I don't think it's that teams are traditionally Asian or Brazilian or anything like that. The thing the US struggles to compete with is a team that holds the ball well. That game against North Korea in 2007 highlighted the US' over reliance on long balls. When games are close, the team often panics and sends endless streams of long balls into the opponent's end, bypassing the midfield. Long ball isn't an awful tactic when used appropriately; I think teams should vary their game and be creative. They should mix quick one and two touch play with incisive (accurate) long passes when the game presents it. The problem with the US is they don't keep the ball. Their long balls aren't always accurate and, when they lose the ball to teams like Brazil, Japan, or even France, they have to absorb a lot of pressure and fight harder to win it back only to play another aimless long pass. Greg Ryan loved long ball. He had Abby in her younger years. The team still hasn't outgrown that mentality, unfortunately, when things don't immediately go the US' way. (At least we know now, thanks to Abby's recent interview, that the players are indeed too afraid to play short passes.) In the 2008 U20 World Cup, the US beat North Korea in the final. That US team out possessed the NK team by playing the ball to feet. I remember being pleasantly surprised when I watched it. Tony isn't perfect, but he's brilliant compared to any other US coach since his departure. Similarly, the 2011 World Cup final was, I thought, one of the best games the US team played in recent years. They didn't win (ugh), but they owned Japan for long periods of that game. Tonight's game just highlighted the same old problem for me. The defense passes it around the back, they can't decide what to do (and for some reason holding the ball and waiting is NEVER an option), so they hopefully hoof it up the field. I also think Holiday has been woefully bad as a Dmid, which is not entirely her fault. Someone keeps asking her to play there. Like someone said earlier, I'd bench her if she's going to be a liability to the backline.
Hard to believe WNT would mail it in just 10 days before the biggest tournament of their lives. To put on such a poor performance in front of 26,000 fans and a national tv audience against the likes of South Korea signals big trouble ahead. Agree. Steps to make the change away from the Wambach mentality started with Sermanti, but that was blown up in a hurry. We have three really talented, young forwards in Morgan, Press, and Leroux. They should have been getting equal starts and minutes in a 4-4-2 a year and a half ago. Wambach at most is a sub. I would not be sorry to see her go. Now the team almost has a split personality between trying to possess and hold the ball and meeting Wambachs demand for the long ball to land on her head or at her feet.
Well the real games begin next week.... assuming we are all supporters of the USWNT must try to let a big sigh out regarding this game and focus our attention on these first three games. As much as we complain about wanting Dunn or not wanting Wambach on the roster doesn't matter at this point. The freaking Women's World Cup is like next week and now we just have to work with who we have. Whether that's going to be good enough to make it to the end is unknown right now. We can only speculate how it's going to go but since this tournament comes around once every 4 hours, I want to be hopeful that despite these flaws, we somehow make it through each game. We aren't any worst than we were 4 years ago right?
Sounds good but I dont give Jill Ellis any credit at all and doing that would require a certain level of competence. Look at the actual game though. If you look at the lineup, how did she hide her hand? That was her starting lineup .... or very close to it so I don't buy your argument. Most alarming to me is that Ellis does not seem to be able to make adjustments during the game. S. Korea lines up with 6 defenders. That should have told her that long balls over the top or crosses into Abby weren't going wot work. Did she adjust? nope. That is the most alarming part. Still, if Sydney was a better finisher, we could have won. Abby was useless for 60 minutes
but just sayin.......in their friendlies, the usually strong French limped to 2-1 win over Russia(yep the same Russia we beat 6-0 & 7-0 and Germany beat in qualifiers 9-0 & 4-1) then they beat the Kim Little less Scotland. Both those teams didn't make the WC, so they weren't exactly in the best shape. there's no reason why we got to slaughter every opponent we meet or even beat them. Remember, last time around we got into the finals even though we lost a group game. Maybe Ellis didn't practice them for this game to show them a lesson? Besides instead of Pinoe, we did play Morgan(I stole the trophy from Dagny) Brian!
perhaps your right, Dump them all, about time to bring on the B team gk; your pick Robinson..............Taylor...............Kallmann............Winters Ohaj....................K. Mewis............Long...................Mahar ....................Dunn......................................Huerta or how about the BUNDI BABES?(named sine they put their stint in over there) (need fillers here) Singer..............................Cross......................Lewandowski ....................Brooks...........................Tymrak Mcdonald..............Stengel...............................Hagen
It was 7-0 and 8-0, actually. Then we face-planted at the Algarve Cup, where our opponents actually started fighting back again.
Wambach is going to cost us the World Cup. It's like if England's men's team picked Emile Heskey! I'm completely aware of what she's done in the past, but this isn't 2010, she's slower now, can't jump as high, isn't as strong, and the other teams are much more competent now.
"When games are close, the team often panics and sends endless streams of long balls into the opponent's end, bypassing the midfield. Long ball isn't an awful tactic when used appropriately" You can play long ball that can also be a possession game, but you have to have a plan to make it work. You can turn longer passes to higher percentage passes. Pass into space and not try to beat a defender who is on you. Long option play the ball to his back support players then go from there. There should always be two back pass options for the receiver and not one. Their support distance should be 5 yards further back then the would be short passing meaning about 12 yards back. On defense defend the dribbler closes pass option. I said Bradley was in no mans land against the Germans in the WC. I heard Lalas say the same thing about Bradley before the Beligum game. You can prevent that by staying with the dribblers back pass option. Long pass from a right back to the left wing mid can be high percentage if you have the leg to get the ball their. It is also a good way to get a counter attack started after the back wins the ball. ------ This is how good teams stop wing play. One defender in front of the dribbler another defender behind the dribbler and a third defender inside the field so the dribbler can not dribble inside the field or pass to a close pass option inside the field.
This team played possession ALOT better than many have credited them for, under Sermanni. What I don't understand is many of the same players that did it under him, are still playing, and still starting.... So what happened to ball control. Seriously?!?
Here's what I don't get and maybe because I'm not a soccer player. Why is it so hard for the US to simply pass the ball to one another and keep it under their possession? I believe these women are good enough to pass the ball to one another in a pressure situation, I mean don't they practice that? If a team like Korea Republic bunkers down, how does the opposing team score a goal? Do they have to try and get set pieces or corners to make it happen? AS much as it pains them, they should rematch the WWC final. Somehow they played a great game against a very good Japan. Even though there aren't any technical teams in our group, we will more than likely face one or two during the knockout stages.
The US is dealing with(or not) a superstar on the decline. It is also speaks to me that the player has too much leverage. A player who should have faded out awhile ago is still there because the leaders of the program do not want to make a hard decision.
Despite the performance against South Korea, the team is still happy. Are you? https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=14&v=8sFg5yYFIV0
ESPNW article on the match, including player ratings (which, if anything, were a bit kind to a few players): http://espn.go.com/espnw/news-comme...nal-team-underwhelms-final-friendly-world-cup
When we tied S Korea, it was because we want to hide our hands. When we beat Russia 8-0 it was because ... why? Maybe because we hate the Commies ?
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...conclusions-from-uswnts-draw-with-south-korea So...this match meant nothing?
I think the forwards require better support and integration with the mids. Only Lloyd and Rapino are effective on that. Other mids just passed the ball directly to the forwards hoping they can create chances for themselves. A better integration between forwards and mids who should be tasked with creating scoring chances is required. At the moment, we have to rely on the outside backs to carry the ball to the opponent's side to give to the forwards. Long balls are not effective as the opponents have enough time to intercept. Something needs to be done to develop short passing to penetrate the opponent's defense. Hope the team will improve enough to give us a good show in the World Cup.