BWSL 2022/23 City v Leicester, 15/16 October Match Thread:

[JRockBlues]

Correct me if I'm wrong but did we play a centre half/converted right back over at left back while we had 2 actual left backs on the bench?

 

[Laertes]

Hard to know what judgements to make from a game like that given how poor Leicester are, but there were some positives at least. Bunny definitely looks sharper in herself this season even if there's still room for improvement, and Yui Hasegawa looked pretty good too. Not at all convinced by her being played in that role though, she looked far too vulnerable for my liking but that might be an adaptation thing.

Agree entirely. What did you think to Castellanos? I was pretty disappointed in that nearly every pass was a safe backwards one. Still, can't complain too much at 4-0.

Thought she looked pretty good, particularly in the first-half, when she was close to goal. Thought she was very unlucky not so score that early chance (a low header iirc) but don't think she looks right on the ball deeper though. Seems like it's passing her by or she's only getting little touches facing the wrong direction after tracking back.

Correct me if I'm wrong but did we play a centre half/converted right back over at left back while we had 2 actual left backs on the bench?

Nope, you're not. This was driving me mad, if ever there was a game to play Ouahabi and just let her get forward it was this. They had barely any threat on that side for us to worry about, and the number of attacks that ground to a halt or broke down entirely because Morgan knew her left-foot wasn't up to it was daft.

 

[Dave Ewing's Back 'eader]

Agree entirely. What did you think to Castellanos? I was pretty disappointed in that nearly every pass was a safe backwards one. Still, can't complain too much at 4-0.

I always seem to expect that new faces are gonna perform as Haarland began. She seemed a little disappointed in herself when she came off but more games, get into the swing of things. She's good pedigree =-just hope GT doesn't stick her on the bench.

 

[Aguerooooooo93:20]

Peter’s wife? ;-)

I bet he's still got the hump :-)

 

[JRockBlues]

We must have won as I'm not on here with another 27 pages calling Taylor a useless ****.

:)

I'm only not commenting much because I only had part of my attention on this game as I was also watching two other streams at the time. So I can't really say if the result was down to us playing well as a team with a good formation which worked effectively or if it was just a collection of individuals performing against one of the worst teams in the division.

 

[ame_ha_niwaka_ame]

First goal, great turn and cross by Hemp for Shaw’s header.


In previous games I’ve seen more whipping linear crosses but I thought it may be a bit harsh to expect Shaw to make goals out of them as you don’t know where the ball is coming and you have very little time to react. With her aerial superiority against defenders I had a feeling a bit more lofted cross works well as long as it’s away from the keeper, and Hemp’s cross was just like that.



Now: as a fan of Hasegawa’s I was so thrilled to see her name in the starters for this game.



Then I was surprised and anxious to see her positioned as a center half as I thought Aleixandri played well in the previous game and holding mid is not where I’ve seen Hasegawa play. Then I saw her getting dispossessed in midfield early and I was really anxious it might be disaster for her and the team.



I’ve been musing on and off this week about how i should comment about the center half build up and it’s a hard topic and I’ve run out of time before this week’s match. You had superb midfield presence in Walsh or Weir and I think Aleixandri is the closest in the team (but she still got dispossessed in the first game).



What Walsh has been covering for by her individual capacity I think you need to fulfill by more coordinated actions between passer and target and also the next adjacent recipient. Less margin for error. Against tougher opponents I think you should try two holding defenders, 442 or 4231, perhaps the latter as you have great wingers on both flanks, so that the back line has more outlets and the center half has a player nearby to play off to. (Or it may be the side halves like Castellanos or Coombs dropping back or Morgan coming up in the space Hasegawa opened up, as I saw more in the second half.)



Lastly I noticed Casparij was almost intent on not to pass to the center mid, always up the flank or back, it’s really obvious if you look at the video. Hope this changes as the players understand each other more and gain confidence in their combination.



Hoping for another win today against a tougher opponent!!