Algarve Cup 2014

Discussion in 'USA Women: News and Analysis' started by jonny63, Nov 21, 2013.

  1. lunatica

    lunatica Member+

    Nov 20, 2013
    Agreed. She played awfully in those 2 games but there was no one really to take her place. I'm sure she will have more competition soon. Heath's getting back to form and I hope Tymrak will get another chance.
     
  2. kernel_thai

    kernel_thai Member+

    Oct 24, 2012
    Club:
    Seattle Sounders
    It will be interesting to see who gets called. I have a feeling it will be usual suspects plus players not in the NWSL. That way he can say he doesnt want to pull young player away from the NWSL club right before the season. I think he needs to take a more selfish approach. He needs to get something positive, and I'm not talk game results, out of the China series before Canada and France. He needs to get back to one and two touch and he needs to find player combinations that work.
     
  3. lunatica

    lunatica Member+

    Nov 20, 2013
    Leaving Rapinoe at home for some games would help get her motivation back but I'm not sure it's gonna happen. He should bring someone who can challenge her for that spot instead. I never got a feeling that Sermanni cared for NWSL that much so maybe he will be selfish. I guess we find out soon. Combinations that work especially at forward positions are much needed.
     
  4. babranski

    babranski Member+

    Dec 15, 2012
    Raleigh, NC
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    She doesn't need to be left home for a few games. She just needs someone sitting on the bench who can come in behind her and perform if shes having a bad game. Then when she does have a bad game, she actually needs to be replaced by that player and not be allowed to "play through her slump" which was completely ridiculous. Tymrak is that player IMHO, so maybe the fact she wasn't with the squad at AC added to the problem.

    I don't think Rapinoe is scared of Heath or Mewis, but Tymrak hopefully gives her pause about her starting time.
     
    Namdynamo repped this.
  5. kernel_thai

    kernel_thai Member+

    Oct 24, 2012
    Club:
    Seattle Sounders
    He needs to look at what works for the clubs and incorporate in into the NT. He doesnt have the luxury of having half his team play on the same club as a lot of European teams do, but he can still look for combinations. If Tymrak and Holiday work well together at KC, why wouldnt u want them on the field at the same time for the NT. Sometimes a good combination makes the pair better than their individual parts. Another pairing that I like in theory is Rapinoe & Brian. If u give Rapinoe the ball in the right spots she can be devastating. If u give it to her in the wrong places she wants to play with it and ends up forcing something. Brian in a CAM role is best when she is finding players with insightful passes. I think they would both make each other better. TS needs to find combinations that work and ones that dont and make his lineup accordingly.
     
    lunatica repped this.
  6. matabala

    matabala Member+

    Sep 25, 2002
    That Algarve Cup was a real disaster. We aren't as good as we used to be and the talent pool is getting thin. Besides an aging Wambaugh, our athletes look very average. Where young ladies used to be straight, strong and made of tougher stuff, nowadays they're short, round and getting softer.
     
  7. skybolt

    skybolt Member

    Dec 16, 2011
    Club:
    Barcelona Guayaquil
    #1607 skybolt, Mar 21, 2014
    Last edited: Mar 21, 2014
    I don't believe that lack of talent was the reason why the USWNT performed so badly at the Algarve Cup. The whole thing was a jumbled mess on Sermanni's part since the team was ill prepared for this tournament. I'd attribute the losses more to lack of strategy (e.g. starting A-Rod and Abby against Pia), players playing out of position, constantly shifting starting line-ups (which is necessary if you're experimenting), and the negative impact of competition among forwards (for future starting spots) if selfish play is not curtailed accordingly.
     
  8. jigsawill

    jigsawill Member

    Aug 15, 2012
    United States
    Club:
    Real Madrid
    The rest of the world is catching up and its happening at a ridiculously fast pace. I think the development needs to get better. We can crank out some of the best strikers but we don't produce great midfielders and technical attacking players. I have a feeling that five to ten years down the road Germany and France will consistently be better than us in terms of ranking and talent pool. Just look at the France under-18 team.
     
  9. skybolt

    skybolt Member

    Dec 16, 2011
    Club:
    Barcelona Guayaquil
    It's hard for me to use France as a barometer for developing better players since they haven't accomplished much in major tournaments. When they win a WC, Olympics, or European Cup tournament they'll start to become a bit more relevant. The US has the talent to win major tournaments, but Sermanni has to choose a consistent line-up within the next few months so they can have time to gel together. For instance, I would make it mandatory for Press and Leroux to pass to each other in front of goal or I'm sitting both of them on the bench. 2 assists in 7 matches for our forwards this year is unacceptable.
     
  10. jigsawill

    jigsawill Member

    Aug 15, 2012
    United States
    Club:
    Real Madrid
    #1610 jigsawill, Mar 21, 2014
    Last edited: Mar 21, 2014

    France is a fantastic footballing nation. The issue was that not much money or attention was beening placed toward improving and development the women's game. That changed after the World Cup 2011.

    We have the talent to win right now of course. But... I think we have become to comfortable. I'm telling you the kids coming up on these European teams are getting better and better as more attention and money is being invested in the women's game over there. I think the success of the NWSL is vital. I also think that here in the States not enough time is being invested in the technical side in the game which is why when our ladies head overseas they always comment on just how more technical the game is over there. We need to continue progressing.
     
  11. lunatica

    lunatica Member+

    Nov 20, 2013
    You know that in that video U-18 USWNT played against France U-19s, right?
     
