Women's World Cup - June 20th 2019 - Canada vs Netherlands

[Lofty 3,260]

Bit late for the match thread but may as well create one for thoughts on this match.

My POTM: Allysha Chapman.

The Netherlands are a very good team. European champions and definitely serious contenders here. They were just better on the day. In the first half, Canada had trouble even getting hold of the ball.

Fantastic display from Chapman. Did not give that Dutch forward an inch and covered a lot of ground.

Buchanan is strong on the ball but lost two individual battles for the two goals.

Canada were seriously outplayed in midfield.

Jesse Fleming is getting worse, not better. We can't win without her at her best.

Quiet World Cup debut from Huitema.

I have this feeling that we are not making very good use of the players we have. Which is a shame because this is definitely the best squad I can remember.

[damaaster 46]

Chapman & Lawrence were solid on the outsides for sure.

Labbe probably wants that second one back:(

Beckie had her best game - going to need her and fleming to step it up even more in knockout stage though.  Definitely Fleming was super quiet today. 

Nice to see Sincy finally get one - hopefully first of many more this tourny.

Would have liked to see Rose/Prince come on at some point for a bit more speed/aggressiveness down the wings.

[beachesl 108]

The most consistent Canuck was Schmidt, super dependable and a real leader.

[BearcatSA 202]

Any thoughts on the TSN panel analysis post game?  I didn't see it but I was told by a buddy who watched it that Rustad felt the team played better once Leon came on and Sinclair was off. 

[red card 613]

While Sinclair scored the goal, she slows down the team. Not just in this match but in the previous two and friendlies. Given Fleming seems to have regressed, it might be better to move Sinclair to the midfield which frees up to play Leon, Huitema or Rose. Fleming is easily bossed off the ball and rarely makes any incisive passes. The Dutch midfield largely dominated. 

KHM subs were a bit questionable. Instead of defensive oriented Quinn, I would have preferred Prince or Rose or Grosso. Riviere for Chapman was also a waste. Chapman was playing well & in the end Riviere didn't stick with the player who scored the second goal - a mistake probably due to inexperience. Labbe was tested for the first time and was back to looking shaky at times again.

Beckie had her best match but still can't shoot or head straight. Schmidt has been a pleasant surprise - best I have seen her play in years despite hitting 30. Might be time to put Rose, Grosso or Hellstrom instead of Scott.

Fortunately Sweden isn't as good offensively and not as quick. Only question for Canada is if we can score a goal in regular time. Thereafter, it is Germany rather than Italy/China. While Italy is the emerging team of the tournament, Canada matches up better with them while Germany will be like playing the Dutch.

 

Edited June 21 by red card

[SthMelbRed 302]

Chapman plays like a decent defender on a poor Sunday league team. She's a decent athlete and she works hard but plays a bit too simplistically. When she gets the ball at her feet, she just punts it long or plays it out for an opposition throw/corner kick. I'd prefer  the young girl who played against the Kiwis in that spot.

Fleming was simply awful in that game. She must have had 4 horrendous giveaways in midfield which could have killed the game for us.

I'm going to give Buchanan the benefit of the doubt on both goals. On the first, her defensive run was blocked off by Sinclair, giving the big, Dutch girl the half yard she needed to win the header. The second is on Labbe, who has to cut out that cross.

For me, Lawrence was our best player.

[Lofty 3,260]

2 hours ago, BearcatSA said:

Any thoughts on the TSN panel analysis post game?  I didn't see it but I was told by a buddy who watched it that Rustad felt the team played better once Leon came on and Sinclair was off. 

Leon definitely had an impact when she came on. I think the problem for Canada was an unwillingness to go toe to toe with the Netherlands and instead invite pressure with a defensive posture. As soon as they scored we changed that out of necessity and instantly looked much better. Leon should be playing every game; not necessarily starting, but definitely playing.

If we run scared, we will lose. We have a lot of attacking talent in this squad and we need to have the confidence to live or die on that strength.

[The Ref 261]

1 hour ago, Lofty said:

Leon definitely had an impact when she came on. I think the problem for Canada was an unwillingness to go toe to toe with the Netherlands and instead invite pressure with a defensive posture. As soon as they scored we changed that out of necessity and instantly looked much better. Leon should be playing every game; not necessarily starting, but definitely playing.

If we run scared, we will lose. We have a lot of attacking talent in this squad and we need to have the confidence to live or die on that strength.

We are missing the Preacher!!!

[dyslexic nam 6,920]

We are somewhat trapped in a situation where Sinclair is deemed largely untouchable.  It is a problem we (media, Canada) have made for ourselves by making her the face of Canadian women's soccer and by constantly talking about the goal record she is pursuing.  As a result, I suspect the coach feels a bit handcuffed - or at least feels pressured - to play her as a striker so that she can get the record and be the hero.  But much of her play now seem more in line with a playmaking midfielder.  She will always be an aerial threat in the box, but more often she seems to drop back, looking for the final pass rather than the shot.  That is a valuable addition to the team mix, but it can be a bit of a handicap when her position is as the highest striker.  She did get subbed off for Leon, but she looked pretty surprised by the move when the numbers came up on the board.  

Not trying to be critical of her.  I love her and not many want her to catch and pass Wambich more than I do, but I do think the present situation probably limits the coach's flexibility in some situations. 

 

[rightback 169]

Sinclair has been worrying for me so far but that goal was very good and we need someone to put the ball in the net and she's easily our best bet. Hopefully this gets her going a bit.

Scott is probably my favourite Canadian player so I don't want her moved out. Destroyers don't seem to get a lot of love from the Voyageurs.

Beckie hasn't impressed me...she gets in good positions but that where it ends. I agree Schmidt is playing better than she has in years. I thought Fleming looked good in one of the earlier games but she's inconsistent.

In general, our team is going to have to step it up in a big way or it's going to be a short world cup. We may arguably be better but so is the rest of the world.

 

[damaaster 46]

Fleming definitely had a rough 1st and 3rd game. Hopefully she steps up next game.

Sinclair may not be our topgoal scoring threat anymore - but she should definitely deserves to be on the field (perhaps playing just behind striker).  She can still slow the game down (in a good way), make nice thru balls, and defend well.  And obviously, can still score.

 

I've never been a huge fan of Schmidt- but agree with above posters, she has been really solid all tourny so far.  

I liked Huitema's confidence and willingness to take players on 1 v 1.  
Lawrence is probably my favourite player from the last 2 tournaments - just super solid all around.
 

[Lofty 3,260]

I like the idea of putting Sinclair in midfield but I think that Scott, Schmidt, and Fleming are all key parts of our best eleven. And we seem to favour 433. As do I, with all the attacking talent we have. Not sure where that leaves us. We did get killed in midfield vs. Netherlands so something needed to change.