It’s Over USWNT exposed by age, tactics, and team selection

[Anonymous]

don't get me wrong. Sweden are probably favorites over the USA but more like winning 2-1 sort of deal.

[Anonymous]

lol

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have really enjoyed watching Rapinoe's career, giver her big credit for last WC, and she and Christen Press in particular are models for how I would like my kids to play. But Rapinoe looks so tired out there sometimes, and slow. In a way, similar to how Abby Wambach was easing through games at the end of her career -- almost like playing a pickup game.

Rapinoe looked the same in the last World Cup as she does today. She struggles in the NWSL. In her prime she was a roll player but she did the dirty work so the star players could shine. She was okay in that roll but it seems she has lost her passion for the game before last World Cup. Rose Lavelle and Dunn were the stars of the last World Cup. They both sacrificed their game for the team. This is the opposite of what Rapinoe does. A lot of times she is out of position, seems uninterested without the ball, will turn the ball over with no pressure(she is not alone in that) and walks when she should be helping on defense. Now Rapinoe non soccer stuff is great. This is the only reason she is on the USWNT at this point. If your kid plays like Rapinoe he or she will be cut/demoted.

Press is a much better player - high motor, good technical skills, good without the ball, can work in tight spaces, great without the ball, willing to track back on defense, etc

Carmelo Anthony, among other NBA stars, isn't exactly known for defensive prowess.

There's an old term I've seen used to describe English players of Gary Lineker's generation - the fox in the box. Of course such a term might be looked at weirdly when discussing women's soccer. But basically someone that is useless except inside the 18 - and Rapinoe has scored 34 goals in 75 matches for OL Reign and 59 in 180 matches for the USA. She scored 3 goals from open play in 5 matches in 2019 and converted all three penalties (now I don't care to review how soft those penalties were/are).

In April, the USA drew level with Sweden 1-1. So this seems like it's on the best possible result for Sweden. I mean, if you give an infinite number of footballers an infinite number of matches, eventually the USWNT will get their asses handed to them and eventually football will be coming home as England carry off the title of a Euro or World Cup. Either that, or team up with the monkey representative that just finished a Hamlet sequel.

See here is the problem with your breakdown of the game in April. Sweden played their second and third team players in April. You would really have to know women's soccer to know that. Did you actually watch that game or are you just looking up the results because the US team was dominated. They were lucky to tie. Also the US looked slow and old except for the European based players. I find it hard to conclude after watching the two games against Sweden and think the US is better.

As for Rapinoe she is no the fox in the box. Do you watch the games? The defenders do not respect her. She is a liability and the team plays better when she is not on the field.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Man city women will either sign players directly from their youth teams (U17-U19) into the first team (if the player is youth national team caliber), or sign established players from around the league or Europe.

A 22 year old out of the US is not signing with Manchester Anything... unless you you would have gone #1, #2, or #3 in the NWSL draft but decided to go to Man City instead.

You have to remember the USWNT contract requires the players to play domestically. They let them play oversea because of the pandemic. Wonder how the new agreement will address this.

That's not true at all. Dahlkamper is playing for Manchester City. Press and Heath are currently without a club. Macario has never played domestically and skipped the NWSL draft to play in Lyon. Not sure where you got that idea from but it isn't accurate.

That said, there is huge incentive for them to play in the NWSL because they can get more money and the desire to support the league. But the competition increase in Europe is going to attract better players from the U.S. who want to play Champions League and that's a good thing because all the European countries are improving a significant rate due to the improvements in club football.

Look Jill Ellis made it clear to USWNT player if you go overseas you will not be on the USWNT. It changed when she moved on. During the pandemic Vlatko allowed players to go without penalties.

Several players had done stints in Europe before, of course, but the arrival of five of the 2019 World Cup winners' top stars -- Alex Morgan, Tobin Heath, Rose Lavelle, Christen Press, and Sam Mewis -- to England was a marked difference to previous moves that had drawn criticism and even seen national team careers threatened.

In 2018, Portland Thorns and USWNT star Crystal Dunn cut her time at Chelsea short over fears her national career would suffer, while Morgan (Lyon) and Carli Lloyd (Manchester City) also previously faced criticism after leaving for opportunities abroad.

