USWNT v Brazil (SBC Finale), March 5, pre/pbp/post.

Discussion in 'USA Women: News and Analysis' started by Semblance17, Mar 2, 2019.

  1. Semblance17

    Semblance17 Member+

    United States
    Apr 27, 2013
    Lighthouse Point, FL
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    #1 Semblance17, Mar 2, 2019
    Last edited: Mar 2, 2019
    Screen Shot 2019-03-02 at 7.20.12 PM.png
    Raymond James Stadium - Tampa, FL. Coverage: FS1

    Better bring your A game this time ladies. No more 2-2 draws. Your two* biggest fans will both be attendance.

    *this is assuming that @jackdoggy isn't actually me from the [not-too-distant] future, a possibility I haven't entirely dismissed, and thus that we count as discrete persons. (This theory could just be me hoping that eventually I'll be able to go back in time and attend all the matches that I couldn't the first time around.)

    Also, there would be extra indignity in anything besides a win against a team that [unlike any other senior national team in the world, men's or women's,] takes credit on its crest for the World Cup wins of its counterpart senior national team. Can you imagine the outrage if the USMNT wore the three stars of the USWNT? I guess since Brazil is considered an empire in the sport they get away with it, but I will never not bring it up when these two teams meet and somehow have more stars between their crests than there have been Women's World Cups in history.

    Three earned stars > Five borrowed stars.
    Time to start the buildup, as gradual as it might be, and make plans not to stop it until there's a fourth [real] star above our own crest.
    No complaints. No excuses.
    BEAT. BRAZIL.

     
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  2. FanOfFutbol

    FanOfFutbol Member+

    The Mickey Mouse Club or The breakfast Club
    May 4, 2002
    Limbo
    Nat'l Team:
    --other--
    Effectively a meaningless match but I will watch anyway. It is actually too bad the match that determines who wins is to be played before this one. If this match were played first then it is possible the championship match might have at least the appearance of a decent crowd.
     
  3. blissett

    blissett Member+

    Aug 20, 2011
    Italy
    Club:
    --other--
    Nat'l Team:
    --other--
    Well, am I right that, should Japan-England end in a draw (not impossible at all), USA-Brazil could suddenly become meaningful, because USA could win the tournament with a large-margin win over Brazil? :cautious:
     
  4. Semblance17

    Semblance17 Member+

    United States
    Apr 27, 2013
    Lighthouse Point, FL
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Screen Shot 2019-03-03 at 8.29.00 AM.png
    Looks that way.

     
  5. FanOfFutbol

    FanOfFutbol Member+

    The Mickey Mouse Club or The breakfast Club
    May 4, 2002
    Limbo
    Nat'l Team:
    --other--
    As near as I can figure this is the possible way it could go.

    The only way the US match has any real meaning is a draw by Japan v England. In the event of that tie:

    US victory by 3 or more and the US wins the group.

    In the event of a tie in the first game and a US 2-0 win it becomes total goals scored and Japan wins that in most reasonable situations. However a 0-0 tie and a US win 3-1 or greater the US wins on total goals.

    If Japan - England tie 1-1 and the US wins 3-1 then I think it goes all the way to "Fair Play" and then to a coin flip.

    On tie scores above 1-1 the number of goals scores by the US to win by 2 and still tie Japan goes up by 1.

    Since a tie always results in Japan being ahead of England there is no situation where the US and England end up tied for first.

    I "think" that is right but I might have missed something.

    I actually think that a tie between Japan and England is very very unlikely due to the fact that England will feel that they must win and if it is tied late the England will push forward hard so they either score or get beaten on a break away. Also I think there will be goals in that match. I think the final score will be a total of three goals or more and I will make a very risky prediction: It could go either way. ;)
     
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  6. cpthomas

    cpthomas BigSoccer Supporter

    Portland Thorns
    United States
    Jan 10, 2008
    Portland, Oregon
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I don't care about who wins the tournament, that's not what it's about. It's about getting ready for the World Cup. Looking at the US big picture in terms of the World Cup, our attack seems fine and our defense has problems.

    I heard one other thing from Rapinoe after the game: the young players haven't learned yet how to really compete (not in skills, but in attitude and mental toughness), and they'd better learn fast.
     
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  7. Cliveworshipper

    Cliveworshipper Member+

    Dec 3, 2006

    This may be some of the “nervous system” work Jill talked about after Japan.

