By the way, regarding Vlatko's experiment with Taylor Kornieck as the #6, I assume, I MEAN I REALLY HAVE TO BELIEVE, that Vlatko or one of the assistant coaches gave her explicit instructions to not go to ground on her tackles. Kornieck is a pretty talented player for being 6'0 tall and had a very productive season last year with San Diego, but with Orlando, every time I saw her go to ground on a tackle I cringed (Sorry I couldn't quickly find a full-speed clip but this will do) 1424560234232750086 is not a valid tweet id Kornieck's tackles give me flashbacks to that horrible Abby Wambach tackle on Brazil's Daniela, a tackle which ended Daniela's career 1:45:35 on the video (I can't seem to get the video to begin at that point) The broadcast missed the play live while it was showing replays of the goal that Washington just scored to bring them within a goal
Vlatko's sudden experiment with Taylor Kornieck in the #6 role (the Julie Ertz role) with less than 6 months to the World Cup is a remarkable admission that after 3 years as head coach his midfield isn't good enough to win the World Cup or perhaps even make the final. I don't want to exaggerate. Without question, it's a good midfield with good players. It's a midfield which may even have the advantage the majority of the time against the majority of good teams. But he seems to be conceding it's a midfield which will struggle to assert itself against several good teams and will have a difficult time helping the US go all the way. For once, the WoSo Journo Corps has decided this is worth open skepticism and there have been some interesting commentaries and criticisms, but what's interesting is that Vlatko seems (and the question is whether it's an illusion) to be taking a big bold chance, which is uncharacteristic of him except for, perhaps, the omission of Alex Morgan from the US roster for several months after the Olympics. When he flopped at the Olympics with an over-aged and injury-riddled roster of old familiar stars that was the safe choice because so many people would've blamed him for the failure if he hadn't taken everybody's favorites. But if he plays Kornieck at the World Cup and the team fails, people will blame him for gambling on her. It's so uncharacteristic of Vlatko it makes me wonder what's really going on. Has Vlatko really decided the situation calls for a mad genius move? Has he read the @hotjam2 description of Germany's Martina Voss-Tecklenburg as a "demented genius" with envy and decided he wants some of that for himself?! Is he distracting attention away from his refusal to consider more obvious options he's had all along? (Sam Coffey? Playing Crystal Dunn where she normally plays for her clubs, in the midfield?) Vlatko has been cut a lot of slack by WoSo journalists who have given him a pass the last 2 years. Does he know that can't last in the event of a dismal World Cup performance and is manipulating their criticisms and giving them an outlet for it, on a plan which he doesn't intend to use anyway but which will show he "listens to criticism"? Perhaps he will muse regretfully that he shouldn't have heeded the criticism and blame failure at the World Cup for not doing the Mad Genius Thing. I realize I may be overly cynical but I'm tired of Vlatko feeling he can piss on the backs of fans like us at Big Soccer knowing he can count on journalists to assure us it's raining Even while we're doing our damndest to pull off the Reverse-Jinx
I don't think it is that deep, Kolabear. He simply wants Korniek on the roster because of set pieces so he is trying to find a position for her. She has not suceeded as an 8, 9, or 10 at this level, so he is trying her as a 6, hoping she can win some air balls in the midfield. She is not going to see important minutes for the US, unless it is a desperation set piece in the waning moments of a game. Dunn has never been USWNT quality in the midfield. She is an outside back, and a very good one. If she gets back to form, we need her pace in the back because we ar not fast enough back there as it is.
Vlatko's starting to step in it over the Crystal Dunn question. After catching some flak over the Taylor Kornieck midfield experiment, he's alienating some journalists with his comments today on Dunn Vlatko Andonovski has taken questions from the media for years about continuing to play Crystal Dunn at left back. Today, he cracked in a way I don’t think I’ve ever seen from him.His words, and what Dunn said in response a few minutes later:#USWNT pic.twitter.com/RlEYQZYOXL— Jonathan Tannenwald (@thegoalkeeper) February 18, 2023
I read it as the journalist saying he cracked firm on Dunn. He said essentially that she won’t start at the 10, but she is a world class left back so she needs to get over it. They also made Dunn speak to the media today about her comments. She is backtracking saying she isn’t trying to cause a stir (which is exactly what she did). I haven’t seen any journalists say anything negative about Vlatko on this. But Dunn is being taken to task on blogs and twitter by fans. Total Diva comments by a supposed veteran. All about me not the team. She changed the positive vibes narrative after a nice showing by the team and forced Vlatko to spend time dealing with this juvenile behavior today internally and with the media. I hope he benched her ass tomorrow.
