SheBelieves 2017

MiLLeNNiuM · Mar 9, 2017

Here's another:

http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/2017/3/9/14850300/uswnt-2017-shebelieves-cup-france-jill-ellis

I particularly liked this part:

Ellis and Lloyd aren’t saying the right things
Worrying quote No. 1, from Ellis, on Lavelle
“What's her best role? I mean she's still kind of new with us so I think tonight in a game where I thought she did very well wide — and she's a natural lefty so we like her out there ... I think she did great. So we'll see in terms of where she ends up." (via Stephanie Yang)

Firstly, “she’s a lefty so we played her on the left” is not great logic. Second, Ellis proceeded to play Lavelle on the right against France. It’s tough to figure out what she’s thinking.

This isn’t to say that Lavelle should play in her preferred position, as a No. 10. A lot of players prefer to play in that role, and most of them can’t, for the good of the team. But Ellis saying this, then swapping her to the right wing is very odd.

Worrying quote No. 2, from Ellis, on Short

Ellis says both Short and Naeher took steps forward tonight. #USAvFRA
— Chelsey Bush (@ChelseyWrites) March 8, 2017

A manager defending their players is a good thing. Managers should defend their players against criticism and direct the heat towards themselves. Short and Naeher are also good players who should get more chances with the national team, and not be judged on one game. But it’s ridiculous to say that they “took steps forward” against France. They both played poorly. Let’s hope Ellis was just defending them, not stating a genuinely held belief.

Worrying quote No. 3, from Lloyd
"Nobody likes losing 2 in a row. But this is what it's all about, to be tested by some of the best teams in the world. We have a lot of young players out there, a lot of players who haven't been a part of this team. The real focus is 2019, and if life were easy and we were winning all the time, it wouldn't taste that much sweeter to make it to the top. We've just got to keep focused on what we want to do, stick to the game plan and all learn from this. It's just a learning tool." (FS1 interview with Jenny Taft)

The captain of the team should not be using young and new players as an excuse for a loss. Especially when they didn’t play well themselves, and were rightfully substituted for playing poorly.

We need to talk about The Undroppables
Only two players started every match for the USWNT at the SheBelieves cup, co-captains Lloyd and Sauerbrunn. As a result of their undroppable status, there was no time to get minutes for Jessica McDonald, the leading scorer in NWSL over the last three seasons, or Emily Sonnett, a 23-year-old defender widely considered to be an important part of the team’s future.

As Lloyd said, “the real focus is 2019.” If this is true, shouldn’t Ellis have picked a game to rest each of them and get a look at more players?

And at the same time, Lloyd’s form has been extremely up and down over the last year. She struggled at the Olympics, recovered to have an excellent fall, then played poorly in all three SheBelieves matches. Lloyd hasn’t been consistently great outside of major tournament knockout games either, at any point in her career. If she’s in poor form, someone else should get a shot.
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Airox · Mar 10, 2017

Ellis is just saying too many things at this point that are concerning....

BrooklynSoccer · Mar 10, 2017

MiLLeNNiuM said: ↑

Here's another:

http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/2017/3/9/14850300/uswnt-2017-shebelieves-cup-france-jill-ellis

I particularly liked this part:
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I'm glad this article pointed the questionable comments out.

cpthomas · Mar 10, 2017

MiLLeNNiuM said: ↑

Here's another:

http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/2017/3/9/14850300/uswnt-2017-shebelieves-cup-france-jill-ellis
Click to expand...

This is a quite good article, well measured and balanced.

LucyFearsTheMorningStar · Mar 10, 2017

I feel like Ellis so badly wants to leave a mark on this team but doesn't have the necessary tactical leadership to make it happen. She keeps on inserting these players into unnatural positions. Is the issue Lloyd not being benchable? But even then, she finally starts a decent looking back 3 against England and where is Krieger? At LB. And she didn't exactly have the greatest game. Do Johnston and Saurerbrunn both have a place in that type of 3 back? Why not something like KO JJ/BS AK? Or hell, why not put KO in MF with that extra spot created?
Why is Brian looking so bad these days? Injuries? Off games? Natural decline?
People have also said Pugh has hit a bit of a wall. Perhaps that wall is Jill Ellis. Maybe Moe is running into the same issue.

I think a large issue is that Jill thinks this magical formation is going to suddenly unlock something. It looks great against the Romanias of the world. What could go wrong? Except offense first doesn't work against a team not afraid to go right at you. And when you have so many playing unnatural positions just because you want that person on the field, how they instinctively react won't always fit the new position. And how do you develop true chemistry like that?

cpthomas · Mar 10, 2017

I found this interview with Tobin Heath after the Germany game interesting, in regard to the 3-back system, where the team is with that formation, and how the players looked at the tournament given they were playing that formation. It gives some perspective to the results.

BrooklynSoccer · Mar 10, 2017

cpthomas said: ↑

I found this interview with Tobin Heath after the Germany game interesting, in regard to the 3-back system, where the team is with that formation, and how the players looked at the tournament given they were playing that formation. It gives some perspective to the results.
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Everyone is very much in-line with what Jill is saying, even down the exact same terminology and wording.

Drink the juice Shelby. Drink the juice.

holden · Mar 10, 2017

LucyFearsTheMorningStar said: ↑

Maybe Moe is running into the same issue.
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Brian's been playing out of position for so long (not just with the NT, but with the Dash too), she's probably facing the same issues Heath had to go through. It wasn't until last year that Heath finally seemed to put it all together, so I guess we'll see Brian finally figure it out around 2022...