Exactly, and she could still be very usefull in USWNT if she accepted to be a sub for special situations, beacuse she have some qualities that the other forwards lack, they just aren't good enough to warrant a lot of starts anymore.
Tony Gustavvson's 21 woman roster for the 2015 WWC: F - Christen Press, Alex Morgan, Abby Wambach, Sydney Leroux MF - Megan Rapinoe, Tobin Heath, Lauren Holiday, Carli Lloyd, Shannon Boxx, Heather O'Reilly, Amber Brooks D - Kelley O'Hara, Ali Krieger, Crystal Dunn, Meghan Klingenberg, Whitney Engen, Becky Sauerbrunn, Christie Rampone GK - Hope Solo, Nicole Barnhart, Jill Loyden *Press will be a starter **He'll believe in true DM's, which will squeeze Morgan Brian off the team. ***He'll give Shannon Boxx more than enough chances to get back. She'll be back in time. ****He'll want Carli Lloyd to roam closer to goal. He remembers her scoring two goals at the Gold Medal match. *****Not much youth movement with this team. He'll want to keep as many 2012 Gold Medal winners as he can. ******Klingenberg is now a shoe-in to make the roster
Besides the fact that it's gonna be 23 player roster, why would he bring Boxx AND Brooks? I don't know why you think that Gustavvson would put the end to "youth movement" as you call it. He valued young players a lot at Tyresö FF. He did bring Caroline Graham Hansen (19 yo) and lately Malin Diaz (20 yo). He was also very supportive of Alex Morgan when he was assistant coach for USWNT in 2012. And it seems like you don't consider Dunn young anymore Not to mention others. Or maybe the end of youth movement applies only to Brian?
Didn't they only get to take 21 to the 2011 WWC? So they've increased by 2 then. Add Morgan Brian and Rachel Van Buehler to that list. He will not be taking Mewis. He will be taking Klingenberg over Cox.
Honestly, to be honest, I think you're really wrong on your opinions. First of all, I'm willing to bet that whoever the coach is, he/she will take 23 players because that's how many players are allowed. Why would the coach just leave out two players? That doesn't make sense to me... Also I disagree with everything else you said except for the part that Christen Press will start, and that Lloyd will play a more attacking role. Lloyd is a big match player as she has proved many times, and Press is already a star. What an incredible player she is. I can also understand the part where you mentioned Klingenberg being on the roster. But it's totally false to say she's a shoe-in; for example some other players such as Cox might step up or she could get injured. It's true that she is undoubtedly going to be on the squad as a starter, but it's not 100% for sure. I also think your mistaken about Morgan Brian and Shannon Boxx. While I can agree that Boxx will make the team but she really doesn't have that many chances...and as for Brian, that's hard to say because she's so talented but lacks experience. There is certainly a chance she could get cut. While it's important to bring in youth to the team to continue to develop and because many of the youth players are very talented, the core of the WWC will be comprised of the 24-27 year old generation + Lloyd and Solo.
The rosters are expanded to 23 due to the extra round of matches. I wouldn't say anyone is a shoe-in for the WC roster right now, because anything can happen in the next 13 months. Injuries, loss of form, players falling out of favor for whatever reason.
Action could be heating up soon. And this is Tony Gustavvson in action on the sidelines and during interviews.
Now Ellis wants the job and probably will get it. She also plans to play 4-3-3. I'm already worried. http://www.soccerwire.com/news/nt/e...es-sense-for-me-says-jill-ellis-of-uswnt-job/
I am pretty sure Tony will get the job if Tyresö manage to win win WCL. Then USSoccer have something to show that he has the winning instincts. If they don't win, neither he or Ellis have much to show in that department so guess that may mean Ellis gets it.
Hmmm 4-3-3 with this bunch will be interesting. yes we have the talented forwards, but with out the great passing out of the midfield the talented forwards will be deemed hopeless. Where does Llloyd play? She best when she is not playing the 10. Is Morgan Brian ready for the responsibility of the center mid. HAO isn't nearly a good enough passer to be dominate in the midfield in a 4-3-3. We'd need fantastic passers and two way players in the mid for this to work.
It was about a month ago, before the China games, that some of us were discussing the possibilities of a 4-3-3 (in the News, Articles, etc. thread) with this team after Wambach had mentioned it in an interview. My thoughts are generally that I wouldn't worry about the midfield so much as that we don't have the forwards who can play this system. Forwards in a 4-3-3 have to get back to play defense to relieve the pressure on the midfield and backline. Plus, the two wingers up top have to provide some width and none of our forwards naturally play outside closer to the touchline. I think we'd might want to use Cheney or HAO up there on the wings although HAO didn't perform well there in the China games. Moreover, converting some of the midfield players to wingers doesn't solve the problem of using more of the forwards. I don't mind the team using the 4-3-3 as an alternate formation for some games, but I don't think its a long-term solution to using the forwards, like Ellis is suggesting. Back on topic, I got the impression from the article that Ellis hasn't sat down for an interview with Gulati. She just says that conversations took place earlier. It makes me think Gustavvson is actually the front-runner...but maybe that's wishful thinking on my part.
Yes, I pretty much agree with you on this. I wouldn't worry so much about US midfield in this formation but the forwards would be problematic since none of them is good enough playing out wide. Also additional defensive responsibilities might be tough to enforce from some of these forwards. It could be useful against some opponents. It will be interesting to see if they'll play 4-3-3 against Canada and how the lineup will look like. But I don't think it would work against best teams (with these forwards) and it's scary if Ellis is planning to use it regularly. I really hope you right about Gustavsson.
I disagree with this. 1. Morgan is great out wide, great getting around defenders and great at assisting other forwards. To back this up, look at her assists. 2. Sydney is a fantastic defender. Tony D and others have suggested moving her to the back line at one point in her career. Morgan had also improved in her hustle back, but you have to remember, Pia often didn't want her 2 forwards tracking back in a 4-4-2, it doesn't make sense. As for Press, she's young and adaptable, with raw talent to be guided. Holiday could do well in this system, but her ability to connect passes and hold the ball may be better serviced on the wings, which is what she did during the 11 WC, where she played very well.
Another article with some interesting words from Ellis especially concerning midfield: http://espn.go.com/espnw/news-comme...n-soccer-interim-coach-jill-ellis-taking-shot Then there is the dilemma surrounding the holding midfielder position. It was a role filled for years by Shannon Boxx, who is in the process of coming back after giving birth to her first child earlier this year. But Ellis is also looking at Lauren Holiday, Carli Lloyd, Megan Rapinoe, Morgan Brian and Julie Johnston to fill the three midfield spots. "They're all really talented, creative, attacking players," Ellis said. "Then the question is: Do you want to sit one of those deeper when they are so valuable getting higher? Obviously, Boxx will be coming back, but I think depth is needed at that position also. I think Brian could grow into it, but I think most people have seen her in the final third, and she's crazy good."
The words about Brian are encouraging. Her creativity is stifled when she's responsible for shielding the backline. We have other players who can do that. On the other hand, this quote was a little alarming. "Obviously Boxx will be coming back, but I think depth is needed at that position also." Obviously Boxx is coming back? I don't think there's anything obvious about recalling a soon-to-be 37-year old player who has missed the better part of two years with injury and pregnancy. It shouldn't be assumed that she will reclaim her position. Maybe that isn't what Ellis meant. Maybe she was referring to Boxx's return to NWSL. But it makes me suspicious, on a team with a history of favoring veterans at the expense of youth.
I hope they're gonna look for other options, not just rely on Boxx's return because that really sounds scary. Either way it looks like she already knows that she's got the job.