Although I already posted this on the She Believes thread, I will repeat it here because of the previous post: I read the Dunn interview article. First of all, the interview was Monday, November 14, the day after the US beat Germany 2-1. That is three months ago. It is old news. Second of all, I do not see anything wrong with what she said and I am sure her teammates have been well aware for years of what she spoke about. It is difficult playing mid-field for your club and in the back line for your national team. It makes it difficult to be your best at either position. But she acknowledged, it is what it is and she will give her all to be the best for club and country, playing different positions. And, as she says, she is the only player who must do that (although I think OHara may have been in a somewhat similar boat and possibly Purce and Huerta?). Her teammates know all of this. If any of them has a problem with her being honest about how hard it is, it is their problem, not hers. But I doubt any of them has a problem. One of the things the top players have been trying to do is be more open and authentic publicly. I think this is good, especially so that young players can get a sense of what life really is like for elite players. The references to the Thorns issues and the Yates report were part of setting the context since all of that information came out before the interview. The information about the improper medication issues did not come out until recently and is not part of the interview context. Overall, it seems much ado about nothing.
Thanks to Casey Murphy in the 2nd Half, this thread will be temporarily put on hold. But I'm not saying for how long
The article came out two days ago, right after we beat Canada. She is a Portland player so of course you have no problem with it. She caused quite a stir on social media. She lied about being the only player asked to make a position change. Did you see Mewis cry about playing the 6 today? Or Huerta's position change, or Korniek? No they are professionals who respect the opportunity to play at the national team level. They understand they are players, not coaches. Dunn has made an issue of this for years (with Ellis and now Vlatko). She forced Vlatko to have to answer to the media about it. Not what he should have to do in the middle of She Believes Cup. Again the article is brand new. Whether her teammates are aware that she is selfish, wants to score goals, and doesn't like playing defense, I am sure there are a few defenders who would like to take her minutes. She is also saying indirectly that she thinks she is a better 10 than those playing it. Team players talk about we not me.
Not so fast about putting this thread on hold: Vlatko assesses that Dunn is one of the best left backs in the world (I agree) and so is making her play left back (I agree again). But playing her there when she would rather play, and some posters think she should play, higher up the field? Vlatko has moved Fox out of what has been her usual position at left back and is making her play right back. This takes care of a lack on the right side, since OHara appears to be aging out and Purce and Huerta are not great defenders regardless of what they can contribute to the attack. But still, taking her out of her usual position? Those two sins might not be enough, but Vlatko also has committed a cardinal sin: He has given ytrs fodder for use in another of his rants trashing a player, this time Dunn. Vlatko dangling the bait like that simply is too much. FIRE VLATKO.
You did not even read the article until I posted it here. You did not see the fallout online. Dunn has received no support for her Diva attitude. She has been called out consistently for it, which is why she backtracked the next day. Vlatko said she can try to be a 10 midfielder on this team but she likely won’t beat out Rose, Macario or Horan. So she backpedaled. He did not make her a left back. Ellis did. Good coaches put players where they help the team most. Coaches make personnel decisions, not players. That you don’t see the “I before me” attitude that the vast majority of others see is putting blinders on. I am sure Franch wants to play in games. Is she whining to the media about it? No, she is a pro. Dunn got a taste of being rostered as a midfielder last night. The bench. She thinks way too highly of herself. I guess you will skip over her ridiculous lie that she is the only player who has to do this. All while literally crying through her lie.
I don’t trash coaches. I am pointing out the selfish diva attitude of a veteran player who is lucky to be getting opportunities to get herself into form (when she is still not there yet). She took her gripes to the media. So we can respond.
Kate Markgraf retweeted some wisdom from the late, legendary physics professor, Richard Feynman, today When do we start applying it to VLATKO? Five great signs of intelligence:• You're not afraid or ashamed to find errors in your understanding of things.• You take mistakes as lessons.• You don't get offended with accepting the facts.• You are highly adaptable and very curious. • You know what you don't know.— Prof. Richard Feynman (@FeynmanBot) February 21, 2023 As I said, I'm not saying how long the thread is getting put on hold (tee-hee!)
