I don't see this thread here so I'm posting and sorry if it's not within the right sort of protocol. FOR THE WORLD CUP FINAL! HOW can the USA team Beat Japan? I think we need to play hard and really just shut down that playmaking Japan is capable of doing. We can certainly score on crosses and headers. Brazil may have been the best team to practice on for Japan.
Simply stunning performance today by the Japanese. What a pleasure to watch, for those of us who love such "negative" football, as one poster in another thread alleged. Sawa is getting too much ink, Kumagai and Sakaguchi just don't lose the ball. Plus, since the Japanese seem to be dedicating the tourney to their earthquake and tsunami ravaged country, they probably have a bigger emotional boost going into the final. I do have to say that if the US cannot win it all, I will be happy for Japan, they have been the team of the tourney.
Yes Japan is the only team where even if we lose, I will have much to be happy about. However, Sweden came out looking stronger in my opinion. We really have to prevent the Japanese from settling into their game. We have to disrupt that and not let them find a rhythm in order to find the syncopation of that rhythm/cracks in defense etc, including the one touch dribble and shot near our goal. Sweden shut that part down pretty well. It can be done, and we're the team that can do it...for the other poster regarding negative futbal...yeah, whatever. It's totally understandable that any one person can have their stylistic preference. Mine is the Japanese men and women's style, Spain, etc. But USA is my team! I can't wait for this game, I may have to vacate this forum till then so I can accomplish work etc.
I think the US needs to force Japan out wide and force them to send balls in and then use our height advantage to clear. Clog the middle. just the opposite on offense, flank play, crosses in and use our height and heading ability to stuff the net. japan's nice but they can't match us physically.
According to the crew on ESPN, those victories don't mean much b/c at the time Japan was badly affected by the earthquake/nuclear melt down. There was no electricity at the team's practice facilities, and all they could do was run to stay in shape. So this will be a much tougher, better Japanese side the US will see Sunday. For the third time, we face a team with a superior midfield to ours. I have to trust Pia to make the right adjustments. I know Japan has an emotional edge playing for their ravaged country, but the US have incredible belief and motivation as well. I just think Wambach is going to find a way to beat Japan in the air and win the game. And Solo will be a lot harder to score on than the Sweedish GK.
I've been posting on posting off and on here since 2000, before the Olympics. For over a decade I have longed to put a post on a thread of anticipation for a final in which the USA is playing. But, I am hoping there is an even bigger thrill to be had in posting in this thread to celebrate a USA Women's World Cup victory in 2011. Analysis of lineup and strategy will follow. I just had to bask.
I really think the only change to the normal starting XI Pia might consider changing is the Sauerbrunn for Buehler change. Becky S. was just that solid, imo. And Lloyd will always get the start. That said, Pia is nothing if not consistent and I think we'll see the same starting lineup we saw vs Brazil.
Morgan is 3 inches taller than Rodriguez, and Rapinoe is the best crosser on the team. Japan might be short enough for these things to matter.
Japan was very good against SWE when their forwards found space in between the defending lines .. allowing the forwards to receive the ball without any pressure. Pia and staff ... please get the Women prepared to collapse from both the top & bottom when the ball goes into the forwards.
Japan will have a lot of worthless possession with no threat to score. People will say how great Japan looked. USA will pounce on their scoring chances. Sound familar?
No. Next question. When a team like Japan gets on a roll like this, the past doesn't matter any more. They've taken the stuffing out of the two other, big, fast, strong teams in the tourney, and they're still standing. Is anyone worried anymore about our supposed weakness in qualifying? With both teams riding emotional highs and playing very confidently, the only thing the past could bring that would affect this game would be injuries or cards. Beuhler comes back and both teams look pretty healthy overall.
I agree. I'm a huge WNT supporter and as disheartened I will be if they do end up losing, knowing it's Japan we would lose to makes it much more tolerable.
