Tokyo Olympics: USWNT vs Sweden, July 21, pre/pbp/post

Discussion in 'USA Women: News and Analysis' started by lil_one, Jul 17, 2021.

  1. Number007

    Number007 Member+

    Santos FC
    Brazil
    Aug 29, 2018
    Dont think we disagree on some of what she is good at. If you are saying she is a great passer, then lets agree to disagree. She fits a transition based team very well. I asked what Howell is good at. The answer seems to be making USSF teams.
     
  2. Essex

    Essex Member

    Jul 5, 2011
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    Nat'l Team:
    England
    There is a difference between dancing out of joy because you beat the heavy favourites and celebrating like you've won the world cup when you've beaten Thailand.

    He's a whole different category. There are Amercians. There are Swedes. And then there is Zlatan.
     
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  3. FanOfFutbol

    FanOfFutbol Member+

    The Mickey Mouse Club or The breakfast Club
    May 4, 2002
    Limbo
    Nat'l Team:
    --other--
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  4. hocbz

    hocbz Member

    Feb 15, 2016
    maybe. She’s still raw and inexperienced so I get not taking the gamble. I think she has to work on her physical strength if she wants to play cf on this team.
     
  5. West Ender

    West Ender Member

    Dec 28, 2020
    Southwest
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    #430 West Ender, Jul 22, 2021
    Last edited: Jul 22, 2021
    That sounds like a Zlatan saying.

    Winning breeds confidence or is it confidence breeds winning?
    It's like the 'chicken or egg first' conundrum.

    In any case, there is a fine line between exuding confidence and having an ego / being cocky.
    I can stomach the "perceived" cockiness that comes with the trophies and medals.
     
  6. kolabear

    kolabear Member+

    Nov 10, 2006
    los angeles
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    That is one pretty worthless article by Simon Borg.

    "Head-scratching substitutions" — taking out Sam Mewis instead of Lindsey Horan for Julie Ertz. Did Sam Mewis do anything in the 1st half? "No, but she might in the 2nd half" is what Borg says. Guess what, so might Horan. Horan, Mewis (Sam), Lavelle — all 3 of them are stars in the midfield for us. We can argue over which one we would use when, but it isn't "head-scratching" if Vlatko picks one when some of would pick another. It's just fan talk. As @TimB4Last sums up the BigSoccer experience: "Play this guy! Play that guy!"

    "US should play more top 5 teams in friendlies" — yeah as fans we always want to see the marquee match-ups but the US hasn't been bad in this regard, especially since they realized they can make money and keep up fan interest by bringing in good teams for the She Believes Cup.

    First, besides the US there are only 4 other teams in the Top 5. Second, we've played, not two, but three of them since the World Cup. 3 out of 4.

    Third, what's with the cutoff at 5 teams except to make the number seem distressingly small? Since the World Cup, the US has played top 10 teams eight times, plus 2 games against teams just outside the top 10 (Spain and Japan)

    How often do even men's teams play top 10 teams within 2 years, let alone 2 years where nobody played anybody for about 8 months due to a pandemic?

    What a garbage article
     
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  7. JanBalk

    JanBalk Member+

    Jun 9, 2004
    Not so much since they discovered it works just fine without actual top teams.
    2021 She Believes Cup:
    Argentina
    Canada
    Brazil
     
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  8. Dfwsoccer01

    Dfwsoccer01 Member

    Jun 23, 2014
    Club:
    FC Dallas
    If the US continues to not play well in this tournament, I think it signals the end of US Women dominance in soccer. With the growth of women’s soccer and major men’s clubs forming women’s clubs, we may be starting to see a leveling out. Or, this is all just a knee jerk reaction because of 1 loss in 44 attempts……..
     
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  9. Dfwsoccer01

    Dfwsoccer01 Member

    Jun 23, 2014
    Club:
    FC Dallas
    Alex doesn’t score goals. She’s been on a downward trajectory for a LONG TIME. She’s on this team for one purpose - her marketability.

    Same for Rapinoe. Is someone seriously going to tell me that none of our young girls have more capability than Rapinoe (who my grandmother is probably faster than and could beat 1 v 1). Again, she’s on this roster for one purpose……
     
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  10. Dfwsoccer01

    Dfwsoccer01 Member

    Jun 23, 2014
    Club:
    FC Dallas

    Haven’t we all learned that US Women’s Soccer team does what they want. It really doesn’t matter who the coach is or what they say, the players (collectively or a select few) seem to manage this team. It’s been like that for a while. If they continue to lose, Vlatko will be blamed, US fans will want his head, but the reality is it’s many of the players that should be blamed and removed from the team…. Too much old blood on this squad. Time for new blood, and ones that are willing to obey coaches and play their roles.
     