I think we revived the Reverse-Jinx just in time for She Believes but I'm not positive how long-lasting the charm will prove to be
US team news & discussion is going to be in a bit of a lull until the April friendlies against Ireland and then the announcement of the World Cup roster (whenever it's supposed to happen), but we can start previewing some of the issues which will likely sharpen into focus in the next few months concerning Coach Andonovski. For instance, the conversation we've been having on tactics (the Tiki-Taka & Tactics Thread) suggests that VLATKO is failing in terms of developing the team's tactics, even if fans disagree on exactly what tactics they'd like to see (and which players they'd like to see it from). We have to be reasonably modest, as fans, as to how much acumen we have in our analysis. Nevertheless, both experts and fans like ourselves seem to reach a similar conclusion — that this team is tactically limited and is too apt to run out of ideas. There are reasons why the US may fall short at the World Cup which most of us realize VLATKO can't be blamed for and we can summarize those. And then there are some problems which seem to fall very much on VLATKO's shoulders. In the category of things for which we can't blame VLATKO (or not as much) — The world is catching up. Other teams are getting better. The Euros last year was very high quality and the improving competition should be seen as a good thing making women's soccer a better sport The US, it seems clear, won't have Julie Ertz at the World Cup and she's proven irreplaceable The US will have, by its standards, an inexperienced roster. A lot of key players will have to perform who haven't had World Cup or Olympics experience. VLATKO may not be entirely blameless, but with the age of the roster at the 2019 World Cup, it seemed inevitable that VLATKO would be managing a team in transition. Some disagree, but as I see it, some mistakes by relatively young and inexperienced players would be one of the more forgivable reasons for falling short at the World Cup In the category of things for which we may be justified in saying FIRE VLATKO NOW(?!?!) — Ertz or no Ertz, VLATKO has had two years to prepare for a World Cup without her and he hasn't done a good job. What, for example, was with this recent experiment with Taylor Kornieck as the #6 six months before the tournament?! There had to be a better way to add to the tactical depth of the US besides Waiting for Macario VLATKO failed badly at the Olympics, taking a squad hobbled by age and injuries despite clear warnings Even though this is controversial and VLATKO has many defenders on this, we have to at least give serious consideration to the idea that VLATKO has badly mishandled Crystal Dunn's situation by not even giving her serious consideration in the midfield. The other main accusation I can level at VLATKO, which we will probably see further proof of, is that VLATKO is a POLITICAL GENERAL. He is better at winning political and bureaucratic battles to advance himself than he is at winning on the field. Taking that over-aged and injury-riddled squad to the Olympics was a POLITICAL GENERAL'S move. He took the safe route of taking almost all the big names and fan favorites, the ones US Soccer likes to market. Having a marketing campaign ready to go in case of triumph took priority over actually winning. What's the move of a POLITICAL GENERAL to look for? If and when Macario returns in time for the World Cup, the political move will be to play Macario with Morgan rather than choose one or the other. And of course it will be even more political to play Lavelle at the same time. *** But I could be wrong and perhaps VLATKO's retort to me might be along the lines of... Oh you think this is political? This is pure risk based on deductive reasoning, inference, supposition and the only human intelligence you have is 6 years old from a detainee questioned under duress. The political move here is to tell you to go f*** yourself AND... remind you I was in the room when your old boss pitched Weapons of Mass Destruction in Iraq. At least there you guys brought photographs 1'03 of the video clip (tee-hee!)
Dunn was very average in a midfield 3 in Portland and they didn’t miss her at all there last season. Just because she could play that position in North Carolina in a completely different tactical set up doesn’t mean she is a better option there than at OB on the nt. The drop off from her to the next OB is huge. From her to the next up midfielders in the pool? Not so much. I don’t get why that is hard to understand. The value add of her on the back line is just much higher, and that is what team composition is about. She could play outside back in Portland if she wanted to, but refuses to. So her complaints about having to play two different positions are nonsensical to me when it’s her choice.
I understand it. The reason why it is hard (or harder ) for other people to understand, is that people like you have to insist on denigrating Dunn as a midfielder. People like you INSIST on putting her down. The theory on marginal value in different positions (a Wins Over Replacement analysis) works even if Dunn is the best midfielder. but, no, you have to turn it into an argument that she's not a good midfielder, even though none of her club coaches play her at left back. I agree Dunn didn't seem exceptional when she returned to Portland after the Olympics. First, she got burned out at the Olympics. Do you have any idea how many more minutes she played at the Olympics in a short time compared to almost anyone else? Second, look at all the players from the national team who didn't return to club play at all that season. And third, now we know she was pregnant! You really don't want to cut her any slack do you. May I inquire why? (By the way, Dunn's added value to the back line is less now that Emily Fox has established her at this level) I'm glad people feel free to speak their mind about Dunn, but at some point I'm going to dedicate a thread on her and I'm not afraid to speak my mind either.
She wasn’t great there before the Olympics either. Their midfield was better without her in it. Crystal told thorns management she wouldn’t play outside back, as reported by thorns media. it’s not a matter of coach preference. Vlatko would rather move fox than not have crystal at right back. I guess he doesn’t think the others who have been brought in are at the appropriate level and kelley is always injured
I do not remember seeing anything in Thorns media that said Crystal told the Thorns she would not play outside back. I am not saying it is not possible she told them that, but do you by any chance remember more details about where you saw that? It looks like the Thorns 2021 W-L-T record was better when the WNT players were not available -- that would cover Dunn, Horan, and Sauerbrunn -- and Sinclair, too. Beyond that, the Thorns coaching staff apparently did not agree with you on the midfield being better without Dunn in it, as they had her as a regular starter when she was available to play. But in the spirit of this thread, I am confident your judgment is better than theirs. I agree that Valtko appears not to have confidence in Huerta or Purce at right back. From a defensive perspective, I agree. His preferred outside back alignment appears to be Fox on the right and Dunn on the left.