Germany World Cup Squad

silvia neid has announced her squad.

gk:angerer, holl, schult

defenders: peter, bartusiak, faißt, bresonik, krahn, goeßling, schmidt

midfielders: kulig, laudehr, hingst, behringer, garefrekas

attackers: bajramaj, okoyino, prinz, grings, popp, müller

the big surprise is anja mittag being dropped. it must be a big blow, coming less than 24hours after losing the final. it is true that she hasnt been in devastating form, but i must admit i am quite surprised.

France

Group A: Germany, Nigeria, Canada

Background: France have been quietly impressing observers with their technical brand of football. women's football in france has traditionally been dismissed and not taken seriously by the establishment, but in recent years, they have been slowly making an impression, culminating in lyon's triumph in the champions league this season.

tactics: they will likely play a 4-2-3-1 or something along that line, with emphasis on short passing

strength: technically outstanding, one of the best in the world

weakness: lacking steel and that efficiency in goal-scoring

key players:
camille abily
at the heart of everything, makes the team tick

louisa necib
stylish attacking midfielder capable of that moment of magic.

sonia bompastor
i always emphasise the need to have fullbacks who understand the game, and they have one of the finest leftbacks in vice captain sonia bompastor

the OL factor
newly-crowned european champions olympique lyonnaise will provide the bulk of the french team. a defence comprising the entire backline of lyon could conceivably be played by bruno bini.

i am sure bruno bini have been watching ol, have been thinking about how to transfer that success to his team.

what he must be wishing is that lotta schelin, shirley cruz and lara dickenmann were french. 3 players who are very important to the ol system.

i am not sure if he has the replacements in the other french teams.

players to watch
eugenie le sommer
she could answer france's problems in attack. an exciting forward who can play in the centre as well as on the right. she was france's best player in the u20 world cup in 2008 and looks ready to establish herself on the A team. certainly capable of scoring goals.

amandine henry
at the moment, i am not sure if she'S going to germany, because her name wasnt on the list of 21 players for some sort of gathering. but that list is by no means the final squad list. i would be surprised if bruno bini doesnt bring her along, especially since he must have been watching the champs league final as well.

i am impressed by her technique, tackling, decisions, composure and distribution in defensive midfield.

outlook: france should definitely be aiming to get out of their group, despite being drawn with germany. they need to convert their beautiful football into chances and goals. i think mentally, the success of OL will give them a boost. they could be the dark horse.

personally though, i feel that it should be recognised by now that elodie thomis' pace is an option but her poor decisions on the whole would be a liability to the team, so she should be a sub rather than a starter. this is how i hope bruno bini will select his team.

i would really like to see france do well, because they play good football and i am a fan of good football.

Champions' League Final

Olympique Lyonnaise 2 Turbine Potsdam 0

Aside from a 10, 15 minute period early in the second half, Lyon were clearly superior to Turbine.

Bernd Schröder didnt spring any surprises in his starting lineup, with kerschowski replacing the injured Nagasato in attack.

Patrice Lair, on the other hand, opted to my horror for Elodie Thomis.

Lyon dominated, with Turbine looking to attack on the break. Turbine lost both tactically and individually. their key players never got into the game or were nullified by the Lyon players, and their 3-women defence was simply exposed when Lyon went direct, exploiting the pace of Elodie Thomis, who did well in the first half, showing surprising skill and composure, though the final ball was lacking.

why didn't Schröder make any changes? his best team was already out there. he had no cards left to play. i think looking back, he would rue the chances they didn't put away in that spell where they really threatened.

bouhaddi 7.5
was stable in goal. i haven't been the most ardent of believers in her ability, but she plucked the crosses turbine put in out of the air with ease and the defence wasnt afraid to play the ball back to her. she was a decisive and calming presence at the back.

bompastor 7.5
her class showed, winning the 1v1s against bajramaj, which was so crucial in lyon's game plan. the experience and class that she brings to the team cannot be understated.

georges 6
had a poor start where she was responsible for some confusion which put lyon under pressure, but recovered and adopted a safety first approach.

viguier 7
solid and aggressive in defence. i think anja mittag didnt find much joy against georges and viguier.

renard 7
was brilliant in the first half, her long legs stealing the balls off kerchowski and bajramaj on the right. faded off towards the end of the game.

