Rachel Graham: Vital to get value from Ireland's USA quest
Former Republic of Ireland international Rachel Graham says it's vital that the upcoming friendly double-header against the United States doesn't devolve into a pair of back-to-the-wall performances.
The Girls in Green are Stateside this week to take on the world number one side in Colorado and Cincinnati, Ohio with both matches live on RTÉ (coverage details below).
Carla Ward has rested captain Katie McCabe after a gruelling season, while Aoife Mannion, Heather Payne, Tara O'Hanlon, Jamie Finn, Lily Agg, Jess Ziu and Leanne Kiernan are among the other players who won't be involved.
While the USA have also left out a number of key players, they will still be heavy favourites for the two friendlies.
But with a crucial Nations League play-off tie against Belgium coming in October, Shelbourne midfielder Graham told the RTÉ Soccer Podcast that it's important for Ireland to extract "value" from the USA games in a way that goes beyond simply defending for 90 minutes apiece.
"It's going to be a really tough two games for our squad, we've played them numerous times in the past (and) we've lost every single time," she said.
"Now results seem to be getting quite tighter. We played them last time in April 2023 and we lost 1-0 and 2-0, so they are getting tighter.
"But I just hope for these two games that we do get something of value from the games and it's not just a case of where we're camped in our 18-yard box and we're just bodies on the line, trying to defend, trying to block shots and we do get a bit more where we can possibly get on the ball or even getting a better shape higher up the pitch.
"Because if you're going off previous games, it does go that way where it's 11 players behind the ball and it's just stopping a shot or throwing your body on the line.
"It's obviously going to be a great occasion and great experience for the girls but I just think for us now that we get some sort of value from the game and some sort of thing where we come away and say 'we did that well' or 'we improved here' going into the games against Belgium."
Ireland manager Ward was part of former Chelsea head coach Emma Hayes' USA set-up during last year's successful Olympics campaign, with a remit including opposition analysis, so she may have an inside track on their players and methods.
But even though some of the USWNT's big names are rested, the fringe players will still give Ireland plenty to worry about, according to Graham.
"It's quite an inexperienced squad for Emma Hayes. There are six players who are completely uncapped and including those six there's 19 players with less than ten caps," she said.
"She hasn't selected (hardly any) players in Europe, just to give them a rest. Basically, they're in their off-season.
"That's the likes of their captain Lindsey Heaps, who plays for Lyon, Emily Fox for Arsenal, Crystal Dunn for PSG. They're all going to be missing.
"Trinity Rodman is out injured so some of the big names and faces that we really know are not going to be there.
"But in saying that, they still have some other big players. They've Rose Lavelle, Emily Sonnett, Naomi Girma, they're all experienced top quality players."
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