One of my researchers in rural Colorado forwarded this to me: FYI: #2 – The Intercontinental Ballistic Missile: #3 – The AH-64 Apache Attack Helicopter
https://www.goal.com/en-us/news/usw...g-18-players-tokyo/1xste6tby7t611i8vbq68crx9h Although I have 2 issues with the above article. 1) I’d play Casey instead of Davidson. Or let the starting back 4 decide (I know, that's crazy and not a done thing but it would make sense to me.) 2) if Tobin is not fit Carli goes to Japan. If she is fit.... ?!?!! As for Lynn Williams...? Not sold me on anything but her speed I can’t see how she has a locked in spot. But then there's the other view. As for Williams, the article makes a good point about her defense and general havoc-wreaking (while acknowledging her poor finishing). Carli is definitely the better scorer, but Williams might be better at creating turnovers that lead to scoring chances for others. Another consideration might be stamina. We know Carli can go 90, one day, but how well would she hold up over a tournament with short turnarounds between matches? We might be able to count on getting more minutes out of Williams than Lloyd. This whole discussion seems to all hinge on Tobin's fitness.
One of the Online Soccer Rags has William's over Lloyd. Citing William's havoc on the field, especially when used with Vladko's high press.
For informational purposes only: Our current Olympic Gold Medalists (London) – Becky, Kelley, ATG, Megan, Carli, Tobin. Teams: GTitU - #1 Netherlands - #4 Sweden - #5 Great Britain - #6?? Aussie Aussie Aussie - #7 Diving Divas - #8T Ooooh Cannnnadaaaaa - #8T Japan - #10 The Good Korea - #18 or China - #15 (April 13th) New Zealand- #22 Cameroon- #51 or Chile - #36 (April 8th) Zambia - #95 As Host - Japan is automatically designated as Group E1, the 3 EURO Teams must be in separate Groups, and of course, the U.S. and Sweden will be in the same Group….beyond that all I can find is mumbo jumbo about “the remaining teams are seeded into their respective pots based on the FIFA Women's World Rankings”. Does that mean the U.S. and Netherlands only will draw for the two-remaining top Group F1 and G1 positions? Three Group Matches then Quarters, Semis and Finals. Matches every 3 days with 4 days between Semis and Final. Of note, #1 vs. #4 will play in the 3rd Match of the Group Stages. That mayyy provide a little respite for the top teams…… no 5 Match gauntlet like in 2019. I will abstain from any Roster Predictions as it would be similar to choosing between my daughters and granddaughters for positions (not that any of you would be holding your breath). However, I will continue to drop by occasionally to interject indisputable FACTS regarding various USWNT players.
Following up on Goal.com article. This writer has Lloyd on the outside looking in. I tend to agree. Thr past year and a half Carli has primarily been playing center forward (and starting with Alex Morgan out on maternity leave). And while Lloyd is a great playmaker, and a good goal scorer when facing or running at goal, her finishing in the box is still just not consistent enough. She misses a lot of good chances. From close range. Against a team like England or Japan at home, we may not actually create as many scoring chances as is trypical for this team. We have won a ton a games since the World Cup while actually being a bit wasteful of scoring chances, and to my eyes Lloyd has probably missed the most clear chances. Perhaps Morgan also has missed a lot chances on the way to the goals she scores, but my eye test leaves the impression that Carli is still a converted midfielder - not really a striker. Lloyd's pressing is decent, but not really a unique strength. And while her fitness is good, a tournament like the Olympics with short rest, and short roster, and no real cupcake opponents favors the younger players as far as recovery between games. So I agree with the writer that Press is probably a better second choice for Morgan's center forward slot, as we have other talented attackers who could slot in as second winger (across from Rapinoe), such as Heath, Macario and Williams. Even if Tobin Heath is not back to full health and good form, and ends up cut, I'm not sure Lloyd should fill that spot. She really does not have the speed to be very effective on the wings, not has she really played out wide much in her recent career. I also agree that Lynn Williams contributes things to the team that other wingers / forwards don't. Great speed, relentless pressing, and her crossing also is good. Williams may not score as much, but take a look at how many goals Tobin Heath has actually scored. 33 goals in 169 caps. Plenty of these caps may have been as wide midfielder in a 4-4-2, rather than winger in present 4-3-3, but even as a winger Tobin is really more of a creator than finisher. And Macario might just be the wild card X factor sort of player we would need if we somehow find ourselves behind and chasing a game. With a roster of 23, Lloyd would be a great super sub, and pure center forward backup- like Wambach at 2015 WWC. Bring her in later in a game, to chase a goal or help kill off a game. But I think Carli's on the outside looking in for Olympics, since she has had a long audition for center forward and has not shown herself to be a better overall choice than Alex Morgan. As for backups at Left Back - no matter how good your left back is (OK maybe excepting Roberto Carlos in his day), and Dunn is certainly good, our success as a team will not likely rise or fall on how good the backup is, as long as she is defensively solid. Finally, looking at potential 18 woman rosters I also am still left a bit concerned at who can step in to the holding mid role Ertz plays so well if she goes down to injury. I don't feel particularly comfortable with anyone else in that role against top flight opposition, because we so seldom play without her in there. I wish Vlatko would try out a few players in that position / role against decent opposition in the pre tourney tune up games - not merely trotting out the backups for Ertz against Argentina or Colombia level teams.