henry 8
superb skills for a defensive midfielder, calming presence, brilliant in her tackles, winning and holding the ball, and distributing it

cruz 7.5
worked in tandem with henry. the duo were like the cogs in the lyon machine, allowing the attackers to play their game

abily 8
kept things going in attack, and was back there to provide that extra woman in midfield to win the midfield battle.

necib 6
a quiet game by her standards. was given little space, but held the ball well and linked up well with bompastor. but i felt that she didnt show what she was capable of.

thomis 6.5
her performance in the first half brought me surprise and relief. she thrilled the crowd with some great skills, but the final ball was lacking. she was threatening to undo all her good work in the first half in the second half, not making the right decisions

schelin 9
my player of the match. that perfect forward. intelligent in her use of the ball, her link-up play, pace, technique and strength to beat her marker, and vision to pick out her fellow attackers. the only thing missing was a goal.

dickenmann 8
she added drive down lyon's left flank. made use of the ball well. her confidence and ability were best summed up in that decisive second goal.

le sommer 7,5
showed superb strength to create that space to send in the cross for dickenmann's goal. i thought she was bright in the 20 minutes she played.

patrice lair 8
patrice lair had a game plan that worked perfectly. i am not sure if he really wanted to bring off necib so early. necib could have had picked up a knock, thus forcing his hand. but in any case, his 2 subs swung the game back towards lyon.

sarholz 6
the heroine of last year's final. did pull off a few good saves, but simply wasn't as solid as bouhaddi.

peter 6
didnt have the best of days.

wesely 5
misjudged le sommer's cross, allowing dickenmann to score. but in truth, the young defender was out of her depth in this game. she hasn't been convincing in the league, and was cruelly exposed today.

henning 5,5
like the whole defence, didn't have a good game.

kemme 5,5
great last ditch tackle on le sommer in the last 10 minutes, but was otherwise largely cancelled out by renard.

schmidt 5,5
ran her guts out, but it was not enough

zietz 5
tried to rally her troops towards the end, but the midfield battle was lost.

odebrecht 5
anonymous in the game.

anja mittag 5
her legs didnt respond to her. probably had the clearest of chances to equalise but missed the ball. totally off day.

kerchowski 6
put in a few crosses and got to the end of a cross early in the game, but bouhaddi was equal to everything she threw in.

bajramaj 5,5
was cancelled out by lyon. even in turbine's best phase of the game, she was not quite in it.

schröder 6
schröder had his hands tied.

turbine could give the following excuses for their failure today:
1) the national team preparation hampered their own preparation
2) the problems in their hotel on arrival, making some players feel ill
3) nagasato's injury
4) lyon really invested and have strong financial backing

but i think schröder himself would admit that they have been second best.

i have always argued against the 3-4-3, and in my preview, noted that lyon's 4-3-3 on paper would counter it perfectly. so in terms of tactics and system, lyon already had an edge. what was crucial was the individual performances. if the turbine players could beat their opponents on those 1v1s, then that could still make a difference. but lyon were really up for it, turbine perhaps less so and paid the price.

it was a rather comprehensive victory for lyon in the end.

so, lyon have finally succeeded in their mission to become champions of europe. and they have done it in some style.

now what?

champions' league final

less than 50 hours to the big game, olympique lyonnaise versus turbine potsdam. basically the rematch of last season's final.


last season, ol lost on penalties to turbine, even leading 3-2 at one point in the shootout. herlovsen and thomis missed, and the rest was history.

i believe this season represents the best opportunity for ol feminin to win their first ever champions' league. but more on that later.

turbine team news
no sign of any injuries even after the international weekend, so i assume bernd schröder will have a full squad to choose from. turbine plays a 3-4-3. in fact 9 of the starting lineup is cast in stone:

sarholz in goal, peter and henning in defence, zietz and odebrecht in midfield, nagasato, bajramaj and mittag in attack.

schmidt will definitely play.. the only question is where? in defence or as wingback?

basically, where she plays will determine the other starters:

if she plays in defence, isabel kerchowski and tabea kemme will play on the flanks.

if she plays in midfield, inka wesely will play in defence, and tabea kemme will start, with kerchowski ready to come off the bench to add attacking impetus.

