January 2019 Europe tour (France, Spain)

Discussion in 'USA Women: News and Analysis' started by lil_one, Jan 5, 2019.

  1. lil_one

    lil_one Member+

    Nov 26, 2013
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Since we have a roster, I thought its about time for a thread. The team is in camp in Portugal, and then will play France on Jan. 19 (2:30 pm ET on FS1) and Spain on Jan. 22 (2:30 pm ET on ESPN2 and UDN).

    GOALKEEPERS (4): Jane Campbell (Houston Dash; 3/0), Adrianna Franch (Portland Thorns FC; 0/0), Ashlyn Harris (Orlando Pride; 19/0), Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars; 38/0)
    DEFENDERS (8): Abby Dahlkemper (NC Courage; 30/0), Tierna Davidson (Stanford; 12/1), Crystal Dunn (NC Courage; 75/24), Emily Fox (UNC; 2/0), Kelley O’Hara (Utah Royals FC; 112/2), Becky Sauerbrunn (Utah Royals FC; 149/0), Casey Short (Chicago Red Stars; 27/0), Emily Sonnett (Portland Thorns FC; 26/0)
    MIDFIELDERS (7): Morgan Brian (Chicago Red Stars; 81/6), Danielle Colaprico (Chicago Red Stars; 2/0), Julie Ertz (Chicago Red Stars; 73/18), Lindsey Horan (Portland Thorns FC; 62/7), Rose Lavelle (Washington Spirit; 20/6), Samantha Mewis (NC Courage; 41/8), McCall Zerboni (NC Courage; 7/0)
    FORWARDS (7): Tobin Heath (Portland Thorns FC; 142/25), Carli Lloyd (Sky Blue FC; 265/105), Jessica McDonald (NC Courage; 3/1), Alex Morgan (Orlando Pride;153/98), Christen Press (Utah Royals FC; 106/46), Mallory Pugh (Washington Spirit; 43/12), Megan Rapinoe (Seattle Reign FC; 145/41)

    Campbell is back in, which is a bit of a surprise. I just hope someone besides Naeher gets some minutes. I'd love to see Franch get half of a game. Davidson and Zerboni return from injury. Fox, Colaprico, and McDonald make another roster.
     
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  2. jackdoggy

    jackdoggy Member+

    May 16, 2014
    Big D
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    347 hours and 35 minutes to kick in Le Havre.
    Roooooooooooooooooad Trrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrip.
     
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  3. Kevin625

    Kevin625 Member

    Jan 4, 2016
    Club:
    Liverpool FC
    Yeah, this one is a huge surprise for me. Her last outing was the worst WNT performance by a GK I think I've ever seen.

    Nice to see Davidson back.
     
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  4. hotjam2

    hotjam2 Member+

    Nov 23, 2012
    Club:
    Real Madrid
  5. MiLLeNNiuM

    MiLLeNNiuM Member+

    Aug 28, 2016
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    What road goes from North America to Europe? I'll take it!
     
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  6. MiLLeNNiuM

    MiLLeNNiuM Member+

    Aug 28, 2016
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Nice to see Fox and Colaprico on the roster.
    Also, nice to see Davidson and Zerboni back from injury.
    Have we seen the last of Huerta?
     
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  7. FawcettFan14

    FawcettFan14 Member+

    Mar 19, 2004
    Colorado
    Stray thoughts

    • I think we know with close certainty 20 of Jill's preferred 23-player roster-- subtract Campbell, Fox, and McDonald or Colaprico/Zerboni and you have 23.
    • The shortage of true wingers concerns me. All 7 midfielders listed here (plus current outsiders like Long and Sullivan) are central players. In Jill's system, width comes from the outside backs and forwards. Rapinoe and Heath had amazing 2018s, but they are getting older, and Pugh is the only other genuine wing option. Press has been forced into that role, and has improved, but still looks unnatural out there. Someone like Ohai or Huerta could be useful in this role but they are fringe now.
    • Brian really needs to prove herself. She is coasting on past form and reputation for 2 years. I think Colaprico is a better option than her on club play.
    • Campbell was super shaky against Mexico, and inconsistent in NWSL. I would call up Bledsoe or Abby Smith ahead of her. Then again, not even Franch can get a cap.
    • It's old hat, but every time Emily Menges gets overlooked I feel compelled to make note of it.
    • I appreciate the wealth of good possession midfielders we have now. For years, under Ryan and Sundhage and even Ellis, we bypassed the midfield and lumped the ball forward to Wambach and other targets. Now Ellis is in the position of almost too many options.
    • For the last forward spot, I prefer Lynn Williams to McDonald. Williams didn't have the greatest USWNT audition a few years ago, but her speed is an X-factor and would strike fear into any defense. Simply her presence on the restraining line would keep them honest.
     
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  8. cpthomas

    cpthomas BigSoccer Supporter

    Portland Thorns
    United States
    Jan 10, 2008
    Portland, Oregon
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Something big that McDonald brings is her throw ins. There are times in a game when being able to put her in just for that could be helpful.
     
