Phil Neville: “We’re not going to man-mark Marta”

Phil Neville

Phil Neville: “We’re not going to man-mark Marta”

by Asif Burhan

With qualification for the Women’s World Cup secured following an emphatic win over Wales in Newport five weeks ago, Phil Neville’s England are now stepping up their preparations for next summer’s finals over the coming few days with two friendly matches against Brazil and Australia.

Aside from their now annual matches against the World Cup holders, the United States, these matches at Meadow Lane and Craven Cottage will be England’s first against non-European opposition since a 2015 tour to China.

After qualifying against teams who predominantly sat back against them, England manager Phil Neville emphasised how important it was to take on a team as attack-minded as Brazil.

“Their front four would probably get into most teams in the world. They play off the cuff, they play a bit loose but they’re the type of team who could probably score three or four on any day.

“I wanted to play different teams from different continents. When we go to the World Cup, it’s about experiencing different types of styles.”

Brazil, the only South American side to reach a World Cup final in 2007, will field their newly crowned Fifa Player of the Year Marta.

Set to play in her fifth finals in France, the 32-year-old hopes her team, who have played in every tournament, can finally win the World Cup.

“It’s something that we work for every day. Obviously we want to go there and win, but we have to work constantly. We go there and hope to again shine like we did in 2007 and 2011. We were close then, maybe we can get it now.”

Neville, who as a player was often asked to sacrifice his own game to neutralise an opposition playmaker said he would not be asking any of his players to do the same.

“We’re not going to man-mark Marta, but what we are going to do is pay her a lot of respect. We’re going to make sure that nobody’s left exposed one-on-one against her.

“That left foot of hers means we have to close down from 25-30 yards because she shoots from all kinds of distances, all types of angles.

“Sometimes it’s about stopping the person that actually gets the ball to Marta, that’s what I learnt when I was a player. We need to stop the ball getting to the best player.”

England’s Lucy Bronze, who many, including Neville feel should have been voted The Best at last week’s Fifa awards, is relishing the opportunity of facing South American opposition for the first time in her career.

“Marta has been one of the best players of the last 10 years. It’s exciting to play against her. I had a list at the beginning of my career of who I wanted to play with or against. She’s the last one left on that list, so I finally get to tick it off.”