personally, i don't know what schröder will do. i would prefer to play schmidt in defence, but wesely has more or less started much of the season. schmidt was playing in defence last season. will schröder switch back to that system, or would he play schmidt in midfield to take advantage of her running ability?

what i know for sure is that if turbine are chasing the game, natasa andanova, the teenage macedonian prodigy, and isabel kerchowski will be on the pitch to provide the direct pace.

knowing the wily old fox that schröder is, he will probably start out with a conservative formation, because he knows he can up the tempo if he needs to. that's why i think schmidt will play in midfield.

lyon team news:
corinne franco and ingvild stensland are back from injury. i am not sure how positive that news is, because i think lyon have been coping well without them, and they haven't played a competitive game. i don't think, while patrice lair has named them in the squad travelling to london, that they will start.

which means we have the expected back 4 and 2 defensive midfielders.

the big question is really whether necib will start. i am a big fan of necib. and i hope she starts and ends the game and decides the game for ol. but i know turbine's strengths and acknowledge that it is going to be a match of attrition, and necib is not exactly the kind of player to engage in 'trench warfare'.

given the options that turbine has, the last 20 minutes will be crucial. and necib will most certainly be the player coming off, knowing patrice lair. as a fan, i would prefer that she is on the pitch when the final whistle is blown.

I really don't know who patrice lair will start in attack, aside from schelin and abily. dickenmann, necib, le sommer or god forbid thomis?

tactical matchup:
turbine plays a 3-4-3, which is a curious formation, in my opinion. 3,4 years ago, i was an advocate of it, but have since been convinced otherwise. yet, turbine has been very successful with it.

if we look at it statically, the 4-3-3 that lyon plays will cancel a 3-4-3 out. in fact, abily, of all players, will be that free player.

i think abily will be the key player for ol in this game. if she can find the space, i am confident that ol will triumph.

how the match will likely unfold
i think turbine will be content to soak up the pressure, given that lyon is a team which likes to keep the ball, and that turbine's greatest strength is their counter-attack.

what is important here is that necib, schelin and dickenmann can take up the attention of all 5 turbine defenders(the wingbacks will surely drop back), leaving abily and cruz to take on zietz and odebrecht. henry or bompastor must be ready to push up.

the important thing is that abily must find the space to play her passes, and schelin and necib are able to find the little pockets of space between the lines.

turbine's counterattack basically means get the ball to bajramaj or nagasato, let them run with the ball and shoot or cut the ball back. if anyone else can catch up, that's great news, otherwise they are content to attack with their 3 attackers.

for lyon, it means that if henry attacks, bompastor stays and vice versa.

in terms of substitutions, as mentioned earlier, turbine will be bringing on andanova and kerchowski. patrice lair will hope that he won't be chasing the game, because realistically speaking, he only has le sommer to bring on. let's face it: thomis has pace, but pace alone won't do any damage to a team like turbine.

i remember that lair didnt even shake thomis hand after taking her off in the first leg against arsenal and i wasnt surprised.

if he wants to protect the result, he knows that he can bring on stensland or franco.

i hope the ol girls are up for the fight, because this is their best chance to beat turbine potsdam.

turbine haven't been firing on all cylinders unlike last season. in fact, bernd schröder has admitted that he himself was surprised that they won the frauenbundesliga.

ol have strengthened, while turbine hasn't. abily, bompastor have returned to the club, schelin is fit again: three very big players. plus le sommer to come off the bench instead of herlovsen.

it will not be an easy game, because turbine will be very fit, very physical, very organised and very determined.

but i believe that ol have the technique and intelligence to become the queens of europe.

Arsenal Ladies

so, Arsenal Ladies brought back the FA Cup on Saturday with a 2-0 win over Bristol.

11 FA Cup titles in 12 final appearances. Last season's 3-2 Extra time defeat to Everton threatened the end of an era, the end of Arsenal dominance of women's football in England. The girls bounced back to win the Premier League.

This season had promised to be difficult and challenging. The formation of the Women's Super League which saw the consolidation of talent into 8 teams narrowed the gap between Arsenal Ladies and the other teams even further, compounding the loss of key players such as Alex Scott, Kelly Smith, Karen Carney to the WPS in USA.

