Beat Germany

France did expose some possible areas to exploit. However, how much of it was Germany's weaknesses vs. France just playing at a very high level? Beating Germany may not require us to match France's level. But it will certainly require better finishing.

 

Germany's power is in their attack and our strength is in defense. Say they neutralize each other... Their second strength is in set pieces which is also a strength of ours. Another strength is strong subs but we have a plethora of good subs as well. They are fit and so are we. I think since they had to go through 2 tough knockout opponents and play an additional 30 minutes while we got to rest our starting mids and have a weaker schedule it should help us in the fitness aspect. I think if we start with a slow lineup and sub in speed late in a close match that could be the killer. Look at Klinsmann using Yedlin, Morris and Wood late against a slow and tired Germany backline. USMNT rant them out of their own stadium. Maybe we start Wambach and Morgan up top and sub in Press, Arod and Leroux in the second half Move Press back to mid , sub out Morgan, Holiday and Wambach and go to a three front. Those three would run absolutely wild on a tired and beat up Germany back line.

 

Have a Thomis-esq in HAO/Arod/O'Hara on the right. Morgan + Press up top. Rapinoe on left. Germany hate speed.

 

The team plays much faster and much more dynamic with Abby off the field. She will be ineffective against a very strong and fast german back line.

There is no reason to start Abby.

 

Which opponent do you think starting or using Abby would work? My guess is none right?

 

Basically we are playing with 10 with Abby on the pitch, but she is still the best target in the box on crosses, and this game is still about scoring and not about passing, and we have the greatest winger in the game in Rapinoe who kicks deadly crosses.

 

Abby and Alex destroyed Japan's defense in the second half in 2011 and it wasn't because of Abby's speed.

 

I agree with both you guys, my post was rhetorical meant to emphasize that certain people simply detest Wambach altogether and are not actually saying any tactically specific when they mention she would not be suited for a particular opponent....

Even Arianne Hingst on Fox is praising Wambach now, after Wynalda bashed her

 

Arianne Hingst was a defender that most likely had to deal with Wambach for years, of course she has respect for her. Wynalda is trying to be like Lalas but he sounds like a drunken idiot sometimes.

 

Wynalda, all due respect to the legend, is just being controversial for the sake of it but at least Lalas is artful with his trolling activities.

 

I was actually hoping to play France rather than Germany. Germany is overall a better team IMO. If we got France, we had a better chance of winning because their defense can be dodgy and our good defense would have shut down their attack.

 

No. The french attack tore Germany apart and if not for some favorable non-calls and calls, Germany were going home. Germany are slower through their best XI and into their bench. They will be more manageable for our defenders who are not lightning fast themselves. On the other hand, our attack is based on speed, volume, fitness and aggression. Germany's back line is slow. We should be able to exploit them from the outside in but I am sure Neid will have a trick or two up her sleeve. It should be a close game but I think Germany is the lesser of two evils. France can be a bit ponderous on the attack while Germany are more decisive but slower if that makes sense. Germany rely on set pieces but we are defensively disciplined to match them. It should be a close match. We are probably only a half goal dog in most sportsbooks. It might even be even money.

 

I think Germany is a better matchup for us. We would have had fits with France's possession.

The biggest difference in the team against China was defensive pressure in our offensive end of the field. Abby brings very little on that front. I'd stay with the same lineup against Germany, except for substituting Rapinoe for Ohara. And frankly I'd be in Rapinoes ear that we need more from her defensively.

 

You might not have noticed, but Abby has gotten 4 years older since 2011. She is nowhere near the same player she was back then.

 

we keep forgetting one of abby's most valuable traits which can come in handy against germany.

defense on set pieces.

abby slows down the offense. but she's still a very valuable player against a german team that can beat you with one good set piece.

yes, you can go with the speed/pressing arrangement this qf game showed. but our scoring is still anemic, and germany can beat that pressing more easily than the chinese, which means that they are likely to get into our defensive third more often, with more set pieces likely for us to defend.

i could see the rationale against starting abby.

but i could see the argument for starting her as well.

it's not as easy a coaching decision as some make it out to be.

 

I am far more concerned with our starting midfield than who starts at forward.

Breaking the Lloyd/holiday pairing was great.

Using wide midfielders instead of converted forwards improved our attacking options as well.

 

That was a more valuable and important trait when our centerbacks were Christine Rampone, who despite her speed was never really good in the air, and Rachel Buehler, under whose feet you couldn't slide a piece of tissue paper when she tried to jump. Now we've got Johnston, who has some serious hops, and Sauerbrunn, who is dominant in the air. Not to mention Lloyd, who showed last night how she can climb the ladder when necessary.

I'm afraid that Abby, if called upon to defend in a set piece situation, would not be able to stay with her assignment and give up an unmarked tap-in. Unfortunately, I think the best use of Abby right now is if we need a goal off a corner kick with 5 minutes left, put her in to rampage inside the box. Otherwise, I don't think Ellis has any reason to play her.

 

Our anemic offense is the biggest concern. Scoring ONE goal against China doesn't exactly build confidence. Remember China hasn't even made it to a World Cup in over a decade! Yet the U.S. still couldn't take advantage of all that inexperience.

Germany is so tactical and technical I see no way the U.S. beats them unless Solo is unconscious or they get some calls their way/luck!

 

sauerbrunn is ok but not dominant in the air.

if you are afraid of that, then you haven't been paying attention to the repeated number of times abby wins a defensive header on the opposition's setpiece.

that's a big part of the reason she is put in at the end of a game when we're ahead. we're probably arguing about the wrong part on this board (she's slowing down the offense) because she's put in not so much to score a goal, as to prevent one of those set piece goals that we tend to see at the end of games.

 

If this were 2011, I'd be agreeing with you. But I don't think YOU'VE been paying attention to Abby over the past 6 months. Or maybe you're still looking at her through the rose colored glasses we've all forged from over a decade of watching her excellence. She USED TO be the player you describe above. Not in 2015.

 

agree to disagree. 'cause i never was even noticing abby on defensive headers before the past year. (she was doing it. i just wasn't aware or focused on that.)

she still wins defensive headers on set pieces. and i am talking about 2015.

 

I'd have said the same about Rapinoe up until the WWC started, but she's been contributing a lot on defense now. It's really surprised me.

 

I would say make Solo practice day & night on pk's because that's what Neid was playing for vs France, and shows that the 6 for 6 pk's they extremely accurate.

 

Tough loss for France on an unlucky penalty. On the day, the weaker team won against the run-of-play.

Excellent result for USA as Germany has been erratic in this WWC. We can certainly beat Germany if they show up ragged and we play our best. France would have been the tougher opponent. France had great speed and technical control, not so great luck... oh well, good for US.

China was pretty unimpressive IMO. They allowed both Heath and AROD to look their best. Heath will have more possession problems against Germay, and the Germans will be less dismayed as AROD runs about as though her hair is on fire. IMO opinion AROD looked very sub-par. Strikers score goals (and stay onsides against poorly organized defenders). Running about without a nose for goal and poor field awareness of the defending squad is not great play. I was uncharacteristically happy to see Wambach come in, just to see AROD go out!

Our back five were (one again) outstanding! If our defense holds up, and if the Germans play like they did against France, we should be able to find a goal and move on to Vancouver. Go USA!