As I feared, people have already forgot how BAD we looked for the first 1/2 of the game. We were totally outplayed, we had little attack and our defense was disorganized. That is the brilliance of our current coach. Things changed in the second half but the real change came with Heath entering the game. All of a sudden we were holding the ball, creating an attack and the game turned around. Jill's "brilliance" started a toothless Wambach against a speed team. What did she think Abby would do? What she did was miss 1.5 clear chances and basically got in the way the rest of the time. We pulled the Aussie game out of the dumpster. Aussie could win their next two. I think theyre better than Sweden and Nigeria. They could go far in this tournament. Ive seen a lot of games and they are more scarey than anybody than Germany and that was hard to evaluate as it was a Lions vs Christians game
All this hate on Abby.... remember guys yes she did miss two fairly "easy" goals. But was our problem in the Australia game inadequate number of goals? No, our problem was giving away the ball in the midfield a lot, and poor defending on occasion. How in the world you all manage to pin these onto Wambach astounds me. Wambach, even with a poor game, *drew Australian attention to her* and away from other attackers on the USWNT... that is in and of itself a valuable service. Abby also was fairly decent with the possession and passing in the 2nd half once we went up 3-1. Stop bashing Abby just because it's trendy guys
Better question is has Lloyd ever played up top? Even last year during the 4-3-3 experiment, I don't remember her playing in the front line. Press and Syd are not at all the same type of forward. Syd is one to use her speed and get behind the defense and race onto a ball or use her strength to hold defenders off a ball and get the shot off. I love her, but her first touch (or lack thereof) can sometimes drive us crazy. Press, however, usually is not one to run behind the defense; instead she is one to run at a defense and create her own shot. Its not that its trendy; its been commonly accepted in the Internet woso community for the past couple of years that Wambach is better as a sub. Actually some posters here (not me) would rather not see her in a single game. I think she still offers a lot as a sub (she does help on corners and she does draw attention; she is also a clutch player who doesn't mind taking the team on her back), but she's lost her speed, and helped only slightly in possession in the game v Australia. In fact, she missed multiple headers in midfield from flighted balls. In years past, she was the one who flicked those balls past the defense for Morgan or Leroux to run onto or held the ball up for the midfield. She did not do that this time around. The thing was that that was not a "bad game" from Abby; its become more and more typical (and I'm saying that as a fan of hers). Her goal production has dropped significantly in the past couple of years; true, she still scores many goals, but not at the rate she used to. Moreover, Abby in the game changes the way the US plays; they resort to many more long balls when she's on the pitch. If she's no longer able to get to the end of those long balls, then we're just giving away possession more often than not when she's out there.
She *has* been used as a sub though lol... like many times lately. And she *has* been scoring, again many times lately... so I just don't get it. She has one off match that's it. If she scores against Sweden will people get off her back? Of course not. What can she even do to prove them wrong? Anything?
I personally have no problem seeing her as a sub, and yes, she's been a sub on half the games the US has played this year (started the other half; also started in only half the games in 2014). Prior to the WWC, I predicted she'd start one group game and probably sub in on the other two. Yes, she has been scoring goals, but not at the rate she used to,and not nearly at the same rate against top competition. However, I'll say it again...the bolded part is the problem. Her game and fitness has been on a long, slow decline the last couple of years, and while she still has much to offer, you never know when the bottom might drop out, a la Prinz in 2011. Because she doesn't have her speed as much and because of the turf, etc., she needs to save her legs in this tournament, so that she can be used most effectively in the later rounds. For that reason, I don't want to see her starting all the group games, and I certainly don't think she needs to be going 90 in all of them. That being said, if she's going to start in another group game, I'd MUCH rather see her start against Sweden then against the speed of Nigeria.
I agree completely she shouldn't be playing all 90 minutes of every match. I think she probably understands that also.
I appreciate your voice of reason very much, especially since I feel like many people who barely watched USWNT players play for the last few years decided to come out now with their opinions just for WWC time. We know how Wambach stats or USWNT stats when she's not one the field looked like lately: I agree that she can be a good sub though. This probably applies to some forum users here too and it makes me sad. US football culture very different to that in Europe. Spoke to a number of fans in Winnipeg, no interest in @nwsl at all, but love #USWNT.— Kieran Theivamanoharan (@KiersTheivam) June 10, 2015
She thought that Wambach would score. Wambach had an off day. Regardless, she had 2 chances nonetheless. Two chances are better than no chances. Maybe by game 3, she will bring her A-game. Regardless, this is her last world cup. For better or for worse, enjoy her while you can.
