Sign of just how well-balanced we were. One nation, one team. Golden Ball Lavelle She was robbed! EDIT: getting a new avatar!
I saw all of this criticism coming and, even as one of Heath's biggest fans on the planet, largely agree with it. I was very frustrated with her in the second half and probably for the first time ever [not counting precautionary subs to avoid exacerbating injuries] was pleased to see her subbed off. A third goal would have nailed the coffin lid shut on the Netherlands. Heath's finalizing goal against Japan in the 2015 Final served the same function, putting the opposing team out of any realistically conceivable comeback range. She had at least three golden opportunities to score that third goal [not to mention once again tally the very last goal of the tournament for herself] and sat on all of them, making the final 20 minutes of the game considerably less comfortable than it probably could have been. Remember that famous Wayne Gretsky quote, Tobin? Not her best day [and World Cup Final Day certainly isn't an ideal day to not have your best day], but she's a deserving two-time WWC Champion nonetheless.
Not sure that is true? Switzerland, Colombia, North Korea, Denmark, might all be pretty good by then, and there's reason to think Iceland and Mexico might as well; if the money s truly flowing properly now Thailand and Jamaica and Portugal might get a good bit better too. And somebody else is going to surface-- Greece, Russia, Finland, India, Ecuador, Israel, Hungary-- give kids the idea that they don't have to grow up to be laundresses and brood mares and things can happen...
Dunn or Morgan. Morgan not for the five spot against Thailand, but for the relentless defense in games she did not score in.
I totally think that was her celebration. Dribble dribble dribble.... 4 mins later.. Dribble dribble dribble... 4 minutes later My player of the tournament...Crystal Dunn Oh and Jill Ellis ... suck on that critics.
My apologies. Noted and removed. I still would have preferred an extra insurance goal over even 8 minutes of time killed in the box though.
Totally agree. The fact that both players came back on is a travesty/scandal. It seems like the protocol should take, at the very least, 5 minutes - off the field. Football talks a good game, but nothing has really changed.
Nah. We weren't playing for pinks. The Netherlands get to keep that for at least two more years. I'm at least 95% sure that the U.S. won't be the team to take it away from them.
She would be a deserving player for the award as would be Ertz for as solid a series of performances in the defensive midfield, and at times in center back, as I have ever seen since Akers was moved back in the formation. But a player that has defense as their primarily duty is almost never going to get an award like MVP. Most people do not realize that it is the grunt defensive work that allows the attacking players the freedom to score. Dunn reminds me of another player that moved back in the formation to help the team although she was never completely happy in the back, Brandi Chastain. I actually think Dunn might be a better defender than Chastain was and she is defiantly faster.
The vast majority of the anti-Pinoe posters oppose her political stance, not her soccer. But they pretend to criticize her soccer...
It's even more interesting by position. Looks like we really need to start vetting the next crop of forwards. FORWARDS (1 under age 30) 6 of our 7 forwards were age 30+ and Pugh (21)... LOL! Press and Morgan will be the youngest of them at 34. MIDFIELDERS (5) Lavelle (24), Horan (25), Mewis (26), Ertz (27), and Brian (26) are all young enough to be around for the next WC as long as they're still playing and in form. Long is almost 32. DEFENDERS (4) Kind of a mixed bag here. Dahlkemper (26), Dunn (27), Davidson (20), Sonnett (25), Sauerbrunn (34), O'Hara (31), Krieger (35 next month).
Now THAT'S pretty damn cool! I didn't notice on the TV telecast that it had the fourth star already...
Dunn is actually a defender converted to a forward. Contrary to what most people believe, Dunn has played the majority of her USWNT career as a defender, with both the YNT and senior WNT. She was a defender with the YNT when they won U-20 World Cup in 2012 and in prior years. She played as a defender her first 3 years with the senior WNT from 2013-15. After the 2015 WC, she played her next 10 games in midfield (winger). She didn't ever play forward with the USWNT until 2016 and only played there for a little over a year before being moved back to LB in mid-2017. She even started in college as a defender. She was ACC Defensive Player of the Year in 2010 in her freshman year. She was ACC Offensive Player of the Year in 2013.
I forgot I have to be sensitive for some of you guys...who can’t separate your feelings for Rapinoe and her quality of play.
Not sure which way you're arguing here, but... • I don't have any issues with Rapinoe at all... on or off the field. • I thought she was very poor in the run of play for the entire tournament (even several announcers stated this at the end of the tournament).
6 goals (tied most in the tournament). 3 pressure PK's, 2 of which provided a winning goal. 3 assists (second-most in the tournament). Scored in 4 out of 7 games. Provided decent defense at 34. Unquestioned leader of the team. A talisman player ever if I've ever seen one.
I've been very negative about Rapinoe's play all tournament. I have no problem with what she says off the field or her celebrations. Some of us didn't think she had a good tournament other than converting PK's. Even several of the announcers said the same. Aly Wagner said it in the 77th minute of the finals (specifically said her wing play wasn't good in this tournament, but came up big in certain moments with the PK's). Eniola Aluko and another commentator (forget who) also made similar comments about Rapinoe in the post game show.