Results under new Matildas boss Tony Gustavsson have been mixed, but analyst Craig Foster insists the Swede remains the right man for the job.
Australia lost 3-2 to Ireland overnight, with young gun Mary Fowler grabbing a double – the Aussies dominated possession and chances, but were hit by a combination of devastating counter attacks, and bad luck from rebounds and deflections.
“Gustavsson has made a very strong start. The system of play prioritises width, where important players are, however needs to improve in playing through the middle with less long balls back to front and passes over long distance,” Foster told Wide World of Sports.
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“He’s taking the right approach by letting a squad rich with attacking talent go forward.”
Foster said the system played to the teams’ strengths, but the real test would be to improve the variation within and control of games with the ball.
“When Fowler picked the ball up against Ireland behind [Sam] Kerr, the team looked better, more varied, with more choices in attack rather than just width and constant crosses into the box and this is sorely needed.
“Of course, the team is also conceding many opportunities, and goals, and this is also linked to the system of play.”
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The former Socceroo said results in friendlies weren’t particularly important, and that they should be used primarily to build squad depth and confidence. However, the way the Matildas conceded did provide a blueprint for other nations on how to deal with them.
“Teams with quick attackers and fast transitions to counter attack can give Australia problems, largely because the Matildas are playing a frantic style with little control of the speed of game. It’s up and down, with needless long balls leading to counter attacks so this is the main area to improve,” Foster said.
“As the saying goes, the faster the ball goes forward, the quicker it comes back.
“It remains a concern that so many chances are being afforded to opponents, and for Australia it depends on the quality of scoring opportunities, not merely shots but high percentage opportunities, which are very different.”
The coach himself was scathing of his team’s performance.
“I said in the circle with the team afterwards that it felt like they wanted it more than us. That’s not OK. We’re the Matildas,” Gustavsson said.
“It’s in our DNA to always give it 100, to play a physical game, to be aggressive, to wear the crest on the chest and always play our best.
“It felt like Ireland wanted it more. That hurts, to be honest. I need to look at myself in the mirror as well to ask, could I have done something different to prep the team in terms of that?”
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Foster said the team needed to continue to evolve the quality of play, and in particular, shorter passing and combinations and control of games.
Australia also need to be better in terms of allowing others into the game to help Sam Kerr, who at times looked isolated up top against Ireland.
“The plan seems to be to leave her up front for balls in behind and particularly crosses, however only when Fowler can turn on the ball behind her can she make her characteristic runs behind, the rest of the time she’s under physical pressure – Gustavsson will have to improve this area,” Foster said.
Foster said that belief should be sky high by the time the 2023 World Cup to be hosted in Australia rolls around, with more players than ever plying the trade in Europe, a new generation coming through, and an Asian Cup to develop confidence.
“Gustavsson’s job is to develop a system that maximises attack with defence and complements the strongest players, particularly,” Foster said. “His willingness to let the team attack is positive, he now needs to create greater variation and control.”
Despite this, he said that other traditional footballing nations developing more focus on the women’s game in recent years would make it harder for Australia to lift the World Cup on home soil.
“What concerns me, especially, is the emergence of traditional powers such as Netherlands, Italy and Spain, all of whom are able to play at different speeds and we see an overall change in the way women’s football is played, from the physical and aerial strength of the dominant US, to technical prowess and tactical variation from nations with a far richer experience and knowledge base,” he said.
“Australia needs to anticipate this growth and the way our teams will play in future. This group, however, possesses extraordinary speed and physical capability and with more control of the ball, can find a winning medium.”
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