Personally, i was dealt a big blow when i learned that Gemma Davison had gone to the US as well. She, together with Kim Little represented the future of Arsenal Ladies.

Arsenal Ladies are currently second in the WSL, 4 points behind Birmingham with a game in hand. This alone shows that the situation has changed. Arsenal Ladies to win every game comfortably can no longer be expected.

The FA Cup was important, not just because the two finalists will represent England in next season's Champions' League, but it is also the first test of the mettle of this team.

They passed it. Bristol started brightly, but Arsenal recovered and after Kim Little put them ahead with a wonderful solo effort, jinking and twisting her way past 3 defenders ala Nasri, it was all Arsenal. Julie Fleeting added a header. 2-0 at half time, though it should have been more.

Bristol were more positive in the second half, and put more pressure on Arsenal. i was disappointed by the way Arsenal played in the second half. Some unconvincing defending served to put more pressure on themselves. They neither killed off nor controlled the game and that gave Bristol that glimmer of hope. Nevertheless, it was Arsenal who came closest to scoring. Substitute Jennifer Beattie's first touch of the game was a knockdown into the path of Little(who else) who forced a magnificent save from the Bristol keeper with her volley. Then substitute Danielle Carter showed remarkable pace to charge down the keeper's clearance of an overhit throughball (she started her run from her own half). the ball went to the touchline, and she didn't realise she had the time to control the ball, opting to head it into the side netting.

So, Katie Chapman lifted the trophy in place of the injured Ludlow and Faye White.

I like the way the team was set up to play in the first half. i am sure the girls weren't satisfied with their own performance in the second half.

i have been interested in the 4-2-1-3 for a while now. in fact, the first time i saw it was an Arsenal Ladies game last season.

the key difference between a 4-2-3-1 and this is the mentality, traits of the two winger-forwards. in a 4-2-1-3, they are able to go up and lead the line, play with their backs to goal or attack the penalty area.

i am quite satisfied with the front 4 that we have.

Ellen White is a no9 striker by nature, yet she can play on the flank. this new breed of forward is not new. Thierry Henry, fittingly, was probably the first striker who spends a lot of time roaming the flank. Ellen White reminds me of Lotta Schelin, probably the best example of this kind of forward in the women's game. The good news is that though Ellen White plays like she has been around forever, this is her first champions' League campaign, and she is only 22.

Rachel Yankey is a winger with an eye for goal.

Julie Fleeting is like a cross between Robin van Persie and Ruud van Niistelrooy. she is a very elegant player to watch and links up play intelligently. But she is also a poacher who gives you the impression that she can score from anywhere, anyhow. There were two shots that she took in the Final which made me sit up. One was an audacious overhead kick, and the other was a snap side volley. The speed of thought is amazing. I think she would have made a difference against Lyon. She did score one after coming on in the second leg, but it was already too late then. She just brings this touch of class to the team.

Kim Little. She was EVERYWHERE. given the free role. putting in crosses, playing in the passes, getting into the box, scoring the goals. She's a hell of a player, the only player who could match up to the guile of the Lyon players during those two games. And she's only 20.

So what i like is that you have two players on the flanks who can come into the centre and attack the space Fleeting will leave when she drops back or drifts wide to link up the play. And these two players are fast, strong and skillful enough that you can play the balls direct down the flank(maybe not so much down the flank per se, but the 2/3 width) for a direct approach or even a counterattack. Then you have Kim Little pulling the strings behind, popping up in the spaces.

Katie Chapman and Jordan Nobbs do the dirty work in midfield. but i know that both are capable of shooting from range. Nobbs is only 18 and in her first season with Arsenal, so give her a bit of time and see how she develops. but at the moment, things look promising.

my only gripe is the lack of depth. off the bench, for the attack, there are only two players who can come on: jennifer beattie, nominally a defender, but can play as target woman upfront and surprisingly spreads the ball well with her back to goal and danielle carter who is really quick and can cause problems with her pace.

One player i would have liked to have on the team, in addition to Gemma Davison, is Karen Carney, who came back from America and joined Birmingham, leading their charge up the table. I don't know if Arsenal tried to re-sign her, or decided that both parties should move on. i know that Arsenal still means alot to Carney, so it is a big shame.

