At this point you can't try and change your game. I'd put in your best performing players right from the get go. Watt has offered much more than I have seen from Scarpa (?) this whole tournament.
I almost agree, but I think Scarpa is a better passer than Watt. It's not a bad thing to bring in Watt late to burn tired defenders with her speed. However, I would bring her in a little sooner.
Both. We have youth players who are better at passing and solving pressure, but some chose to stay in college. As for coaching, there are tons of great coaches out there. Why we chose to hire inept coaches for our youth teams baffles me. With all the time French has had with this group, you'd think practicing the short passing game would be on her list of things to do.
Mostly on the coaching. I have no idea what the hell they're doing in practice, but even Pugh, who is a fantastic player (even for the full USWNT) has looked all out of sorts this tournament. Have to put it mostly on the coaching and lack of preparation. The players look like they have no idea what tactical approach to employ.
Maybe but if Scarpa can't hold up the ball to be able to pass it, she isn't much use. The Mexican center forward looked a heck of a lot better in that role.
Mexico coaches have to be kicking themselves after this match for not clamping down the defense in the last 10 minutes.
I've seen Pugh play for Real National here in Colorado. Very good player I agree, however, I tend to think it was in spite of the coaching there. Let's just say that as a club, they play very direct and certainly don't teach a sophisticated style of play.
Yes, this GIF actually made me tear up. (I have two sisters and we all grew up playing soccer together and played against each other a few times at the club level, so I can sort of imagine what it would be like...not that any of us were ever going to play in a WC). Sabrina Flores (USA) comforts heartbroken twin sister Monica (Mexico). 💔😭 #USAMEX #U20wwc pic.twitter.com/LGVi7daGoC— Ann Odong 🐨🇺🇬 (@AnnOdong) November 25, 2016
I had to mute it. Especially the female commentator, she called the game like everyone watching was 6 years old.
Who was announcing on the TV? I was watching the Fox stream online, where they had a British announcer.
I'm watching the FS2Go stream, where the pbp is a lone Brit guy. He's quite sharp, and gets appropriately excited at the proper times. For both teams Even so, I actually had him turned way down.
I think the difference was in French's pulling Pugh back into the midfield. She was winning challenges and organizing the attacks. That change made it even more evident how woefully poor the USA midfield was performing. I totally don't understand all the hype around Ogle. She's been poor to nonexistent all tournament.
Ogle makes good decisions, but she's slow. Also, she's better as a defensive mid, not an attacking mid. However, whoever you put in there, they need to have support. All our midfielders have looked bad and I put that squarely on the shoulders of our coaches. French is clueless about creating a strategy for midfield play. Boy, what I wouldn't give to bring aboard a good Japanese, Spanish, or French coach to teach our girls about passing and midfield play/strategy. When Ogle was playing in the 2015 NCAA tournament for Penn State along with Raquel Rodriguez, they dominated tempo and set play for the team. It also helped that the head coach realized (late in the season) that the 4-4-2 wasn't working and adjusted to support her midfield.
I think Ogle was playing holding mid and Flores was attacking. My opinion Ogles good decisions are in playing negatively 90% of the time because she has no hope of creating something going forward. She does make an occasional interception because the attackers forget about her. They missed cousins. But Pugh was better than the rest in the midfield. Sanchez created the goals and Pugh's dummy was great. Agree would like to get some flair and combinations going in the youth ranks. The kids are out there who can play intelligent and entertaining soccer, but they are often overlooked.
I may be in the minority, but I didn't think the game was nearly as one-sided as the announcers made it out to be. Mexico played skillfully and well. The US didn't. But at the same time, I don't think Mexico really had that many great chances. It was a lot of not all that dangerous half-chances. And they only scored on a fluky handball and a keeper misplay. The two US goals, plus some other moments, were more dangerous than anything that Mexico really had (other than the Murphy misplay on the long ball into the box. I would agree that tactically we were lacking.