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  11. hotjam2

    hotjam2 Member+

    Nov 23, 2012
    Club:
    Real Madrid
    I notice the thing missing whether it’s Vlatko, his staff, or even most of our forum posters is the lack of scouting or interest on just how good or dangerous the Swedish players are/as well figure out their strength & weaknesses.
    Instead(as you mentioned) it’s more like ‘we didn’t play our game’ or ‘we should of started Ertz or Lloyd’ ‘ ‘ya, that would of made an difference’
    The USWNT barely changes 1 or 2 of it’s starting lineup game after game with players that been for hundreds of matches together. They know each other inside out.
    The big mistake here was NOT trying to figure out Sweden.
     
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  12. Number007

    Number007 Member+

    Santos FC
    Brazil
    Aug 29, 2018
    the belief is that IF the US play their game, no one can hang with them. Most of the data on US players comes from International matches. Fans tend to ignore data points from any other source and assume that because the USA is winning international friendlies, they are miles better than anyone else. The media is far from objective. Take Lavelle at City. The narrative went from "she is going to dominate the league as she is the best CAM in the world" to " City are dumb for ot playing her much" os " She is injured". No one seems to accept that she can be a great player but others may be just as good or, heaven forbid, better in certain situations.

    When you data points are once every 2/4 years, players can get old, fast. The USA can still win gold, but to do it, they will need to check the arrogance that people call confidence and play as a team instead of 11 individuals. They will have to stop trying to be the "hero" and focus on playing and embracing their role, whatever that be impact sub or starter.

    The staff DEFINITELY spend huge amounts of time scouting every opponent. They certainly tried to figure out Sweden, but sometimes, the opponent is just better on the day. Historically, the USA have not faced that much. Its time to show the world the value of all that "experience". The fear would be a win in the next game allows the arrogance to creep back in.
     
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  13. taosjohn

    taosjohn Member+

    Dec 23, 2004
    taos,nm
    You do remember that those were not the pre-Covid schedule, don't you? A couple of teams pulled out/shut down...
     
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  14. JanBalk

    JanBalk Member+

    Jun 9, 2004
    Yes, but the slow downgrading of the opponents has been going one since the contract with the original three expired. Every time a team is replaced, it is with a team slightly less good, the Covid pullout just speeded up that process a couple of years.

    Until 2018 it was France, England and Germany. Hard to argue about those.

    2019 Japan, England, Brazil: keep the weakest of the first three and added two a bit below them.

    2020 Japan, England, Spain: It can be argued that in 2020 Spain isn't weaker than Brazil of that year, but it is hard to argue that they where stronger.

    2021 IIRC the original should have been Japan, Brazil, Norway: Again replacing England with Norway is a tier down, and replacing Spain with Brazil may be an improvement or not but is at least not a weakening.
    But look at it from the other way Brazil is weaker than England and Norway than Spain so again a slightly less hard group of opponents.

    Having to replace Norway with Canada and in the last minutes Japan with Argentina did make thing worse, but only speeded up the process to get more easily beat opponents. I guess they must be cheaper or US losing is bad for the gate or something.
     
  15. hocbz

    hocbz Member

    Feb 15, 2016
    #440 hocbz, Jul 23, 2021
    Last edited: Jul 23, 2021
    I wouldn't say she doesn't score goals because she definitely does still score goals, but her effectiveness against good teams has definitely been declining and carli just adds more when she's not scoring imo. I would try Press centrally after the olympics since there is more up and coming talent out wide.

    What you say about marketability is true though. I was met with a life size alex morgan cutout when I went into the grocery store yesterday, something she probably shot for team usa before she even got pregnant. She was always going to have a spot on this team regardless of her form, no one can tell me otherwise. They would have brought her 2 months after she gave birth. It seems like Vlatko is already wanting to move on from her among others, but his hands are tied when it comes to certain players. Yanking her at halftime even though she wasn't the biggest problem was definitely a statement.
     
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  16. taosjohn

    taosjohn Member+

    Dec 23, 2004
    taos,nm
    Or something.

    If you think real real hard, you might figure out why in a World Cup year the quality would normally go down; and IIRC the original schedule for rhis year did not "replace England with Norway." It is not the case that we can just call teams up and tell them to show up; they have their own hopes and their own problems, and don't always want to serve our convenience.

