Good analysis. I would add that there are several young players in the NWSL who are having phenomenal seasons. As a Red Stars fan, Vanessa DiBernardo is playing unbelievable for Chicago and I would love to see Arin Gilliland get a shot and one of the outside defender spots. How about Michelle Betos as a goalkeeper look? The NWSL was supposed to be the place where players proved themselves to get a chance at the USWNT, let it work that way.
While I'm sort of inclined to agree with your suggestions, there's a problem with your analysis. It says, basically, that keeping the vets on the team for the 2015 WWC was a mistake. If the US hadn't won the WWC, you'd have a better argument. But the US won, so there's no real way to say the WWC roster was a mistake. In fact, you suggest we should have kept essentially the same group for the Olys and made changes after. (Of course, we have to take pregnancies into account, which forced changes.) This gets at a big intangible, which is the question of how important it is to have players on the team with long-term WWC experience. Lloyd, in particular, provides that and Rapinoe to a lesser degree. Was having Wambach/Ramone/Boxx on the 2015 roster something that contributed to the ultimate victory? No one really knows, since we can't re-run the tournament with them replaced by other players. So, that leaves the question there along the lines of: Would having Lloyd, Rapinoe, Sauerbrunn on the team in 2019 b e a positive in relation to trying to win the WWC, even if they aren't playing much?
That's why hindsight is so damn good. My problem with this as u know since u have seen my inane ranting on this topic, is the extremes. Extremes in anything r generally not good things. In all cases as in this I prefer a moderate view. There was no reason to either carry so many older players at WC nor add so many very young players for OG when a more balanced roster in both cases probably serves them better. Sure there is no way to prove either they win the WC regardless or do better at OG with a balanced roster. But, IMO the following two things r true. If Allie Long was good enough to start 3 of the 4 OG matches then she was good enough to be brought in before April 2016. If Crystal Dunn was good enough to be an impact player at the OG then she was good enough to be on the WC roster. If those r the only selection errors and Im sure there r more, then it's two too many.
I was very impressed with Short when the Red Stars played the Dash. I like to see her get a look at outside back
Neid/Germany style of bringing her fb's way, way up is made to order for the US as well as other quick, counter attacking teams like Australia & Canada. Most Germans seem to look forward more to their new coach, Stefi Jones, as she might just bring a little more parity to the squad that sometimes lacks physical & athleticism. What I like to know is why Sweden seems to have the US number? As haven't we been beat now 3 times in a row by Sweden? 2011 WC 2014 Algarve Cup 2016 Olympics
The conclusion you reach, from your two examples, doesn't necessarily follow. I'm more inclined to agree with you on Dunn, but your statements -- stated as fact -- are only opinions, which might be right or wrong. But, maybe you are intending to follow your comments with "IMOP." (My biggest gripe with on-line posters is when they state their opinions as facts. )
Not in a row. Looks like there were actually two wins against Sweden in 2012. But those have been the only two wins in the last six years/seven meetings. Throw in a draw in 2013 (in the Algarve) and a draw in 2015 (in the WC), and that's a less-than-stellar record, especially since Sundhage took over (0 wins in four meetings). Four years after defecting, Sundhage still knows this team far too well, and she knows exactly how to dismantle it. I never understood why people thought Friday's match would be a piece of cake for the U.S. I would love the USWNT to prove that they are capable of beating Sweden. I hope U.S. Soccer schedules a friendly against Sweden in the near future and the U.S. flips the script for once. [*Taylor Swift's "Bad Blood" loops endlessly*]
Jill should be fired along with the entire USSF staff beneath her. I think we will see a repeat of the recent Olympic embarrassment in the upcoming U17 World Cup. But that is what we can expect with 2019 players rostered on the U17 YNT, that weigh in at a whopping 115 lbs. The arrogance amazes.
They need to fire Ellis, Snow & Carr. Or we will see repeats of the recent loss for years to come. Who rosters a 115 lb 2019 player on the U17 YNT?
Sundhages's record against the US reminds me of how Jon Gruden was able to scheme against his former squad in the SB with quite positive results. Different sports I know, but just a parallel I noticed....