It is good for women's football though, that it is more competitive. The neutrals and the other teams would be happy. That's the problem when you are the incumbent. everyone is gunning for you.

So one trophy won. To win the WSL, there can be no more slipups. I think the team should still be good enough to win the WSL. still. if they can remove the errors in defence and convert more of their chances. in any case, despite all the upheavals, Arsenal Ladies are still one of the top teams in the country. at least at the moment.

On the other hand, the run to the top 4 in this seaason's Champions' League was somehow flattering, given that the way it was achieved was more grit than class. Spirit is of course necessary, but the underlying quality has to be there, and that was exposed by Lyon in the semi-final.

it is clear that this team is in a stage of renewal. The young players like Ellen White, Gilly Flaherty, Steph Houghton, Jordan Nobbs and Danielle Carter need to step up to Kim Little's leve to guarantee future success, both domestic and european.

Germany

Group A: France, Nigeria, Canada

Background: defending world and european champions looking to enact the summer fairy tale at home.

Tactics: a standard 4-2-3-1 with strong wingers.

yesterday's friendly was the first of 4. germany have been involved in a gruelling preparation phase, showing they really mean business.

silvia neid will announce her squad after the champions' league final between turbine and ol feminin. personally, i feel that there won't be many surprises, because silvia neid has a set of players that she trusts.

gk: angerer, holl, weiß
defenders: bresonik, peter, krahn, bartusiak, faißt, fuss(goeßling)
midfielders: kulig, laudehr, hingst, garefrekas, behringer
attackers: prinz, grings, bajramaj, okoyino, mittag, popp, müller

there are maybe three places that are uncertain. silvia neid is very loyal to her experienced players, but the time for renewal is slowly approaching, and it would be prudent to bring a few of the young players along for the experience. this would mean sacrificing some of the old guard.

in this scenario, fuss or martina müller would be sacrificed for goeßling.

i think the biggest disappointment is that dzenifer maroszan, the great talent was injured in the preparation and would not be in the world cup squad.

starting lineup
as i said for euro2009, the difference between germany and the other teams is that they have 15 quality players, while the other teams have 5. that is the difference.

silvia neid wanted versatility from her players, and she has gotten it. there are many possible combinations looking at the players that they have, but i feel that there will be just one formula that she will use for all the games, and two players who will always come on in the second half.

gk: angerer
undisputed no1

rightback: linda bresonik
a player i rate as germany's best central midfielder, she wears the no10 as well. she started in central midfield in 2009 but ended up playing rightback to solve the problem in that position. i find it a pity, but germany's best rightback is their best central midfielder. this means that they have someone who can play from the back.

leftback: verena faißt
the problem position now that the rightback problem has been solved. babette peter played euro2009 as leftback, but more out of necessity than anything. i do think germany have a natural solution in verena faißt now. yet you don't know how much silvia neid trusts her. i would play verena faißt. but i have had enough disagreement with her team selections that i can fully expect babette to play here.

centrebacks: babette peter and annike krahn
peter is the rock in turbine potsdam's defence, while krahn is the standout centreback of euro2009 but has had an injury-blighted season.

ariane hingst is silvia neid's favourite, so i won't be surprised if she plays in place of krahn.

central midfield: kulig and laudehr
basically the same pairing from 2009. judging from yesterday, no real need for change.

of course, hingst could also come in here.

left wing: bajramaj

right wing: garefrekas
an old warhorse. tireless runner, good crosser, good shot and good header of the ball. a very effective player who lacks the class of the other attackers. but you could say shes the ray parlour of this german team.

centre forward: birgit prinz
had a poor euro2009 by her standard, but has enjoyed a relative injury-free season this time round. looks in better form.

striker: inka grings
goal machine.

key players:
fatmire bajramaj
she will just take the ball and run. she had such an outstanding 09/10 that i was convinced she would be the star player of this World Cup. this season, turbine and bajramaj haven't been as scintillating and she looked tired, injured, pissed off at times. she was the impact sub in 2009, and i always had her in my fantasy team, because 'bajramaj is always worth a goal when she comes on'
this time round, i think she has 90 minutes to do her job instead of 20minutes.

