Well the game will be here before we know it!!!!! The USWNT would help themselves out immensely with a good solid 1st game. Not a 1-0 or 2-1 win. But to help settle everyone, and build confidence, I think a 2 goal GD would be huge. Really curious as to what the starting lineup will look like. Does Morgan really start? Is she partnered with Wambach ala 2012 OG's? How much will the turf really play into the flow of the game?
- Dont think Morgan starts. If they r concerned with controlling her playing time the best way to it is a s a sub, that way if u build an early need u can give her a cameo or not use her at all. If u start her and dont need her it may take away from how much u can use her the next match. That said, Ellis often defies logic. - While some GD helps, Im sure the US plan is one game at a time and just get the win and get out of there. For me the biggest factor is score early. A goal in the first 20 takes a lot of pressure off everyone and a lead going into the second half puts the opponent under pressure. - And a solid first game does a lot to settle the nerves.
I think Morgan starts. She has been fit the whole time...Ellis, IMO, has kept her on the sideline in an effort to avoid contact. I think the turf can play into the US hands because of their speed. It may not be pretty, but I imagine we will see a fair amount of balls over the top and utilizing the speed of Morgan, Leroux, Press, and Arod throughout the cup. Abby shouldn't be needed unless we need a late strike....god help us if she is a starter
I don't see Morgan starting either. I think second half and if we are down or even all 45 minutes. If we are up maybe 20 to 30 minutes in particular if it is a physical match. Couldn't agree more on the need for an early goal. It allows us to play and relieves the pressure.
Even if Morgan is 100% I still use her in the second half. They have speed to burn up top. Let the defense waste their fresh legs chasing Leroux or Rodriguez.
Unfortunately, Morgan will not be in her regular form for the WC and in all likely-hood her finishing will be off, even if she is healthy. It's very unrealistic to think she will be the player of the 12Oly or 11WC. Hopefully, by the end of the tournament she will be able to make an impact, but we must be realistic. What bothers me about this WC is that somehow it's become the tournament for Abby Wambach. Not for the United States, not for the team, but so Abby can retire a WC champion and be complete. Despite all that she's done for the game and the big goals, there is something unsettling about an individual overshadowing a national team. Everyone on this team has dedicated a large part of their life to win the WC. Yes, press is press is press and it's good for WC awareness. And media always wants a story, but I wish more emphasis was on the team and not the individual. "for Wambach, Saturday's scoreless tie was a resounding win" http://espn.go.com/espnw/news-comme...ach-saturday-scoreless-tie-was-resounding-win "Wambach takes last shot at title" http://www.goal.com/en-us/news/66/u...ns-world-cup-wambach-takes-last-shot-at-title US women's soccer star Abby Wambach lives to the exremes http://espn.go.com/espn/feature/story/_/id/11655083/us-women-soccer-star-abby-wambach-lives-extreme It's now or never for Abby Wambach http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/soccer-fc-yahoo/it-s-now-or-never-for-abby-wambach-210409733.html Abby Wambach chasing the World Cup http://www.newsday.com/sports/women-s-sports/abby-wambach-chasing-the-world-cup-1.10483892 Abby on making her Last Chance count" http://time.com/3822904/abby-wambach/ Abby Wambach, Unconcerned with Broken Records or Nose, Craves World Cup Title. http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/24/s...n-records-or-nose-craves-world-cup-title.html "In order for me to feel whole about the complexities of the life I live," Wambach tells ESPN’s Kate Fagan in an ESPN W feature story, "whether it be the fitness, the pressure, the nutrition, the daily sacrifice, all of that, it will be a lot easier for me to understand if I go off into retirement with a World Cup title."
So is Wambach a definite lock for one of the two striker positions up top? Admittedly, I haven't followed the USWNT very closely in recent years but I had figured she would be an ideal late sub when we're down a goal in the second half.
http://www.bluebombers.com/investors-group-field-policies Don't know if they will modify this for WWC. But in the link, bags that fit under seat okay, umbrellas less than 18"okay but you can't open them, cameras w/o detachable lenses >6", single serving snack item (?), empty water bottles all okay. May see prohibited items added to (?) allowed items subtracted from? "Stadium management reserves the right to approve all banners. Banners and flags may be prohibited due to space availability, banner or flag size, interference with other fans, or message content."(I plan to take a flag), no noise makers (!), and all the obvious ones like drugs, outside alcohol, incendiary devices, etc. prohibited. Expect bag check and wands. Anyone that knows more or e-mails the address in the link please post. Know before you go. ;>)
A lock as a starter? No, and recent history bears that out. She's started exactly half of the games this year (5 out of 10), but has gotten minutes in every one. I think that she'll probably start one group game (possibly two) and sub in on the others. In the later rounds, it'll probably depend upon her fitness and the opponent. The general consensus around these parts is a preference to see her as a sub than starter, but I doubt anyone will be surprised to see her start a couple games.
I'm not sure why there are still some who are worried about the South Korea game. The USWNT is going to kill it in this first match. Australia is going to get the good old skuzz flying up their nuzz. The US Women are ready to bring the BUZZ.
So has she been going the full 90 in these send-off games because she hasn't been playing in the NWSL? I would prefer to see her coming off the bench but if she doesn't start and Morgan isn't healthy enough to go, then who starts up top, Rodriguez and Leroux? How much have they played together?
