US WNT vs. China in Philadelphia 10/6/10

I'm so glad that this one is at least being broadcasted - wish I could see both.

So, is Pia using the same 18 for both matches or not? This is the original language from the release: "Sundhage will name 18 players to suit up for each of the China matches." My take on this is that it will be a (probably slightly) different roster for the second match. This would give her a chance to look at a few more players.

 

For the Sweden games, there were two changes for the second game roster. Between both games, only one roster player did not see playing time (Morgan in first).

 

24 players heading to Philadelphia today:
GK Barnhart, Harris, Loyden
D Buehler, Cox, Krieger, Lepeilbet, Mitts, Rampone, Sauerbrunn, Taylor
M Averbuch, Boxx, Lilly, Lindsey, Lloyd, O'Hara, O'Reilly, Rapinoe, Tarpley
F Cheney, Morgan, Rodriguez, Wambach

If Pia chooses the final 20 for qualifying from this list, who do you want to see on the team?

 

Barnhart, Harris
Buehler, Krieger LePeilbet Rampone Taylor, Cox
Boxx LIlly Tarpley O'hara O'reilly Rapinoe, Lindsey
Wambach, Morgan, Cheney

 

First training in Philly

please let Harris fight her way above Loyden in the pecking order or Naeher. I'm not that picky.

 

I would go with:
GK— Barnhart, Loyden/Harris as backup.
D— Buehler, Krieger, Lepeilbet, Rampone, Taylor, Cox
M— Lloyd, Lilly, O'Reilly, Boxx, Rapinoe, O'Hara, Averbuch
F— Wambaugh, Cheney, ARod
If there are 20 on the roster, then add Mitts and Tarpley.

It really doesn't matter who the backup keeper is in my mind. Whoever Pia thinks is practicing better, unless she actually wants to take a look at Harris in game action.
Took Taylor over Mitts (one of my favorite players) for the last spot because Heather has just come off an injury-plagued WPS season and we know what she can do when healthy while Taylor is an emerging star who could use the game action internationally.
Only took three forwards cause O'Hara can play up there and Morgan is in the middle of her NCAA season, so why make her sit on the bench for USWNT when she could be helping her college team.
Took Lloyd and Averbuch over Tarpley and Lindsey. Think Lloyd could use the time after missing WPS season to show where her game is. Lindsey is cooked from the WPS season and there was not room for Tarpley. Averbuch is the backup for Boxx at holding MF.
Here is an article in today's Philadelphia Inquirer about Lloyd's comeback. She admits she was not fit during the 2009 WPS season in Chicago and Pia offers her thoughts on Lloyd's progress.
http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/soccer/20101005_Lloyd_question_mark_for_U_S_.html
BTW, big two days of soccer at PPL Park— USWNT on Wednesday and the LA Galaxy with Beckham/Donovan on Thursday. Hope there is a great crowd Wednesday but it sure has not been marketed heavily locally.

 

and the current studio 90 (from Monday) has both uswnt and usmnt coverage. give it a look see. the shot of abby eating a piece of broccoli made me laugh.

 

My World Cup qualifying squad (10/5 version):

GK Barnhart, Harris
D Buehler, Cox, Krieger, Lepeilbet, Mitts, Rampone, Sauerbrunn, Taylor
M Boxx, Lilly, Lindsey, Lloyd, O'Reilly, Rapinoe, Tarpley
F Cheney, Rodriguez, Wambach

Barney is the #1 keeper, but Ash Harris knows how to be a backup. Morgan and O'Hara will have their day. If only 18, I'd have Sauerbrunn and Tarp sit it out too.

 

I'm with you entirely.

 

Unless Pia sees something much different in training than what we see, I agree Ashlyn Harris should be the backup GK for the WCQ. I agree about her knowing how to be a backup - she has some pretty unique experience there for a GK who looks ready to be a #1 GK in WPS - besides coming in as a backup for the Freedom, she frequently platooned for North Carolina in college, coming in the game for the 2nd half. As a UCLA guy, I remember her very, very well...

 

Lol, that part was priceless. I was bored with the video, but then there she was, casually nibbling on a piece of broccoli. It was the discordant image of the most imposing player daintily eating a single piece of vegetable that really got me.

Waiting for the roster to be announced tonight...crossing fingers for at least a few new(ish) faces.

 

No Harris????

