Vera Pauw is unlikely to make significant changes to her Republic of Ireland side for Wednesday's FIFA Women's World Cup clash against Canada but 16-time Girls in Green cap Rianna Jarrett is hopeful that the team will play a slightly higher line.
Ireland lost 1-0 to co-hosts Australia in last Thursday's opening game in Sydney but came out of that fixture with plenty of credit, although the need to kickstart the campaign with at least a point means more attacking impetus may have to be found in Perth during the second game.
Wexford Youths striker Jarrett, who featured early in Pauw's Irish reign, is in the western Australian city as a fan following the team on their adventure Down Under and joined the RTÉ Women's World Cup Podcast to give her take on expectations for the Canada match.
"I don't think there will be too many changes from what we've seen against Australia on Thursday. I think there might be one or two, and you are probably thinking in those two wider positions with Marissa Sheva and Sinead Farrelly where you could potentially see changes," she said.
"But you could also they might try and get Katie McCabe a little bit higher and I think it's just important that we do have that support to Kyra Carusa."
Jarrett pointed to the first half of the France friendly in Tallaght at the start of July as an example of how playing slightly higher up the pitch as a collective allowed the likes of Farrelly to have more of an impact and subsequent connection to striker Carusa.
"In the first half of that France game, we were starting a little bit higher and forcing the French back and even in that USA game (in April), we were higher when we got on the ball and it's very important that you get that support around Kyra as quick as possible," she said.
"I think that's where we can get our better ball players in higher positions and Katie McCabe is one of our best players in possession but also Denise O'Sullivan, she covers every single blade of grass out there but she's better when we have her in those higher positions where she is able to link play and play those through balls to get the likes of Heather Payne and Katie through and I think you can put Sinead Farrelly in that same category as well.
"Especially in that first game against the US when we were higher up the pitch, (Farrelly) brought that level of calmness. She wasn't panicking on the ball and there were four or five US bodies around her and you could see the exact type of player that she is. You can see why Vera has her in the starting XI."
Jarrett added that it needn't be a drastic push up-field for the back three but just enough to give Ireland's key players more influence further forward.
"I do hope that we play even 5-10 yards higher and you'll see a huge difference for Ireland in possession."
Watch every game from the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup live on RTÉ, with comprehensive coverage of the Republic of Ireland across television, radio and digital
Watch Republic of Ireland v Canada in the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup live on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player on Wednesday at 1pm, follow a live blog on RTÉ.ie/Sport and the RTÉ News app or listen to live commentary on 2fm
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