Don't make the same mistakes Sweden made. They switched to a 4-5-1 trying to combat Japan's possession game and lost. They could not win the ball in mid field, a few times they did, they sent it long to the lone forward just to be stripped or called offside. We need to leave the Japanese to play their beautiful game in mid- field, just need to concentrate to stop them in the defensive third. We don't need to win the possession game but don't turn the ball over near goal. We don't need to chase them all over and tire ourselves out either. The US may be in better shape than Sweden but the German seem to be in good physical shape too and they were out of gas at the end of game as well. In attack, we need to take it down the touch line and send in high crosses again and again. Keep 2 forwards up there to make Japan play defense a little. Our center mid also need to take a few 20-25 yard strike at goal to keep them thinking. Their defense including the keeper looked too comfortable against Sweden today. Lastly, don't play nice like the Swedes did. If you can't win the ball from them, a little hard challenge is ok. Falling down a few times will tire them out some.
I think France was the nearest approximation of Japan there was in the tournament. Not quite as tidy in possession, but with a bit more flair and speed coming forward. Defensive game plan: force them wide, don't give them FK's in dangerous positions, don't turn the ball over in our own third; try to keep some possession to avoid chasing them around for 90 minutes and running out of gas should it go into AET. Offensive game plan: make the simple pass; utilize the flanks, aim for Abby, Cheney, and Lloyd form the run of play, and add Boxx on set pieces. Our height advantage must pay dividends, but don't just go route one, play the ball on the ground, possess, switch sides, utilize the flanks, then cross it in.
eloquently and simply stated if we can beat France, we surely can beat the Japanese with out height advantage I wanted the Japanese for that reason
This game will have nothing to do with tactics. It all comes down to heart now. Both teams have obvious weakness which have been harked on by so many people. Yet, IMHO, this comes down to the luckier and more aggressive team. This will all be decided by whomever gives their all. Good luck, everyone! Do your best!
with that possesion comes great tactical awareness. I don't think you give Japan enough credit. If only Japan were to have some real attacking threats, perhaps it will become obvious to many like you--who underestimated them--to know how well they have played.
Wombach has been great in that regard, but the Japanese were able to get around the much taller Swedes with ease by the end of the game, which means that it will be skill rather than bodytype that will be the most important. The fact that we are better defensively and are in better shape will be more important in terms of defense, in my opinion.
Japan dominated possession today, but their 2nd and 3rd goals came because of pretty big mistakes by the Swedish goalkeeper. They finished well, so we'll need to limit mistakes on the defensive end, but Japan is very beatable IMO. The fact that Germany didn't take advantage of their size advantage against them is a little troubling, but we're not Germany. Japan will dominate the midfield just like France did today (especially if Pia doesn't start Cheney in a central midfield position), but I just don't see our backline and goalkeeper having the breakdowns that Sweden's did today. Admittedly, Solo did make a mistake similar to one in the Sweden-Japan game when she played a bad pass out of the back straight to a French player (and she was pretty hard on herself in that post-game interview with ESPN), but she wasn't caught out of position as a result. Cautiously optimistic here. I don't feel as nervous for this one as I did for the Brazil and France games, but that could change before Sunday.
Technically, the other thread is different. It has "Final" in the title I'm sure a kind mod will merge them soon enough. We all should know that Pia will start Lloyd. It is just not going to change. So I wouldn't bother getting all hopeful in a lineup that doesn't have her in it. OTOH, I do think that there's a chance a teeny tiny, slim chance that Pia may start Sauerbrunn over Buehler. I wouldn't be betting any money on it or anything crazy. But Sauerbrunn is so solid defensively (one dropped mark on a goal aside) and good in possession that how could Pia not seriously think about a switch? Then again, what I think is logical for lineups doesn't generally match what Pia does...
I don't think that Sauerbrun will get the start over Buehler. Come on Kool, you know Pia has mad love for Buehler, Rampone, and LP. And Mitts. I'm pretty sure when she writes up the roster the GK coach sits on her while the assistant coach writes in Krieger with permanent marker over the penned in Mitts.
Oh, I think it is likely Buehler will get the start. My point is that Sauerbrunn over Buehler is a thought that might cross Pia's mind. Not starting Lloyd won't even occur to her.