Concacaf roster

GOALKEEPERS (2): Nicole Barnhart (out of contract), Hope Solo (out of contract)

DEFENDERS (7): Rachel Buehler (Atlanta Beat), Ali Krieger (FFC Frankfurt), Amy LePeilbet (Atlanta Beat), Heather Mitts (out of contract), Kelley O’Hara (Atlanta Beat), Christie Rampone (out of contract), Becky Sauerbrunn (Sky Blue FC)

MIDFIELDERS (7): Shannon Boxx (out of contract), Tobin Heath (out of contract), Lori Lindsey (Western New York Flash), Carli Lloyd (Atlanta Beat), Heather O’Reilly (Boston Breakers), Megan Rapinoe (out of contract), Amy Rodriguez (out of contract)

FORWARDS (4): Lauren Cheney (out of contract), Sydney Leroux (Atlanta beat), Alex Morgan (Western New York Flash), Abby Wambach (out of contract)

So, ONE change from the WC team? So much for incorporating youth and moving this team forward.

No Engen is truly insane. I'm concerned with our defense, again.

Ridiculous. What else does she have to do? Win MVP of the league?

So, ONE change from the WC team? So much for incorporating youth and moving this team forward.



No Engen is truly insane. I'm concerned with our defense, again.

Maybe it's Lines. She did play for WNY with Becky Edwards, and Pia and crew said Edwards is a horrible practice player.

I won't say anything about Winsters today on the pitch.

I'm kind of surprised that Cheney is back at forward and A-Rod now in midfield.

She has Kelley O'Hara as defender. WTF? I like O'Hara...in midfield.
Is O'Hara a better defender then Engen? I don't think so Pia.

I can't wait for the end of Pia's tenure as coach of the USWNT.

What a joke.

I don't even know why players bother to tryout.

WNT = Popluarity contest. Same players everytime.

I wonder who starters will be..................










same ones that start every game

I'm so sick of seeing the same old players on the USWNT.

Pia after your contract expires, please go home.

I would say this is pretty much what I expected. Pia likes her team - they nearly won the World Cup - even though most posters gave them nary a chance to get out of round robin play. Pia, and the entire U.S., wants to win the Olys, and then she's gone. Now is not the time to "incorporate" untested players in international play, PERIOD. There will be wholesale changes after the Olympics.

Other than two more players being let go, the only changes I expect until then would be if there happens to be an injury.

It seems that Pia wanted to make room for Leroux on the team, so she pushed A-Rod from forward to midfield, and O'Hara from midfield to defense. I'm surprised she didn't push Mitts into the goalie position.

how many friendlies do they play before the olympics and how many camps do they have? between the WC and olympics, it must be 100. how in the world you can't test 2 or 3 players when brasil sits marta and cristie and starts two teengers, thais and debra, against canada's "A" team in a tournament final. that excuse doesn't even sound right anymore.

as much as i rag the team, it looks ok to me. but i think mitts and lepiel should be replaced. my crazy guess is o'hara could give them extra offense on set pieces as a late sub similar to how brasil uses erika in which she is actually a forward but can handle the duties.

mid-field looks fine. i wanted to see edwards. forwards look ok. press did miss time even with the u23 because she was finishing school, so there's no argument there. i'd like to see hagen maybe?

have no clue what a-rod is doing in mid-field, attacking? maybe they incorporate some of the runs she does for philly?

Other than Engen missing out and Mitts making the squad (without having seen any training I was hoping that would be reversed), are there any other really big surprises or disappointments? I hear the criticism, but I'm not sure who people are so fired up to add.

Cox struggled at this level, and she's gone (which I think is a good move). 3 out of 4 forwards are relatively young . . . Do you really think the US is better without Wambach? or Boxx? For who?

Pia went on record after the WC stating she is excited to incorporate new, young players into the National Team. She, again, has proven to be stubborn and misleading.

Morris, my main concern is the back line. Slow and not technical, they were beaten often during the WC. If it weren't for Rampone covering the asses of basically the entire back line, we would have been in trouble.

So what does she do? Brings the aging ladies back for more.
We will have 5 starters now in their 30's. And 8 people on the team will be in their 30's. This is not incorporating youth.

I'd be happy with 3 thirty year olds starting, however. (RAMPONE, HOPE AND ABBY) maybe even 4 with Boxx.

You want specifics though. So i'll give you that.

LORI LINDSEY. Age 31. As I watched her in the WC one thing is obvious, she does not have the speed to play at an international level on a large field. Love you, you're OFF the team.

