there were some bright spots in this game.i think suaerbrunn, heath and boxx had particularly strong games. I think the new coach needs to develop a holding mid though, as the us play got stronger when boxx came in for lloyd and was able to hold the back line.
Hmm-- I thought it was quite good, especially for little to no practice. I thought OHara, Heath, Sauerbrun and Beuhler all played well, and nothing wrong with Morgan's effort either, although she was clearly rusty. DeVanna's still a whole different problem when she's healthy. Davey probably should have gotten a yellow. Wasn't DOGSO, but was still pretty reckless.
FT 2-1 USA. Goal scorers: Morgan, Boxx (PK); De Vanna. Quick thoughts: -Heath is starting to come into her own. Hopefully she's made it over the hump. Heath and Pinoe pinched in a bit too much early on though. -ARod has NOT made it over the hump. She makes the wrong runs and is out of sync with her teammates as a striker. She runs when she shouldn't (into a teammate's shot) and stops when she shouldn't. -Morgan's getting better at laying off on the run and making good decisions on holding it up then spraying it wide for the wing. -HAO is steady but predictable. With Heath and Pinoe's improvement (offensively and defensively), they're starting to assert their dominance over the starting spot though and I think there'll be upcoming challengers for even her sub spot. -Cheney and Lloyd still have problems together. Both of them forget to that someone has to play DM and when they do, they're not great at it. -Boxx is still a beast. She's so effing good as a DM. We have been so lucky to have her and we don't have a replacement for her at all. -Sauerbrunn and O'Hara played pretty well. -Don't play Leroux and ARod together. In fact, don't play ARod as striker at all. Oh yes, De Vanna's run was great. Everything about the hold up, to the swift turn, then the speed. She leaned and faked left w/ the ball to force Solo to lean toward her near post then while Solo was off balance, she struck a beautiful ball hard to upper right corner. Great placement and great job to basically wrongfoot the GK. Showing some of that blazing speed and footwork and experience on the shot.
A-Rod's best years are behind her (not in front of her). Unless she's playing the Dominican Republic's or Guatemala's of the world, then she isn't really a force anymore. The new coach needs to think about the young talent. Develop for 2015, so that way we don't have a 2015 WWC team that is as aged as the 2003 WWC team (which got demolished by Germany). I don't want to see a repeat of 2003 again in 2015. We've seen that movie before. Wambach in 2015 will basically be what Mia's age was in 2003. Rampone in 2015 will be the same age as Brandi in 2013. Boxx will be old. Buehler and LePielbet will be getting quite older. O'Reilly in 2015 will be as old as Tiffeny Milbrett in 2003. You get the point. Only room for a short few "older" veterans (probably Wambach, Hope, a couple/few more). But not over 3/4 of the players on the roster now, who would be 30 or older in 2015. Or else we'll see a repeat of 2003.
i love abby wambach as much as the next person, and I think she has been a great leader. However, I am beginning to feel like maybe developing press and leroux should take prominence over giving abby minutes. Its crazy to think that abby will be as dominant in 2015, so we need to start giving others some more minutes. Leroux should be playing more than 12 minutes or so in these celebration games.
Celebration tour. Olympic roster. And LeRoux came in for Morgan. Abby went off at 67 minutes. I'm more concerned by the news that Rampone has agreed to play next year...
sydney leroux= on olympic roster and leroux came in at 78, and should have come on at 67 for abby instead of arod, who has been struggling lately. i just think that since there is no major tourney until 2015 we should start playing leroux and morgan together, because they are most likely our future. i am also concerned with rampone staying on another year. She is still a great defender, but I think it is high time to let other defenders gain some experience. I think some of the vets on this team have a hard time leaving when it is their time to go, which puts coaches in an awkward situation. This is why I hope the new coach isnt attached to our vets, most of whom will be way past their prime in 2015.
Just came back from the game, I had a lot of fun and got some great seats. USWNT were a little rusty but managed a win over a great game by Australia. Boxxy had a great game and was glad she got showcased in her hometown.
Gain experience? That's where the rotations happen around her on the back-line, but they are all dogs, except for sauer in big games. Just face the facts. A team like germany with a pair of good forwards would tear that current back-line apart without her. Bring Dalmy and Tina back for tryouts, and it's time for Engen and Dunn to get their chances in 2013. Those 4 are upgrades. And don't show that footage of Marta beating a young Tina, since Marta has been beating the best since day one. Mike Lyons wanted Press over FullBach. You have to wonder why Press can't get a cap but can lead rookies in scoring and a top Sweden league. it smells like fish.
In her post game interview Morgan mentioned being interested in playing in either the French, German or Swedish leagues next year. I think Germany would be the best choice since their league seems to have the best overall competition. Lyon is a great team, but not much competition beyond that with the rest of the French league. Also, the Swedish league seems to play a direct style of football, which is too similar to the current US style. It would really help Morgan's game to get a bit of variety, and I think the German league would be the best choice.