birgit prinz
had a lacklustre euro 2009, but her season then had been plagued by injuries. looks in better shape this time round. i am sure she will want to silence her critics, including me. to be honest, i have never seen the all-conquering birgit prinz that is such a legend in women's football.

kim kulig
only 21 years old, but already a key player. i first saw her in the 2008 u20 world cup, where she was the key player together with julia simic. she played as a forward then, so the first time i saw her play for the full national team, my jaws dropped when i saw that she was playing in central midfield.

box to box midfielder.

players to watch:
celia okoyino
complete forward, with strength, speed and skill. she will definitely start from the bench, unless silvia neid surprises me, which is highly unlikely. as in 2009, she will be the impact sub. but like bajramaj, she has since matured as a player and is ready for more responsibilities.

alexandra popp
only 18, one of silvia neid's favourites as well. has catapulted overnight to one of the most talked about players in germany. powerful striker who was the top scorer in the u20 world cup last year.
i remember the first time i saw her play. it was a cup game between bayern and duisburg. rain was beating down mercilessly, and she was struggling on the left flank. i must admit that i never knew she would become so highly-rated.
but even today, i will say that she's a good player, but not my kind of forward.

Overall, whoever they play, you can expect a team that is very strong and powerful, capable of beating opponents in 1v1. they will be organised, they will pass the ball abit, but they will play direct and aggressive because they know their players are strong enough to beat the opponents 1 on 1. this team is a well-oiled machine that makes few mistakes and punishes mistakes by opponents severely. backed by home support(tickets are already sold out for the germany games), they will probably be the hardest team to play.

this Germany is similar to the one in 2009. the system will be the same, with just a few changes in personnel. now they have a leftback, if they choose to use her. and they have bajramaj ready to play from the start. and they have home support.

but there are also tougher opponents like brazil and usa.

they expect to win the world cup, and they are surely one of the favourites.

North Korea

so the friendly against Germany gave me the chance to look at a team rated as dark horses for the World Cup- North Korea.

Group C: Colombia, Sweden, USA

Background: a traditional powerhouse whose star has since faded a little.

Tactics: the North Koreans play a 4-1-4-1. They are well-organised at the back, always having the numbers. defence is the priority. they play a simple, effective passing game, moving the ball quickly, making use of the whole pitch well.

Strengths: Organisation, hardworking, teamwork

weakness: too passive approach

The fact is that North Korea remains an unknown entity. they lost 3-0 to Germany last year, lost 2-0 yesterday. but it was a completely different game. they gave Germany a much stiffer test, being hard to break down until a rare defensive error forced a penalty which Kulig converted, before a late second goal that perhaps could have been disallowed because Celia Okoniyo obviously gave the defender a push to get to the throughball. and they carved the German defence open on a number of occasions, hitting the post once.

even their most glaring weakness last year, the lack of aerial ability, considering germany scored all 3 goals from headers, was not apparent yesterday. they dealt with all the balls crossed in comfortably.

Was this their best team? the commentator said that 6 or 7 players didn't make this trip. North Korea, as ever, remains an enigma.

But you could see from yesterday the basic idea of their game play. soak up the pressure, build up from the back with quick short passes to get out of tight areas, then a long pass to switch flank or forward for the striker to lay the ball back again for an advancing attacker who then releases another attacker. what struck me was the calmness with which they played. always very calculated decisions. they could always make the best decision, ie we as viewers looking at the pitch from a vantage point could see the big picture, see where the ball should go, and you can expect them to try and get the ball there.

Prospects:
my gripe is that they seem to be essentially a counter-attacking team. i always feel that a team, if it wants to win a tournament, must be able to dominate possession, control the game and attack. yet this approach could suit them, considering they are up against sweden, usa, who are similar to germany, and colombia, an all-out attack team.

having said that, looking at the way they passed the ball, i suspect that they are more than capable of camping outside the opposition box, slowly prying before releasing a killer pass.

how good they really are, we will only know after their opening game. but one thing is certain: they will make lives difficult for their opponents. Germany had selected North Korea as their first test opponents for this reason.

We play 4-2-4

so, i have resurrected my blog. in line with tradition, i have chosen a new name.

