And on the defensive note, some of Ellis's post-game comments: Here are some highlights from Jill Ellis' postgame press conference. The second part is her response to a question I asked on whether the #USWNT needs more defensive steel in its midfield than she prefers: pic.twitter.com/10vB5iMJxS— Jonathan Tannenwald (@thegoalkeeper) February 28, 2019
True. But most of the successful coach retirements are voluntary. I do not think Ellis retires unless She wins another World Cup or Olympics or the team fails in some way. I think that any performance below the quarters at the WWC will result in her forced retirement (although it may be made to appear voluntary) and if the team wins or is second or third she sticks through the next Olympics unless she really chooses to move on for better pay.
And consider that, from a Japanese point of view, i can tell you that Japan's team wasn't an "A" team at all. Maybe not an actual "B" team, because there were anyway a good number of regular starters, but we had 5 (five!) absolut debutants, at their first cap with Nadeshiko Japan Senior Team (although some of them were U-17 or U-20 WWC winners earlier in their careers): 2 in the starting line-up (Matsubara and Kobayashi) and 3 who were subbed-in during the game (Ikejiri, Oga and Endo). Another starter, Hina Sugita, had just 1 previous cap with Senior Team. Of course, we're not talking about random names: Hina Sugita and Rikako Kobayashi were U-17 World Champions in 2014 in Costa Rica (where Hina Sugita was Golden Ball of the tournament); Jun Endo was part of the team who won U-20 WWC last summer. But we can anyway safely say that Japan wasn't an "A" team for sure, so getting a draw from this match vs #1 team in the world looks surely promising for this young line-up.
I thought surely the U.S. would win this one. With all the youngsters on the pitch, Japan looked like it is building for 2023 rather than making a go for the WC in 2019. A triumph of youth and fresh legs from Japan's many subs -- and the U.S.'s age and sparsity of subs. I was unimpressed with Davidson, Pugh, Lavelle, Dunn. Lavelle is fine with me as a starter -- but with some muscle and size (Horan or Mewis) at her side. Has Pugh ever played in the midfield before? Why play her there now? Has Dunn lost a step? She got outraced on defense for that second Japanese goal. I agree with whoever it was who said that Sonnett is not a right back.
This was our "A" team and we only tied. I cant imagine what England will do against that defense. Japan did not dominate but they did finish. We should have had 2 early goals but couldnt finish. Im not excited with this result. Press was the brightest star in the field for us
The USSF funds and keeps the NWSL alive. For what reason? Is it just to keep the 20 odd players they select fit? Is any point of the NWSL to allow for the development of USWNT players? You would think it would be but that doesn't seem to be the case. The USA has given up multiple goals in the first three games this year because college players have started and made mental and physical errors that led to those goals. Fox is a college kid who was absolutely targeted and torched by France. She is still in the squad. Is there really no NWSL player with some pro experience that couldn't step in? Davidson does some nice things but in her last few games she has been poor and given away goals. She flubbed an easy clearance for the first goal (if she had whiffed it would have been better) and stepped out of position for the second (Ertz going to ground unnecessarily didn't help but a veteran CB probably doesn't panic like Davidson). The NWSL is full of CBs who play against Alex Morgan, Carli Lloyd, Press, Pugh, Lavelle, etc. week in and week out. Is there really no one that can be our backup third choice? Do we really need to use a college kid? The USWNT is full of kids identified early, and moved from U17 to U20 to U23 to the NT. The pool at the earlier age group is rarely added to. Luckily for us, we have had better athletes and have gotten by with a lack of development at all levels or talent identification. It is a freight train of a problem that is bearing down on this program quickly though. Japan's B team could play tactical smart soccer and complete passes and work 1-2s and carve open the USA. The USA cannot string passes together through midfield at any level. We can hit it long to Morgan, who can hold up and move the ball to Heath or Rapinoe. Those two will dance on it for awhile and come up with a brilliant goal one time but lose it cheaply 30 times. Heath will get plaudits for beating two players but losing the ball to the third one. But maybe it is just that when Heath gets the ball, there is nobody in the box to move it too. The midfielders simply are not able to get forward because they have not been involved in the play. Maybe Heath's seemingly inane dancing in place with the ball is just her trying to let people catch up. It all looked better with O'Hara in the game. The USWNT can combine through her and the midfield to move the ball with the team up the field. This is not possible with Sonnet. Is O'Hara going to be fit? Is there really nobody else in the NWSL that can't do that too because Sonnet can't. On the other side, Dunn should be able to do it but I haven't seen it. Dunn got absolutely toasted on the crossbar hit early and was late on the second. She did have one where she did cover for Davidson with her speed. But isn't the point of playing her there that her offense will outweigh what we lose defensively? If so, we are not seeing it. She is just not getting forward regularly. One nice 10 minute stretch, but mostly she is not involved. I thought Pugh was actually good when the USA was all out pressing for the first 15 minutes. After that the USA dropped off, Japan adapted, and she didn't get involved much. Lavelle was thinking too slowly, but it is pre-season. Press came on and did what Health/Lavelle/Rapinoe wouldn't do. Don't dawdle and try 5 step overs; just dribble hard at the defenders. Heath also did it once, for the first goal. The passing was sloppy, the finishing terrible. They are out of season sure. But decisions were also poor. Rapinoe missed Heath making a run where the pass was wide open to spring her on the goal. Rapinoe elected to shoot weakly wide. Morgan and Ertz and O'Hara seemed the only players ready to play. Having said that, when O'Hara subbed off I looked at the score because I couldn't remember if it was 2-0 or 3-0 and was shocked to remember it was only 1-0.
