Despite many dire predictions from pundits in the last couple of days, Matildas’ head coach Alen Stajcic will be setting Australia up for attack in their FIFA Women’s World Cup group matches.

Speaking in front of a strong media presence at Australia’s first open public training session in Vancouver, Canada, Stajcic re-iterated his mantra for how the Matildas would be approaching their group rivals.

"We are ones that like to back ourselves and go for the win and not sit back and let another team dictate regardless of who we play,” Stajcic stated.

"We are a possession based team. We are certainly a positive team and a proactive team. They are probably the key words I would use to describe out team."

[More: Australia depart for Canada full of confidence]

That attacking intent was prevalent in Australia’s send off match where they dismantled Vietnam 11-0, a team that, 11 months earlier, they had struggled to defeat 2-0 in the 2014 Asian Cup.

Among the goals were Australia’s key attacking weapons in Lisa De Vanna, Sam Kerr, Michelle Heyman, Katrina Gorry and Emily van Egmond.

Such is the depth available that long time starters Kyah Simon and Caitlin Foord began the match on the bench while the pacy duo Ashleigh Sykes and Hayley Raso are both available as options for Australia.

While the signs against Vietnam were positive, group opponents USA, Nigeria and Sweden are a different proposition altogether.

[More: Women’s World Cup coverage | Purchase 200+ page WWC Preview]

Australia’s ability to dictate the midfield will be crucial, particularly when playing with one defensive midfielder to shield the back four.

Against top nations it has proved a challenge with the designated no. 6, whether Elise Kellond-Knight or Teresa Polias, often sitting so deep as to form a back five.

The top nations have ruthlessly exploited the resultant midfield gaps and central space.

Stajcic, like is other group counter-parts, is acutely aware of the difficulty in advancing out of the group but does not look to vary the Matildas attitude in their group matches.

"[It is] obviously a tough group with a lot of good teams there with good pedigree."

"When you have got three top 10 nations in a group along with Nigeria who deceptively should probably be in the top 10, it just makes it hard and every game will be a battle."

"Whether it's a team that is ranked one or two in the world or 50 in the world, we will take the same approach and back ourselves to go out and win the game."

With double headers scheduled in Winnipeg, Group D has already proven popular with Canadians with Australia’s encounters against the USA and Nigeria close to capacity.

The crucial opening match, in particular, is all but sold out with tens of thousands of American supporters set to flood across the Canadian border to support their no.2 ranked team.

Stajcic is hoping that the old adage “the enemy of my enemy is my friend” proves beneficial for the Matildas.

"We hope [on June 8] there is a lot of Canadian supporters in the grandstands because I heard you guys would rather cheer for us than the Americans," laughed Stajcic at the open training conference.

"Hopefully there will be a lot of Canadian support along with a lot of Aussies."

Australia will continue their World Cup preparations on 27 May with a closed doors friendly in Vancouver against Group A's China.