Last time we did that, it was for Mallory Pugh, Ashley Sanchez, and a couple others still in the pipeline. Pugh's rapid development probably justifies the arrogance for at least one more full cycle They got it right with her, eh? Let's keep doing that
Sanchez (99) was not rostered to play up on the 2014 u17 WC roster that did not qualify. She has never played up on the U17s. She may play up (3 years on a '96 team) on the 20s this year as Pugh '98 did (up 4 years) in 2014. As I am guessing you are aware the 17s top age is always an odd year for the girls (even for boys as they alternate in 2 year cycles) The two 99s (two year play ups on the 2014 '97 WC team) were Kuhlman and Taglieferri. This year Snow is toying with 4 2001 (two year play ups). 2 of them, however, have above average size for the current roster. The graduating classes are not that important. Some of the '00 kids included are probably 2019 grads. Many of the '99s are 2017 or 2018. Most of the '00s are 2018 I think. I would predict that he will start at least 2 of these 2001 players probably at both outside backs (Wesley and Weisner). He seems to have cooled on Spaanstra (2000) in favor of the younger players and she will likely be a super sub on the flank. Additionally Caniff has been to several camps and gets a good bit of time. She is very small. Not sure what her growth potential is. Plenty of 14-15 year old girls are close to done in height, or still a few inches away. But she is small now. 5'1" 110 now, maybe? Not that I am a big size trumps all type advocate, but there is a minimal mass, strength necessary to compete on the international stage. It is the YNT coach's responsibility to project the ceiling of these players and choose those who can win now and maybe sprinkle in 1 or 2 for the experience whom they believe have full WNT potential down the road for development. Snow failed to quialify in 2014, having watched his players play in u17 events over the last cycle, I see them going backwards. Where, for example, is Emina Ekic the second best player (and came off the bench) in the first NTC (2015) of this cycle? She basically was the difference against Japan. What happens after Jordan if the 17s crash and burn?
You're right; Sanchez never played up to the U-17 team. She played up from it to the CONCACAF W20s, which we won to qualify for the WWC-20. Then she dropped back down to the WWC-17 team (which was the plan all along). The most recent 14-yr-old to play up on the U-17s is Civana Kuhlmann, who's currently in her 2nd tour on the team. Last we heard (a few months ago), Ekic was out with an injury, and evidently didn't make it back into the pool. More generally, USA's womens' youth coaches do think 1-2 players per cycle are good enough to skip a tier. If they're finding players like Pugh, maybe they're not wrong.
Jeez, you guys have convinced me. There's a young American Marta out there and Ellis has failed to find her and develop her because she's protecting the vets. I mean, if an 18 year old winger who can outplay the best in the world before she's even fully grown were to fall into Elis' lap, I bet she wouldn't get to play at all because O'Reilly would be allowed to block her way... Yup, it's Ellis fault; the forward who could have got onto the end of all those crosses was never developed because Wambach was allowed to block her off so thoroughly we never even heard of her... that took some doing because there were probably three or four of them actually. And Naeher would have developed into a much better keeper than Solo if she'd only been allowed... Its the stubborn unwillingness of the staff to kick great players to the curb that keeps even greater players from magically growing out of the beanstalk seeds that are so plentifully available... you've convinced me. And the tactical approaches to breaking down a bunker are GUARANTEED to work if only we'll find the players who can make it work, instead of playing the best we have-- how obvious. Ellis should have thought of that. To quote someone recently "you're being ridiculous."
And therein lies the point, what makes you think those players were the best we have? And as a corollary, indeed, Sermanni was fired as he tried to develop young players around and perhaps even through the vets. How can you argue this point when 3 and arguably 4 key players on this roster are only there and playing a big role on the field because other JE "first" choice players were injured or ineligible at various times in the last year or so. With the focus on bringing the youngest players into the U17 WC, I do believe other, perhaps older players, are being discounted or overlooked. What is interesting to me is some of the 9especially 00) players who were clearly being hyped by Snow early in the cycle, have not enjoyed such prominence and privilege since he set his sites on the 01s. Of course I know that Sanchez was called up to Concacaf u20 qualifiers. Your point was incorrect in that she did not play up in the previous u17 cycle. As I said that would be Kuhlman and Tagliaferri. Both of whom should be starters, based on their u17 performance to date, but I think Snow thinks he gets some bonus points or possibly built in excuse if he fields the youngest roster on record. Sanchez is a very similar player to Dunn and Pugh as far as skill set and style. Remember, understandably, Pugh struggled playing as a 98 on the 94 U20s. After the first game, had to be moved out of the 10 (replaced by Horan who had been initially slotted to the 9) and onto the flank forward. It was Rose Lavelle (golden ball if i remember correctly) who was clearly the class of that u20 squad. I don't think Pugh was the right choice for those u20s because she struggled mightily, but of course she has experienced significant development over the last 2 years time. had other players been afforded the same developmental advantage and privilege as Pugh there would be several more 18 year olds (or even younger) on that roster. In fact Pugh may not have even been the strongest player on the 17s that year. Failing to carry them to qualification in the u17s would call into question her readiness for the 20s. Don't confuse what I am saying. I really like Pugh currently as one of our top flank forwards, but my point is that I think we could be talking about 2 or 3 other 18-22 year olds in the same vein, had they also been similarly chosen for optimal development. I really love Pele's movie (catch the cameo in it?) that is currently around. The Americans would do well to find and similarly develop some of the players that show some "Ginga style" and play Joga Bonita. Alas I believe we don't identify them or if we do, we quash their uniqueness with instruction to "play simple".