  12. skybolt

    skybolt Member

    Dec 16, 2011
    Club:
    Barcelona Guayaquil
    We can always get better technically no doubt, but I just don't like using style as a measure for success. For instance, on the men's side I'd much rather watch the English Premiere League all day long than sit through 1 Italian Serie A match. However, when it comes to the WC stage Italy always outperforms the English teams. The English style may seem much more open and exciting to watch, but never translates to success on the big stage. Do I wish we can have both (success and style), of course. However, I will not give up success for style if it means we have to revamp our entire system so we have a chance to win in 2019 or 2023. By then if the USWNT is not successful on the world stage there's no way the NWSL would survive.
     
  13. jigsawill

    jigsawill Member

    Aug 15, 2012
    United States
    Club:
    Real Madrid
    Yep same squad that are the reigning European U-19 champions and the same team that won the 2012 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup championship.
     
  14. jigsawill

    jigsawill Member

    Aug 15, 2012
    United States
    Club:
    Real Madrid
    I agree, never give up success for style. I'm not advocating that. I'm saying the women's game as a whole is becoming more technical and we can't afford to fall behind. We need to develop more "complete" players, more balanced players who are comfortable on the ball and it has to start at a young age. Especially when it comes to the midfield I think we can so much better there.
     
  15. lunatica

    lunatica Member+

    Nov 20, 2013
    It is noticeable for a few years now that Europe is catching up, that's true. But I think so are the other parts of the world. I think that's great for women's soccer. The lack of technicality of US players is changing. Many coaches or even players currently playing in NWSL noticed that college players coming into the league are better technically that couple years ago. And I think that Sermanni calling up players like Brian is trying to bring some of that into USWNT.
     
  16. hotjam2

    hotjam2 Member+

    Nov 23, 2012
    Club:
    Real Madrid
    what I've noticed from most of the other countries is the quiet return of the classic, old school, wingers. Their not necessarily upfront forwards(like we use Morgan) but usually play outside mids who raced down their respective flanks. Some of the more well known wingers are Thomis(France),Jacobsson(Sweden),Alushi(Germany),Melis(Holland), Hansen(Norway)Kawasumi(Japan).
    Some of them are speed demons, and hereby lies the problem that we have such a slow back line, with likes of Krieger & Rampone. Our off-sides trap usually work against the long balls but watch out! when one of those speed demons breaks it from a short, give n go pass.
    Vice versa, with our wide mid, Rapinoe, who keeps bullying herself to the middle, what happens to her opposing mid play left unguarded? she'll mostly like be flying down the flanks. Japan kept sending as much as 2 runners down their right flank in some of their games.
    We really need to adjust with quicker fb's like Crystal Dunn and find our own old school wingers as well, Ohara might be our closest one, but she's no where near as fast as the names I've just mentioned of our adversary's.

    Sorry, I might of missed it, but why wasn't Dunn on the roster? or Amber Brooks?
     
  17. skybolt

    skybolt Member

    Dec 16, 2011
    Club:
    Barcelona Guayaquil
    Unfortunately, Dunn has an ankle injury.....not sure about Brooks though.
     
  18. jigsawill

    jigsawill Member

    Aug 15, 2012
    United States
    Club:
    Real Madrid
    I would argue that some of the players you named aren't "old school" wingers especially Alushi who is actually one of Germany's more technically brilliant players. Shes creative, shes a good ball carrier, she links up well and she cuts into midfield just like Rapinoe. You want to know the truth? It hurts me to say this because I like her but Megan can be lazy. She has poor work rate and hardly ever tracks back and defend like she should in THIS system.
     
  19. Namdynamo

    Namdynamo Member+

    Jan 1, 2005
    #1619 Namdynamo, Mar 21, 2014
    Last edited: Mar 21, 2014
    The US won 2 of the last 3 U-20 WWC, which is a much better level for judging how talent will turn out at the adult level. U-17 level or below is crapshoot (for both men and women).
     
  20. jigsawill

    jigsawill Member

    Aug 15, 2012
    United States
    Club:
    Real Madrid
    There is not one player from that team that I see contributing in the near future outside of Morgan Brain. Hope I'm wrong but really us winning those competitions is not this issue I'm raising.
     
  21. Namdynamo

    Namdynamo Member+

    Jan 1, 2005
    #1621 Namdynamo, Mar 21, 2014
    Last edited: Mar 21, 2014
    Are you forgetting Dunn?
     
  22. jigsawill

    jigsawill Member

    Aug 15, 2012
    United States
    Club:
    Real Madrid
    I did. lol I like Dunn for the most part.
     
  23. Namdynamo

    Namdynamo Member+

    Jan 1, 2005
    Ohai is going to be damn good as well. I think Cari Roccaro, Johnston, and Killion are going to be really good in the future.

    And looked who came from the 2008 U-20 US team, Morgan and Leroux.
     
  24. Namdynamo

    Namdynamo Member+

    Jan 1, 2005
    Not to mention Christen Press and Kelley O'hara who wasn't picked for the team.
     
  25. jigsawill

    jigsawill Member

    Aug 15, 2012
    United States
    Club:
    Real Madrid
    #1625 jigsawill, Mar 21, 2014
    Last edited: Mar 21, 2014
    Two world class strikers came out of that team.... we are the striker factory that's my point. We need to do a better job developing technical, versatile mids, and attacking players. Like I have been saying, these European teams are on the rise as more money is going into player development for the women. They have better trainers over there I mean lets just keep it real. Most will agree that the world is catching up and fast.
     

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