Canberra United has opened their season with two close losses but it's not panic stations just yet, with the best yet to come according to their head coach.
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The side in green has lost two from two - 1-0 to Melbourne City and 2-1 to Adelaide United - to start their A-League Women's campaign.
Canberra head coach Vicki Linton, however, said the best was yet to come in their next 12 games.
"We're building and we were better [against Adelaide] than last week," she said.
"The results haven't gone our way, we can manage that across the season. You haven't seen the best of us yet, but we're getting there."
Some insight was shed into factors that affected United in their opening round match against City at Viking Park.
Eight players from the squad had gastro during the week before the Friday night kickoff.
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Although it was not an excuse for the result, Linton was realistic about what she could expect from her players in the match and the subsequent match.
She envisions a higher press from her front three to apply pressure to opposition defence in coming weeks, led by Michelle Heyman, Ash Sykes and Margot Robinne.
"It's hard to ask that of them," she said.
"The first week we had eight players with gastro during the week. And then with the preseason we've had, it hasn't been a realistic thing to particularly ask yet, but we'll get there."
Sykes will likely return to the starting XI against Brisbane Roar in round four, after she was left off it against Adelaide. Linton said this was due to illness in the lead up to the game.
Another possible option on the cards against the Roar is the interchangeability between Karly Roestbakken and Lauren Keir in central defence, alongside Ally Haran.
Roestbakken's primary position is fullback, but in round one she slotted into central defence for 30-minutes to push Grace Maher forward. Against Adelaide she played 90-minutes in right back, with Keir moving into centre back.
Linton said either could play in the central defence role.
"All we've been working on and what the improvement was - and we have to do it better - is controlling possession and waiting for the time to go forward," she said.
"So exploiting space that opponents give us, composure, controlling the ball; that's what we saw a little bit. We need to keep improving that and being cutting edge in the final third, and then continuing to work on it."