PBP: USWNT WWC '11 Final Roster

Ian Darke, the play by play announcer who made the comment, was relaying information he received from the coaching staff so I would believe it to be true. For what it's worth, when Julie Foudy wondered aloud if Farrelly would get some time in the second half, he said his sources indicated no and he was right about that.
I've got no problem with announcing Mitts as a member of the team but having it contingent on her being healthy. If she thinks Mitts can help the team, why not milk it as long as you can (until the date rosters must be finalized) before making a call. I'd do the same thing with figuring out Tarpley's replacement.
My only problem with this is that she seems to be leaning toward Engen as a replacement and I think she's more of a center back and we already have four of those and only two outside backs. I'd like to see a natural outside back replace Mitts.

 

Rampone, Becky S, can both play right back. Amy L can play right back as well but she isnt good at it, AT ALL. But nonetheless theres solid cover for right back idk why the big deal is about Mitts.

The final roster has been picked 12 months ago, any new faces within the last 9months have been covers for people coming back from injury. This is not a performance based team, as many of the players would not be there if it was. Nonetheless its time to cheer on what we have and hope its enough.

 

I agree out of Buehler, Rampone, Becky S and Amy L that Rampone would be the most logical to play outside. She used to be one of the top outside backs in the world, though that was a long time ago. Her wheels might not be what they were a decade ago but I still would trust her at LB over the others.
I think some of the Pia criticism on these boards is unwarranted but this is her biggest failure as coach. She has not been able to address the LB position. It's not for lack of trying people. I think she felt she found the answer in Schnur in fall 2009 but she faded due to injury and ineffectiveness. The only other true outside backs currently listed on the player pool are Schnur and Britney Taylor. We know it's not going to be Schnur but I would prefer Taylor to Engen.
One thing the Darke/Foudy said during the England game that I thought I heard was that Pia was trying Kelley O'Hara at LB during practice sessions. If true, that kind of shows how desperate the situation is.
The only players I would trust to play outside right now are Mitts, Cox, Krieger and maybe Rampone. The others just don't have the speed.

 

You are right that Mitts is not as fast as she used to be but if reasonably healthy, and that's a big if right now, Mitts is still faster than any of those converted center backs and she's probably quicker than Cox IMO.
I didn't realize CRS tried Engen outside because I thought they played Dalmy and Spigler out there. But to get to this point and be experimenting with converted center backs and attacking players at LB scares me to death. They should have a sure thing by now and I am just not thrilled with any of the options. I have visions of Marta or some other opposing speedster going around the chosen LB like a traffic cone.
So based on what you have seen of Engen and Taylor and factoring in the team's needs, which player would you select?

 

I know you would but if Mitts were declared out for WWC and you already were committed to Buehler, Amy L, Rampone, Becky S., Cox and Kreiger on defense and had just one available slot, who would you add if it was your choice? I might go with Taylor but it looks like it will be Engen.

 

Becky just played left back for her club team yesterday, right?. she can play basically any position on the back line.

 

amen

 

Well, you are one of Pia's critics and these are the kinds of decisions she has to make on a regular basis. Tough isn't it.
I just don't know if any of those options quell my concerns about LB. I'm OK with Kreiger and Cox at RB.
Do you think Sauerbrunn has the ability to play LB on the international level? I have not seen her play outside in WPS or if I did, it has left my memory.
I guess we'll get a feel for what Pia's thinking next weekend in the Mexico game.

 

I don't understand the discussion about Cox at RB. So far as I know, she's always been at LB.

 

Right but let's say she doesn't start at LB and the team needed to bring someone off the bench behind Kreiger at RB, I think she could do that. Not sure that Buehler, Amy L, Rampone could and wonder if Sauerbrunn could.

 

If Engen ever needed to suit up to play RB she'd do just fine. She did play forward her first two years at UNC so going forward and getting in the attack shouldn't be an issue for her if she were to play RB. Obviously she is a much better central defender and deserves to be on this team. (Which she proved when she shut down Wambach and made her practically invisible in last weeks WNY-MJ game)

 

Farrelly turned down an invitation to the current Nat training camp.
That's really interesting. I wonder why.
She said she would rather play with her club team (than possibly going to the world cup)

 

Um, you might maybe want to source that a little bit?

For the rest of us who haven't heard it except from you and don't know where to look?

 

They (commentators) were talking about Farrelly turning down the invitation from Pia during today's match (Independence vs WNY).

 

Sorry-- could have deduced that from the timing of the post, I suppose.

As usual I'll be watching it on Tivo in a few...

 

I was half kidding as well; I just figured out how to use the smiles. https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/images/smilies/smile.gif
Glad I pinned you down on that one in my attempt to make you Pia for a day. If only Ali Riley had not committed to New Zealand, then we wouldn't be having this conversation cause we'd have our left back. After just watching the Philly-WNY game, she's as good a LB as you will see. And she was less than 100 percent.
On Farrelly turning down the camp invite, while I would have liked to see her go, there could have been some kind of communication with the coaching staff that it was O'Hara's spot to lose. I have great faith that Farrelly will make the Olympic team next year and be a fixture on the national team for several years to come.

 

Or maybe I didn't learn how to use the smiles. I am really technologically savvy.

 

Classic. Sounds like me. Leave it. Don't try to fix it...(!)

 

Why is Cox even on the WNT WWC squad? If she's so awful that every outfield player with the simple ability to run in a straight line quickly is being auditioned for the LB spot, just leave her at home .

While the Mitts situation is a mess, in Krieger there's a ready made replacement to take her spot. The whole LB situation though is just embarrassing, especially for Cox. Cox as the teams only qualified LB, should now be assured as a WWC starter. Instead her place has seen players pass through it quicker than Superman man going through revolving doors.

At this rate the entire U.S. back four will simply consist of CB's. Actually with this side, is that a good thing .

 

Preach

this is one of my biggest issues with Pia. She has horrid player management. There are handful of players on this roster as well as preselection roster who spent the better part of a year feeling they did not belong on the team by the way they were treated.

It is insulting to see players who do not even play your position called upon before you.

Pia acts like USA consist of 6 players and whoever else is there serves no purpose. She stretches these players beyond their talents.

I can understand, players 17-20, on the outskirts of the core. Players 1-15 make up the core of the team for me I see Pia treating players 7-20 like crap, with no intention of using them or infusing them into the system of things. This is no team, its Hope Llyod Abby pull the rabbit out the hat like last time.

Pia serenaded everyone with her philosphy of possesion football. Yet players like Cox, Lori L, Yael, Tobin, Cheney, Tina D, Tarpley, Becky S, who keep possesion who play as a team get treated as if they do not belong.

Look how well Becky S is playing for the Nt, if it were not for injuries she wouldnt even see the field. They dragged her along for all of qualifying, she almost didnt even make the cut. I feel, the US has many other players who could preform as well and improve the team given the chance to be treated as part of the team. Our players are some of the best in the world when they are not being treated as useless.