Pre/PBP/Post match thread. Game at 10:30 eastern. Multiple feed options with the CONCACAF site being the one I know off the top of my head. The only real question on the starting XI for me is whether Pia gives Sauerbrunn the start. I mean, I guess there's a will Rapinoe be the 'super sub' but I don't really care about that.
I figure Pia is going to go w/ the usual. She's said in an interview that she still doesn't see Morgan as a starter. Here's what I think Pia will do. Solo Krieger Buehler Rampone LP (unless Sauerbrunn gets the nod) HAO Boxx Lloyd ARod (unless Rapinoe gets the nod) Abby Cheney Her formation may not be a straight 4-4-2 but those are the players I see starting w/ the 2 question marks. One school of thought is to make a big statement (see Canada's result vs Haiti) in the first game and rest people in the 2nd game. I see us getting the teams in reverse order of their strength. The other is to believe that any of the 18 ought to be able to beat DR by multiple goals and to shake up the lineup a bit. b/c of the loss to Mex in WWC qualifying the team likely wants to be more "full strength" against them. For my own view, we need to beat DR/Guat and by multiple goals, of course, in case we tie/lose to Mexico. But I'd be more likely to mix up the lineup for this first game because I believe the Gaut game will be more challenging than the DR game. Granted, we beat Guat 9-0 in WWC qualifying. Regardless, if we win vs DR and Pia throws out the same central midfield and forwards for 75-90 min in the Guat game, she's doing the team a disservice. Our group gets 1 less day of rest btwn the group stage and the all important semifinals. The schedule is compact and she must use the entire roster.
This is stating the obvious, but it's imperative for the United States to win Group B. Playing Canada in the all-important semifinal could be a recipe for disaster since, as Rapinoe said, there's no Italy to fall back on this time. Canada is recovering their confidence under John Herdman, and I'd hate to face them in a decisive, one-off match. I suppose it's the standard interview response, but I'm glad several players (and Pia) have mentioned not taking any team lightly, including DR and Guatemala. I just hope they put those words into practice on the field. The stakes are too high to be lackadaisical here. Barring something adventurous (like O'Hara at left back), most likely we'll see the standard 4-2-3-1: Solo Krieger Rampone Beuhler LePeilbet Boxx Lloyd O'Reilly Cheney Rodriguez Wambach Rapinoe and Morgan off the bench as first subs to provide energy. With a condensed schedule like this, Pia MUST manage the fatigue level of her older veterans. Boxx needs rest, so does Abby with her nagging Achilles problem. For this formation to be effective, they'll have to get better at supporting the lone striker, especially when that striker is a less than mobile target player like Wambach. The 4-2-3-1 is at its best when the three attacking midfielders fluidly alternate joining the attack, to create the appearance of three forwards at any given time. If they are too rigid and simply isolate Abby up front, they'll be missing the potential of the formation.
Am I the only one who is upset with ARod starting? She has shown nothing in the last 6 months for the USWNT. I just don't understand how she won the position unless Rapinoe is injured or something. I have a feeling Sauerbrunn will get the nod. By the way, I will be traveling Vancouver for the rest of the tournament starting Sunday. Go USA!
No, I am too. Sure Rapinoe can be inconsistent at times, but I feel like her past 5 or so games for the team (since the France game) had been pretty good. I think its a big mistake because it could hurt her confidence. Look at how successful she was for MJ after the World Cup! She looked like a completely different player than with Philly and Chicago. All of that and the fact that Rodriquez has offered nothing of value every time she has played the wing. She hasn't even recorded a point since May 18th of last year. (A span of 9 games she has started in) Maybe this is to try and get Rodriquez going again, but I think we will all agree that playing her out wide probably isn't the best place for that.
Arod's not the only one I am upset with for being a constant USWNT starter. There's also Buehler, Lloyd, and LePeilbet as well.
