There still is. Four games into the WSL season, Fowler has already played almost double the league minutes she had in the entirety of the 2022-23 campaign. Part of it was her World Cup output. Part of it was the drive she said sitting on City\u2019s bench had given her.<\/p>\n
But part of it was also evident in Thursday\u2019s 2-0 Olympic qualifying win over Iran in Perth. When Fowler was introduced after 65 minutes, Tony Gustavsson deployed the forward on the wing, to mimic the positional tweak Taylor had implemented at club level.<\/p>\n
It worked a treat 15 minutes into her shift when, roaming on the left side, Steph Catley found her for a one-two before crossing for Sam Kerr\u2019s goal.<\/p>\n
\u201cCredit to City for this, they\u2019ve used Mary [more] as a wide forward this season and she\u2019s been outstanding in the league,\u201d Gustavsson said. \u201cWe said, \u2018Let\u2019s try her [in the role] in our environment as well\u2019, and Mary\u2019s performance in those minutes on the left side were just mind-blowingly good. I think she was [the] best, just so good.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Mary Fowler on the ball against Iran.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>Getty<\/cite><\/p>\n \u201cActually, I saw the spark in her eyes when she was told to come in on the wide areas today. She had enjoyed it in City as well, and for us it\u2019s perfect. It gives us different tools in different positions. And Cait [Foord] can also play with Sam up there and out wide and now we have different tools in different games that we can use.<\/p>\n \u201cWe always knew that Mary had a special ability as a footballer. Her technique and her vision is unique \u2013 had been from day one when I worked with her.\u201d<\/p>\n Gustavsson said Fowler, who was also part of Ante Milicic\u2019s 2019 World Cup squad as a 16-year-old but did not play, had worked tirelessly on improving her off-the-ball movement, building a physicality beyond her years and learning to combine her innate technical ability with speed.<\/p>\n \u201cShe\u2019s also so humble, to say \u2018I still have a lot to learn, I want to get better every day\u2019,\u201d he said. \u201cBut I also want to hold down the expectations as well, because she shouldn\u2019t be the one who has to carry this team or take responsibility in that sense.<\/p>\n Amy Sayer caps a strong performance with a post-match fan selfie.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>Getty<\/cite><\/p>\n \u201cShe should be this young player that is the spark and do her thing. And then some of the other experienced players can carry the pressure, and Mary goes out and just does her thing.\u201d<\/p>\n Gustavsson was also full of praise for Ellie Carpenter, who scored Australia\u2019s opening goal on a lively night at HBF Park, but made a point of singling out two players who did not get a chance to play at the World Cup.<\/p>\n One was the \u201coutstanding\u201d Clare Wheeler, who signed a permanent deal with Everton in the off-season and controlled the Matildas\u2019 midfield in a manner that would have the already-excellent incumbent pairing of Katrina Gorry and Kyra Cooney-Cross paying attention.<\/p>\n Clare Wheeler shone in midfield.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>Getty<\/cite><\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a huge compliment,\u201d said the 25-year-old, who hails from Coffs Harbour. \u201cEvery opportunity is something I want to invest in. For each camp, it\u2019s just to do my best. Whatever\u2019s needed from me on the field, I\u2019ll do the best I can.\u201d<\/p>\n The other was 21-year-old attacker Amy Sayer, who narrowly missed out on Gustavsson\u2019s final World Cup squad but has since signed with Swedish top-flight outfit Kristianstads DFF and could have scored a couple of times during the second half.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is the first time I\u2019ve come into camp as a professional player rather than just an amateur,\u201d Sayer said.<\/p>\n \u201cAfter just missing out on the World Cup \u2026 I really wanted to be a part of that.\u201d<\/p>\n The Matildas need to beat the Philippines on Sunday at Optus Stadium and Taiwan on Wednesday at HBF Park to guarantee progression to the third and final phase of Paris 2024 qualifying in February.<\/p>\n Sports news, results and expert commentary.<\/i><\/b> Sign up for our Sport newsletter<\/i><\/b>.<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n Watch every match of the<\/b> UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League<\/b> and<\/b> UEFA Europa Conference League<\/b> on Stan Sport. All the action streaming ad-free, live and on demand, with select matches in 4K UHD.<\/b><\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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