    There is constant whining around here about who we schedule and when, and it is really puzzling to me, as it assumes that anyone we "need" to play is equally driven to play us when and where we want them to, ready or not.
     
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  17. Number007

    Number007 Member+

    Santos FC
    Brazil
    Aug 29, 2018
    As investment increases in the major soccer nations, the need to come to the USA for a payday will diminish. It will be replaced by a desire for the better teams to only come IF it benefits them in their build to major championships. The federations that need the money will continue to come. The quality of said teams will vary immensely. Brazil post Marta, Formiga et al will not be a big draw imo. The USA are still the preeminent soccer power for women, but they can no longer call all the shots .his is why League play has to become more of a factor and why salaries need to go up a lot to motivte the best talent to play here
     
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  18. FanOfFutbol

    FanOfFutbol Member+

    The Mickey Mouse Club or The breakfast Club
    May 4, 2002
    Limbo
    Nat'l Team:
    --other--
    A statement? Maybe. but a statement of what?
    To me it seemed that it was a statement of the coach that he really had no clue and so was making guesses as to how to fix the problem.
    "I don't know what to do so I will try to fix the midfield problem by replacing one of the forwards. Wow, what a great choice."
    This coach seems little more knowledgeable about real time events than many characters on various sitcoms. That is he seems like the Barney Fife of US women's soccer. "
     
  19. fire123

    fire123 Member+

    Jul 31, 2009
    That's a bit much. Sharing time between Lloyd and Morgan, to me is a good idea, no matter what. Just because you need to fix problem somewhere else does not mean you can't take care the situation up front.
    Vlatko did try to fix the problem at midfield with personel change and tactical change. You are not telling he didn't?
    You also end with the Barney Fife's insult. Fine, but if you can dish it out, dont cry when people laugh at you either.
     
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  20. TrueCrew

    TrueCrew Member+

    Dec 22, 2003
    Columbus, OH
    Club:
    Columbus Crew
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    We loked better (for a bit) after the subs. Ertz puts the rest of the MF in their correct spots (pick 2 of Rose, Sam, Horan). Carli was better than Morgan, who was a complete non-factor. Pinoe actually created some good stuff down the left.

    There was nothing head scratching or clueless about the subs. Most players were poor or made big gaffes or both (Dunn, Lavelle, Morgan). And not only the 30+ players. Sweden kicked our butts.

    Injuries. Age. Fitness. And players reading press clippings on how awesome they are. The only other longer win streak ended with Brazil kicking our butt worse. At least this happened in group. Let's see how (if) we recover.
     
  21. CookieRules

    CookieRules Member

    N/a
    United States
    Jul 1, 2021
    Obey coaches?or just obey vlatko? Idk why so many of you are up this mans rear end. He has no major tournament experience at all prior to taking this job and in his first game in his first major tournament he "coached" this team to one of their worsts loses ever.
    If this was Jill Ellis you would be blaming her. But since its Vlatko whos appareantly the greatest coach in the history of ever people blame the aging players. If some of you wasnt so blind you would see the problem against Sweden was the midfield who are in their prime age and vlatkos ridiculous tactic of having our defenders play forward and our forwards defending.
     
  22. JanBalk

    JanBalk Member+

    Jun 9, 2004
    You could have been more graceful when you conceded that US do not actually play top teams in She Believes Cup anymore.

    I have no opinion in the question if USWNT plays enough top teams, and even less in who to blame if they do not. But I have an interest in the truth and that US plays top teams in the She Believes Cup isn’t one anymore. You was quick to jump in to defend the position that they do, until you found it impossible and shifted to why it isn’t US Soccer fault that USWNT do not something I couldn't care less about.
     
  23. McSkillz

    McSkillz Member+

    ANGEL CITY FC, UCLA BRUINS
    United States
    Nov 22, 2014
    Los Angeles
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I don't know about anyone else I'm definitely getting like 2003-2009 Germany like vibes from Sweden in the sense of playing like a well oiled organized machine. They were absolutely flawless and that with the combination of us playing like poo poo made that result really shine.
     
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  24. CookieRules

    CookieRules Member

    N/a
    United States
    Jul 1, 2021
    Wish we went back to Algarve or send the u23 team.
     
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  25. McSkillz

    McSkillz Member+

    ANGEL CITY FC, UCLA BRUINS
    United States
    Nov 22, 2014
    Los Angeles
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    It would be nice if we were able to get to the Gold Medal match and have a rematch against Sweden. I feel like if we can't defeat Sweden, we don't deserve any medal.
     
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