Former United States manager Jill Ellis was a strong advocate of players remaining in the USA and the USWNT's existing pay structure makes playing outside of the U.S. quite complicated for players, especially if they don't have the support of U.S. Soccer. The federation pays the players' international salaries and game bonuses, as well as the club salaries for USWNT players who play in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). While teams own the league, U.S. Soccer are employed through a contract to manage aspects of the league. This includes paying national team salaries for some players as well as salaries for at least 22 other players. In exchange for these salaries, the teams and the league limit the amount of players who can go overseas, though this contract is revisited periodically and the next review is due at the end of 2021. It all means that the USSF has an extra interest in its big stars staying home and playing in the States

However, these controls have been loosening in the last year due to a number of internal and external factors. The league has been looking to lessen the control U.S. Soccer has on its players while Ellis' successor as USWNT coach, Vlatko Andonovski, has said he sees the benefits of players getting experience abroad.[/quote]

https://www.espn.com/soccer/united-states-usa/story/4270842/uswnt-stars-morganheathlavelle-went-to-europe-due-to-the-pandemicbut-dont-expect-a-larger-movement

Don't move the goal posts. You said the contract requires them to play in the NWSL. That's clearly not true.

What you added about Ellis doesn't prove your claim. And it is even less significant for the discussion now about the team. Lots of things spots. But that's a different discussion. You had engaged teammates on the last WC team. Political stance clearly does. Hinkle's stance on religion led to her being left out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Man city women will either sign players directly from their youth teams (U17-U19) into the first team (if the player is youth national team caliber), or sign established players from around the league or Europe.

A 22 year old out of the US is not signing with Manchester Anything... unless you you would have gone #1, #2, or #3 in the NWSL draft but decided to go to Man City instead.

You have to remember the USWNT contract requires the players to play domestically. They let them play oversea because of the pandemic. Wonder how the new agreement will address this.

That's not true at all. Dahlkamper is playing for Manchester City. Press and Heath are currently without a club. Macario has never played domestically and skipped the NWSL draft to play in Lyon. Not sure where you got that idea from but it isn't accurate.

That said, there is huge incentive for them to play in the NWSL because they can get more money and the desire to support the league. But the competition increase in Europe is going to attract better players from the U.S. who want to play Champions League and that's a good thing because all the European countries are improving a significant rate due to the improvements in club football.

Look Jill Ellis made it clear to USWNT player if you go overseas you will not be on the USWNT. It changed when she moved on. During the pandemic Vlatko allowed players to go without penalties.

Several players had done stints in Europe before, of course, but the arrival of five of the 2019 World Cup winners' top stars -- Alex Morgan, Tobin Heath, Rose Lavelle, Christen Press, and Sam Mewis -- to England was a marked difference to previous moves that had drawn criticism and even seen national team careers threatened.

In 2018, Portland Thorns and USWNT star Crystal Dunn cut her time at Chelsea short over fears her national career would suffer, while Morgan (Lyon) and Carli Lloyd (Manchester City) also previously faced criticism after leaving for opportunities abroad.

Former United States manager Jill Ellis was a strong advocate of players remaining in the USA and the USWNT's existing pay structure makes playing outside of the U.S. quite complicated for players, especially if they don't have the support of U.S. Soccer. The federation pays the players' international salaries and game bonuses, as well as the club salaries for USWNT players who play in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). While teams own the league, U.S. Soccer are employed through a contract to manage aspects of the league. This includes paying national team salaries for some players as well as salaries for at least 22 other players. In exchange for these salaries, the teams and the league limit the amount of players who can go overseas, though this contract is revisited periodically and the next review is due at the end of 2021. It all means that the USSF has an extra interest in its big stars staying home and playing in the States

However, these controls have been loosening in the last year due to a number of internal and external factors. The league has been looking to lessen the control U.S. Soccer has on its players while Ellis' successor as USWNT coach, Vlatko Andonovski, has said he sees the benefits of players getting experience abroad.[/quote]

https://www.espn.com/soccer/united-states-usa/story/4270842/uswnt-stars-morganheathlavelle-went-to-europe-due-to-the-pandemicbut-dont-expect-a-larger-movement

Don't move the goal posts. You said the contract requires them to play in the NWSL. That's clearly not true.

What you added about Ellis doesn't prove your claim. And it is even less significant for the discussion now about the team. Lots of things spots. But that's a different discussion. You had engaged teammates on the last WC team. Political stance clearly does. Hinkle's stance on religion led to her being left out.

[Anonymous]

USSF only pays the established salary to national team players who also play for NWSL teams. (That’s about 400K.). So, if a player goes to Europe then they will be signing for more than what they would make as a national team player.

Hinkle, now married, retired from soccer.

[Anonymous]

Okay time to move on to the next game!

New Zealand currently 22nd in the world. Easy win for the US! Just for perspective Mexico is 28th 4-0, Nigeria 38 2-0 and Jamaica 51 4-0

USA wins 4-1.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Okay time to move on to the next game!

