Diversity is the best policy. If they get Sweden or a similar team in an elimination game and for some reason that team is a direct ball stopper, you subbed Morgan for Morgan. Now, that's creative. All jokes aside, I don't put much on Sermanni switching to a direct game against Canadian and Sydney and Morgan beating an injured 17 yr old outside back after the 70 mins. I'd pay more attention to the Sweden friendly when Pia pushed (forcefully) Morgan off of her runs and to the ground if needed. They will see a tactic like that in the WC, not top teams trying to defend their forwards late in games with teenagers in a 3 back formation without a sweeper.
If the US wins Gold in 2016, I could see Solo hanging up the cleats. That would give the US 2+ years to make sure whomever takes the reigns is ready for the next cup. And if Wambach wins the WC, I could see her possibly stepping down. I think she knows the team will be in good hands with Morgan, Leroux, and Press.
Rampone and Boxx will take a last applause. They will have to run off Wambach or Solo. I'm not sure which one but both will not ride off in the sunset like you think. As long as Solo athleticism is intact, I just dont see her sitting on the curve. Plus where else is she going to pick up an easy million in salary and sponsorships? She's not a sideline and mic natural like Mitts. Top athletes never retire when the time is right, just keep pushing it until someone gets the balls to send them off.
I guess we'll both just see that game differently...... Fact is, she had to put the ball in the back of the net, and she did. And the surroundings were not ideal for her, and she had enough focus to get the job done....... And again, I think Leroux has shown her worth, a goal in the quarters in a major tourney, when you're the youngest player on the team tells me you can get the job done. Morgan and Leroux while similiar are not the same. Leroux is more physical. So if Morgan and Wambach are locked into starters slots, I don't see why Leroux isn't going to get the call when a spark is needed. i.e my comment of 3rd on the depth chart.
Wambach already has the record. Now she just wants the WC where she plays a big role in getting the title. Once that is attained, I see her hanging up the cleats. She's won the Gold before.... Kinda like what I heard today about LeBron not playing in the Championships, and most likely the next Olympics. Why?!? Well he has 2 NBA Championships now (equal to what a WC title would be to Wambach), along with two Golds (Wambach has 2 also). When yo finally get wht you've wanted, your perspective changes. See John Elway. Lost a few SB's, finally won 2 and went off into the sunset. If Wambach finally gets her WC win, she has no reason to keep going. Though Solo might try to hang on for another go. But a think a WC win would also be about enough for her to call it.
What did Morgan say after the Canada game? She said, she was glad Sermanni switched to direct ball, which is her game. They were stuck in the mud until than. If Sweden (example) stops Morgan in the Qtrs or Semis, they will stop Sydney as the #3 coming in off the bench. They will force her off the ball equally well. She plays up top pressure better than Morgan. That's about it. Again, make that sub when the game REALLY matters and watch no change in their course of play, esp if the team matches up with Morgan.
Just a few months ago, against Germany, not only was Leroux the 1st fwd off the bench, she went in for Wambach, and not Morgan. Why, because even though you seem to claim otherwise, Leroux, is alot more physical than you think, and her game is not a carbon copy of Morgans. They are both fast, no doubt, but Leroux has a reputation for playing more aggressive than your avg fwd. And in many of Leroux's sub appereances she's come in for Wambach. Why pair her up with a player (Morgan) she is seemingly identical too?!?
They're the favorites in 2015 and probably 2019, so these situations will probably never arise. Their mid-fielders can score clusters, are better scorers than some forwards on the top 10 teams, so they are really never dead in the water when it comes to forwards scoring.
Some of them do, some of them don't. Mia Hamm and several of the other 99ers left at the right time. Chastain and Scurry didn't.
I haven't watched her too closely, but is Tymrak considered a winger on KC? She almost always seems to be in a central position alongside Cheney/Holiday. It will be interesting to see where she will fit in the USWNT system.
In the the KC 4-2-3-1 Holiday plays CAM but Tymrak ends up in the middle a lot but how they line up is only important in graphics before the game. If u put Tymrak in the current set-up the USWNT is using (4-1-2-1-2) Tymrak would be one of the two midfielders tucked in behind the forwards and Holiday is basically a withdrawn third forward.
I am surprise not too many people mention Leigh Ann Robinson. I think she is the best fullback in the NWSL, fully deserved to be called into the USWNT.
She has a great season so far. Dominated both Rapinoe and Heather O'Reilly, offensively and defensively, in the most two recent matches. Anyone knows how she did in the WPS? Maybe she is a late bloomer?
She was always solid defensively and got forward well but never had the kind of offensive production she is currently having.
To my eyes she was the Shannon Boxx of the WPS-- no player gained more game through the league's existance... I'm not plugging her for the Nats, but at the beginning of her WPS career that would have been a "what are you smoking" idea, and now it is not.
The top 3 r pretty set and if ur looking down the road the Mewis project is better in the long run. But if u had an injury problem. Robinson would be a good experienced short term solution.
Right now, Robinson is better than Mewis. On Wednesday, Robinson completely shut down O'Reilly, turned the corner on offense and got mulitple crosses into the box. Mewis has a good left-footed corner service in, and an okay mid-range lob service into the final 3rd. But she needs to work on facing up the RB and beating them to the outside and in; I haven't seen it. It would also be great to see some give and go passing with Tymrak or Holiday up the left side. Having Mewis and Robinson press up the sides is why the 4-2-3-1 could be so awesome.
I thought Freels (sp?) looked like the real deal yesterday against Washington . . . the kind of creator behind the strikers that could be an interesting change up to Carli Lloyd.
2013 NWSL Awards - Announcement Schedule: Monday, Aug. 19: Golden Boot (#NWSLGB) Tuesday, Aug. 20: Rookie of the Year (#NWSLROY) Wednesday, Aug: 21: Goalkeeper of the Year (#NWSLGOY) Thursday, Aug. 22: Defender of the Year (#NWSLDOY) Monday, Aug. 26: Coach of the Year (#NWSLCOY) Tuesday, Aug. 27: MVP (#NWSLMVP) Wednesday, Aug. 28: Best XI (#NWSLBestXI) Would you think I was biased if almost all of my votes were for FCKC players? Holiday, Tymrak, Franch, Sauerbrunn, Andonoski, Rapinoe, FCKC.
Me thinks the call up for the match against Mexico could be a bit unusual Forwards - Wambach, Leroux, ???,??? Midfielders - Holiday, Lloyd, O'Reilly, Averbuch, Johnston, ???, ???, ??? Defenders - Rampone, Buehler, Sauerbrunn, Mewis, Dunn, ???, ??? Goalkeepers - Solo, Barnhart, Loyden Forwards...No guarantee Morgan is ready to play and prolly not worth the risk. Press has a game the same day for Tyreso. Possible NWSL replacement r Henderson, Foxhoven, Ochs - Hagen - college - Hayes, Ohai, Marlborough Midfield ... no idea what Heath and Rapinoe r doing or when they r doing it but I would guess they both stay for Mexico. Boxx ... no idea when she is ready .... Not sure he puts Brian as a regular call up even tho she impressed. NWSL call ups ... Tymrak with Freels or Zerboni an outside possibility. Maybe Winters get another look as well. Defender ... Engen has a Liverpool game on Sept 4 ... Klingenberg has a Tyreso game and maybe Krieger does too if she leaves after Washington's last game. NWSL help from Leigh Ann Robinson with Barnes, Williamson and Doughety as outside possibilities. Goalkeeper ... if a GK gets a look it's Franch.