(1) Carli Lloyd is not a centre forward. (2) Not being muscled off the ball is great, but finishing from close range as opposed to skying 3 or 4 balls over the crossbar for every on that is on frame is better. (3) Now is not the time to experiment in any event. She's better suited in a midfield role where she can blast balls toward goal from 15+ yards out.
Do we have a good enough #6 to start the game? For me, I'd start Heath and sit one of Abby or Leroux. Win the midfield battle, we win this war.
Obviously Tobin Heath should be playing all 90. Tobin and Rapinoe are our best players besides Solo of late. The stats about goals scored with Wambach on or off might be misleading, it can depend on other factors as well. Noone is disputing Wambach has some weaknesses at this point her career or that she may be "rusty" from not playing in the NWSL (but she has been playing in USWNT games and obviously has been training and practicing a lot). I doubt any Wambach fan disagrees she shouldn't be playing full 90 minutes. But a lot of commenters are just ripping her and it's ugly and uncalled for
Just adding my two cents here: 1) The most consistent and best player in the last 3 years for the NT has been Carli Lloyd. Not Heath. Not Rapinoe. People have stuck on the narrative that she just blasts the ball 3 or 4 times over the bar every game but that hasn't been true for a long time now. 2) Wambach herself has admitted that while her teammates where playing in the NWSL, she was playing golf. I'm not an Abby hater but that right there is not good at all. She should be a 70 minute sub from here on out. If pushed, I'd say start her against Nigeria purely because their defense has no aerial ability whatsoever. Don't start her against Sweden because Fischer will eat her alive. Again.
Boxx seems to be our best option, but there are questions of how long she can go at this point in her career. We talked about this a bit in the lead up to the Australia game (and I'm sure much has been written on this subject elsewhere on BS) and the consensus seems to be that she is a late game sub to lock down points in the bag.
Australia simply got tired, very tired!... when you go to the well time after time and come up empty thanks to Solo it does take a toll. I believe the subbing by Jill is a little over blown as the Aussies were just about spent anyway. the last goal Rapinoe scored was for me evidence... I've never seen anyone go so leisurely down a sideline so un challenged in a WC game.
Seems like Lloyd could be a decent Dmid from a physique and ability standpoint, but maybe that takes her out of her best role.
She used to play there and did well (remember 2012 Olympics? she was playing as DM after Boxx's injury). Just a couple of years ago the CMs were the same, but the norm was Holiday AM and Lloyd DM. The problem was that Lloyd liked to get forward and was not always disciplined in getting back to shield the backline. She can definitely do it, but she does even better as a box-to-box with freedom to roam. IIRC, the switch between Holiday and Lloyd was during the 4-3-3 experiment last year when Ellis discovered that she liked Holiday in the holding position. After the 4-3-3 experiment ended, the conversion of Holiday to holding mid carried over.
I don't think she should be a featured player at all. I think she needs to be put in bubble wrap and preserved for when things get hairy and we need a goal due to a close 0-0 or 1-1 game. This will happen in the knockouts. It is useless to have her out there and forcing the offense to her head in group. We didn't need her to beat Australia. Press should've started up top with Tobin in the midfield. When Morgan is in final form in a week or so, she can sub in for Leroux at minute 60-70 or slide leroux back to a wide mid position, send rapinoe to the bench and bring in Arod up top. I don't think you should ever start Morgan in this event. She is a speed merchant and clinical finisher but doesn't offer much else so save it for when it matters and keep her healthy, NIKE and ESPN be damned. Abby and Morgan should be used as special weapons when needed, not the bread and butter of this attacking corps.
This is true, and she did a pretty decent job in the dmid role - albeit she usually was on the verge of numerous yellows each game. As someone stated above - Lloyd is not a center forward. And as we all know, she's not a 10 and she's not a winger. She's a midfielder with out a home and while she has been more consistent the last couple years, her lack of true position has been a frustrating 9 year experience. If you look at her Club play for the last 7 years, you will find nothing to write home about or get that excited about. She's been solid but nothing exceptional. I find myself asking... Does Lloyd improve the National team or does the National team lift her? I'm thankful for her big game shots and some beautiful moments, but I'm excited for a future midfield with out her.
I'm not even going to pretend I can carry your jock here. I'm a guilty as charged, once every 4 fan. I catch the occasional friendly and NWSL game, but not avidly.