The Gustavsson enigma: the Matildas boss and the American target at the crossroads

Three wins out of three, 13 goals scored and none conceded, and progression towards the next stage of qualifying for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games is assured. THE Mathilde traveled to Perth this week and professionally defeated IR Iran, the PhilippinesAnd Chinese Taipei while selling out every stadium along the way.

A home and away match against Uzbekistan In February, we expect probably the most favorable draw that Tony Gustavsson’s team could have obtained. And that’s no disrespect to the Uzbeks: it’s just that they are the least qualified when other options were available. Japanarguably the strongest team in Asia, or North Koreawho came out of literally four years of absence from competition to lead a group made up of World Cup participants South Korea And China.

This international window started with several questions for the Matildas, as well as for Gustavsson. Now that the team embarks on flights home to clubs across Australia, Europe and North America, attention can turn to what was learned from last week and what it could mean for the future – especially in the face of continuous ambient noise. Gustavsson’s future. Progression to the next phase of Olympic qualifying was a baseline expectation, but there is a bigger picture at play here.

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The coach occupied a particular position when leaving the Women’s World Cupin which he was widely praised around the world for taking Australia to the semi-finals, but questioned domestically for the manner in which he did it. Sources told ESPN that his work with Australia resulted in the Swede being selected as one of three preferred candidates for the vacant position UNITED STATES working alongside an Australian born Juventus boss Joe Montemurro and Reign of OL mentor Laura Harvey. A two-time World Cup-winning assistant under Jill Ellis, Gustavsson has obvious ties to the United States and has been endorsed as a “strong candidate” for the role by Ellis even before former USWNT coach Vlatko Andonovski was officially jettisoned.

The fact that two coaches with significant ties to Australia are among the favorites for the top job in women’s football is a clear testament to the growth of the sport in Australia and the esteem in which Antipodean figures are held in this space. Sources previously told ESPN that the USWNT had interest in interviewing Montemurro for the coaching position after Ellis left after the 2019 Women’s World Cup, only to be blocked by his employers at the time Arsenal.

Much of the domestic criticism of Gustavsson, which contrasted with the international adulation after the World Cup, focused on his team management at the tournament, on how a lack of rotations had led to his favored XI to run out of gas against England in the semi-final and then Sweden in the third place match. Gustavsson’s adjustments in play against the best teams in the world have come under scrutiny, particularly following the defeat against the Lionesses in which England coach Sarina Weigman completely snubbed him.

More broadly, questions persisted about how the team would function. How this group of highly talented players, from some of the greatest teams in the world, could largely have their results predicted by the shape of the game: if they were able to play as a reactive team without the ball (this would be auspicious), or as a proactive team in possession (which was not the case).

It was also asked whether the Matildas were too reliant on an underdog, never-say-die, backs-to-the-wall mentality and whether they needed to evolve into a team that reveled in being favorites and putting others comfortably teams instead. the sword. The Matildas’ most devastating World Cup victory — a 4-0 beating of Canada in a must-win group stage clash in which they held 39% of the ball — they only won because the team had fallen favorites against a 3-2 defeat with 65% possession against Nigeria the previous day.

At the heart of the problem, in reality, was: yes, a semi-final was good, but could it have been even better with this group of players, with this home advantage, with so many other contenders left aside?

But if one is to criticize the 50-year-old for these perceived shortcomings, it is equally important and fair to offer him his flowers as he seeks to remedy them and guide the team through the next phase of its evolution. Because the Matildas have shown clear signs of growth over the past week.

Well aware that they would have to face opponents who would stay deep and defend in a low block, the Matildas showed a constant commitment to trying to play through them, to unlock their opponents with combinations and movements rather than simply turning toward the center. -spam tactics that had regularly appeared in previous frustrating games. Certainly, there were some growing pains. When an experimental and little-known XI played against Iran sitting so low that it was in danger of falling between the sofa cushions, it became frustrating. THE 2-0 The score was significantly lower than would have been expected on both sides based on resumes. Sometimes there were some speculative crossovers or long-term efforts. But these bad instincts were fought.

Then against the Philippines, who, in hindsight, perhaps made the mistake of not retreating completely into a shell like the Iranians and Chinese Taipei did, Australia’s first-choice XI sliced ​​and diced. A pair of first twos Sam Kerr And Caitlin Foord demonstrated their lethal potential – a 4-2-2-2 system, as teasingly demonstrated before the World Cup, arguably the best way for Australia to utilize their current talents – and the decision to to change Mary Fowler outside (while giving him license to cut inside) proved devastating. The 20-year-old’s ability to move and interchange with Foord, in particular, and combine possession with her and Kerr bodes a frightening potential triumvirate for opponents.

Indeed, with hindsight, it is remarkable to think that only a few months ago Cortnée Vine was preferred in this position, with Fowler seen more as a central option. Before Kerr’s injury ahead of the World Cup opener against Republic of Ireland, Fowler was likely ready to play a role off the bench. That won’t happen for a while.

And then on Wednesday, against the Iron Turtle of Chinese Taipei – a match in which a semblance of frustration and the potential for a comeback was hinted at – the Australians rallied from a 0-0 halftime score and remained focused on their attempts. to move something forward. Ultimately it was Fowler who found the key, or more accurately the battering ram, to blow the defense open with a blistering run inside from the left and a world-class strike beyond Cheng Ssu-yu and to the inside the second post. Six minutes later, Kerr pounced on a loose ball after Foord took advantage of a one-on-one with an isolated Kai-ching Wu to drive to the touchline and send the ball over. The damage was done.

Of course, there were other points of contention. The timing of runs and the presentation of options in the penalty area were sometimes wrong. Kyra Cooney-Cross he probably could have been given more license to move forward. But overall, even allowing for the less heralded opposition, a path was charted here.

“The last time we played them it was 0-0 at half-time and it took a corner to open them up. This time we opened them up in a completely different way,” Gustavsson said afterwards the match against the Philippines.

“I think it was a bit of a crossroads moment for this team, to be honest, in terms of what we want to do now. We want to be one of the best teams in the world, to be able to play like favorites and being able to play Parked Buses. We proved today that we have made massive steps.

Indeed, the next steps seem clear. There is a certain level of sinister humor in the Matildas who seem on the verge of finding something approaching optimal deployment under Gustavsson – three years into his tenure when he has been given a more stringent role. longer than any coach in the history of the national team – at the same time. moment when the USWNT, which remains the best women’s program in the world, increases its interest.

A fortnight ago, Australian commentators probably wouldn’t have shed so many tears if he had made this decision. But after this week, it’s not so simple. There was enough in this window to excite observers. The gaps have been filled. Improvements have been made. Everything could fall again next month in two friendly matches against Canadabut you want to at least see if that’s the case.

But does Gustavsson really want it?

“I love this team. And we still have work to do,” he said after Wednesday’s victory.

It’s not a definitive yes. But given that it wasn’t framed in a request for additional resources, as other recent responses on the topic have been, this is as close as we’ve gotten so far.