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SWAG SOCCER ACADEMY Women's World Cup Viewing Guide This guide is for young players watching the Women's World Cup. With the best female players coming together to participate in the most exciting sporting competition in the world, it is the perfect time for young players to watch the skills, ideas and structures they work on at training being performed at the highest level possible. The guide below looks to help young players identify who to watch and what to watch for when their favourite players are playing. By combining their passion and enthusiasm for the game with inquisitive questions such as ‘how’ and ‘why’, players can gain a better understanding of what their coaches are asking them to do on Sundays. Players who watch more football develop faster - because they know what the skills, movements and patterns should look like. Regardless of what position you play, always watch for how players: - Move off the ball - Pass the ball - Tackle - Shoot - Run with the ball - Perform 1v1’s - Protect the ball - Take their first touch. If you want to see football played at the highest level, the best teams to watch are: - France - Australia - Germany - Netherlands - USA - England But most importantly, MAKE SURE YOU CHEER ON THE MATILDAS!!! The best games to watch in the group stage are: Match Date Time Spain v South Africa Sun 9-June 1:30am Australia v Italy Sun 9-June 8:30pm Scotland v England Mon 10-June 1:30am Germany v Spain Thurs 13-June 1:30am Australia v Brazil Fri 14-June 1:30am Netherlands v Cameroon Sat 15-June 10:30pm Nigeria v France Tue 18-June 4:30am Australia v Jamaica Wed 19-June 4:30am Netherlands v Canada Fri 21-June 1:30am Sweden v USA Fri 21-June 4:30am Let’s go! SWAG SOCCER ACADEMY Women's World Cup Viewing Guide Who to watch: Lydia Williams - Australia Alyssa Naeher - USA Almuth Schult - Germany Christine Endler - Chile Karen Bardsley - England What to watch Every time they show a replay or highlight of the keeper, look at: Positioning Footwork Hands When the opposition have the ball, watch the keeper. How often is she talking? How does she position himself? Does it change if the ball gets closer? Or if the ball goes wide? In close range shots, where the keeper relies only on reactions: What stance are they in? What decisions do they make? What do they do with their body? What are they doing at set pieces? How do they organise the wall? How do they position themselves for corners? When they have the ball, how do they distribute it? Can you replicate those techniques? SWAG SOCCER ACADEMY Women's World Cup Viewing Guide Who to watch: There are four countries with outstanding centre back pairings, who all have exceptional positioning, decision making, technical ability, and are fantastic when contesting for the ball. They are: Australia (Alanna Kennedy #14 and Claire Polkinghorne #4) France (Wendie Renard #3 and Griedge Mbock Bathy #19) England (Steph Houghton #5 and Millie Bright #6) USA (Abby Dahlkemper #7 and Becky Sauerbrunn #4) What to watch: When in possession: What spaces do they move to? How do they make sure they are always an option to receive the ball? When ‘recycling’ or ‘linking’ the ball among the backline, what are they trying to achieve? How are they using the movement of the ball to manipulate the opposition’s players (in particular the opposition’s forwards)? Before they receive the ball, are they scanning? How many times? When? What direction do they take their first touch? How calm are they on the ball? When out of possession: Where do they position themselves, and why? How does it change depending on where the ball is? What is their stance/body shape? How do they tackle? How do they transition from defence to attack as they win possession? SWAG SOCCER ACADEMY Women's World Cup Viewing Guide Who to watch: There are exceptional fullbacks on display at this World Cup, here are some of them: Ellie Carpenter - Australia Lucy Bronze - England Estelle Johnson - Cameroon Ashley Lawrence - Canada Amel Majri - France Kelly O'Hara - USA What to watch: When in possession How they position themselves. Especially when Their centre back has the ball Their midfielders have the ball Their forwards have the ball How high do they get up the field? Why? What techniques do they use? Can you replicate them? When they are about to receive the ball, where are they trying to look? What spaces are they trying to find? When out of possession How does their positioning change? What is their stance/body shape? How do they tackle? What are they doing when the ball is on the other side of the pitch? How do they transition from defence to attack as they win possession? SWAG SOCCER ACADEMY Women's World Cup Viewing Guide Who to watch: There are two main ways to play the position – ‘the warrior’ and ‘the artist’. Warriors are tasked with destroying the oppositions play, and pride themselves on winning