I've not been impressed with Pugh in this match (but I would not be upset if she scored a goal now that I've said that).
First half - very good... second half - ugggh I was most impressed with Press in the first half ... directly responsible for the first two goals. Lloyd looked good on the two she scored and was mobile....Ive never been a big fan but she was good tonight. Bit of a selfish player in my opinion. We would have had a 4th if shed laid it off to Mewis near the end but she was looking to shoot and by the time she did pass (not sure she didnt just lose the ball) the chance was over. Still its good to beat Sweden and good for the coach to get his first win. He has a lot of work to do... lets see what happens next time
No one else has been hired besides Milan Ivanovic. And Dawn Scott and Graeme Abel are still there. One more is supposed to still be hired. I think the rest are support staff (PT's, equipment guys, etc.).
Yael tweeted this before the 2nd half started, so I imagine that video session will be really interesting now: Great start for the #USWNT under Vlatko (so far). But anyone who has played for him can already see the many moments that he and Milan will bring to the video session after this game... every moment that could have been better will be exposed. I’m laughing just thinking about it!— Yael Averbuch West (@Yael_Averbuch) November 8, 2019
Sweden's #10, Sofia Jacobsson, has always been one of my faves & possibly the fastest female soccer player on earth. When the inneffective starting AM, Aslani was finally subbed, Sofia took charge of the game with her speed. Glad their coach didn't figure out till only the last 15 minutes, lol Their CB(#23) looking atrociously bad on defence, if she could of gotten a decent tackle on Press or Lloyd, she could of prevented a goal or two & the game would of gone in their favor for the US; once they subbed Lavelle Ertz, things went immediate bad. That & a little bit too much back passing gives the opponent enough time to zero in on you
I saw several problems today but I expected nothing different. We do, however, have one ongoing problem that REALLY needs addressing and that problem is at goalkeeper. Yes she saved a PK at the World Cup BUT that one save does make her the best goalkeeper we could have. I want touch much on the second goal as it was just two players being extremely stupid at the same time although the goalkeeper should NOT have been there at all unless she was playing through the ball no matter what. The first goal was in no way the keeper's fault. BUT earlier in the match she showed that she is still poorly trained or just will not use her training at all. With a Swedish player quite close and just off her goal line she "caught" a high nearly vertical ball at chest level giving the player every chance to head the ball without even touching the goalkeeper. This was not a one time event. I have yet to see her even once reach up to catch a high ball in spite of the fact that reaching up is the technique that is taught by nearly every goalkeeper coach I have ever met. That particular bad technique rarely costs much as little bumps are usually called for the goalkeeper and the ball is close to the body so there is usually a bump. But all is takes is one in a critical match and failing to follow proper technique over and over shows the possibility of other stupid plays, like the second goal. We REALLY need a fundamentally strong and smart goalkeeper. We cannot live by luck forever.
I really like Naeher, Harris, and Franch but there's no question in my mind that the team should look to upgrade at GK. Aubrey Bledsoe and Casey Murphy are tremendous young 'keepers in the NWSL
I'm seeing more and more what others see in Short, but there's still number of times that Sweden got in dangerous crosses from her side of the field. Of course, Sweden has good, fast forwards. At times like this I just think about how much credit Crystal Dunn should get for being a world-class player at a position she doesn't even play for her club.
Pretty much feel the same but I do not think that Short had a good game. She was beaten quite a bit and her passing was a lot like the little girl with the curl in the middle of her forehead: There was a little girl, Who had a little curl, Right in the middle of her forehead. When she was good, She was very very good, But when she was bad she was horrid. Unfortunately many of her horrid passes happened when she was deep in the US end and being pressured by Sweden's press. I would say it was "rust" but the matches she has played in the NWSL should have worked most of the "rust" out. To add to that players really should not be judged on this match, or the next one, much unless they are repeating problems from the past.
I was really impressed with Sonnet's skill on the ball. That time when she cut inside of the Swede marking her, then played a diagonal back out to Heath with the outside of her foot was sweet. I'm always going to want to see Mewis playing a lot. One reason being that (imo) she comes by farrrrrrrrr the closest to replicating Rose's skill set. Rose is injury prone. We need someone that will be plug and play at her position. The other reason is that I just think that Sam brings more to the table than Horan. I thought Horan had a very nice match tonight, btw. Not that it matters, but Carli may well have been a better CF than Morgan if she'd played. Carli is kinda selfish, but she - at her age - has become a better passer than she was. She continues to grow her game and may be a better all-round player than she was in 2015. Press looked far ahead of Pugh. Which I point out because I always thought that a line up that has both Heath and Pino starting is tooooo slowwww. Especially if Lindsay is starting. I would be surprised if Vlatko keeps them both as starting wingers. Imo, it's going to be one of Tobin or Pino (Tobin) on one side, and one of Press/Dunn/Pugh on the other. I forgot Dahlkamper was on the field. And, I forgot Blackstenius was on the field. Is that related? (I mean that as a compliment to Abby).
Lloyd is one of those players where its like AWWWWWW YEAHHHHHH!!! Then its like, WTF??? 2011 Lloyd showed up to kick that penalty. She wanted to be too grandiose and she put too much power and it went over the net. If she have kept it simple, it would have been fine. I don't think she's a bad PK taker, she just was feeling a little egotistical I think.
Remember when Mallory Pugh was the Christian Pulisic of the USWNT? I don't mean to be overly critical but something is wrong, like lack of confidence or regression or something. I need she needs to move on to a different club team.
Assistant coach. He's been the assistant coach with Andonovski for awhile at both Kansas City and Seattle.
BTW, who else thinks Carli Lloyd is going to be the Formiga of the USWNT? I don't ever think for a second she wants to ever quit or retire sometimes. She just keeps going and does great things. I wouldn't be surprised if she becomes the most capped player on the USWNT. I know many think she's selfish and holding younger players but when you play like she did tonight, she might as well keep going until the manager finally fires her. Yes, please, we will take those two goals from Sweden otherwise it could have been either a tie or a win from Sweden, JMO.
Technically correct, but it is more like 5 actually. Caroline Seger, Linda Sembrant, Fridolina Rolfö, Nilla Fischer and Amanda Ilestedt. While Rolfö may perhaps not be called a starter but that is mainly because she is injured or just recovering from injury much of the time. Ilestedt is not always a starter but with Fischer away she would definitely be if she was available. So the team is missing it's Captain and three important defenders, among them the top two. Missing Rolfö is probably not hurting them much since they are used to not have her available and the list of available forwards is pretty good.