Ready for China 2003? (USSF article)

[FearM9]

For your reading pleasure:

http://www.ussoccer.com/news/fullstory.sps?iNewsid=24297

What did we learn from the 2002 Women's Gold Cup? Well, for starters, that Mia, Millie and the gang are the class of CONCACAF, the rulers of the region. Sure, Canada gave us a serious run for our money and we needed a golden goal to hoist that trophy that we've so easily won in the past, but let's be honest - who didn't think that we'd finish number one in North America (etc.)?

But next September will be a different story, and we may not want to know just how much the gap has closed. If the WWC started tomorrow, would we be ready to fend off the likes of traditional world powers like China and Norway, or consistent European challengers like Germany and Sweden or even wild cards like Brazil and France? Recent results (i.e., a 4-0 win over Norway on July 21) would suggest that everything's in its right place, but we all know how much things can change in a matter of nine months. Just ask Joy Fawcett.

--------------------------

Article on Bri:
http://www.ussoccer.com/news/fullstory.sps?iNewsid=24308

Article on Wagner:
http://www.ussoccer.com/news/fullstory.sps?iNewsid=24310

[Mel10]

Originally posted by FearM9
For your reading pleasure:
but let's be honest - who didn't think that we'd finish number one in North America (etc.)?


:rolleyes:

You tellin me that when Mia scored there wasn't a big collective sigh of relief across the US?

[*Crazy_Chastain*]

Originally posted by Mel10


:rolleyes:

You tellin me that when Mia scored there wasn't a big collective sigh of relief across the US?

troll! :p

[Mel10]

Originally posted by *Crazy_Chastain*


troll! :p

NO WAY! It was a ligit question!!! :D

[SunnyJah]

My biggest complaint????

"Forward: Mia Hamm, Tiffeny Milbrett, Cindy Parlow, Shannon MacMillan, Heather O'Reilly. Nothing else really needs to be said. That's it. End of story."

Heather O'Reilly once again getting a symbolic nod over Abby Wambach. For the love of Pete! They even mentioned HEATHER MITTS and HOPE SOLO. And I don't think that that is the end of the story. Forwards need to do more than score goals USSF...

::grumble::

[Charge!]

Originally posted by SunnyJah
They even mentioned HEATHER MITTS and HOPE SOLO.

::grumble::

The following was brought to you by a Freedom fan :D :p

And Solo is a finalist for the M.A.C./Hermann, even if Washington didn't make the round of 64...

Paul

[SunnyJah]

Yes this is true. I am a Freedom fan.

However, I am also a USWNT fan and will root for whomever is on the turf--- but... Heather Mitts (who yes, Charge! I know is a damn good player) and Hope Solo (who I'd love to see play more) have not had an impact with the Nats in the last couple of as Abby has. That's all I'm saying. I understand that at forward, we're stacked but whatever, I still think that the impact Abby has had deserves some recognition.

And though, yes, it's true I am partial to Abby over other players it doesn't mean that I am blinded by my club affiliation so much, as to not see the big picture of the WNT.

[tigercub]

I don't get the Hope Solo thing (other than she has a great name.) I was wondering about a favorite player of mine; Shannon Mac. She sat in the Gold Cup final. To me it means she isn't needed. Will she be on the World Cup team?

[lasoccervegas2002]

I don't understand what else should shannon prove in onder to be locked in starting line up, she scores lots of goals, she beats defender on one on one situation all the time, she produced beautiful assists, she phisicaly and mentally fits for any games, she is a powerful and sharp shooter and on target most of the time, this player is not bench material.

[Mr.Soccer]

Shannon should be on the field instead of Cindy Parlow. We need players that can score without relying on others to feed them cherries. If you notice that all of the players in the final game of the Gold Cup are independent scorers.
Millie, Hooper and Mia. They create their own opportunities. Shannon does too.

[FanOfFutbol]

The single biggest problem the US has is that it takes too many shots to get just ONE goal.

We control the game.
We possess the ball.
We get TONS of chances.
We out shoot even good teams usually 4 or 5 to one.
But we score on far too few of our shots.

I doubt that there was ANY team in the Gold Cup with a poorer shot to goal ratio.

We NEED a Charmain(sp) Hooper type on the US team.

A player that can, when needed, get only one or two chances in a game and score from that limited service.