New Zealand currently 22nd in the world. Easy win for the US! Just for perspective Mexico is 28th 4-0, Nigeria 38 2-0 and Jamaica 51 4-0

USA wins 4-1.

Also backup goalie plays at Georgetown. Anna Leat

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have really enjoyed watching Rapinoe's career, giver her big credit for last WC, and she and Christen Press in particular are models for how I would like my kids to play. But Rapinoe looks so tired out there sometimes, and slow. In a way, similar to how Abby Wambach was easing through games at the end of her career -- almost like playing a pickup game.

Rapinoe looked the same in the last World Cup as she does today. She struggles in the NWSL. In her prime she was a roll player but she did the dirty work so the star players could shine. She was okay in that roll but it seems she has lost her passion for the game before last World Cup. Rose Lavelle and Dunn were the stars of the last World Cup. They both sacrificed their game for the team. This is the opposite of what Rapinoe does. A lot of times she is out of position, seems uninterested without the ball, will turn the ball over with no pressure(she is not alone in that) and walks when she should be helping on defense. Now Rapinoe non soccer stuff is great. This is the only reason she is on the USWNT at this point. If your kid plays like Rapinoe he or she will be cut/demoted.

Press is a much better player - high motor, good technical skills, good without the ball, can work in tight spaces, great without the ball, willing to track back on defense, etc

Carmelo Anthony, among other NBA stars, isn't exactly known for defensive prowess.

There's an old term I've seen used to describe English players of Gary Lineker's generation - the fox in the box. Of course such a term might be looked at weirdly when discussing women's soccer. But basically someone that is useless except inside the 18 - and Rapinoe has scored 34 goals in 75 matches for OL Reign and 59 in 180 matches for the USA. She scored 3 goals from open play in 5 matches in 2019 and converted all three penalties (now I don't care to review how soft those penalties were/are).

In April, the USA drew level with Sweden 1-1. So this seems like it's on the best possible result for Sweden. I mean, if you give an infinite number of footballers an infinite number of matches, eventually the USWNT will get their asses handed to them and eventually football will be coming home as England carry off the title of a Euro or World Cup. Either that, or team up with the monkey representative that just finished a Hamlet sequel.

See here is the problem with your breakdown of the game in April. Sweden played their second and third team players in April. You would really have to know women's soccer to know that. Did you actually watch that game or are you just looking up the results because the US team was dominated. They were lucky to tie. Also the US looked slow and old except for the European based players. I find it hard to conclude after watching the two games against Sweden and think the US is better.

As for Rapinoe she is no the fox in the box. Do you watch the games? The defenders do not respect her. She is a liability and the team plays better when she is not on the field.

Agree with all you said. Talk to me in a couple of weeks. Champ always gets the benefit of the doubt.

[Anonymous]

Morgan benched
saurbrunn benched
O’Hara off game roster
Mewis benched
Tierna starts.
Rapinoe starts? Whatever
LaVelle saves team surprise not

Press will sub for Rapinoe at half
Macario for Lloyd

Please keep Morgan on the bench Vlatko
Macario

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Morgan benched
saurbrunn benched
O’Hara off game roster
Mewis benched
Tierna starts.
Rapinoe starts? Whatever
LaVelle saves team surprise not

Press will sub for Rapinoe at half
Macario for Lloyd

Please keep Morgan on the bench Vlatko
Macario

What happened to O’Hara?

[Anonymous]

Nothing. You can only roster 18 for a game. This is a good chance to get some time/caps for others.

[Anonymous]

6-1 win (actually 7-1 but the Horan goals was mysteriously not allowed). However, weak opponent. US needs to get Dahlkemper out of the back. She is constantly out of position and has subpar skills. Its like a sieve back there with her. The 4 times NZ actually got the ball they almost (or did) score due to her. Put Ertz in back with Sauerbraun, with Dunn and Davidson on the flanks. Then put Horan and Lavelle in central mid with Press and Heath on wings. Morgan and Mewis up top. 4-4-2. Morgan for speed, Mewis for size/headers. This gives them their best chance as they don't have a dynamic playmaking forward, so speed and size will have to do. Other than Lavelle (dribbling, fluidity, attack minded) and Horan (passing, vision, composure) the U.S. needs to simply leverage players with best single attributes and work everything thru those two in the middle. Rapinoe and Lloyd can sub-in for Heath/Press and Morgan/Mewis with 15-20 minutes left in game. Not impressed by the two late subs either. The Brazillian did nothing and the left back played weak passes the couple times she touched the ball. The US will not win gold this year. Don't think they will medal either, but this gives them their best chance.