If nothing else 2016 should be a referendum on the US coaching staff. Both French and Snow already have a big failure on their sheet and shouldnt survive another one.
Why wasn't there a thread for this before Friday? Jill--more than Jurgen--has had more head-scratching decisions and matches than Jurgen for the talent she has at her disposal. This was truly embarrassing. She has never defeated Pia since taking over and she's never shown to actually *want* to change her tactics. She picks something she likes and sticks with it. Rapinoe being used in this tournament was idiotic at best. I supported her inclusion in the roster because I'm not a doctor or athletic trainer and had to take this inclusion as a sign she was actually ready for play. However, 30 minutes against Colombia proved the opposite. Her tactics continue to be immature and it seemed our only answer to anything was "cross it more" or "lump it forward." How demeaning for these women to play such unsophisticated soccer? Ellis is a very low-class coach who plays favorites and has no real worldly vision of soccer. Please get her out.
There was a similar thread about Ellis' incompetence in the lead-up to WWC2015. It persisted throughout the WC also. There was a lot of dissatisfaction with her at the time. I must say however, that the current structure is pretty entrenched; it will be hard to get rid of either and or both of Ellis and Heinrichs.
http://www.starsandstripesfc.com/20...c-quarterfinal-loss-sweden-not-single-culprit In game management.
For me the question to be pondered isnt whether Ellis was lucky and won WC or unlucky and got the early boot in OG. Those things r in the past. The question now is is Jill Ellis the right choice to build the 2019 WC team? Obviously my opinion is NO. Ellis took an inherited team to the WC. It was built by Sundhage and upgraded by Sermanni. The changes Ellis made in preparation for WC failed for he most part with most of the positive changes happening by accident. After WC she attempted to get young, which was needed even without the retirements. Again most of the changes Ellis made failed and the positives either happened by accident (Pugh for an injured Rapinoe) or complete reversals of decision she had made (bringing back Dunn and Long). So if she has shown absolutely zero ability to make positive additions to the teams in her two plus years at the helm, why would anyone trust her to suddenly be able to upgrade this team for France 2019? The answer is no one would.
115 lb for a U17 player is sort of to be expected...I mean, they're 16 years old. I would guess Dunn and Pugh are still around that weight (Dunn, probably a bit more). Kling was probably around that weight at that age. They all seem to be able to handle the international game regardless of their body size.
If your first conclusion about what she has shown is correct, then your second conclusion obviously is correct. But your first conclusion is doubtful. For example, it includes a criticism of her having changed her mind about Dunn and Long. That's not a criticism of her initial conclusion, rather it's saying it's a negative for her to be able to change her mind. I think it's pretty obvious that isn't a valid criticism. There's a school of thinking that goes: I'm against Ellis and it doesn't matter what she does, I'll find a way to criticize it. I think one can have legitimate criticisms of Ellis, she's someone I initially was very unhappy about as head coach, but I think to say she's nothing but bad and obviously must go indicates that real thinking isn't going on. Better thinking would be to identify the players on the roster one thinks should not be there and the players one thinks should replace them. Or, to identify a different pattern -- that's within her control -- of bringing in new players for looks. Or, etc., etc. I've watched lots of NWSL games and haven't seen a bunch of players who should be on the roster in place of ones currently on it. Yes, there are fan favorites, I have at least one non-GK of my own, but I know enough about sports to know that just because she looks great at level B doesn't mean she'll be great at level A. Maybe, and maybe she should get a look, but that's the most I reasonably can say. The other thing I always think about when someone says, "Oh, we should get rid of that coach," is, well whom would you get in her/his place? Identifying someone who would be better -- and suggesting fan favorites is not good enough for me, I'd want to see real evidence the person would be better -- should be part of the equation.