The USWNT scrimmaged against the U-17 USMNT yesterday and was beaten 8-2. Anyone knows the detail? https://twitter.com/#!/Jr_Flores10/status/194565600402612224 https://twitter.com/#!/Jr_Flores10/status/194563542622543872 https://twitter.com/#!/heathermitts/status/194549296119549953 https://twitter.com/#!/ShannonBoxx7/status/194611706641661952
I'd like to see the WNT play the U20WNT. Mitt's wrote this: Heather Mitts @heathermitts My horse wasn't as fast as my opponents today. #demoralizing 17 year old boys are pretty fast...
Thrash? Absolutely not! And, why are people shocked and amazed when WNT lose, usually by large margins, to U15 and older boys? Come on folks.
No surprise. Their speed of play and first touch is much too poor for them to handle the male speed of game. Carli Lloyd probably just stood in midfield and spun in circles the whole time, "look at me. I'm getting dizzy!"
I'd assume to play opponents that are physically faster,stronger, than them. To test their technical skills.
I don't mean to be argumentative, but that is pretty vague. Can any of you coaches articulate for me specifically what the lasting benefit(s) is (are) from such a scrimmage?
You ever played raquetball than basketball. When they play women, the game is almost in slow motion. Marta's whole youth career was against boys. No wonder why it seems most women are walking when she is running.
How many women's team in the world are as good/better than the USWNT? It is hard to find games with better teams since you have to travel half way around the world to play a game with Germany or Japan, etc... What's the best way to frequently play against better teams? You play against local boys or men. You get better by playing often against better oppositions, not weaker oppositions.
Do they actually slide tackle each other? If so, LOL. I actually don't believe these matches happen. Why else is there never any video or even pictures of these matches?
Do you think they would all have tweeted for a event that didn't happen ? I could bet you 1 000 GBP that if you go to the US Soccer headquarters you would find a video of that game...
A rule of thumb for coaches seeking practice matches, in all the sports that I know of, is that you should play teams better than you, teams equal to you, and teams poorer than you. That's why they play the U17 men.
Players have mentioned scrimmaging against boys teams before ... Ali Krieger even mentioned they (1.FFC Frankfurt) scrimmaged against boys in Germany (and won). Pat Summit has practiced her women's basketball teams against men since 1974. Usually, there are modified rules of engagement to keep injuries down. It's not for the boys' benefit after all, but for the women to have a challenge that doesn't involve playing each other, over and over.
Maybe the scrimmage was designed to be a wake up call for the WNT. Given how athletes from all or most sports are shielded from criticism or are told they can't allow any negatives to weaken their confidence, I wonder if the WNT understands they have real defieciences in the mid-field and (less so) in the backline. To give up 8 goals has to mean they had very little possession.
The USWNT would probably have a respectable record against an average group of highschool and club u17 teams. 17 year old boys are going to be larger in stature, stronger and faster then the women. They may not have the same level of tactical play yet. Some of the u17s might not be higher technical skill. But in the end they don't necessarily need better skill. This example puts the USWNT in a situation similar to what everyone complains about all the time. People complain that the USWNT is fitter then most/all other teams and can use that advantage to win games. They complain that they depend on it too much. When playing against these u17s they do not have that advantage, and it can be used against them. The mostly will not be able to muscle the u17s off of the ball. They need to make up for it with tactics and technical skill. They need to get and retain possession. The scrimmage will highlight deficiencies. It will give them something to chase.