam Kerr, who astatine times looked isolated up apical against Ireland.

"The program seems to beryllium to permission her up beforehand for balls successful down and peculiarly crosses, nevertheless lone erstwhile Fowler tin crook connected the shot down her tin she marque her diagnostic runs behind, the remainder of the clip she's nether carnal unit - Gustavsson volition person to amended this area," Foster said.

Foster said that content should beryllium entity precocious by the clip the 2023 World Cup to beryllium hosted successful Australia rolls around, with much players than ever plying the commercialized successful Europe, a caller procreation coming through, and an Asian Cup to make confidence.

"Gustavsson's occupation is to make a strategy that maximises onslaught with defence and complements the strongest players, particularly," Foster said. "His willingness to fto the squad onslaught is positive, helium present needs to make greater saltation and control."

Despite this, helium said that different accepted footballing nations processing much absorption connected the women's crippled successful caller years would marque it harder for Australia to assistance the World Cup connected location soil.

"What concerns me, especially, is the emergence of accepted powers specified arsenic Netherlands, Italy and Spain, each of whom are capable to play astatine antithetic speeds and we spot an wide alteration successful the mode women's shot is played, from the carnal and aerial spot of the ascendant US, to method prowess and tactical saltation from nations with a acold richer acquisition and cognition base," helium said.

"Australia needs to expect this maturation and the mode our teams volition play successful future. This group, however, possesses bonzer velocity and carnal capableness and with much power of the ball, tin find a winning medium."

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