by Boh Blythin (26/7/24)
Above: Arsenal and Republic of Ireland star Katie McCabe during her team’s end of season game in Melbourne. Photo: Kris Goman for Impetus.
Katie McCabe is a crucial part of both the Arsenal and Republic of Ireland teams. Her ability to play as both a left-back and a winger has enhanced her understanding of the left end of the pitch, becoming more consistent and influential in both defence and attack.
Now, she regularly switches between both positions for the Arsenal side, presenting many different aspects of herself in both. Being able to understand multiple positions and read the game so well needs high levels of intelligence and a huge amount of skill, both aspects which go a long way to explaining why the Republic of Ireland installed her as captain. Her ability to impact the game both offensively and defensively makes her an invaluable asset to both teams.
As a left winger, McCabe combines technical skill, tactical intelligence, and physicality with a strong mental game and leadership qualities. One of her most threatening aspects in this position is her ability to create accurate long balls and crosses, building her team’s chances to score and progress up the pitch.
Arsenal icon
McCabe’s main and most comfortable position is left back. Under Joe Montemurro’s leadership of the Gunners, the Irish star was used initially on the wing. The Australian encouraged his side to play a possessive holding game with constant movement and attacking play. McCabe epitomised this style due to her tremendous vision and strong work rate. In this period of her career, the Gunner evolved her tactical skills, awareness and positioning. She was also opened up to supporting her defensive players more often.
However, McCabe’s versatility revealed itself in the late summer of 2020. During a pre-season game, teammate Kat Veje, who played left back for the Gunners at the time, became injured which saw the Irish star move into the position, going on to be recognised for her outstanding contribution here by winning the Player of the Season award in 2020/21.
Current head coach Jonas Eidevall deploys McCabe more defensively – often taking on the role of left back. The Swede promotes a high and intense press style. Under this deployment, the 28-year-old has improved her skills as a defensive player and strategies from a different perspective.
Over the years, the Irish captain has developed into a committed player who isn’t afraid of getting dirty and stuck into a tackle. This is an integral part of what makes McCabe who she is. As well as this her technical ability, pace, and vision, she can also stamp her physical authority on the opposition as well.
As a result of playing alongside each other at the North London club for many years, McCabe’s relationship with Beth Mead is a key part of what makes Arsenal tick. Her overlapping runs assist Mead’s movement to the box to receive a pass or cross from the Irish star on the wing.
Although the two are such a threat and a dynamic duo, opposing teams have their own strategies to narrow down the pair’s rate of play. An example of this can be seen in double marking, which, on occasion can lead McCabe to lose her spark and go quiet. The knock-on impact of this is fewer supplies for Mead, reducing the team’s potential goalscoring opportunities.
Under Montemurro, the pair were able to showcase their attacking style of play and help improve their understanding of each other’s movements. McCabe’s crossing ability and Mead’s positioning were a potent combination. The two have blossomed further under head coach Eidevall. He encouraged a high-press attacking game, making the duo’s play even more direct and aggressive. Their understanding has deepened, leading to more effective combinations.
Despite their excellent attacking performances and ability to get the ball in the box, the pair could improve on their defensive play as a duo. To be able to drop back for one another and ensure a swift switch when moving from attack to defence would make the team overall stronger.
In September last year, the Ireland captain renewed her contract, committing herself to Arsenal to ensure that her time with the Gunners will move to within touching distance of the decade mark.
The face of women’s football in the Republic of Ireland
McCabe is the face of women’s football in her home country. She was made the youngest captain of the Republic of Ireland team back in 2017 when she was just 21.
As captain, she is a vocal leader on the pitch and has to lead by example, guiding her teammates with consistent energy and encouragement. McCabe is a key figure in the squad, contributing her ability to create goal-scoring opportunities and accuracy on long balls.
Whilst representing her country, McCabe has been used as a left-back, left-winger as well as a central midfielder. Under different coaches, Ireland’s style of play has been focused on defending and counter-attacking. The Arsenal star has often led the switch between defensive and attacking situations, developing her long-range balls, crossing ability, defensive play, and stamina.
McCabe typically takes the team’s set pieces including free kicks and especially corners. An example of her abilities in this part of her game was seen with her scoring the Republic of Ireland’s first-ever goal in the World Cup in the opening minutes of the team’s second group game against Canada in Perth. The captain stepped up to take a corner that curled in and found its way into the back of the net for the perfect Olimpico.
The mantra: “Stop McCabe, stop Ireland” is one that the Girls in Green have struggled to escape from over the years. The opposition regularly assigns more than one player to keep her quiet and focus on nullifying the players that are integral to bringing the 28-year-old into the game.
In a bid to avoid these opposition tactics, Ireland work hard to constantly switch McCabe’s positions on the pitch opening up new opportunities for her from different perspectives of the pitch.
With the Irish captain striving to develop her abilities to play under pressure from the strongest international sides and ensure she can continue to contribute consistently despite being marked by more than one player, she can lift her skills to a whole new level.
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