get a grip yourself. The difference in the number of games has very little to do with anything. Let's just compare the part of the year that counts, and includes all the games Canada played, which is the first of the year ( qualifiers in Vancouver) through the Olympic medal games. Each team played 22 games, as did each player, and each player scored 23 goals to get a medal. They both had 143 goals at the end of the Olympics. During that stretch Abby played a half or less in 4 games ( all blowouts) and Christine sat out a half in one ( a 2-0 win over Cuba) After that Canada quit for the year, and the USA went on their victory tour where Abby had three starts and played about a half ( or less) each game otherwise. Abby scored another 9 goals. So, they are pretty even when it counted. still, there are nine goals, and there is the medal colors. And there is the fact that the USA beat Canada three times last year, no matter what the cries of referee cheating are. Most important, though, Abby wasn't on suspension when it came time to chose the FIFA POY, which we all know is the real reason Christine didn't get the award. Don't get me wrong. When their careers are over, Christine will own the record, and getting goals for Canada is harder. But no one factors that. Goals were pretty easy for Prinz when she was getting her goals to win POY, too. I'm not sure what you have against header goals, but it's a skill many players don't have. Nobody pretends Abby is a speed merchant running the lines. Those players are pretty plentiful in the US system. She is the target, not the runner. Frankly I don't care if she doesn't run at all. She is the best scorer on the team. Her 29 goals last year prove it. No on else is close. That's just math. And you are wrong that she doesn't create space. She occupies a lot of it, both for herself and for her team mates when defenses try to TRIPPLE team her. And if you watch, she is probably the best player on the team when it comes to posting up and getting the ball to help. She had the most assists to Morgan last year.
Wambach had 27 goals, 8 assists in 2012. Morgan had 28 goals, 21 assists in 2012. http://www.ussoccer.com/Teams/US-Women/Statistics/2012-Statistics.aspx
I just called Wambach and told her somebody wants her off the team. She said she'll make sure to stay on the national team for another 10 years. You can talk till you're blue in the face how much you think Wambach sucks on the pitch because she's too slow and not a forward like Alex Morgan but when the games matter, I want her on the pitch at the 122nd minute.
Abby had 16 and 8 goals in 2010 and 2011. Morgan is quite the little disrupter. I think it was 8m, who said, if you put A-Rod next to Morgan for an equal number for games, her stats would haven gone through the roof also, eventhough she can't finish or frame. There's a nice thread over at Equalizer with less fanboys and girls than this site, and many talk about the new coach not hendering the development of Morgan, Press and Sydney as a trio vs playing to the old girl's ego. I like the comparison, which I've said many times, when Abby subbed Press out of the Philly playoff game when Press was HOT but kept herself in the game when she was doing nothing. I hope the new coach will reverse that trend. I'm not the biggest Morgan fan, but when she releases on runs, the defense must completely shift towards her. Abby's stats doubled with her as a full-time running mate. I know it's a bit off the subject, but it's more Morgan than Abby at this point. And I suspect Press or Sydney will put up crazy numbers over Abby if the new guy plays to their talents and skill sets.
I do read post. Do you read post before commenting on them? You must not. Seeeing how the arguement I address did have substance. You like Thai & Cliver are using hindsight to determine that no other combination of striker could have played well. How can you possible say no other combination of striker could have played well, if given a run of games?
The context was about Wambach, and the fact that she does fine no matter who is in the line up. Do you even know what you are you arguing about, anyway? The Points that are being made: Wambach does well regardless of who is across her. A-Rod did poorly regardless of who was across her. You can't use coulda woulda shoulda when your talking about how good players will do with others. Especially if your talking about giving those player "a run of games", you can't spend a half a dozen games hoping a player whose struggling does well with another. Coaches don't do that. Your obviously not a coach. Again I re-iterate, combinations are made with players who are playing well. Not because they have chemistry or, worse, "might" have chemistry.