look at the ages of players like : Fawcett, Brandi, Julie, Lili, Mia , this coming WC will probably their last appearance w/ nat team eventhough they're still playing soccer amazingly great ( how do they do that ? ), we're sure gonna miss these players great deal, will we be able to produce these kind of players again in the future ?
Remember how April wanted to bring Abby Wambach in for the Gold Cup and they told her she couldn't? So what if somebody got hurt playing against Japan and couldn't go to China? Would that mean she couldn't use Mia, Julie or Lil?
I think I read somewhere that she will be releasing 2 seperate rosters. 1 for the Japan game, and 1 for the games in China. So I would guess that if someone got hurt against Japan she COULD name one of those 3, although I doubt it, she would probably name someone from the camp.
As long as she does bring one of them in, in the middle of the 4NT, she would have to bring them in before, that is what happen with Abby, April brought her in during the tourny which is what isn't allowed.
Tarpley, to me was clearly the best all around-player from the U-19 World Champs. She's more of a midfield playmaker than a forward. I think she's actually competing with Aly Wagner for playing time. I would love to see Wagner and Tarpley play at the same time. Put Milbrett, Wilson and Parlow in front of them and you got a dynamite offensive team. DEFENSE is the USA's weak point - I'd like to see Foudy play in the back in the future.
even though tarpley plays for UNC which means shes a favorite of April, i dont think she can challenge aly wagner for her position. i dont think shes prepared to play for the full nats. the standard level of play is too high for her and some of the younger players to come in and take these positions. in a couple years though i believe that her, along with some of the U19 players will be starters for the nats.
You must have seen the game between UNC and SCU this year differently than I. As I posted on another of these forums, in my opinion Tarpley outplayed Wagner in that game playing the same position, attacking mid. Wagner does not have a huge advantage in experience with the Nats either( only a relatively handful of games), but I will grant that she should be considered the favorite based on her former Nat caps. But since Tarp is only a freshman, she has so much upside. Good competition makes everyone better, which is ultimately the point isn't it.
Are you kidding me...? One game does not a career make. You happen to catch any of the Gold Cup? We have seen what Wagner can and does do at the National level. To compare Tarpley to her after watching a college game is ludicrous. Refresh my memory, who won the Herman?
Beulah's Comments on the Training Camp Roster Beulah has opined on each of the January camp callups, including Wagner and Tarpley. http://www.beulahsports.com/usnats_rostercomments_011203.html As sspeed notes, Wagner won the MAC Hermann and is a US Soccer nominee for player of the year, while Tarpley is a US Soccer nominee for youth player of the year. That's about right, in my book. Comforting to know they'll BOTH be on the WNT of the near future, though.
I'm sure Tarpley is a very good player but to be honest I don't remember her in the SCU vs NC game. She certainly did not step up and make a difference or she would have been more noticable. On the other hand I think we all know who Anson knew had to be slowed down if he wanted to win.
I watched Tarpley during the U-19 WC and i immidiately like the way she plays, she is definitely the future of playmaker ( eventhough she is actualy a forward), she plays similar w/ Wagner only a bit faster, i think these two will be runaround midfield area years to come (after Foudy, Lily, Mac Millan retire) and if combined with Lorrie Fair + Tiffany will be excelent.
She very well may be a future playmaker for the full Nat's, but there is a huge difference between the U19's and full National Teams. Most, even those who stand out at the earlier levels, cannot make the leap. To at this point bank on her for our future is certainly premature. Though I have not seen or noticed her in the past, I understand despite her speed, her lack of size could be an issue as well.
Wagner has skills similar to Sissi and Riise. incredible vision and a deadly passer of the ball. Tarpley approach is far more athletic, which fits into the UNC approach of running hoards of better athletes at you, wearing our a team by continuous subbing. But at the elite level of the game, where the athletes are equal, it's the mental skills which Wagner possesses, which make her great.
I am waiting to see if the other mid's can step up, quite a few utility type players and youngsters. As weak as the opponent is, I am wondering how interesting the game will be.
Maybe..... ya never know. One of the current roster holders may foul up badly.... and make Ape rethink something.... or maybe Ape sees something in the next 2 days of training..... and changes her mind. Perhaps during training someone who didn't cut the roster makes more improvement than someone who played in the game. Anything is possible... Ape seems to be prone to the unexpected, but also to giving others a fair shot (oh, I know that's not always seen......and can open a can or few of worms, but hey)... so we shall see.
Front Page Sports Section Article Mark Zeigler tied in this article to todays game. That's a lot of pressure to put on the NWT... http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/uniontrib/sun/sports/news_1s12ussoc.html In a side bar to the article, it says that the expected attendance is 4,500. Not good for the prospects of San Diego ever getting another NWT here, especially with the training facility moving up to smog-ridden Carson...
there is one thing to be considered, she has chinese blood in her, so she must be hard worker just like most chinese do, also she got some votes from foreign coaches for the FIFA player of the year and beside that, April must know something about her quality that we don't know.
even my mom got votes for FIFA player of the year. i mean that award is a joke. dont get me wrong i think she is good, shes just not playing so well lately.