Republic of Ireland WNT need ‘resistance’ against Sweden in World Cup qualifiers, says manager Vera Pauw | Football News

Republic of Ireland manager Vera Pauw says her team will need to display resistance in their upcoming World Cup qualifier against Sweden.

Ireland are four games into their bid to qualify for their first ever major tournament at the 2023 World Cup.

Next month, the Girls in Green face a daunting trip to the world’s second-ranked side.

Embroiled in a battle for second place in Group A and a play-off spot, anything other than a significant defeat would be a positive result.

Ireland already played Sweden earlier in the campaign, when a Louise Quinn own goal gave the visitors a 1-0 victory in Tallaght Stadium.

But Pauw is expecting a stronger and ‘fresh’ Swedish outfit this time around, given that last October’s meeting was off the back of the top seed’s run to the Olympic final.

“When there is such a gap in the ranking – Sweden is number two in the world at this moment – then the only way to approach it is that we all realise the resistance that we get, that we have felt the resistance that we will face,” Pauw outlined.

“It’s not that we want to sit back, but I’m afraid that Sweden will push us back.

“We will slot in a boys’ game into that camp, more or less [based] on the pressure of Sweden. So it will be a huge pressure.

“Then it’s being ready for the tasks that you have to perform within teamwork. That’s the only way you can prepare yourselves.”

Nonetheless, she has seen enough from her side to know that they can face any adversity.

“But what this team has is they never collapse. We have come back so often after a setback,” she said. “This team will be strong. I think that is the key thing to get you qualifying – that you never collapse, no matter what happens. If we would have collapsed from the own goal (in the home game), then it would have been 5-0 at home. But we didn’t collapse.

“That’s a whole process. We will work on that very much; what to do when you have that setback.”

We have come back so often after a setback.

A changed format?

Ireland missed out on qualification for this summer’s European Championship, after Ukraine edged them to second place in the qualifying group.

Pauw’s side currently sit in second place in Group A of the World Cup qualifiers, after an away win over rivals Finland who had been seeded above them.

But Pauw feels that it would be a fairer system if second and third placed sides enter the play-offs.

“Very simple – not having only the number two in the play-offs, but also three. So they have crossovers. Then you get the best teams,” she reasoned.

“It’s very simple, but somebody has to do it. And sometimes I’ve got the feeling I’m the only one seeing this, because when I speak to other coaches or managers, they say, oh yeah, that would be better.

“You can put [the play-offs] in one window. If you do the crossover, it doesn’t take an extra day, it just doesn’t. I don’t understand why it’s not done.”

McCabe suited to deeper role?

One of the key players for Ireland is Arsenal star Katie McCabe. Under Pauw’s direction, she has been deployed on the left side of the field with the Girls in Green, compared to a more advanced role with the Gunners.

But the former Netherlands and Scotland manager reasoned that she is more effective when moving forward from a deeper position, rather than being forced to drop back.

“When Katie plays up front at Arsenal, she always ends up a layer back,” Pauw explained.

“She always ends up one line back. And I think it shows every time that when she’s getting there, she is more dangerous than when she is there already.

“For us, the biggest thing is that we get a pendulum working behind her, so that she can get there. Within the system that we play, on the left side, that is her strongest position.

“When she is up front she is less dangerous than when she is getting there. She is very good at seeing the gaps and spaces in front of her. You can see her often that she is getting the ball and that she is playing back, because she doesn’t see the option.

“But when the option is there, she gets in most of the time inside and then steams up, attacking the penalty area of the opponent.”

The ‘Sky WNT Fund’ will award a minimum of €25,000 this year, to assist five Women’s National Team players with their academic studies and career development off the pitch.