A very subjective look into AWFC

The Oranje leeuwinnen’s World Cup dream is sadly no more and I’m very sad about it. It’s always difficult to see your team lose a match, let alone a quarter final tie and last night was very difficult to watch and process for me. Gonna try to explain it all and as a matter of fact I will probably do a podcast on all this later tonight. I have thoughts on substitutions, players, formations and all of that but I will cover it all on the podcast because I think its important to have context and for you to know exactly how I say what I mean and why. I also have some thoughts on the evolution of the team, if there has been one, and where do we go from here.

For now, here are some thoughts.

When I tell you that it was difficult to watch I mean that quite literally. The game started at 6pm Pacific time and I had a show last night here in LA. Our set time was 8pm so I knew that if the match lasted the normal 90 min plus stoppage I would still be able to watch the whole thing… unless it went to extra time, and of course… it did. I had my phone on the floor with the game on but I was literally working and couldn’t see anything. Believe it or not, I’m a professional haha. I just couldn’t watch the game while I was playing drums, connecting with the artist and engaging with the audience. But in between songs I was able to sneak a peek and sadly, the result was what it was.

Without getting into details or trying to analyze players what I will say is that it must be so damn difficult for Viv and DVD to have watched this. Not the game itself or the performances and choices… what I mean is just how it must have totally sucked to not be able to help and see/know that they could’ve made a difference. I understand the stats and that Spain outplayed us and “deserved” to win but the facts are that they beat us by a single goal, in extra time, so they weren’t that much better. Like who “deserves” it more? the team that attacks or the team that is missing DVD and still pushes the other to the limit? Its all relative and although I totally understand how we lost, it still sucks.

Its not possible to rationalize some things for me as I’m extremely biased and subjective. Overall I feel a lot of pride on the team and their effort and I’m excited to see what happens in the olympics and the euros, of course. I believe we have a lot of work to do and some players will need to move or and dropped for there to be any forward motion and progress.

The reality is that there hasn’t been a true progression to this team and Mark Parsons has a lot to do with that. Jonkers has tried and also Wiegman leaving was always going to be a factor that clearly brought along more negative things than positive ones. This usually happens when the best coach in the world leaves anywhere she works at. I’m really bummed and sad and don’t wanna think about this anymore. 😭😭😭

What bums me out the most is that the world doesn’t get to see DVD again because she was one of the best players of the tournament.

d ❤

THAT ARSENAL WOMEN PODCAST on:
YOUTUBE
APPLE PODCASTS
SPOTIFY