January 24 and 27- Paraguay and Chile

Yes, Rose has still got it. IMO, heaps and rose have never worked well together. The whole is less than the sum of its parts. If rise is playing I don’t want linds on the pitch

also I can’t see discussing Dunn if she’s not playing for her club.

 

Heaps's contract with Denver is through the 2029 season. She could be one of those who plans to continue club after retiring from country, but reading the tea leaves, I look at the contract that she's just signed and think she's planning to play through 2028 with the USWNT. I mean, it will be a home Olympics; any of the current players would hang on for one more year for that opportunity if they can. Personally, if she's done before that, I don't think it'll be her choice. If it happens, I think it'll be more like Hayes dropping Morgan last year.

 

Which is the way it should be. Players should play if they want to, and let somebody else decide when they stop-- unless they wake up one day and just don't want to anymore.

Phil Esposito retired the day he showed up for a game and couldn't get up for it-- and there's no shame in that. But if you are still into it, you should go as long as they will let you. It is simpler for everybody that way.

 

I think it's probably worth a mention, that positional depth should be taken into account regarding the Krueger scale. The USWNT has an overabundance of quality forwards, so Biyendolo's future might not be as secure as say a defender or midfielder.

 

By this time next season, overabundance may be an understatement. Macario, Swanson, Smith, Rodman, Alyssa. Then, on the rise, Sears and Cooper. Then possibly ready to make their statement, Dahlien, Tordin, Amares, Sentnor, Turner, and nobody's favorite, Tiernan. Then others who could play the position in a pinch: Shaw, Moultrie. And, Ryan, who people like. Don't forget Joseph. Maybe there's a push from Purce. And, I've probably overlooked someone. And, who knows who'll rise up this coming season?

It's a battle.

 

Well, if Tiernan wants very badly for NT play, a probable choice is to get an Irish passport and play for Ireland. So does Sheehan. Both are too good to not be able to play any international game but may have difficulty make the cut for the USWNT. Ireland can really use any help they can right now after missing the Euro.

 

True enough.

But that analysis holds only if you lump all the forwards together, and I don't think that is 100% accurate.

Wide forwards (Swanson, Rodman, A. Thompson, Cooper, Sears, etc.) have more depth than the CFs (Wilson, Macario, Biyendolo, etc.). And even there, there is a diversity in how they play the role. Wilson is get behind speed. Macario (and Shaw & Sentnor) are more like false 9's. Biyendolo is really the only CF/target forward in the pool (unless you want to count Hatch). Maybe Ryan?

Anyway, my point is that IF you want a target forward/scrap for a goal in the box/aerial threat CF on the roster, Biyendolo gives you something the others do not. Not the wide forwards, certainly and not really the other CFs, either.

Is it enough to hang on to a spot? IDK, she was on the fringe with the Expresso healthy, but really played well when they + Cat were out.

Depth is a factor but so is style & skillset. If yours is unique, you have a better shot.

 

Davidson is 27. She is hurt. She was the starter when healthy.

Cook is also hurt and got a call from Hayes. She is hurt, I think. Fringe. She is 28.

Dahlkemper even got calls. But not lately. And I think she is on leave? Even more fringe.

But your point still stands.

 

Tiernan was born in New Jersey, and based on a quick Google search, Sheehan was born in California. Besides a surname that may only show distant heritage, what ties do either of them have to Ireland? (I'm not saying they don't have any, just that I personally know nothing about either of their parents or grandparents, nor have I seen where either player has expressed desire/eligibility for playing for another NT.)

 

In the Pool? Tiernan.

 

Carusa was born in San Diego, Farrelly was born in Pennsylvania, Irish passport may be obtained through pretty distant heritage.

 

Good point. Chelsea are playing 2 up top, so a bit different.

But no matter where she lines up, she is a speed forward. Biyendolo certainly once had great wheels and played wide, but is more of a proper CF/target forward these days. Different players.

However, if Thompson can both play wide AND as the CF, then that helps our squad. She could be #2 at LW behind Swanson and and like-for-like #2 speedy CF behind Wilson.

 

During the 94WC, the joke was that you could play for Ireland if you’d ever had a pint of Guinness

 

2024 W Gold Cup: Thompson was out with a minor back injury. Swanson was just coming back from the patellar tendon tear, so she was in that camp for training but not rostered.

 

thinking about the discussion above, who are the CF's called in?

FORWARDS: Maddie Dahlien (Seattle Reign FC; 0/0), Jameese Joseph (Chicago Stars FC; 1/0), Trinity Rodman (Unattached; 47/11), Yazmeen Ryan (Houston Dash; 15/2), Emma Sears (Racing Louisville FC; 12/4), Ally Sentnor (Kansas City Current; 13/4), Reilyn Turner (Portland Thorns FC; 0/0)

Ally and Turner, I guess? Are y'all going to be mad if I say that Tiernan is a better CF than either of them?

 

Dahlien is a left winger. I really like her game.

 

You can go pretty deep to get an Irish passport, but you have to have at least one grandparent or parent born in Ireland to be FIFA eligible (or be born there yourself or live there for a number of years).

 

I've never seen Dahlien play anywhere but wide. I'd say Sears is a more likely candidate to be moved to the interior than Maddie, but who knows?

I agree about Sentnor. Actually, I think she kind of lacks a position. When she plays that withdrawn position, she gets run down from behind a lot. But, she cooked in the U-23 match, so maybe that's a sign that she's improving in that respect. Even if that's true, she's more of a withdrawn player than a CF.

Ya, Emma and Co don't like Tiernan. They think she's missing something. I think she has more to offer as a CF than anyone on this roster. If we're not allowed to disagree with the manager, I don't know what this forum is for. Every post can't be "Great Decision!"

 

Ya, Dahlien has it all at left wing, except that there was a long stretch this past season where it looked to me like she was prone to the yips. That's ok, she was a rookie. Some players get past that, some don't. Look at Sears, she was in her 2nd year and things began to click in around the middle of it.