How Did The Newbies Do?

Heath: I thought she was very composed at left back. Can't remember her getting beat once. For all the (legitimate) talk of her attacking capabilities, if anything I though she was a little conservative attack-wise, choosing to make short passes to open midfielders rather than take on and advance it herself. Not that there's anything wrong with that, because simple is often better. I was just surprised to see it after watching her tear up the flanks in college. Maybe she was just wanting to play it safe and steady for her first impression. Although I missed the China game, I saw that she also scored when played up front (only for it to be dubiously called back). Future possibility (?): have Tobin play left wide midfielder, as HAO is doing on the right, and have them switch several times during the game to give opposing defenders different looks. As well was Heather played, she uses the same "speed burst to the endline" move a lot, and I wonder if the top team's left back's would come to anticipate it. A great addition.

Sauerbrunn: liked her game; pretty good speed and hardnosed defense. Playing with the broken nose was a testmant to her toughness. It recalled memories of back when Kate always had something broken on her face and would wear those scary masks!

Krieger: Didn't impress quite as much as Sauerbrunn. Her distribution out of the back could use some work; it seemed like many her passes were either awkward, or too slow, or too "bumpy". But I remember when Tina Ellertson was a new player and didn't look like she even belonged in a national team uniform, and then improved dramatically. Every coach has their own "experiments". So I say keep her for now, and see what happens.

Woznuk: Not very visible or active, but made the right decisions when she did receive the ball. Her slightness still seems like it might be a problem. Would the Brazilians, Nigerians, Germany's be too physical for her?

DiMartino: Another little player, but I loved her game. Nice, quick touches to escape pressure, beautiful assist to Cheney, didn't seem in awe of her first US experience at all. A keeper.

A-Rod: The next Milbrett? I wonder what the US attack would look like, just for kicks, without a tall, target forward and instead two or three players like Rodriguez. It's hard to say, as I can't remember a tournament (outside of the 2000 Olympics with Mia and Milbrett) when the US played without a target player up front. I wonder if it hinders the speedier players games to not have another similar style up there with them, or if they enjoy running off the bigger players? She has definite promise. Whoever said Natasha Kai should be a little nervous is right.

Cheney: Only saw her in the Finland game, and actually thought she did a better job with her back to pressure than Abby did. A little plodding, but did well laying balls off supporting players and of course she is an excellent finisher.

It'll be interesting to see if the first wave of youngsters from the December mini-camp are called back, or if Pia will stick to this bunch. Any others you would like to see?

Making the Olympic roster, I think, will be very competetive this time around.