Well, Wambach only went the full 90 in the first send-off game against Ireland. In the Mexico, she subbed in at halftime. Against Korea, she was subbed off in the 60'. IMO, she would have had less playing time had Morgan been healthy. In the 5 games where Wambach hasn't started in 2015, the front 2 starters have been Press-Morgan (2), Morgan-Rodriguez (2), and Leroux-Press. I don't think there's a definite starting frontline (or even a definite front 6). Leroux-Rodriguez have only seen a little playing time together usually when one or both are subbed in and finish the game together.
Oof, I'm a moron. That's what I get for not checking the box scores. I think your last sentence is what has me a little concerned heading into this WC. Although I think they're both quality players, at this moment our two fittest options up top haven't played much together. And even though this tournament's format is quite forgiving at the group stage, our route to the final would be substantially more difficult if we finished second instead of first in the group (but I have no idea how things would shake out if we advanced in third position).
Ellis is a creature of habit if I had to put money on it I would say most definitely Wambach is a lock..She might have been held out a few times during the WC build up but I'm betting Jill goes back to being Jill.
According to ESPNFC, this year she made the one substitute appearance against Ireland and in 2012 started the first and last games in the Olympics but seems not to have seen regular time with the national team since 2011. She has also made three appearances this year for Chicago (NWSLsoccer.com) but had just five a year ago. Does that sound right? I know she has given birth and battled lupus (and I think a knee injury as well) but I have to wonder at what sort of a role Ellis has planned for her in this tournament given how few minutes she has seen in recent years.
More a knee repair as I understood it-- that is, the knee had been gradually declining, but now it is fixed. Fixes like that usually aren't permanent, but there's no reason for us to think that it won't stand up for the summer and the Olympics; and apparently the docs and trainers feel that way too or she wouldn't have made the team. Certainly in her last appearance she seemed to have more speed than she'd shown in five or six years, and her passing initiating the offense was a sight for sore eyes. Per Ellis her role is as a late defensive sub; I'd be happier if she was at least a second line starter... I think people forget just how great a player she has been.
You are correct, she underwent "exploratory arthroscopic surgery on her right knee on April 30 [2013] to investigate the reasons for swelling and pain she has been experiencing over the past several months" according to this April 29th, 2013 article. What do you mean by "second line starter," exactly? Would you prefer her strictly as a back-up to someone else or as a starter who rotates with other players?
The players you expect to start once or twice to rest the frontline starters. The days of starting the same basic group for a whole tournament are gone-- you are going to start some people for one or two games irrespective of cards or injury, just to rest people. Engen, for example, will surely start at least one game for Sauerbrunn. Lloyd I imagine will start every game assuming no knocks or cards; she's maybe the one player who is horse enough to do play every minute. But I'm not sure the same can be said for Holiday or Kling; maybe Brian or Johnston. I wouldn't regard Abby as a starter at all-- but I'd probably expect to start her against Colombia. Pinoe I'd want to start every game, but hope desperately to sub her at 60 every game-- partly because she's often getting crispy by then, but also because I want to start her every game, so I have to find some other way to rest her. O'Hara I'd guess probably won't get a start at all. Likewise Heath. To carry Boxx strictly to play the last ten minutes of your wins is not really very economical, but that appears to be the plan; and I haven't seen any indication that she's incapable of playing 60 or seventy against a lesser opponent. Heck, I haven't seen any indication that she's incapable of playing 60 or 70 against France. And while people seem to remember her only as slow and a destroyer, she was actually quite fast before the knee started to be iffy, and she is the soccer equivalent of Dennis Rodman-- her main purpose is to get the ball, but she is also quite effective at picking the "side" to start the offense at; her passing wasn't flashy, but her judgment of the shape of the field was excellent.
the more accurate statement: it's been years since anyone saw that Boxx is capable of playing a 60 or 70 minutes. (I agree, not economical.) Starter are as good of a guess for anyone, which is ironic, seeing this is the world cup. Most teams are pretty set on these minor details at this point in the game, days out of the WC. What formation are we now playing....4-4-2?, yet everyone is still compressed in the middle of the field, there is zero wing play and the fullbacks are still the center to our offense. oh, and Cheney is still the deepest midfielder. Thanks, Jill!
If Alex Morgan starts against Australia: Leroux ---- Morgan LloydRapinoe--- Press HollidayKlingenberg - Sauerbrun - Johnston - Krieger Solo so two up top and a diamond midfield If Morgan cannot start, and Wambach will, simply switch Abby for Alex. But if Jill wants Abby as a super sub and Alex does not start, then Leroux ---- Press Rapinoe - Lloyd -- Brian HollidayKlingenberg - Sauerbrun - Johnston - Krieger Solo But regardless of midfield formation... it all depends what the midfield does in actual play i.e. 1. ability to connect passes to the forwards and 2. ability to communicate who goes forward and who stays to support Holliday
When I heard she would miss the final send-off game, I got an uneasy feeling that this knee thing would become a persistent problem through the group stage and possibly longer. However, it looks like she trained with the team yesterday (although her "minutes would be limited to start the World Cup") so maybe that was unfounded pessimism.
Perhaps this is naive but I don't mind our fullbacks providing our width, so long as Holiday and/or the other fullback are smart and give the center backs cover in numbers at the other end of the field. My thinking is: we can keep possession of the ball long enough to push our opponent's wide attacking players back and will generally be quick enough to get into a decent defensive position should we lose the ball in the run of play. I don't mind having a good technical player like Holiday in the center of the park (I think it's critical when we are committed to knocking the ball around from sideline to sideline for longer stretches) but I was a little concerned by how easily Korea was able to counter through the middle on a few occasions in our last friendly. I fear that more athletic teams at the WC will be able to exploit our aggressiveness and finish off counter-attacks.