Given the advancing age and the tendency of our forwards to get hurt, I would call up several NWSL forwards now -- just to have them ready in case they're needed. L. Williams Hamilton Purce Balcer
I appreciate what Jill Ellis did-- winning two World Cups is no small feat. But boy I'm ready for a new coach with a fresh approach (hopefully Vlatko). The same formation/players is getting old. I get that half the team is injured, and NWSL is priority #1 right now. But still this has been dull.
Yep, 6 of the 7 World Cup forwards were 30+ when the tournament ended. This will be the biggest area of transformation between now and 2023. It's a necessity. Maybe Morgan and/or Press stick around (aging hits all players differently), and Pugh will still be there if her form holds. Can't imagine Rapinoe, Heath and McDonald will be there. Certainly not a 41 year old Lloyd. If they are, we have big developmental problems.
With about 2 minutes left part of my internet connection failed and I could not access Hulu { which I have switched to since Sling stopped carrying the FOX feeds} or Fox Sports so I missed those last two minutes. But it looks like I missed nothing. Of course the other 88 minutes were nothing as well. Yes, this is just a friendly and yes S. Korea played a bit better that I expected but the whole US side just looked "uninterested" in playing. It was said they were tired because of the near constant play but I am pretty sure that had their been a couple of weeks off the same people would have said they were "rusty." The commentators are very adept at making excuses but what was wrong was simply that the match was meaningless. I "almost" wish I had not watched as that is two hours that will never be returned to me and rearranging my sock drawer might have been more interesting and more productive.
Sunday Funday in the Windy City!Lineup Notes: https://t.co/JwEN74ZSVt #ThankYouJill #VictoryTour x @AllState pic.twitter.com/Dqkt4VRWYQ— U.S. Women's National Soccer Team (@USWNT) October 6, 2019 Short getting the start, which is nice but has to feel bittersweet.
True. Plus the US was uninterested/uninspired until the final 10 minutes or so when the players left on the field decided that they would really try. However they failed and the game, probably correctly, ended as a 1-1 draw. BTW: I think the S.Korea "interim" coach should be given a shot at least through the Olympics. She showed all the right moves and change S. Korea from a team that was afraid to play to one that had every chance to win against the best in the world even though it was a friendly.
If Korea played this well in the WWC, they would have gone very far in the tournament. I agree that the interim coach proved herself ready for the position with this trip and with all the changes that were made since the WWC.
Of the second tier teams who have played the US, S. Korea was the least intimidated. Tough, determined play. I liked watching them. A power in the making? Contrary to the doubters, Carli Lloyd, age 37, and Megan Rapinoe, age 34, can still play the game.
Will the new coach take both Lloyd and Rapinoe on the Olympic squad though?Or will one or both be left off?
I am pretty sure that Rapinoe is in but Lloyd is probably out. The roster is three players less for the Olympics and there are many players that fill Lloyd's roll quite well. Rapinoe's set piece delivery is very difficult to replace even if her other skills are ageing.