January 24 and 27- Paraguay and Chile

Lots of interesting comments from Hayes. A good insight into their callup process, how they group players, the extra TLC reqyired forconboarding newer players, how known players are treated a bit differently, etc.

At GK, I think Hayes confirmed what we all suspected. It is Dickey & Tullis-Joyce solidly 1-2 (or 2-1), at the moment. And McGlynn, Campbell, & Murphy battling for #3.

The comments in the #10 & Macario were also interesting. I would hope that would put to bed the idea that Macario was gonna replace a healthy Wilson as the starting CF. As good as Cat has been, Sophia may be the most talented player in the entire pool. Not necessarily the best, but the highest ceiling.

In my view, our best attacking players, by quite a bit, are Swanson, Wilson, Rodman, Macario, and Lavelle. Finding a way to get as many on the field at a time, and them familiar with each other in those roles, is a good thing. At some point, we may need to go all out for a goal.

Heaps (when at CAM), Biyendolo, Shaw, and A. Thompson would be next for me. Then the group of Moultrie, Sentnor, Sears, Ryan, and Cooper. Maybe Purce. Speaking of, is Cooper still hurt? That was a name I expected to see.

I noted the absence of Lilly at #10 as well. Maybe an oversight? But I think Hayes sees her as a CM long term. But the offense may be ahead of the D atm. So getting her on the field at the #10 makes sense.

Though the Sams comments were interesting. The CB comments, like GK, kinda confirm what we all know. Girma + Sonnett are tops, plus a healthy Davidson. Hayes likes Bugg a lot for the future. And sees Sams in a kind of Sonnett role atm (CB/RB) as a capable reserve. I'd expect Bugg/Rudd (nee McKeown) to start at CB. Though with it being early, Hayes may split the squads. Those who start one game likely won't start the other.

Where Patterson, Moultrie, and Sentnor are deployed will also be revealing. Patterson has played both sides and I view as clealy the #3 FB atm (Fox, Reale). But Sams & G. Thompson are 2 viable candidates on the right and Wiesner & Izzy on the left.

If Hayes does indeed pick her strongest team for 1 match and then rotate forcthe 2nd, who starts opposite Patterson could tell us a lot.

I was also excited to see Hershfelt back in. Felt awful for her in the Final & worried she got hurt. Coffey has that spot, and Hutton seems next. Schrader had it in 2024. But Hal has a bit more steel & edge than anyonecin our CM pool except for maybe Heaps.

But this is just tea leaves. SheBelieves will be revealing. Even with some continued absences (Swanson, Biyendolo, etc.).

 

Don’t think any Euro based players are in this particular squad

 

They're not, but the comment is about Hayes not mentioning Yohannes when she talked about competition for the 10 spot. Personally, I think Hayes sees Yohannes as an 8, and her few times playing at the 10 was either because of available personnel or to test/develop some additional skills.

 

Thompson needs more than 2 USWNT goals before I put her in the top Tier. One in a competitive match would help. Come on.

Give up the ghost on Cat over Wilson at CF. That isn't happening.

The Hutton comments were about developing the next generation of leaders and trying to groom some from this camp who are not in that role normally, but are the more experienced players in THIS camp. Rodman was also mentioned. Heaps & Lavelle are gonna be leaders this cycle, & probably through '28 OLY. Lavelle & Hutton don't even play the same position. Hayes is just building depth. Leaders. GK. CB. CM. CAM. Everywhere. Planting a garden. Setting us up for sustainable excellence.

 

The whole trick to coaching and managing a roster is to NOT get too focused on what they have done, and instead figure out what they are about to do...

 

One thing I meant to mention, I’ll be watching to see if/when Dahlien and Meza are on the field together. They played in college together, and early in the nwsl season they had a good dynamic with Meza playing balls through to Dahlien

 

Lavelle, Heaps, and Sonnett seem to be the leadership group, but I'll just add that Girma seems to be the captain-in-training on the team after Heaps even though she doesn't have as many caps as Lavelle or Sonnett. When Heaps is sitting, it is usually Girma over Lavelle or Sonnett who wears the captain's armband.