No worries, in the New York Times today Andrew Das writes the overhaul is over, and now it’s time to start fine tuning. So relieved Jill only has to finish “tinkering” as he put it. “We have built the skeleton, now we’re working on the nervous system” I’m sure she thinks that’s minor, but I think doctors will tell you the nervous system is the least known organ. “We’d rather have problems now”, she was quoted. All according to plan.
I don't envy Ellis. She has to work with what she is given as opposed to what she wants knowing the players can usurp her at any time. Her job also entails the role of USSF stooge, happily spouting whatever talking point she is given by an organization that will throw her under the bus if things go wrong. I don't think she's a great coach but I have some sympathy for her position.
Not particularly worried about the WC at this point. They will bring it together and probably win going away. The US game is an athletic, speed, powerful, longball game and that is what they need to stick to. You don't get extra points for number of passes before you score. Hoof it long to Morgan and let her do her thing as she is an incredible athlete. Let her carry the team and get some goals from Rapinoe, Press and some long blasts from Mewis and Ertz and all is well. At this point in time the US should not worry about passes connected or style of play until they revamp the entire player pool and there is no time for that now. Play what makes you the #1 Nation in the World and rely on your strengths.
I've only watched the 1st half, but that was a goofy-ass lineup. I've long said that I love Heath and Rapinoe, but I don't think you can have them both on the field as wingers at the same time. With both in the wings, we're tooo slowwwwwwwwwwwwww. Pino was put in on goal by Morgan's pass, and just flat out got chased down, when a wing player never should have. The one time Tobin attacked directly on the dribble, with out stopping to set up a move, we got a goal. She never does that. If she will, that changes things dramatically. I've said before, you can see that Tobin is a total gym rat. But, she just works on stuff from a dead start. She doesn't seem to be working on attacking at speed when she receives the ball. Hopefully her play on that goal is a sign that is changing. But, basically, with Pino and Heath, when the ball goes out wide, it's stop and re-set. It looks like, to compensate for our lack of speed, Ellis played Lavelle and Pugh out of position, to get some speed on the field. It didn't work with Horan and Dunn in those positions. And, it didn't really work with Lavelle and Pugh. Out of those 4, Dunn is the best suited, but because if Ellis' unwillingness to use NWSL fullbacks (as noted above) We desperately need Dunn in the back. Pugh is not a good enough passer to play that position. And, neither she nor Lavelle have the bite to properly defend the position. Which places a huge burden on whoever plays at the base of the triangle. That player has to initiate almost all of the offense, b/c the 2 at the top of the inverted triangle aren't coming back to receive balls from the back line. And, if the ball goes to the "wingers" it dies there, unless they get it at the corner of the box. So, that 6/8 player is getting very little help protecting the back line. She's not going to get much defensive help from Pugh, Lavell, Heath, Pino (unless Dunn over laps, then Pino is covering for the fullback, not providing midfield help). She's got huge defensive responsibilities, and the offense doesn't happen with out her. Seems unworkable to me. If I'm our opponent and we come out in that formation, I'm denying Ertz the ball out of the back, then pressuring her like crazy when she gets it. And trying to set up 2v1's against Ertz. Ertz is a great player, but Ellis is asking too much out of that position.
Highlights of all four goals (and all forty misses ) It doesn't show the build-up for Japan's 2nd goal, so we still dunno wut.
Christen's face in that second video's thumbnail... Also in that thumbnail, not sure what's up with the floating bowls of green liquid.
Rapinoe is my all time favorite player, but I think she needs to be benched. She has been ineffective the last two games. I would start Christen over her. Mewis for Pugh in the midfield.
I firmly believe Morgan could not have scored that goal if she wasn't as flat as a board. Ok, ok, don't hurt me, y'all know I love Alex.
Very good eye... The whole action was: long drive by Kumagai from right to left through the whole pitch, ball to debutant LB Oga, then to veteran Sameshima; pass to the center for Endo, who initially misses, (debutant) Ikejiri reaches the ball and plays the cushion for Endo, who sends Hasegawa in the box. Hasegawa subsequently assists Momiki, who shoots and scores. So, yeah, "secondary assist" by Endo. And three debutants in the action of that goal.
I think the O'Hara and Dunn are fine, it is the center backs that look suspect. Agree the midfield has been a continual problem.
I think Dunn is ok athletically. But against a very tactical team she was caught out a few times. She was completely roasted for the shot Japan put off the crossbar for instance. She needs reps, and not just with the USWNT. She can't be playing all over the field, she needs to play LB and learn the position.