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  9. Smallchief

    Smallchief Member+

    Oct 27, 2012
    Club:
    --other--
    I just finished watching (again) NC's 1-0 victory over Lyon. McDonald played about 30 minutes of the game and she was really, really good on defense -- as well as being in a position to score a couple of times. She offers enough to make the National Team.
     
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  10. luvdagame

    luvdagame Member+

    Jul 6, 2000
    agreed.

    i've been preaching.

    her heading ability in the defensive box is crucial. has anyone seen the uswnt defend corners recently?

    some time in this wc, in the last 20 minutes when they're desperately trying to hold on to a result, she will turn out to be worth her weight in gold.

    equally important, i'd take her over williams because of her combination of pace (not as much as williams) and heading ability that scares defenders (way more than williams).

    she's the closest mini-abby threat since abby, that stresses out defenders enough to give our other attacking players an edge in the penalty box.

    + long throw ins.

    there's no way I wouldn't have her on the roster.
     
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  11. Glove Stinks

    Glove Stinks Member+

    Jan 20, 2014
    Club:
    Chelsea FC
    Julie Ertz also fills that roll. The header game is a lost art
     
  12. McSkillz

    McSkillz Member+

    ANGEL CITY FC, UCLA BRUINS
    United States
    Nov 22, 2014
    Los Angeles
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Doesn't Lindsay Horan do headers as well or am I thinking of another robust player? Also while we are talking about who should be included and who should be off the final roster, can anyone explain to me the reason why Jill Ellis keeps Christen Press when she barely ever uses her? I don't even remember her playing much in the 2015 WWC.
     
  13. luvdagame

    luvdagame Member+

    Jul 6, 2000
    #13 luvdagame, Jan 7, 2019
    Last edited: Jan 7, 2019
    I'm leaning towards williams instead of press. press has declined in my opinion.

    both williams and maybe mace - if she scores a lot for chicago (or whoever else gets her) are threats to press' spot.
     
  14. lil_one

    lil_one Member+

    Nov 26, 2013
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Andi Sullivan was a late add to the camp roster: https://www.ussoccer.com/stories/20...van-added-to-roster-for-january-training-camp

    This seems a bit odd, considering that camp is in Portugal, unless she travelled with the team and they just announced it later.

    That also brings the midfielder count up to 8 (with Lloyd and Dunn able to sub in there as well). And it looks like Ellis is still looking for her preferred back-up for Ertz (or more likely someone who can backup both the #6 and #8 position). Who would ever have guessed that we would have this many central midfielders?!
     
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  15. luvdagame

    luvdagame Member+

    Jul 6, 2000
    may be part getting backup players familiar with the system in case somebody goes down, and part having two teams with subs available for tough practices against each other.

    Ellis:
    https://www.ussoccer.com/stories/20...ings-to-know-about-the-wnts-2019-january-camp
     
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  16. lil_one

    lil_one Member+

    Nov 26, 2013
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Clarification: the oddness (to me) is more in the timing, seeing as camp has already started and that the camp is overseas, rather than the calling in someone else. I get looking for backups.
     
  17. TimB4Last

    TimB4Last Member+

    May 5, 2006
    Dystopia
    Perhaps Sullivan was asked to delay her travel to Europe until she had accumulated sufficient frequent flyer miles?
     
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  18. Dundalk24

    Dundalk24 Member

    Jul 20, 2007
    PA/OH
    Perhaps since the camp roster was announced another player on it in the meantime is not reporting or isn’t healthy?
     
  19. Patrick167

    Patrick167 Member+

    Dortmund
    United States
    May 4, 2017
    Most likely. Several players coming off big injuries and they probably decided they need another warm body rather than push the recovering players.

    But Ellis has tried to squeeze in these younger players. While she calls in players excelling in NWSL, she tends to call in YNT stand outs first. Or it is easier for her to call them in. Davidson instead of Menges, Sullivan instead of Zerboni or Colapriccio (all three are now there), Fox instead of Huerta, et al.
     
  20. RalleeMonkey

    RalleeMonkey Member+

    Aug 30, 2004
    here
    Seriously. When Long can't make the roster .....
     
  21. taosjohn

    taosjohn Member+

    Dec 23, 2004
    taos,nm
    Given the way the injury was described at the time it happened, it seems kind of implausible that Zerboni could be ready? She's tough, and it wasn't a leg, but still ...
     
  22. Patrick167

    Patrick167 Member+

    Dortmund
    United States
    May 4, 2017
    I heard she only recently could touch her nose with her thumb.

    She was not an Allocated Player, so she didn't have to be called.
     
  23. lil_one

    lil_one Member+

    Nov 26, 2013
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    January camp has always served in part as an evaluation and testing camp, so I'm sure they're evaluating how healthy Zerboni is. Anyone know how many players get named to each game-day roster?
     
  24. jackdoggy

    jackdoggy Member+

    May 16, 2014
    Big D
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    This was from about 7 weeks ago:
    Untitled.png
    Experts have stated not humanly possible except in rare cases of extreme awesomeness.
     
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  25. taosjohn

    taosjohn Member+

    Dec 23, 2004
    taos,nm
    Hunh-- her core fitness doesn't appear to have lapsed much,no?
     
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