Pia Sundhage is actually using Kai properly - as a striker. Kai is not a "forward", she doesn't play off of other players. She's a finisher, a goalhanger. Possibly the best pure striker the WNT has had since Debbie Keller. Sundhage puts Kai in situations where she can succeed. Ryan tried to shoe-horn Kai into the "traditional" USWNT role of playing off of her strike partner.
I think Kai has been great as well, although I think some of the greatest credit goes to Wambach. She is creating the opportunities up there and has had to sacrifice some of the glory of being the big goal scorer to make this new system work. She assisted in almost every goal in D.C. Her whole game has gotten better. The interesting thing is that even with less shots I think she is more dangerous then ever. With her skill set, experience, confidence, and the fact that you do not know what her next more will be, be it a shot or pass, she has really taken her game to a new level.
I agree with you 100% on how much Wambachs game has improved this year. Being at the game on Saturday it seemed to me that she was all over the place and creating many chances for her teammates to score. Several players stood out for me during the game. Rampone, Kai, Chalupny, Mitts and Abby really had a good game. The whole team looked very comfortable with the ball on their feet compare to the last game and during the world cup.
kai simply seems to be playing under control now. she is not just all speed and strength. before she was an athlete. now she strikes me as a soccer player, using bursts of speed to her advantage, and pulling the ball back and passing it off to another player in a better position on other occasions. with regard to this game, kudos to the team, and i'm sorry that it didn't see it. but i'm always wary of a game where the opponents don't give us any opposition to speak of. i want to see this new system against teams that will pressure our passing the ball around in the middle and back and that know what to do with the ball if they win it from us in those positions. only brazil, north korea and germany seem to be able to do that. so i'm looking forward to the peace cup and tempering my excitement.
In the days since the match I've had similar thoughts. Also, viewing the highlights reinforces my impression that Canada GK McLeod had a spotty game (although she had a couple of good plays, and even a hot keeper would not have bottled up the Nats completely). But this game showed that the team is catching on to Pia's offensive ideas and that the D can get itself organized. How they execute against stiffer/quicker competition is the next question.
US Soccer has put up a new clip from the game. It sort of gives you a look at it from another perspective with a little behind the scenes action.