Is Mia Hamm that player, NO!
Is Tiffeny Milbrett that player NO!
Is Shannon MacMillan that player NO!
These are all GREAT players but they must have LOTS of touches and/or good service to get goals.

Is Cindy Parlow or Abby Wambach that player, Maybe but neither has shown the scoring flair to do it alone if needed.

On the whole current US team the only player that shows that flair is ????????. There is no one I can think of and I see no one filling that roll. (Akers WAS that kind of player!)

We have, in the past, gotten away without the pure forward but that is no longer the case. Now, if an average team (Canada) can play good defense and limit our chances they have a good chance of forcing the US into a late goal to win or even stealing a win from the US late.

I put the blame for this on the shoulders of the US coaching development system where we sacrifice winning soccer for pretty soccer. Coaches in the youth system are chastised for "direct" soccer even when it wins and rewarded for "possession" even when it looses and that is the way April and the other national coaches work as well.

We have tried to copy Brazil but we have left the finishing out of the equation. It is all possession just for the sake of possession.

So I do NOT believe we are ready for China. We NEED a forward and the curent crop for forward are just NOT that forward.

I think that Fotop just might play herself through the WUSA into that forward IF the Ape will let her.

[UP90]

Part of USA'a goal scoring problem is because of the formation they play a lot of the time. IMO a 4-4-2 formation is a compromise. playing not to lose instead of playing to aggressively beat the crap out of your opponent. Three forwards in the lineup says you're playing to win. And I agree that Parlow is a cherry picker. She's not versatile enough and too much of the time she's not doing much of anything. Maybe it would also help if April got an assistant who can shape up our defense. I'm sick of all the mixing and matching in the back.

[Mr.Soccer]

I also think April needs to shake it up with some of the veterans (no everybody) by making them tow the line in both games and practices. No one should have a pass but it appears some of the veterans do. If they have a bad camp, cut them.
If they don't show any hustle or desire, cut them.
I think Abby was a product of April doing just that.
When she was taken out of a game recently, you could see her distain for being replaced. It probably made April mad enough to omit her from the Gold Cup Team. Well, April should do more of that with her veterans too. You just can't have them make the team by showing up. And finally, April has to get beyond the fact that some are her longtime friends and teammates. You have to be the coach first and their friends second.

[charcroson]

Who, in your opinion, is making the team by "just showing up"?

[Jo]

I'm wondering, too, which veterans you think are having bad camps or are not showing hustle or desire.

[Charge!]

Originally posted by charcroson
Who, in your opinion, is making the team by "just showing up"?

Sobrero and Fawcett, to name 2 - the back line needs to be overhauled, IMO. Slaton has to be in there - she's the defensive player of the year in da WOOSA. You add to it any combination of the league's best team defense - Benson, Iverson, Mitts and Tietjen. If folks continue to suggest Moore isn't all that, and she's the career leader in WUSA goals against because of her defense, then surely you would want such a stellar defense as you try to hang onto the Cup, no?

Or at least have a couple of them to come off the bench. Otherwise you play russian roulette with your ability to stop a Pichon, a Jones, a Meinert or whomever Norway or China throw at you.

Paul

[Mr.Soccer]

Originally posted by Jo
I'm wondering, too, which veterans you think are having bad camps or are not showing hustle or desire.

Well let's open the can of worms! Parlow and Foudy to start. I know that is not politically correct to point the finger at the Captain but you will see once the real games begin. They will be exposed. There are a couple more on the border and I will reserve my opinions as we get into the World Cup. No free rides here! Tell it like it is.

[*Crazy_Chastain*]

Where do yo get off saying that? I've never seen Julie do anything but work her ass off!

[empennage]

Originally posted by *Crazy_Chastain*
I've never seen Julie do anything but work her ass off!

I fear that her personality might actually be too strong. The San Diego Spirit, suck ass partly because of her over bearing personality, IMHO. Unlike the national team, the spirit doesn't have the talent to make up for it.

She reminds me of Harkes during the Sampson years for the Men. He had a strong personality and was popular with the team, but ulimately drove the team apart. Foudy may just be doing that same thing to the US team right now.

[buff415]

As much as I like to second guess April, I don't think any of her criteria to make the national team is "just showing up". Interesting speculations though...