U.S. head coach Pia Sundhage has chosen the 18 players who will suit up to face China at PPL Park on Wednesday, Oct. 6, at 7 p.m. in a match televised live on ESPN2. And here they are:

GOALKEEPERS (2): Nicole Barnhart (FC Gold Pride), Jill Loyden (Chicago Red Stars)

DEFENDERS (5): Rachel Buehler (FC Gold Pride), Amy LePeilbet (Boston Breakers), Heather Mitts (Philadelphia Independence), Christie Rampone (Sky Blue FC), Becky Sauerbrunn (Washington Freedom)

MIDFIELDERS (7): Yael Averbuch (Sky Blue FC), Shannon Boxx (FC Gold Pride), Kristine Lilly (Boston Breakers), Carli Lloyd (Sky Blue FC), Heather O’Reilly (Sky Blue FC), Megan Rapinoe (Chicago Red Stars), Lindsay Tarpley (Boston Breakers)

FORWARDS (4): Lauren Cheney (Boston Breakers), Alex Morgan (California), Amy Rodriguez (Philadelphia Independence), Abby Wambach (Washington Freedom)

http://www.ussoccer.com/Social/WNT-Blog.aspx

 

For those keeping score: Morgan, Sauerbrunn, and Tarpley in. Krieger, Cox, and Lindsey out.

Why bring Krieger from Germany not to see her in 2 games? Unless that's an agreement w/ her club team to not get her too tired -- she'll have to jump back into club play as soon as she gets back so perhaps there is an agreement w/ Frankfurt.

And I guess that means Loyden is solidly the 3rd keeper. Heaven help the team.

 

so irritated about not getting to see krieger play, why keep her in camp after sat. if thy werent going to use her? and no kelly o'hara?

 

Seems clear that these 18 players will make the final roster for qualifying:
GK (2) Barnhart, Loyden
D (6) Buehler, Cox, Krieger, Lepeilbet, Mitts, Rampone
M (7) Averbuch, Boxx, Lilly, Lindsey, Lloyd, O'Reilly, Rapinoe
F (3) Cheney, Rodriguez, Wambach

I'm pretty sure the roster limit is 20 for qualifying so who gets the last 2 spots? If it means anything, Harris, O'Hara and Taylor are not playing in either China friendly.

 

O'Hara's quad injury maybe the reason she didn't get game looks.

Frankfurt has a game on Saturday vs Essen-Schönebeck. Frankfurt are 1 point behind Potsdam and only 1 point ahead of Duisburg. The table is really close this season -- 3 point difference btwn 1st & 4th. They may want Krieger back for Sat w/o having played on Wed.

 

I understand Frankfurt wanting her, she's their starting rightback. I don't know why (if this was the plan all along) Pia didn't release her from camp. It sounds like she's still in camp even. Since the blog didn't say the rest went home, they just wouldn't be dressing.

 

Disappointed not to see either Taylor or O'Hara included. Glad that Tarpley is back in the mix. Hopefully Pia splits time between she and Lloyd at attacking midfield, to evaluate alternative options there.

Barring a dramatic return to health and form for Tobin Heath, it seems that Lilly might have pulled off the incredible: a spot on a 6th World Cup squad. A lot can happen in six months, but right now you'd have to think she has the edge on one of the reserve midfield positions.

Is it possible we might see a forward combination at some point that does not include Abby? That might be too radical.

 

Most likely not gonna happen. I'm actually interested in seeing Morgan get some more time, because right now I have no clue why she keeps getting called in. I guess I just haven't been excited about her the few times I've seen her play. She was very one-dimensional; didn't have a variety of runs, etc (though if she can finish, she's might be ahead of the others besides Abby). Maybe she's developed more chemistry with the team by now.

 

I agree. The last time I saw her play substantial minutes was at the U-20 World Cup two years ago. It would be nice to see how she has progressed since then.

As the case of Morgan proves, Pia isn't necessarily opposed to calling up college players (at least to camp, if not the games themselves). This makes me a bit surprised that she hasn't considered giving Christen Press from Stanford a run. She's tied for the most goals in school history right now, and she's still getting it done this year without her partner in crime, Kelley O'Hara. The biggest thing critique would be that she sometimes plays with her head down, trying to dribble through everyone (which she is capable of), rather than looking for teammates. But if college players are in the mix, and we need some proven goal scorers who can finish, why not?

 

We managed to pull it off during the Olys. But with Wambach in fine form, I doubt Pia wants to try the 2010-11 version of a "no-Abby" attack.

 

Just because we pulled it off once doesn't mean it would happen again. The Olympics were a special combination of stop gap (Hucles at forward), team determination, and luck. I would not want to rely on that same haphazard style again.

If for some reason Abby is unavailable to play, even if it is a minor knock that keeps her out of just one World Cup game (or card accumulation), we don't know how the team would react with this current crop of players. Cheney and A-Rod, for example, have never started together as far as I know. Wambach will (and should, for now) remain the focal point of the U.S. attack, but common sense dictates we should have a plan B. Take her off at 60 minutes, and see what happens.