    In both matches the USA gave up tying goals late. SUCCESSFULL USA teams usually swamped other teams late. The big question is if this team will figure it out or land out of the medals again.
     
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  8. uncchamps2012

    uncchamps2012 Member

    Jul 9, 2011
    Defending champs “out of the medals again”? What?
     
  9. Cliveworshipper

    Cliveworshipper Member+

    Dec 3, 2006
    #9 Cliveworshipper, Mar 4, 2019
    Last edited: Mar 4, 2019

    What color was our medal in the last olympics?
    ( hint: we lost in the quarters in a shootout)

    Sweden tied despite playing a bunker, and Morgan and Press missed their kicks from the mark in the shootout to send us home. This week isn’t the first time we have had trouble with the nervous system.

    That’s two years ago, not four. And it’s the first time the women didn’t come home with medal in the history of a fifa sponsored tournament. .

    And with women, the full national team plays the olympics and it counts in the fifa rankings the same as a World Cup.
     
  10. Smallchief

    Smallchief Member+

    Oct 27, 2012
    Club:
    --other--
    Let's go into the Brazil game with our best available lineup.

    GK Franch (give her another chance.)
    D O'Hara, Sauerbrunn, Dahlkemper, Dunn
    M Ertz, Mewis, Lavelle
    F Heath, Morgan, Rapinoe

    Subs: Press for Heath, McDonald for Morgan, Short for Dunn, Long or Zerboni for Lavelle, Pugh for Rapinoe.
     
  11. jnielsen

    jnielsen Member+

    May 12, 2012
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Really don't understand why News isn't playing more. Is she still coming back from injury, or is it just Ellis being Ellis.

    Also, can't believe the asst. coach (what's his name?) has a man bun. Embarrassing. I wish that hair style would die a quick death.
     
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  12. Cannons

    Cannons Member+

    May 16, 2005
    Im betting that Jill starts the same 10 on the field and possibly changes the goalie. One of my many complaints I have about her is that she cannot make adjustments. Once she locks in on a lineup, its very hard for her to change. Will she make adjustments or stick with what shes been doing? I'd like to see adjustments but will bet on the same field players
     
  13. L'orange

    L'orange Member+

    Ajax
    Netherlands
    Jul 20, 2017
    Hey, Gareth Bale has a man bun! Yea, I don't like them either.....
     
  14. L'orange

    L'orange Member+

    Ajax
    Netherlands
    Jul 20, 2017
    She loves Pugh, even though Pugh is playing out of position and has not been in form for quite some time. If she really wants to experiment with attacking midfielder, why not put Dunn there and have a midfield of Mewis, Ertz and Dunn. Doesn't Dunn play as a number 10 for the Courage--just behind the forwards--and its been a very successful setup for that team; they score a lot of goals. She'd be way better than Pugh (and Lavelle, IMO), and you can play Short at outside back. I don't think Dunn is a great outside back. She's got the pace and athleticism for the position but seems to be lacking in experience and instincts. This won't happen, however, as Ellis preferred role for Short (poor Short) is sitting on the bench game after game.
     
  15. jackdoggy

    jackdoggy Member+

    May 16, 2014
    Big D
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Make noooooooo mistake, you can't debate
    The Greatest Team on the Planet, plays tonight at eight
    Others, oh so many others have tried, but no one could
    Be as awesome as the USWNT, cuz they are just that good.

    The light rain currently falling scheduled to end around noon should sooth the Tifway 419 Bermuda Grass tonight at the "Ray Jay" as us locals call it. The FIFA refs are staying at my rinky-dink hotel. And one is a full-fledged Becky Sauerbrunn doppelganger. Last night I approached in the the Lobby and was just about ready to fall to my knees raise my arms to the heavens and pledge my undying love and devotion then luckily realized......not her. Watch for her running up and down the touch line.

    Send the Diving Divas packing.
    35,812 seconds to Heaven on Earth
     
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  16. PlaySimple

    PlaySimple Member

    Sep 22, 2016
    Chicagoland
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    This comment from Rapinoe is pretty much spot on. The other noticeable aspect of the younger players' games, and this may well tie into attitude and mental toughness, is their desire to win back lost balls or winning possession of 50/50s. That being said, I sometimes have noticed this with the veterans as well. Anytime there is a 50/50 or if a player loses possession, extreme effort must be be put into winning possession. It is the most important thing at that particular moment. Players too often give up and don't try hard enough.