the ball. Artists are tasked with playing the ball and being the team’s creative outlet from a deep position. Watch the deep midfielders, and see how different players adapt to the position in unique ways. The best way to observe this is by watching USA, and how Ertz (warriors) and Horan (artist) dominate together. Elise Kellond-Knight, Emily van Egmond, Tameka Yallop - Australia Cho So-hyun - South Korea Genevieve Ngo Mbeleck - Cameroon Dzsensifer Maroszan - Germany Amandine Henry - France Lindsay Horan, Julie Ertz - USA What to watch: When in possession How do they position themselves? How do they move across the formation? When the team is attacking, what spaces do the deep midfielders move to? Why? When the team is in ‘safe possession’ mode (when the back line are linking the ball facing little pressure) what is the deep midfielder doing? Why? Before they receive the ball, are they checking the space around them? How often? How are they angling their body when they take their first touch? Is it different depending on how much pressure they are facing? When out of possession Are they defending a player or a space? Does it change? Where are the positioned? Why? Where are they in relation to the centre backs? What is their stance/body shape? How do they tackle? How do they transition from defence to attack as they win possession? SWAG SOCCER ACADEMY Women's World Cup Viewing Guide The best team to watch here is Scotland. Kim Little and Erin Cuthbert are aggressive, skilful and dominant. Caitlin Foord is known as a winger, but has been playing a traditional '10' role in the warm up games. Lavelle is USA's most creative player, who will steer their attacks forward this world cup. These attacking players are some of the most exciting women to watch this World Cup. Who to watch: Caitlin Foord - Australia Erin Cuthbert, Kim Little - Scotland Rose Lavelle - USA Ji So-yin - South Korea Fran Kirby - England Bonansea - Italy What to watch: When in possession How do they position themselves? Where are they positioned in relation to the strikers and the wingers? How do they move across of the formation? Look for how they find ‘pockets’ of space, and how they look for spaces in between the oppositions ‘lines’ (the opposition's defence and midfield) What do they do immediately after they pass the ball? Do they move? Where to? Why? How are they angling their body when they take their first touch? Is it different depending on how much pressure they are facing? If their team scores, during the replay look for the player(s) and think ‘how did they contribute to the goal’? If they are involved in a goal, how did they use passing, dribbling and positioning to create the chance? When out of possession Are the defending a player or a space? Does it change? Where are the positioned? Why? How deep do they come? What is their stance/body shape? How do they tackle? How do they transition from defence to attack as they win possession? SWAG SOCCER ACADEMY Women's World Cup Viewing Guide The traditional ‘high and wide’ winger isn’t the current style in today’s modern football – with most teams using full backs to provide width, and moving wingers inside as extra advanced midfielders. However there are still some teams using a wide front three in attack, and there are some wingers with athleticism and skill who can take the top off of a defence: Who to watch: Lisa De Vanna, Hayley Raso, Caitlin Foord - Australia Asisat Oshoala - Nigeria Thembi Kgatlana - South Africa Eugenie Le Sommer - France Leike Martens - Netherlands Tobin Heath - USA What to watch: When in possession Where are they positioned? Why? How do they change their positioning based on where the ball is? Do they move inside? When, and why? Notice the space they create for central players by stretching the field How do they angle their run when trying to get the ball behind the opposition's defence? What are they trying to do to their direct opponent? What techniques are they using? Can you replicate them? If a goal is scored, watch the replay to see what movements, techniques and decisions they made in the lead up to the chance. When out of possession How do they come back and help? How do they position themselves to cut off passing angles? When do they press? How do they press? When their team wins possession back, what decisions and movements do they make in transition? SWAG SOCCER ACADEMY Women's World Cup Viewing Guide The forwards play three main styles – ‘Target Players’ (who predominantly use power, and an ability to hold up and protect the ball) ‘False 9s’ (who are highly technical and skilled, and like to shift between the forward and midfield lines in order to get possession of the ball) ‘Mobile Forwards’ (who’s use the constant threat of speed to look to get in behind defences) It is important to note that Sam Kerr is somehow a master of all three styles.

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