Lloyd would be the perfect player to bring off the bench. I know she's not speedy, but she does have a great shot from outside if left open. She has a lot better chance of pulling this off when the opposing midfield is tired than in the beginning of games. I think that the only reason A-Rod is starting over Rapinoe in midfield is because of the new 4-2-3-1 formation. Pia wants a true midfielder (Rapinoe) to come off the bench in the second half instead of having to pick from 3 natural forwards (A-Rod, Morgan and Leroux). I personally don't understand playing the 4-2-3-1 formation with Abby up top against more aggressive attacking teams. What I mean is that if the U.S. is playing a weaker team, then their entire midfiled will move up the pitch and be able to service Abby near the goal. However, if our midfield has to pull back to defend against stronger teams, then we need a speedy forward to come back and get the ball near the midfield area. Abby will be exhausted by the 70th minute. The better option would be to place a speedy forward upfront with Abby playing behind her, and then moving nearer to the goal during set plays where she's dangerous.
If that is the reason than that is extremely poor decision making by Pia for the roster. If she is actually starting Rodriquez because she doesn't have a sub for Rapinoe should she get tired, Pia should never have brought in 4 forwards then! Besides, wouldn't Heath be a sub for Rapinoe? No, I think she is starting Rodriquez because Pia wants to get her on the field somehow. Maybe its to help boost her confidence?
I agree that Heath is an option at midfield. However, what I meant was that with 5 midfielders playing, Pia has the option of bringing in both Rapinoe and Heath off the bench to replace 2 of the 5 players late in games. However, since we now have only one forward playing (Abby), Pia only has the option of bringing in 1 forward to replace her (assuming she wants to come out of the game). That means 2 out of the 3 natural forwards (A-Rod, Morgan and Leroux) would hardly see any playing time. I highly doubt A-Rod will be brought in as a sub in midfield. Her strength is speed and she'd be needed on offense if we were looking to score a late goal.
yeah, if she starts this is probably Pia's thinking. However, as we know it's ALWAYS the reason Arod needs to start or needs lots of playing time. How many chances does she get? I guess I'm just tired of her and think someone else should have taken her place on the roster. I will always have issues with player selection, but the Arod situation has become one of the worst. (yes, this is a conversation that was probably already had over in the roster thread that I have not read yet. I rest my case.)
per twitter: starters: Solo; Krieger, Buehler, Rampone, LePeilbet; O'Reilly, Boxx, Lloyd, Cheney, Heath; Wambach 1 surprise (Heath) 1 (no Sauerbrunn)
Will be interesting to see that midfield at least. Does anyone recall what the formation/lineup was in the Sweden game? (I tried to watch but the feed didn't work for me).
You knew that wasn't going to happen. By the way I just posted a link to Jeff Carlisle's article on Sauerbrunn and made a comment about it in the CONCACAF thread. I think, reading between the lines, it refutes once and for all the belief that the players picked to start must be outshining the others on the practice field out of sight of us know-nothing fans.
Thanks for mentioning that article here. I'll go say more in the other thread. well, I'll probably just say ugh.
Mexico's beating Guatemala 5-0, 10 mins left. Monica Ocampo has slimmed way down and has looked exceptional.
Already heard some USA chants as they made their way on for the warmup, but crowd will probably be small.
haha - we're on the same page.. i agree with Skybolt too - LLoyd would be a great person coming off the bench, especially when we're down... i'm excited to see this all play out... the new formation. the back line. arod in the midfield. how often rapinoe and morgan get in. I loved the few times i saw Cheney, Morgan, Rapinoe, HAO and Heath on the field together..others have also voiced this. i hope it happens. just read that Heath is starting over Rapinoe...fairly shocked by this.. is rapinoe in good health because you can't compare what the two have shown in previous nat games..
in the 1st game and the games las tnight, the crowd was seated all on one side. The SAME side as the camera so no crowd was visible.
CONCACAF commentary is in English this time around. Part of me is sad we'll miss out on the tremendously entertaining Spanish commentators from World Cup qualifying.