    Also, in terms of Pugh, I don't necessarily agree with her having the "skills" that Rapinoe commented on. Pugh has great pace and athleticism but her technical skills are sorely lacking. I just continue to be underwhelmed by her play and with her in the midfield the team will continue to get beat and this will result in more pressure in the opponents attacking 1/3. That's bad for a defense that is already somewhat suspect.

    I definitely like Mewis as a starter. Eliis totally under-utilizes her. I thought for sure that with Horan not on the roster that Mewis would get more time than she has been. It's hard to believe that she didn't even see the field in the game vs Japan. Against England it took all of a few seconds Mewis' impact to be felt. She won the goal kick that the team, for once, was able to maintain possession of. Mewis was then involved in a nearly successful attack along with Morgan and Rapinoe. Ellis needs to have her head examined if she starts Pugh over Mewis.

    I was also encouraged in the game vs England by the attacking that O'Hara did. She was very active in the attack and the team is well-served when she is able to play like that. Key to that, though, is a midfield that is able to maintain possession. It's really hard for defenders to attack when the midfield has too many giveaways and doesn't work to win the ball.
     
  17. Patrick167

    Patrick167 Member+

    Dortmund
    United States
    May 4, 2017
    There have been two teams this tournament for me. The team with O'Hara on the pitch and the team without. It has been night and day how everything works with O'Hara and not very much without her.

    I wouldn't play her and risk injury. She is just coming back and has the NWSL season to ramp up slowly. Ellis has often played players (like Lavelle) too much when returning from injury, so expect O'Hara to go 90...
     
  18. Patrick167

    Patrick167 Member+

    Dortmund
    United States
    May 4, 2017
    What we have seen with Ellis, throughout her term, has been that she has one idea. Get as many forwards on the field as you can. She has been starting 5 this tournament (6 if you count O'Hara). She can't seem to set up a midfield at all to possess and attack. Twice she has been forced into moves through injury or suspension that have made the midfield work (Brian in 2015 and Ertz in this match last year). But this time the injury to Horan happened and putting Pugh in has not worked. Although, four goals in two games and maybe Jill thinks it is working...
     
  19. luvdagame

    luvdagame Member+

    Jul 6, 2000
    do not push o’hara.

    i agree that her presence on the field tremendously upgrades the way the team works.

    but...winning this tournament is not a goal of this team in a wc year.
     
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  20. FanOfFutbol

    FanOfFutbol Member+

    The Mickey Mouse Club or The breakfast Club
    May 4, 2002
    Limbo
    Nat'l Team:
    --other--
    Well the results for Japan vs England are in and with England winning 3-0 what can come out of this match is easy:
    If the US loses we end up dead last.
    If it is a tie we end up third.
    If it is a win we end up second.

    I vote for a win no matter what the real meaning of these friendlies are.
     
  21. Smallchief

    Smallchief Member+

    Oct 27, 2012
    Club:
    --other--
    Sam Mewis gets a start tonight -- which is good. She starts instead of Lavelle. I though she should start instead of Pugh.

    In any case, Mewis's presence in the midfield will help the U.S.
     
  22. FanOfFutbol

    FanOfFutbol Member+

    The Mickey Mouse Club or The breakfast Club
    May 4, 2002
    Limbo
    Nat'l Team:
    --other--
    We "should" beat Brazil by 2 or 3 no matter who the starters are.

    In this match we will get to see how some of our players can play when there is nothing on the line except pride and honor. If this were any of the top US teams of the past the ladies would be so mad that, if they avoided a stupid red card early, they would win by at least 4 and make Brazil look silly for a large part of the match.

    In other words we will see if the US women have the guts their predecessors had.
     
  23. McSkillz

    McSkillz Member+

    ANGEL CITY FC, UCLA BRUINS
    United States
    Nov 22, 2014
    Los Angeles
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I agree with Mercy. Why do we have Dunn as a left-back? Also I don't give a darn if this match doesn't mean anything. We better win or else I'm going to question our run in the WWC
     
  24. Cliveworshipper

    Cliveworshipper Member+

    Dec 3, 2006
    Obvious penalty denied in the first minute.
     
  25. McSkillz

    McSkillz Member+

    ANGEL CITY FC, UCLA BRUINS
    United States
    Nov 22, 2014
    Los Angeles
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Pen..... VAR or bust.
     
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