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If we control the middle of the pitch then it will give us a big boast. We have so many players right now that are better off the ball than on. Although some of these young players, may be better with the ball, just haven't had a chance to see it out of many of them yet. It would allow all of our talented tweener players to be able to interchange around the pitch, drift out wide etc.
Read an article that calls into question Emma Hayes' ability to mold the USWNT into a champion, again. Wow! she can't even get on the job and pundits are attacking her. They cite the disappointment of Chelsea's season and the way they finished. One writer also questions Hayes' philosophy and proposed style of play saying it won't fit the US's style and what our players will want and what they are geared toward. Yeah, I know, sports' writers have to have something to write about, but damn, give her a chance. I am not one to allow a coach to wallow if they are not successful. So, if it becomes clear Hayes is a bad fit for the USWNT, fire her then.
Yes, there are plenty of hopeful and positive articles about Hayes-USWNT too. One writer calls her the "savior" of the USWNT who will restore the program to its rightful place, #1 in the world.
We have the talent, need to get back to basics and rekindle what made the USWNT #1 in the world in the first place.
There is a lot of soccer this summer. Throw the Olympics in there in July. Plus the Euros, while we aren't in it, its still one of my favorite tournaments.
Have to admit, I am unfamiliar with most of these guys.Originally Posted by sportdawg
I like that Zimmerman got called upon as an overage. According to the article, 19 of the players have been capped by the USMNT.
Zimmerman is one of our best defenders. He will anchor this defensive back line. Been dealing with some nagging injuries, but apparently in good health now.
USWNT 4 South Korea 0
Emma Hayes' first match as head coach, but really anyone can coach this team to wins in these friendlies. South Korea is ranked 20th in the world and are a decent side, but when the US is cooking, we toast decent sides. Glad...no THRILLED!...to see Rose Lavelle back and healthy, she can dominate the midfield and is HUGE in our counterattacks as she showed today in 30 minutes of action. Good to see Swanson back, scored twice today, one on an assist from Lavelle. That speed, that pure speed, and the way we attack shreds defenses.
But, Hayes is on the biggest stage now, and she'll be ultimately judged on how the US does on the world stage, namely the Olympics and especially the World Cup. The USWNT will win most of its matches just by the bus bringing them to the stadium. The USWNT will win CONCACAF and the Gold Cup and everything else. But the rubber meets the road in the two big tournaments, and that means lifting the World Cup.
A healthy US side will win 95% of their games, it's just when do the loses come. You can have a hiccup in the she believes etc. but a slip up at the wrong time in the WC is the issue.
Our 2015 WC title was a blowout! I don't just mean the 5-2 smashing of Japan in the final, but the whole tournament. Reasons for that: a great goalkeeper, check!, an awesome backline anchored by Becky Sauerbrunn, who some pundits say "played perfect" for all 7 matches, check!, and a dominating midfield of Rapinoe, Heath, Holiday, and of course Carli Lloyd, a HUGE check!
In 2019 it was a much closer thing. We got out-played by both Spain and England but managed to escape with a pair of 2-1 wins. That's what champions do; they find a way to win. The 2023 WC team was a mess, yet! still should have advanced to the Elite Eight as we outplayed Sweden and just flopped in the PKs, with TWO chances to win that shootout.
So, how do you avoid that "slip up" in the WC? You do so by having a dominating side like we did in 2015.
USWNT 3 South Korea 0
A star is born! The 16-yr-old phenom more than lived up to the hype, scored a goal, and demonstrated she is ready for the big stage. Lilly Yohannes earned her first cap and in about 25 minutes on the field showed she belongs on the national team roster going forward. Will be very interesting if Hayes has the guts to give Yohannes one of the 18 spots on the Olympic roster, but more likely will earn one of the four alternates spots.
Crystal Dunn scored a goal as a starting forward, but it is very clear her best role for the national squad is left back. She has the ball skills, the experience, the smarts, and the savvy to play forward, but she lacks one key ingredient: raw speed. We have a stable full of talented strikers and attacking midfielders, we don't need Dunn up top. Our back line is going through a transition, with youngsters galore, we need Dunn's experience and steadfastness on defense.
Based on what we have developing in the near term, we should play a basic 4-4-2 with Sophia Smith and Mallory Swanson as strikers, and Rose Lavelle the base of the triangle as attacking midfielder. Lindsey Horan is the perfect holding midfielder. The wing midfielders can be where we rotate match to match in a tournament to keep fresh legs out there. As for Lilly Yohannes will have to see how "tough" she proves to be. She is nothing but a "girl" right now, and we'll have to see how she holds up in those sure-to-be physical international matches. I fear the injury bug will plague her international career. Hopefully not, but we have seen how players get knocked down, stomped on, and kicked, not to mention the grind and the wear and tear on players' knees.
Overall, the future is very bright for the USWNT. The Olympics this summer will be an early test and measuring stick to see where we stand on the world stage.
Fire Berhalter...yesterday!
Yep. I didn't want him rehired after the cup regardless of the controversy etc. I wanted him gone on his management. That being said after the interim coach took the same team and played an attacking style of football and beat teams like Canada and Mexico rather easily that we struggled too with Berhalter in charge it just reinforced my desire to have someone else lead us into 26, we are going to fail on our own turf with him in charge come 26.
Much better tonight, but it's hard to imagine it being worse than the other night. Great match by Turner and Ream, but really, Brazil just toyed with us. They don't take friendlies very seriously. They use their skills and finesse in matches like this. But...that TOP(time of possession)...whoa! All our guys did was chase the ball all over the place. No inkling of just winning the ball and taking it to the other side. Typical US performance against a superior side. And, Brazil is not really a possession team, not like the better European sides, especially Spain. But Brazil has world class players, skilled, and they understand how to play the game. The US backed into a bunker defense in the 2nd half, but did have some dangerous counter attacks. Two great saves by the Brazilian keeper kept the score equal.
Joe Scally has no business on the pitch against teams like Brazil. He hustled, played hard, but he was bailed out repeatedly by other guys. Our midfield was dropping back and helping on defense, which they are supposed to do, but then we couldn't possess the ball and Brazil was right back at us.
First draw with Brazil in history, which is better than another loss. One thing is certain, we won't see a 1-1 final vs. Brazil in a match that matters.
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