If Rodman and Smith are the long term future, then we need to stop pretending that we are going to change our playing style much.
To all talking about 22-24yos improving their team playing skills in the future, please rewatch 2011 World Cup Final and 21yo Alex Morgan's assist to Wambach. Either you have it or you don't. If you say Alex needs to be excluded from the team to make space for and force younger players to find their own way then you may have a point, but don't tell me she is not best #9 option on this team at this very moment. She is the only forward with peripheral vision, anticipation and skills to pass perfect ball in tough situation/spaces. I personally think she's very fit and deadly finisher as well (even if she missed that 100% chance last match).
Why do people here persist in thinking that if it hasn't happened in a game it hasn't happened period? Practice is where you first try things out; and you discard them if they don't work...
I’m the one that thought she was lacking in the Mexico game. I made sure to focus on her and give her a good look against Colombia. I thought she was fine this last game. Looked better on the ball. I was pleasantly surprised with her quickness. She has some bite in her game that I did not expect. She did not offer much in the way of progressive or creative play. She forced a nice save from a well struck shot outside the box, I was pleased to see that. Bottom line with her is that to my eye she looks to have potential but is going to have to become more assertive going forward. We are going to need more out of that position than just safe and tidy on the ball. One of the announcers mentioned that she appears to be a favorite of Emma’s so it looks like the kid will probably get the plenty more chances to grow into the role. We will see how she develops.
As a Williams fan, I would say her strength is undoubtedly her pace and defensive work rate - specifically being able to track back ball side and weak side. If she is a 9 you lose that. But you would gain her pressing centrally. Watch this! She does this quite often for Gotham. Lynn Williams said help is on the way! pic.twitter.com/EPDDaFWjp9— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) June 11, 2023
She was pretty loose with longer passes; gave a couple of bad ones away. Wasn’t really asked to maintain much possession, which is a little disappointing against Colombia, but probably coach’s decision and probably wise.
I figure you're talking about Macario and Swanson. The former just played and scored as a sub in Chelsea; what about the latter? I mostly follow Japanese and European football, so I am not sure how close she is to her comeback: will she definitely be ready for the Olympics?
Swanson came in as a training player for this camp. I think that might have been just for the pre-tournament camp, and she might have returned to preseason with Chicago once matches started. She was definitely in team training pics at the beginning of camp.
why were you calling the Colombians "thugs" & not that in part some of our own players were guilty of the same thing? If you go outside the American fans base, people blaming Rodman for being the main instigator. Here's an video that showed how she lost control here's an vid that shows both teams rough housig a bit. The increasing loosing & frustrated Colombians might of been doing way more towards the end, but it was Rodman who first started. Horan too started playing an bit dirty & got promptly retaliated
wondering why Chelsea's Hamono didn't make Japan's NT? She's got some great dirbble drive moves, so me hinking that maybe J's coach preferred more passing style players, could be the reason why Sugita didn't get any playting time vs N Korea, as that player amazed some strong stats over at the Portland Thorns Can't wait for the April matchup between Japan vs USA
She's Maika Hamano. I'm not sure if it was the reason, but she's fresh out of shoulder injury and starting to break through in Chelsea, so they might have given her time just like in Mayra's case. Personally, I wouldn't like her to play the matches against PRK as they were uber physical contests. Teenager of her petite frame could be easily re-injured in such games (especially first one, which was a real battle).
Sure seemed like the Colombians made a specific point of being thuggish from the first whistle. It definitely affected Rodman, and she retaliated some, which was exactly what Colombia wanted.
At this point Colombia might have a reputation to live down... https://apnews.com/article/ireland-...d-cup-warmup-a990c66c66040e0647d60fceef9e1006
Assuming both Macario and Swanson are ready and are called for She Believes camp, who do you think want get the call up regarding the forward position. Also, with regards to the defenders, if Alana Cooke is ready, does that mean no Saurbraun, and if they decide to only bring seven, who might not get called back. Think they stay with the same midfielders?
That's a great play. But, for me, I'd rather have her in the middle of the field where she can neutralize both CB's and the 6. Also, we never get in behind the defense. Lynn would give us a muuuch better chance of getting in behind the D if she was played centrally. And, she is a very poooor crosser of the ball. When she gets behind a fullback it never amounts to anything. JMO.
Why do people assert that when there is not a shred of evidence that something has ever happened in the history of the world, it must have happened? Seriously. What makes you think Lynn has been tried as a 9 in a WNT practice, in, say, the last 6 years? And, why, on chatboards, do self-righteous punks feel entitled to make a-hole replies to a simple question/suggestion? I'd like answers to both questions.
You are answering a question with a question, and that is not a great way to get a response. (Nor is calling your elders "punks.") But, y'know the reason to think it has been tried is pretty simple-- it is too obvious a possibility to not devote a few minutes to it. One has to assume incompetence, almost, to believe it hasn't been looked at at least briefly...
Having once been a coach (not soccer) for a bunch of years in a team sport where figuring out where to position players and what the best total lineup would be, I think it is reasonable to assume especially at this level that the coaches have thought through and agonized over all sorts of permutations and combinations in the process of coming up with what they think will be the best lineup. And I think it is reasonable to assume that is a continuing process that ebbs and flows depending on where they are in a cycle. And I think it is reasonable to assume it is happening at a high level currently, given the team is in a transitional period with lots of new players.
I think players get pigeon holed. But, certainly if a reevaluation is going to happen, it would be during a regime change.
Well... it got a response so.... AND... playing the "elder" card, really? That's akin to "the customer's always right"....
I know. It is on your profile. So is mine on mine. Since Williams played for a coach who won two (2) World Cups the incompetence assumption is a dog that really won't hunt.