Vera Pauw should abandon the low block, trust her central defenders and set Katie McCabe and Denise O’Sullivan free to be a creative threat
In a nutshell, McCabe and O’Sullivan need to be connected for any form of success to materialise because, make no mistake, if The Maltildas score early in Sydney on July 20th, they will waltz to victory.
Pauw has some crucial calls to make before two matches against the USA in April. Good luck getting a touch of the ball off the world champions in Texas and Missouri. By then, time’s up to develop a possession-based approach that allows McCabe and O’Sullivan guide Ireland into a momentous last-16 tie against England.
Aoife Mannion is the exception that proves the rule. An instant success at age 27, she is a proper, ball-playing centre half who only missed out on England caps because of serious injury. The alternative is to double down on resources already to hand. Erin McLaughlin at Peamount and Shelbourne’s Jessie Stapleton spring to mind.Heather trained with us at Peamount United last year, during her off season from Florida State, and I don’t know a better dribbler in the country. She is fully equipped to play right wing back, the other procurable position in this team.
Maybe it’s her difficult situation at Arsenal or the changing dynamic of the Irish squad or how she is being utilised by Pauw. I suspect it is combination of all three. Quinn, Mannion and Niamh Fahey have the necessary experience to handle one or two attackers, especially if they are protected by a box-shaped midfield, with Lily Agg and Megan Connolly in dual holding roles.
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