We play 4-2-4.

why these words? why 4-2-4? somehow, i always can picture a manager at the sideline, when his team is 1-0 down with 10 minutes to go, and they are chasing the win, he would be making changes and telling his players, both those on the pitch and the ones he's bringing on:

We play 4-2-4.

In these 3 words, you could feel at once, the desperation, the guts, the gamble.

that last throw of the dice.

England

Group B: New Zealand, Mexico, Japan

Background: England are definitely a rising power. Runners-up in Euro 2009, just seen off USA and Sweden.

tactics: 4-2-3-1. england have so much talent in attack that Hope Powell is going to have a nice selection headache. England's greatest strength is their counter-attack. they play a very direct style, with their 4 attackers, whoever is playing, being more than capable of taking on the opponent.

Based on yesterday's game, i am really looking forward to the announcement of Hope Powell's squad.

for some reason, each squad will comprise of only 21 players.

if i were hope powell, i would name the following players
gk: karen bardsley, siobahn chamberlain, carly telford
defenders: alex scott, faye white, rachel unitt, sophie bradley, casey stoney, claire rafferty
midfielders: fara williams, jill scott, steph houghton, anita asante, dani buet
attackers: kelly smith, eniola aluko, karen carney, rachel yankey, jess clarke, ellen white, natasha dowie

i think this would be the best combination of youth and experience, and covers all the positions as well.

starting lineup
gk: karen bardsley
i think it is a straight fight between bardsley and chamberlain, with telford clearly one for the future. i think bardsley is more commanding at the back and was solid last night in the 70 minutes she played.

defence(left to right): unitt-stoney-white-scott
i think the defence picks itself, based on experience. but hope powell would be happy to know last night that youngsters like rafferty and bradley can step up if the need arises. in fact, bradley was quite impressive in central defence. while she didnt have to play directly against schelin, she did had to play against 2 powerful forwards. hope powell also knows that asante and houghton can play in defence.

midfield: fara williams-asante
fara williams is currently injured, but she is such a key player for both england and everton. the midfield engine. the last time i saw asante play in 2009, she was the centreback. quite surprised by how well she acquited herself yesterday in midfield. so sure on the ball.

of course, the biggest name missing is katie chapman. a real shame. i seriously still believe she should wait till after the world cup to retire.

jill scott will be the impact sub. to be honest, i don't really see houghton and buet playing much in the tournament. they are really going to be there for the experience.

attack: this is where it gets interesting. how does hope powell want to play?

for me, despite carney's performance in the no10 position in the second half, leading to talk that she could start there, kelly smith is still untouchable. kelly smith will start in that central position. but at least hope powell knows that if kelly smith gets injured or tired, she can put carney there.

wingers wise, yankey is probably the cooler head, while clarke will just take the ball and run. i personally feel that carney is the most complete winger who can come in and stay wide. aluko, with her pace, is also an option.

upfront, hope powell can stick to the no9 forward ellen white, or put the pacey counterattacker Aluko. Natasha Dowie is a fantastic youngster. lots of potential to be that complete forward. i am not sure if she will play, but they have to take her along because she is one for the future.

another option for powell would be to go the arsenal way and play kelly smith in the RVP role. then she could put aluko on the flank, carney behind smith and clarke/yankey on the other flank.

that's why i say hope powell has a nice selection headache in attack.

key players:
kelly smith
England's robin van persie. she is such a brilliant player to watch. i just hope that she stays fit. She was struggling with injury during Euro 2009, but still played such a big part in England's run to the final, so imagine her impact when fully fit.
Fara Williams
engine in midfield, vice captain.
alex scott
right back who pops up in the box. her weakness is perhaps her small size. i always believe that having fullbacks who understand how to adjust themselves according to their teammates is crucial to a team's success. how alex scott plays, how she links up with whoever is playing ahead of her will be important to england.

players to watch
Karen Carney
a key player in 2009, seemingly pushed to a sub's role this time round. if she gets her chance, she will play like a woman possessed to prove a point.
natasha dowie
perhaps hope powell's secret weapon.

outlook: lucky to be drawn in a relatively straight-forward group, though every team will know they have nothing to lose. They will be up against two technical teams in Japan and Mexico, which could suit them, allowing them to play on the counter. they started euro 2009 slowly and grew into the tournament. Recent success should give them the confidence to approach the tournament knowing they can win it, yet without the burden of 'favourite' tags as in the case of Germany and USA.

