Forward-Facing, Fast Beginnings
With the commencement of the FAWSL this past weekend, an analysis of Hayley Raso’s first league action for one of the big guns of Women’s Football, Manchester City.
For last year’s words belong to last year’s language
And next year’s words await another voice.
- “Little Gidding”, T. S. Eliot
The pace of the Women’s footballing calendar is unyielding and unabating. Just ask Hayley Raso.
From the skyward looks at the Ibaraki Kashima Stadium, to the skyblue jerseys of Manchester City, Raso has had to change perspectives quickly.
No sooner had her English football campaign kicked off, than her European Champions League one been ended, with a disappointing qualifying round loss to Real Madrid. The Australian’s Matildas Olympic journey also came to a close just over a month ago.
But the self-described “fast-paced” winger has hit the ground running in her initial first forays with City.
“With so many of us away at the Olympics, we haven’t had the pre-season other teams have had, but that doesn’t change the desire or hunger”, she assured the official Manchester City website.
That desire is what has ravenously driven the Australian, in joining one of the “Big Three” of English Women’s Football.
“Being able to come to a team like City who are up there fighting for all the trophies, it’s an opportunity I couldn’t turn down.”
Upon signing with the Citizens, talk soon turned to her place in the squad.
It’s a fit that has many intrigued; Anna Harrington of the Far Post Pod surmised recently, “she didn’t strike me as a traditional City player”. And there is weight to that — comparing the sleek, stylish skill of the likes of Janine Beckie, Chloe Kelly and Caroline Weir, to the raw, unvarnished power and pace of Raso.
However, head coach Gareth Taylor feels she can bring something different to his elite squad, complementing it with “her ability and versatility…[bringing] lots of international experience to the table.”
As Raso explained to the official Manchester City website, “He (Taylor) told me a lot about the club, the style of play. I see the way the wingers play here, very fast, aggressive style of play. I like that and I feel like I can fit in well into this team.”
And so in poetic fashion, Raso returned, in her new team’s first game of the Women’s Super League, to the home surrounds of her former team Everton, and the Z-car sirens of Goodison Park.
Starting at right-wing in a 4–3–3, her roaring speed and darting, diagonal runs were on full display from the off, particularly in combination with another summer signing, Khadija “Bunny” Shaw.
In the 5th minute for example, Shaw comes short off the last line to receive the ball, drawing her marker Gabby George with her.
City right back Esme Morgan though, plays the ball over the top, with Raso taking the inside track on her former captain Dan Turner, taking advantage of the space created by Shaw’s run. Everton’s keeper is alert in this instance however, and clears the ball before Raso can reach it.
With Everton playing a narrow, funnelled 5–3–2, it meant Turner was required to provide width on the left from wing-back, resulting in Raso not particularly having a direct opponent to mark in her own half of the pitch.
This allowed the Australian the freedom to stay high and wide up on the right, straining Everton’s back line, which was often beleagured throughout the game.
Here in the 12th minute, City’s Alex Greenwood forces a turnover in the defensive third; a quick searching ball springs Raso away in acres of space, leading to her looping cross-shot being tipped just over the bar. Note the amount of catch-up here that Turner is having to play.
Another successful high press in the 36th minute, leads to both Shaw and Raso make opposing, fanned runs — preoccupying their markers in the process. Left-winger Beckie beats her defender and is afforded a yawning gap to pick her spot for the second goal, thanks to her two fellow forwards.
Of course Raso’s personal highlight was the burst of acceleration beyond a static defence in transition, allowing her to present Shaw with a tap-in for the third goal.
But the WSL, as Raso herself describes it, is “a tough, competitive league”. She won’t be able to rely solely on her agility alone.
The evidence for this came as soon as the second half, with Everton manager Willie Kirk also changing to a 4–3–3 formation. With two players generally stationed out on the left now, it meant Raso had more direct responsibility to keep tabs on her opposing defender Turner.
Less than 2 minutes into the period though, Raso loses track of her assignment. In the space of a wall-pass, she goes from two-yards ahead to two-yards trailing the left back, whose teetering cross is palmed behind for a corner.
Later on in the half, Turner again presents as an outlet and Raso roves out to close down.
Her path trajectory though is too direct and square, and Turner calmly opens her body to shift past down the sideline, forcing Raso to foul her in the attacking third of the field.
Though the match was rapidly and effectively over within 38 minutes of being played due to Manchester City’s first 3 goals, the process is, especially at these early stages of the season, just as important as the result.
The symptoms of some of the defensive deficiencies noticed throughout the Matildas’ Olympic tournament may be lingering here for Raso.
Ever up to the challenge though, she does understand there is room to improve.
“I think there’s a lot I’m still learning,” the 26-year-old noted self-effacingly.
“I spoke to Gareth (Taylor) and he said there’s areas of your game that we can help you improve. So, as a player coming into this team, I want to continue developing, and continue to grow.”
It is full-speed ahead for Raso this season.
She has a great opportunity to grab and run with in England, particularly with a long-term knee injury keeping influential teammate Chloe Kelly on the shelf.
Internationally, she will also have to continue to prove herself. The exhillarating, yet ultimatetly medal-less, end in Japan still stings, but the Asian Cup is only three months away now, with all eyes also on the World Cup on home soil in less than two years.
There is plenty of hunger at the national level too; the very established front trio of Kerr, Simon and Foord are in their primes, and currently supported by Mary Fowler and Emily Gielnik. In Ellie Carpenter, Raso may be occupying Australia’s best player’s best position. Youngsters Winonah Heatley and Charli Grant have also been included in the latest Matildas’ squad as wingbacks, having both embarked out to Europe for this season too.
But City’s new winger has her sights and ambitions set clearly. She has consistently shown throughout her career, the resilience to reach her goals, and ability to hone and improve her game. At her official unveiling, she shared a little on her drive and motivation that has gotten her to this point so far:
“There was a saying, “don’t look back, leave it all on the track”. I actually have the quote tattooed to my foot. My mum used to say it to me all the time growing up, leave everything you can out there.
“I’m really looking forward to getting started.”
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