Just a guess. But I'm thinking Sam Mewis can run holding midfield if Ertz needs a break or gets hurt.
Something to keep in mind with worrying about injury replacements is that we get to bring 4 alternates. In the case of Ertz, if we don't bring another defensive mid on the roster we can bring one as an alternate so that if she were to be seriously injured, we would basically just have to finish out that game with either a more defensive shape or using someone else in that position. As long as we have enough versatility in the attacking half to bring 2 of the 3 field alternates as defensive types, then we should be okay.
If I remember correctly those alternates can only be added in the event of an injury before the tournament starts. After it starts; what you see is what you have. Otherwise the shortened roster would not really have much of an impact. I "think" the alternates are allowed so as to assure that all teams start the tournament with 18 somewhat healthy players..
A truly awful idea. Unless you are prepared to release the other player forever. Coach makes the decision, that's what coaches do. Other starters make the decision, its going to take a very rare character not to read that as a vote of no confidence from your peers. Coach doesn't pick you, you try harder and get better-- Dunn, Crystal or Hucles, Angela or Lloyd, Carli. Peers vote against you, you're apt to resent it and them, and the team is likely to get worse behind the resentment. You don't want to turn a player into the Dick Allen of woso. This team has a long standing tradition of "compete like hell against each other in camp, support each other like family off the field." It was basically started by DiCicco way back, and has been nurtured and protected by coaches and players ever since, resolutely and uniformly. Only a fool would risk upsetting that; it is the major reason why "next woman up" has worked so well for this team every time it has been needed
Actually, no. The rules allow for alternates to replace a (seriously) injured player even after the tournament starts; it's why the alternates often travel with the team. The injury has to be severe enough that it truly knocks the player out of the tournament (and the injury has to be verified and the replacement approved; it's not just an in-team decision). The replaced player cannot then rejoin the roster if she heals faster than expected. And we've seen it happen, most recently in the 2016 tournament, when Sweden's Rolfö was replaced by Hammarlund after Rolfö broke a bone in her foot in the quarterfinal against the US.
Julie Ertz is clearly the most irreplaceable player on the team--if she were to get a red card or injured we are in trouble. We might just win anyway because of the level of talent, but there is no obvious sub on the group likely to make the roster (Sullivan, but I see why she's not going). Maybe Sullivan should be an alternate for this specific reason
Carli getting a bit defensive about being left off one projected roster: 😂😂😂 aging? One of the fittest on the team 🤔. You forgetting to put your 👓 on while watching games? Man..love having every single person continue to eat their words. ✌🏼 https://t.co/4AdH5Ebh5Y— Carli Lloyd (@CarliLloyd) March 9, 2021
So France has just announced a friendly with the US in April. Should be interesting since that country produced a bevy of promising new attacking players since last time they met. So watch out for these names(they didn’t either play or start vs the US at WC 2019); Katato, Mallard, Baltimore, Cascarino, if our defense can handle them, they can handle anything
🚨Bleues : vers un match amical face aux Américaines en avril https://t.co/RNFwP67keY via @RMCSport — Anthony RECH (@AntRech) March 9, 2021 https://rmcsport.bfmtv.com/football...aux-americaines-en-avril_AV-202103090354.html This is the only mention I've found, so IDK how certain it is.
I may have an additional complication/opportunity. Two words…Ada Hegerberg. Now hear me out. I’m currently seeking to employ a Senior V.P., and after conducting a world-wide search it has been determined that she would be perfect for the position. I have a standard 51 and a half-week vacation policy. And, and, and as part of the Corporate Wellness Program - - all employees are strenuously encouraged to maintain proper nutrition and remain physically fit that could be accomplished by the participation in “Team Sports” at whatever level the candidate feels comfortable at commensurate to their ability. The only requirement is that the candidate must be a U.S. Citizen. Don’t be concerned, you all know me - everything is definitely on the up and up.