I could see Morgan go to Germany. That would probably be the best league in Europe for her. Great competition, and the defenses are a bit better in that league than they are in Sweden, and quite better than the league in France.
it's an one touch league. she's suited for sweden. plus you'd get a real idea of who she is vs press and marta on opposing rosters vs marta n sinclair on the same roster with her or the whole national team in seattle. take away her run and take away 90% of her.
Yes she should play on AIK, and when they lose to Tyreso we will know it is because Morgan is not as good as Marta, not because Tyreso is stacked. So much for the play to pad Wambach's goal total. She could have taken a penalty today to add one, but she didn't.
that's by choice, because i know pia didn't stop her. she's played in games she should have been on the bench in the past. morgan will get as much around her, as press and marta have, if she goes to sweden. it would be her show like their's, not an overloaded forward latent wny squad or a made-to-order fc uswnt attack to give her numbers and suppress her piers. i'm glad you are gone pia. i said just one year ago that morgan caps would run past delie's when delie was 10 or so in front of her, despite delie being on the international stage one year longer. jill must have major pull to get sydney all those caps after the cup. and good ole press is still stuck on zero with solid credientials. you'd think she couldn't play soccer and never won a hermann, rookie of the year and scoring leader in sweden. Delie 2009– France47(38) Morgan 2010– United States50(32)
Yep, time to give Delie WPOTY for scoring all those goals against Estonia, Northern Ireland, and Belgium.
Well of course Morgan gets more caps. She performs better consistently. She scores more important goals and provides more assists. Not playing her would be a mistake, only you fail to see it. Delie has more goals in fewer games, but not as many in important ones. I am glad Press is doing well in Sweden and want to see her get caps, but she isn't leading scoring in Sweden.
I'm not sure why this comparison is relevant here or what the point is particularly as Morgan was not a starter one year ago. It might be more useful ... and I use the word "useful" rather loosely ... to look at goals per minutes played rather than caps. 30 of Morgan's 50 caps have been as a 2nd half sub. Today was only her 20th start with the USWNT. She had to earn it. For all your slagging of Pia a fair amount of people ... if not most on here ... were supporting Morgan to start long before Pia penciled her in earlier this year during the CONCACAF tournament final. She leads the team in both goals and assists this year. Your suggestion about Pia showing undue favoritism toward Alex is your fantasy. And god forbid coaches start players that perform well and help the team, whatever next?
Just got back to Seattle from the game at Home Depot Center. Great turnout. My point about Morgan being the next Mia Hamm, well 3 out of every 4 jersey's worn by kids and adults said Morgan on the back. I haven't seen that since Mia Hamm.
Agreed. Also, aside from the man-boys (14-17) that usually go crazy for Solo, there was a WHOLE section (112-113) very close to the bench of boys wearing pink headbands like the ones Alex wear screaming every time she touched the ball during the warm ups. It was fun to see. The australians dominated on the first half ( I was on the south side of the field, with Solo's goal in front of me) and boy was she lucky; aside from the crossbar, and the time the ball hit her back, Australia could've easily finished the game in the first half.
Actually what I loved too wasn't just that there were just Morgan jerseys but several people were wearing Rapinoe Jersey's, Wambach Jersey's, and Solo Jersey's. That goes to show that there isn't just one main star on the team that people like but the team as a whole. I remember during the Hamm era, most of the kids wore her Jersey but I dont remember seeing anyone wearing like a Julie Foudy jersey or Brandi jersey. Maybe I'm wrong but I think there's a more even spread of player love with this USWNT. I saw a Mitt's jersey too!! I also saw a sign that said "We Will Miss Pia" so there was even love of the coach. I loved that she sung two songs. I decided to spend a little extra dough and get the nicely shaded upper sideline region over in section 232 where I had a wonderful view of the pitch. I was happy that there was a good crowd I think around 20,000 people? The last time I saw that many people going to a women's soccer game in Carson,CA was during the WPS Inaugural game back in 2009 when there was around 14,500 people I think. I had a lot of fun despite going to see the match alone, I met some fellow USWNT fans that I wouldn't have met otherwise and some really tall 60 year old couple told me I was too short to wear a Wambach Jersey!! I'm 5'5'' so I don't think I'm that short.. I guess compared to Wambach I am. I liked how a lot of males were wearing US soccer jerseys with Wambach,Morgan, Rapinoe, etc. and they weren't just 13-15 teenage boys either! Some of these guys looked like they were in their 20s,30s and even 40s! I also liked the supporter's groups drumming and chanting. The only thing that kinda failed was I don't think we successfully got the mexican wave around the entire stadium but it's the effort that counts right?