DIR Return Create A Forum - Home
---------------------------------------------------------
Our Wee Country
HTML https://ourweecountry2020.createaforum.com
---------------------------------------------------------
*****************************************************
DIR Return to: Senior Team
*****************************************************
#Post#: 21007--------------------------------------------------
Euro Playoffs
By: Simon-613 Date: October 25, 2024, 5:00 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
Scrappy performance tonight against Croatia but ended up
sneaking a 1-1 draw against a poor Croatian team thanks to an
injury time equaliser.
Lots to work on though ahead of the home leg, and especially if
they have ambitions to face Norway in the playoff final.
Thought the midfield was really poor and they didn't look
cohesive down the left flank for most of the game. Also think
they missed the quality from set pieces that Demi Vance normally
provides.
One positive though is that that the subs sparked some life into
the team, and they should still be favourites to get through.
HTML https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/live/cx252gj9y07t
#Post#: 21009--------------------------------------------------
Re: Euro Playoffs
By: RichardM Date: October 26, 2024, 1:57 am
---------------------------------------------------------
Don't know much about the senior women but imo Kenny Shiels had
them playing some really good stuff and they got rid of him, now
we have a manager who talks in soundbites and boardroom speak
which is the sure sign of a bluffer.
#Post#: 21010--------------------------------------------------
Re: Euro Playoffs
By: exhausted Date: October 26, 2024, 5:04 am
---------------------------------------------------------
Don't know much about women's football overall but a draw in the
away leg of a play off with the home game go come seems a decent
result
#Post#: 21014--------------------------------------------------
Re: Euro Playoffs
By: EalingGreen Date: October 26, 2024, 12:30 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
I was at the game and I have to say, that Croatia team was rank.
Player for player, just about every one of our girls was bettter
than theirs.
So why did we only draw? The old problem of no Joanne Dowie or
Kylie Lafferty for one thing. And while Simone Magill was
excellent, it was really playing as a target with her back to
goal, frequently with two big CB’s at her back, causing her to
have to drop back to the No.10 role. Worse, our wide attackers
stayed too wide, so even if they could reach the end of a flick
on, it wasn’t in a shooting position.
And when they instead sent in a cross, it was invariably high
and close to the goal line, where their tall gk lapped it up, or
a CB headed clear. Would have been much smarter to pull the ball
back low, for our onrunning midfielders to try to get on the
end.
Beyond that, we didn’t have a lot of luck (eg hit the bar),
their penalty caught us cold, while the ref called all Croatia’s
many fouls,but declined to give any Yellows until mid 2nd half -
and that should have been a straight Red!
So I reckon that unless something goes horribly wrong,we should
win comfortably on Tuesday, but then get thumped by Norway
(both legs), esp if Oxbury persists with asking us to play out
from the back (I doubt Croatia even know what a high press looks
like, never mind how to operate one lol)
#Post#: 21016--------------------------------------------------
Re: Euro Playoffs
By: Simon-613 Date: October 26, 2024, 1:34 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
One thing that was really strange was how much of a long ball
team Croatia were. I get that they are poor, and a team clearly
at an early development stage in women's football, but I would
have thought the whole Croatian football ethos would be to try
to pass the ball and play possession football
#Post#: 21018--------------------------------------------------
Re: Euro Playoffs
By: richboy Date: October 26, 2024, 2:29 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
[quote author=EalingGreen link=topic=1018.msg21014#msg21014
date=1729963803]
I was at the game ...
[/quote]
Was that you shouting "Greeeen and White Aaarmy"?
I only saw bits and pieces but we looked all over them and as
you say we should beat them at home. I agree with RichardM about
the management and think we'll do well to keep the score even
close to respectable against the Norwegians.
#Post#: 21041--------------------------------------------------
Re: Euro Playoffs
By: EalingGreen Date: October 29, 2024, 10:22 am
---------------------------------------------------------
[quote author=Simon-613 link=topic=1018.msg21016#msg21016
date=1729967682]
One thing that was really strange was how much of a long ball
team Croatia were. I get that they are poor, and a team clearly
at an early development stage in women's football, but I would
have thought the whole Croatian football ethos would be to try
to pass the ball and play possession football
[/quote]Thing is, they couldn't even play long ball football
properly. For example, their gk didn't try to play out from the
back (fair enough), but even her long kicking was atrocious,
neither distance or accuracy (often her punts went out for a
throw in, without a Croatian player w.i. 20 yards).
And as for the others, they couldn't even manage the basics -
trapping the ball, passing, lay-offs etc - unlike our girls who
by contrast at least, looked far more proficient. And I suspect
their fitness and conditioning isn't up to much, since with the
50-50's or 2nd balls etc, our girls invariably came through,
despite often being physically smaller than their opponent.
Tbh, I'd say their problem is that the Croatian FA simply
doesn't take womens' football seriously, instead concentrating
on the mens' game - v.successfully, as we know. For example,
there was absolutely no indication anywhere in the town that
there was a game on, before or after. While Friday's attendance
cannot have reached four figures - and that was with free
admission for everyone!
Then when I bought a copy of the main Croatian Sports paper the
next day, the game didn't have a single mention of the game. (I
later saw a regular newspaper in my hotel, which tucked away at
the back of its extensive sports section, had one small photo
and maybe 75 words on the game).
#Post#: 21044--------------------------------------------------
Re: Euro Playoffs
By: EalingGreen Date: October 29, 2024, 10:39 am
---------------------------------------------------------
Yes, I was one of our hardy band* of 15 or 16 who tried to get
something going, but tbh, the home "crowd" (generous
description) were so apathetic, and the game so frustrating,
that it was really hard to get anything going.
* - Including, of course, Shaun With An 'H', who's also flying
over for tonight's second leg - "Unbelievable, Jeff!"
[quote]Quote from: richboy on October 26, 2024, 08:29:06 pm
I only saw bits and pieces but we looked all over them and as
you say we should beat them at home. I agree with RichardM about
the management and think we'll do well to keep the score even
close to respectable against the Norwegians.[/quote]
Yep, that's about the height of it.
#Post#: 21051--------------------------------------------------
Re: Euro Playoffs
By: richboy Date: October 29, 2024, 3:55 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
Goodness me, Shaun with an "H" is a glutton for punishment.
Norway are going to absolutely annhialate whoever wins this.
#Post#: 21052--------------------------------------------------
Re: Euro Playoffs
By: Phil Date: October 29, 2024, 4:04 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
Made a hames of quoting that post. So, just to say "Shaun with
an "H"? There's a blast from the past
*****************************************************
DIR Next Page