I think people may be reading too much into the Hutton comment as it was just an example of someone who may step up in leadership during this camp. Hayes said she hasn't decided yet, and obviously someone's going to be wearing the captain's armband who hasn't yet.

 

US Soccer has now published the video of Hayes in the press conference on the roster for those who would prefer to watch:



And now after watching again, I need to make a correction to how I made the organized list of the the various categories of players the staff is monitoring:

"We have at the very top of that process:

1. WNT core players, what we call core players. [Hayes takes some time to open the document and read the different categories]...WNT core, which is players that are consistently in the team.
2. WNT Pool, which is players that are consistently in the conversation for a selection, has been in at least three camps, and has had a first cap;
3. a WNT prospect, which is a player that's being monitored and considered,
4. a WNT high potential is a young player that has potential with us but not ready
5. U-23 pool player, and
6. a game plan specific player, which is older players with experience. We know them. We know what they can bring. So they might not be regulars, for example."

 

Something I originally missed from the roster press release: "Concurrently with the USWNT's January training camp at DHSP, the U.S. Youth National Team staff will conduct a National Team Development Camp featuring players born between 2003-2008." (So, basically the U23s and U20s will be in camp together.) That roster hasn't been announced yet.

Meanwhile, the U-17 WNT have just left for a training camp in Spain and will have matches on Jan. 11 and the 14 against Germany and Denmark respectively. The U-16 GNT is also in Spain for a training camp and 3 matches: they play Germany twice on January 10 and 13, and then a game against the Belgium U17 WNT on January 15. I guess I need to cross-post that in a youth NT thread.

 

Maybe Cooper is still injured, but maybe just isn't fully fit yet? Either way there's no need to rush her back here for this camp.

 

Sounds like Emma is planning on playing everyone. There will probably be a ton of rotation.

But, ya, it will be interesting.

 

The bold-faced group is really interesting and one that gets little discussion here at least as being a "positive attribute" group. I wonder, could the World Cup roster include one or two players fitting this category? Will Heaps and Lavelle and maybe Biyendolo become members of this group? It seems like Emma sees a roster as going from relatively new to relatively old, including players who may not get a lot of time on the field but are there for intangible reasons -- as distinguished from "just bring your best players at the time."

 

Menti won a NC with Santa Clara in 2020 as a freshman.
I watched that match and remember that she left an impression.
I like this callup and don't believe it's a fluke.

 

My impression for this group is seeing a player like Lo’eau LaBonta making the roster. She had zero callups in her career and now, in the waning part of her career, she's been called up like 3-4 times? She's not going to replace a regular starter, but there might be a situational spot for her.

 

Oooo, I've been waiting to see callups for Riley Jackson and Maddie Dahlien.

 

Thanks!

 

I think for Hayes someone like Dunn could be in this category already: she's not really getting called in anymore but there may be a specific situation where they need to call her back.

 

Lavelle & Heaps are still firmly in the core group. Biyendolo on the edge of it when everyone was healthy.

But Father Time is undefeated. Eventually, they will fade. Core/mainstay to fringe to infrequent call to not called anymore. Look at Krueger. But Rose is 30, Heaps is 32, Krueger was almost 34 at the Summer Olympics in 2024 (her last major tourney). Plus, Krueger was a reserve to start with. Rose & Heaps are starters. Losing the starting place is step 1. Neither is there yet.

I will say that the known/vet player kinda takes a backseat when the program/coach is trying to build depth and onboard new players, but tends to get more calls (if they are gonna get them) when meaningful games loom.

IDK where Dunn is on the Krueger scale. We'll find out for sure when qualifiers loom. If not before.

I believe that Rose (30), Heaps (32), Biyendolo (32), and Dunn (33) are the only real core players over 30.

 

Is Dunn playing any with her club?

 

Heaps should not be a starter with the current NT pool. And for sure not with Rose. They don’t miss well.