Tokyo Olympics QF: USWNT vs Netherlands, July 30, pre/pbp/post

"Have I gotta do ALL THE WORK around here?

 

Thanks. Someone had earlier posted and thought it was Horan. Seems like a reasonable guess. I don't recall ever seeing any of the last six take a penalty kick.

 

I have a dumb question. The teams are allowed 5 subs plus another one if the game goes to extra time. (There may also be another one allowed in case of a concussion but let's forget about that for now). If you don't use all your (5) allotted subs in regulation, do you lose them if the game goes to extra time? Or can you carry them over to extra time (in addition to the one additional sub allowed for extra time)?

 

Yes, you can use remaining subs in extra time. You don't lose them.

 

Sorry to say, but any neutral observer would tell that Miedema carried the team. So whether it’s Wiegman or any of the other Dutch players, their really riding on her coat tails. That’s been proven in the last two times these two teams met; take away Miedema & her two goals and what was the score of the last friendly?(which Miedema didn’t play in)
Similarly, the Slovenia basketball team at the Olympics is an one man show; Luka! Take away Luka & his 48 points, 15 assists, 10 rebounds like he had the other day & what do have?…but an otherwise unremarkable team that wouldn’t of been able to make the Olympics or win the last Euro championship.
Obviously soccer is an different sport with double the field players, but then here the Dutch have Lieke Martens, who unfortunately seems to always choke against the US but whose got incredible creds like former POY & current CL champs.
So take away a former POY & the unofficial current one(Miedema) and Wiegman would of not have one iota of the success you previously mentioned.
That the Dutch got eliminated in the quarter finals even though their the 4th ranked team, would NOT be considered an success. They could use some fresh blood, players as well as coaching wise. And hey, didn’t the Dutch make it to the Euro u17 finals & u19 semis just 2-3 years back? So we know there’s a lot of potential out there, we just need an coach to unlock that potential….and it sure wasn’t Wiegman with same old, same old lineup

 

funny thing is we could have ten Lynn Williams on the field if we wanted to; Trinity Rodman, Simone Charley, Megan Webber, Ashley Sanchez, Midge Purce, Sophie Smith, Hill. Hatch, Balcar, King….the list could go on & on, enough to either beat the Dutch or our over-the-hill gang that was playing after Lynn & Mewis were taken off.
Sad part is that many in my list might retire before their prime is up if they don’t make it as anUSSF/USWNT contract players(usually an 6 figure salary), as staying on the NWSL pay max salary of $52K with no benefits is not good enough to sustain a life long career as compared to similar bachelor/masters degree jobs (that most players would of earned by now). Of course another option would go to play pro in Europe, but this is way, way over rated in terms of decent pay as well as it could hurt your career in those unbalanced leagues they got over there. Plus might add, worse chance of getting insured in an over long 9-10 month season

 

I don't get this part.

 

That's just a terrible take when a team is eliminated by the top-ranked team in the world. Your posts are generally good. This is the kind of post someone would make who didn't know anything about the sport.

 

Because it is another part of the us narrative that makes no sense at all.

 

Thank you! Then the idea of Vlatko making subs for PKs in the 60th minute makes less and less sense.

(You knew there was an ulterior motive to my asking the question — tee-hee!)

 

The Dutch could have easily won this game in all honesty. They were the better team solely football-wise. Their nerves is what beat them. This loss stings I'm sure more than their WC defeat.

 

it only makes sense in a world where you look at the result and then find a "story" that fits to make the coach look like a genius. Its a bit like the story after the Aus game to explain ceding possession so cheaply. Truth - the team was not comfortable in possession. Explanation - we were resting. Yeah Ok.

The USA can win gold, but the way the media consistently fill to challenge the explanations given to the public is another example of the control the USSF wield over how this sport and the players are perceived in this country. The decision to a. select Lynn Williams to start this game when a month ago she was not even deemed worthy of a spot on the full 18 abd b. to then sub her out when she was playing well and being productive - are two things that an inquisitive, unbiased and free media would be all over

 

overrated salaries; Americans might think Euro clubs pay better salaries, I just saying; generally NOT!(unless obviously your an superstar playing for Lyon)

hurting careers; I follow the Frauen Bundesliga. about 6-7 years ago several Americans playing in that league were told by the USSF to quit & play back home if they want a chance to make it on our NT

injuries; 3 out of the 6 Americans had some sort of injuries in England’s WSL this last season. Luckily all rebounded, but same can’t be said for some of the domestics as GB bowed out from the Olympics while missing several injured players

and finally ‘overrated’ if you read the constant whining of conditions by those 6 Americans who played last year in WSL. Could be an cultural thing, or just the colder/rainier weather which they weren’t used to , but the whining was indeed insufferable!,

 

Unless they were also the subs he thought could win the game outright as well-- which they pretty much were.

 

Citations are our friend; opinions maybe not so much?

 

The Dutch were deserving to win that. Their football is ahead of ours. (It doesn’t need to be this way but alas).
I thought our defending was bad. I was surprised at how bad.
We are so not creative in the final third it hurts my heart.

like I said the whole time we will win the gold but I still wont be happy as our soccer identity is annoying.

happy for naeher. She made pedestrian saves on all of the PK’s as They were poorly taken and 10/10 keepers make those saves but props to her cuz she did it in important moments on a massive stage. And pinoe smashed that final one.

I remain a cranky begrudging fan. Happy for our success but cursing at the kids on my lawn nonetheless.

 

You like kids in the abstract, but not in the concrete?

 

Agreed on the Dutch deserving to win that, but there was nothing pedestrian about Naeher's PK save on Miedema in my opinion.

 

The fact that Sonnett is even on the roster is mind blowing. About 5 other defenders better than her sitting stateside. Also still dumbfounded by the K. Mewis selection. It's like there is an exclusive click amongst the veterans and of they don't approve, you don't make the team. Regardless of all the above....Go USA!

 

Was an amazing save

 

Agree regarding Sonnett.
K. Mewis has been really good that past year or two. I feel she earned her spot.

 

The concept of "deserving to win" is always bizarre. So presumably you're saying that the Dutch outplayed the U.S. in many ways and therefore deserved to win. Then how come they DIDN'T win? Because they made some terrible plays (especially two of their three penalty kicks) that were quite devastating. Yet, despite that, the Dutch "deserved to win"??? Please register my strong dissent.

If we're going to retain the dubious concept of "deserved to win," here's my view. On the whole, the Dutch had the better of the play for the 120 minutes. But the U.S. made the most important plays in the game. They came through when it was most essential; the Netherlands didn't. Consequently, the U.S. deserved to win.

 

Ahem, neither team did win.
That's why they needed a penalty shoot out to decide which team was moving into the next round. Before the shoot out was introduced it was decided by the flip of a coin.
Just check the stats, there's no win, there's a draw.

 

Nerves are all part of it in tournament play. Its lose and go home. We dont get to award style points.