Sweden

Group C: USA, North Korea and Colombia.

Background: One of the traditional powerhouses of women's football, I think the key question after the Euros 2009, when Sweden were so strong in the Group Phase only to go out somewhat anti-climatically in the Q-Final against eternal rivals Norway was how they were going to rejuvenate with the retirement of captain and talisman Victoria Svensson.

Tactics: With Victoria Svensson, they played a traditional, rigid 4-4-2. Based on what i saw yesterday, i think they are looking to play with more fluidity, more swapping of positions in a 4-4-2/4-3-3. They have players who are very comfortable on the wing like Sjogran, Schelin and Asllani.

Strengths: Strong, tall and physical team which is technically good as well and blessed with a number of long range shooters. I thought back in 2009, they were that one team who could have pushed Germany all the way.

Weaknesses: dodgy goalkeeper, mental strength?

Key Players:
Caroline Seger
Heartbeat of the team in midfield, all-action midfielder who arrives late in the box and packs a powerful shot as well.
Sara Thunebro
Marauding left-back, responsible for the set-pieces and loves to shoot from range.
Charlotte Rohlin
Ball-playing centre back who reads the game well and always seems to score from corners.
Lotta Schelin
The name says it all.

Players to watch:
Sofia Jakobsson
Made her debut yesterday. Young forward who is both strong in the air and good with her feet, in line with the Swedish tradition.
Kosovare Asllani
Didn't play yesterday. Skilful pacey forward who i think can be the impact sub in the tournament.
Louise Fors
the girl with the golden left foot. i remember her coming on as a sub against Norway in 2009 and hitting the woodwork with her free-kick. I am not sure if she's still in the coach's plans. I hope she is, because she has got such a sweet left foot.

Chances: I feel that Sweden has a solid team that can definitely challenge. However, i feel that they lack that little bit extra to win the tournament. They have maybe 5 really outstanding players while the rest of the team is just good. they have to come up with a robust system to make up for it. Another problem that i see is a potential reliance on long range shooting and setpieces to score. the only problem with Schelin playing on the flank is that the forwards they have are not really prolific goalscorers from open play.

It must be stressed that Sweden have been drawn in the group of death. while north korea seem dodgy nowadays, based on reputation alone, they should be respected. usa are ranked no1, and colombia try to play with flair and will know they have nothing to lose.

39 Days

39 days to the Women's World Cup in Germany.

i watched England take on Sweden in their last friendly before the tournament yesterday and have decided that i should revive my blog for this World Cup.


It was an interesting friendly because you got to see two of the main contenders in action. England won 2-0. It was a game of two halves. Sweden were strong both physically and technically as they put England under pressure right from the start.

The interchangeability of Forsberg, Landstrom and Schelin gave England problems and created space for Seger and Sjogran to pop up in danger areas. Sjogran hit the post and Bardsley saved on the line during a corner.

It was only when England started pressing the Swedish back 4 that they saw more of the ball as Sweden made mistakes at the back.

But Sweden couldn't make their chances count and the teams went in at half-time level.

Hope Powell made 4 changes at HT, and they scored 2 minutes after the restart, after the lively Aluko won a corner. Yankey delivered, Jill Scott rose highest to head home. In truth, the Swedish keeper had been dodgy with crosses all night.

The Swedish blonde heads really dropped and England always threatened on the break. Aluko, Carney, Yankey, Jess Clarke is about the fastest Quartet you can have in attack. Aluko should have done better when put through twice.

Carney won a penalty on the 71st minute and converted it herself.

Sweden piled on the pressure in the last 5 minutes in a bid to score a consolation goal, but England held firm.

I think the injection of pace really changed the game. The timing of the first goal was really crucial as it dealt the Swedes a huge psychological blow and gave England the lift, having been second best in the first half.

It also forced Sweden to take more risks and left them vulnerable to the counter-attack. Again, a vicious cycle.

Overall, it was a massive result for the English girls because they have now beaten two of the top 5 nations in women's football (USA). And they have done it without captain Faye White and midfield dynamo Fara Williams.

Hope Powell will also have a selection headache in attack.