Game 2 Pre/PBP/Post USA-Scotland 2/13

18 named for the Nashville game

GOALKEEPERS (2): 21-Jill Loyden (Sky Blue FC), 1-Hope Solo (Seattle Reign)

DEFENDERS (6): 19-Rachel Buehler (Portland Thorns FC), 27-Crystal Dunn (UNC), 28-Whitney Engen (Liverpool FC), 11-Ali Krieger (Washington Spirit), 5-Kelley O’Hara (Sky Blue FC), 3-Christie Rampone (Sky Blue FC)

MIDFIELDERS (7): 7-Shannon Boxx (Chicago Red Stars), 12-Lauren Cheney (FC Kansas City), 17-Tobin Heath (Paris Saint-German), 16-Lori Lindsey (Washington Spirit), 10-Carli Lloyd (Western NY Flash), 9-Heather O’Reilly (Boston Breakers), 15-Megan Rapinoe (Olympique Lyonnais)

FORWARDS (3): 14-Sydney Leroux (Boston Breakers), 22-Christen Press (Tyresö FF), 20-Abby Wambach (Western NY Flash)

1. Surprised no Ashlyn Harris
2. Surprised Bywaters or Winters arnt on there
3. Where is Heather Mitts?

Figured no Bywaters when she was named to the U23 roster. Am a bit surprised about Winters. Not necessarily surprised about Harris but that has less to to with her than my (stated elsewhere on this site) views about another person.

I agree that Harris makes Solo edgy but Sermanni is endlessly talking about competition within the team so Im disappointed.
I thought sure he'd cap Bywaters and Winters. This may be a bit of a statement about Winters and Mitts. I was really surprised when he didnt carry a third fullback for the first game. If he isnt high on Mitts it puts Dunn in a real nice position to make the first 18 and caddy for Krieger.
Glad he isnt playing Morgan. It gains him nothing and this way he gets to see Press at forward.

Are Loyden and Cheney getting second looks???? If so, who is on the bubble? Seems Mitts, Harris, Bywaters, Winters are injured or out. What about Barnhart apparently looking at Sauerbrunn instead of the ball..see photo #9 although she later made a great save. If Barnhart doesn't communicate as well as Loyden then Loyden goes?
http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/6f_h1mJRRgZ/Scotland v United States

I just saw a vision.
The U.S. will not win this 2nd match against Scotland.

Not sure what he is doing with the goalies. Everyone says Harris had a great camp but she doesnt get a game. Loyden who ud think was #4 gets two games and starts one. Maybe Loyden gets a second game because she didnt get to do anything in half of game one.

He is only using three forwards (Morgan being rested) so it would figure Cheney because she also plays forward. I wouldnt think there is any more than that to it.

Mitts not getting a look is the poser. If he's decided against Mitts then it only leaves him with three true fullbacks Krieger, O'Hara & Dunn. Of course three of the four CB have played outside at one point or the other. It also prolly means he'll carry 7 defenders for Algarve so they all will go. When he cuts to 18 for Germany, he'll either cut a CB or cut Dunn and use Buehler and Sauerbrunn as back-ups on the outside.

There's video footage of Mitts traveling with the team to TN. Is she banged up a bit? She's an old girl too. I'm sure he knows what he gets from her as a serve vs the younger girls.

Harris doesn't play high balls at angles well because of her height. I could easily see her still as #4.

Wow, it's only 2 games into his reign and people are crying about their favorites, in which some of them just aren't that good or international reserves like Winters.

It's completely retarded if he doesn't give himself multiple looks at the old vet starters before he makes a decision, who will be replaced.

I'm one of the biggest haters of the NT but I believe the man, when he says, girls will get looks throughout 2013.

http://www.ussoccer.com/media-libra...NT-vs--Scotland--Reaction---Feb--9--2013.aspx

And who in the world is Bywaters?

Jill never caps. She may be on the bubble.

Dunn and Engen get their first REAL caps. Isn't that like 5 girls in 2 games now?

You guys can't be pleased.

BTW, Solo > Harris

Because Morgan is out? Scotland doesn't have any offense, outside of misplaced clearances. But I predict they won't let Press roam, so Abby or Sydney will need a big day, or Cheney will need one of her HOT long ball days.

Knowing about Press quailities and trying to cover rarely helps much. She was a known quantity for most of her seasson in Damallsvenskan and it didn't slow her down much (and Scotland is at least not much better than the average Damallsvenskan team while her teammates in USWNT is a lot better than those she had in Göteborg). But it is possible that it could be enough if she is played out of position.

But I don't realy believe that the Scots was not fully aware of her, they have a Swedish coach which is fairly well connected into Swedish Soccer as well as some players in Damallsvenskan so the likelihood that they where not aware of Press poteintal is fairly low.

Press could have had a huge game. Not only did she have the ball that the GK stopped but on their very first trip down the pitch, Morgan made an absolutely creamy pass to her in the 6 yd box and her shot beat the goalie but was blocked by a defender on the goal line.

200th cap for Abby, so they will FEED her opportunities today.

Probably, at least until she gets one.

So who gets Morgan's spot...Press or Leroux?

Harris is hurt. From Twitter:

@Ashlyn_Harris Saw some pics from training, are you nursing an injury?

@RachelOneFive yea I tweaked my quad pretty bad.

A later tweet indicates it can't be too serious as she's hoping to play for her club team on Sunday.

i would hope leroux. keep the three forwards on the field and continue to test the combos.

I know it won't ever happen but...



Leroux---------------Press

----------------------Heath-----------------------

---------Rapinoe-----Boxx----------O'Reilly---

O'Hara------Buehler--------Rampone------Krieger

Its Wambach's 200th cap...i think she'll get the start

@StarCityFan , thanks for the 411 on Harris & the pulled quad.

About Loyden, remember she went and played in Aussie land during the first (and maybe the 2nd, too, but I forget) WPS off-season. She got rave reviews down under, iirc. Sermanni is probably pretty familiar w/ her and not as familiar w/ Barny.

Starters: Solo; Krieger, Engen, Buehler, O'Hara; O'Reilly, Boxx, Cheney, Rapinoe; Leroux, Wambach (c)

Very happy to see Engen and Leroux starting.

When did Heath become a CAM?

She wasn't one in college, and I don't recall she has played it a lot for any WNT's at any level.

I'm not saying she couldn't be good at it, there just hasn't been much evidence that I see.

Finally, Leroux is starting. And a start for Engen as well. I'm happy about that. Not too happy about Press and Lloyd not starting, but whatever.

Seems like Tom believes Kelley and Ali are USA best outside backs. I'm not sure about that.

Do you really think that at this stage of the 2015 campaign his thought is to get the 11 best on the pitch?

The feed is up and running. I'll watch most of it but there's another game that will get my attention in an hour...

http://www.ussoccer.com/Live/WNT-vs-Scotland-Feb-13-2013.aspx