Despite not learning anything from a match like this ... I think we've learned: Brian fits at this level. Sharp passing, good distribution, hard running, looks aggressive. Press > Wambach She moves so much more freely ... The through-balls actually do work. Argentina's defense is co(s)mically bad in not tracking overlaps, but we actually are sending Chalupny / Sauerbrunn / Press into box for through-balls, and making the passes in rhythm. We should be able to execute that until a defense stops it.
46' 5-0 USA subs in: - (1 of 4) #9 Heather Al'Ready for #16 Lori Chalupny. The Brasilian TV crew confer honorary Brasilian status: they give her name as "Lori" - (2 of 4) #15 Megan Rapinoe for LF #17 Tobin Heath. 47' 6-0 Rapinoe dribbles to 5m box left, reverses to 10m going away. Hooks a cross over left shoulder, bends to 4m center -- everybody misses. Ball drifts to 0.5m mid-right, O'Reilly punts it high back into box. Ball drops to Lloyd softly marked at 9m 6-right. Roundhouse full-volley down into grass, across mouth through traffic, into back left low.
I'm not able to watch the game. How is Lori Chalupny doing at LB? I know she just started back with the USWNT but do you guys feel she has a legit shot at getting the starting LB job for the WWC or at least making the team for the WWC? I'm certainly pulling for her.
49' 6-0 ARG counter 2-v-2 to box top arc left, through-ball actually beats us and sends 1-v-0 through box top to 7m 6-left. Naeher charges out, sprawls, slaps ball off attacker's thighs and over endline. Won that race with the lunge at the tape
Chalupny is doing well but on a side note, she missed an extremely easy sitter right in front of goal.
We've also learned passing more than 2 or 3 times is usually followed by a giveaway. Luckily, against a minnow like Argentina, the US wins possession back quickly…to give it away, to win it back….
At LB, she's kind of invisible. At LF, she's too much for the RB to handle, combining on runs and passes and sending in crosses
Seeing as she's a defender that isn't my biggest worry. Unlike Wambach's multiple sitters she has missed.
53' 6-0 Holiday dumps from arc top centerline to box left foot. Rapinoe jogs, then realizes the CB is pretty slow, accelerates to challenge. CB slide-hooks ball into touch. 54' 6-0 USA hoof down box right, too far for O'Reilly. 54' 6-0 Rapinoe steals at midfield wide left. Lloyd flicks at 33m arc left, #18 sets a moving screen and back-checks her down. 55' 6-0 USA fk, Holiday sends it into box. Shot floats to 5m 1/5 left, GK steps up and catches high.
57' 6-0 USA fk at 33m box left, to Press two steps offside at 6m right post. Header wide left, sheepish smile. 58' 6-0 Argentina subs in (1 of 4) #10 for #14.
60' 6-0 USA bounce a pass to Wambach somehow behind the high CBs at 23m arc right. Wambach dribbles to 15m right post as GK comes out to 9m -- shot blocked, trickles toward goalline. Defender chases to 2m and blasts it sideways. 62' 6-0 Rapinoe at 13m box right, short pass to Press cutting diagonally. Press continues to 8m box right, backpass to Rapinoe. 2nd cross to 9m right post, ARG heads it out.