MITTS. AGE 32. Gonzo. When was the last time you played a full 90? 16 months ago? Two year ago? This is borderline insulting.

AMY L or/and BHULDOZER - worst two players on the pitch over the last 10 months, imo Routinely made numerous mistakes in EVERY WC game. RED CARDS (Rachel) YELLOW CARDS (Amy vs Sweden). OWN GOALS, MISSED CLEARENCES. This was just not in WC to remind you. (Remember their back line at Boston). Get rid of one of them...

REPLACED WITH:
ENGEN - One of the best defenders out there.
KLING - Can play numerous positions and is technical.
MEWIS - talented midfielder who will gain a ton from being on this team.
BOCK and/or EDWARDS - we need a good holding mid.

But again, Pia said she was going to be incorporating youth into the team and did not. again.

Agree with some, disagree with some. She's incorporating by having them come into camps. Just b/c you think they are ready for international tournaments doesn't mean they are. Besides, there are limitations to how many players U.S. Soccer will let be under contract.

I think that's the biggest key. I'm sure if Pia could have 30 players under contract, she would mix and match with every tournament. However, by replacing someone like O'Hara now may mean she can't be picked for future tournaments unless someone gets injured.

That's exactly the point. Nobody knows because they are not getting a chance. You can't develop a team by not letting anyone else play a match. Especially when looking at younger talent. In 2 years we'll be left with half a team in their late 20's with very little experience. A coach must always look at the present and future in one vision.

8 of the 20 players in this roster are in their 30's. Simply a fact.

Well, apparently Pia thinks she can tell by seeing them play against present National Team players, and if they don't match up, they don't match up! As I said before, I believe there will be a LOT of changes after the Olympics and there will be LOTS AND LOTS of games for these apparently perfect young players to hone their craft against the world's best, which in your eyes must not be the U.S. team.

See remarks inserted.

I remain a little confused - although I expected Engen to beat out Mitts (maybe Mitts is a great locker room person and Pia thinks she can integrate Engen after the Olys? I don't know, but if I have a criticism, THIS is it). I'd think Bock will step in for Lindsay after the Olys - no point in bringing her in to sit the bench now? I dunno.

But you want to get rid of Buehler and LePeilbet, who're both UNDER 30. And you're critical of Buehler because she was a victim of a bad call at the WC? I think she's the long term replacement for Rampone, and I'm not sure that much criticism is justified. LePeilbet was a HUGE improvement over Cox IMHO, and she's really more comfortable in the middle.

Regardless, Pia has let the team evolve quite a bit over her tenure and I still think the criticism is a bit overwrought at the moment.

You know, it seems you're right on that assumption. However why didn't she put Cheney in midfield since she's used her there instead of A-Rod.

We have criticized April, we have beaten up on Ryan, but Pia takes the cake on stubborness.

Again, I can't wait to see a change in head coach for the USWNT. I'm tired of Pia.

You can't simulate a international match in a practice. that's silly. they need games.

I understand there will be changes post Oly's as Pia will no longer be the coach. The possibility of changes in the future does not negate the fact Pia is making wrong decisions right now. (those being Mitts, Lori, Amy, Bhuhler, Arod in mid, etc)

Actually, if this same team goes to Oly's 9 of the 20 will be in their 30's. I'm not an agist, but that will be the oldest team in the history of the world. ever.

Pia often talks about being lonely in a foreign country. I wonder if she needs friends and found them on the Nat team.

MORRIS - yes, i'm a little harsh and Amy l and Bhueldozer... agreed. I think the last 12 months they have not played well though, for club or nat team and thought they were routinely two of the worst players on the pitch in every WC game. not just the bad call against brazil..
Amy L will be 30 in a month or so, btw.

actually this is how you tell. you put 2 teenagers, thais 11 and debra 17, in at forward in a game vs canada in a pressure intense final.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKvkzkYCl5U"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKvkzkYCl5U[/ame]

that practice stuff is BS. you don't really know what engen, edwards, press, henderson and others can do until they face this type of game competition, not a red and blue practice game.

Are you sure you're not a fan of the English men's national side - where the manager can absolutely do no right?

I love ya', but Pia has been a breath of fresh air after Ape and Ryan - and more successful than either one IMHO. That doesn't mean that I agree with her all the time, etc. but Jill Ellis will make you miss Pia like a baby misses it's momma - and that certainly looks like what's coming.

Agree totally re this and especially Ellis!!

Yes, the US is better w/o Boxx, Lloyd, Lep and Buehler.
Like for like I'd like to see Osborne, Edwards, Engen, Kilingenberg