Predicting the 2023 WWC roster

Frankly, I think anyone who refuses to get vaccinated should be left off the team.

 

minus the vac argument, with so many current top USWNT out (Macario, Ertz, Dunn, Mewis, Davidson) the one thing that Vlatko’s got left is the prolonged, double wide attack of Pugh & Smith, which is still arguably the best in the business. Taking away Pugh, I don’t fancy our chances in our upcoming friendlies with England & Spain.
The only other revenue of attack—-Lavelle’s dribble/drive, will most likely be hindered by Europe’s increasingly more physical play as of late. Most likely she be hammered by so called ‘professional fouls’ before she can get going.
Possibly replacement for Pugh; Rapinoe gotten more into her new, elderly statesman role of super sub. Morgan just don’t seem to get the scoring out put under Vlatko. Both would face(guess all 3)what’s now the top FB duo in the world in October —Daly & Bronze

 

I think Rodman could do well if given the opportunity. She is an explosive 1 v 1 talent. But she may have a VAC issue as well.

 

update—-15 members of Spain’s NT just quit the team in protest over their yucky coach. So I think we’ll win even without Pugh & Rodman

now we only got to worry about England

 

If FIFA allows 26 players, which they should given the expanded tournament, 5 substitute rule and inevitable Covid infections/quarantines.

GK (3): Naeher, Murphy, Kingsbury
D (8): Sauerbrunn, Cook, Girma, Davidson, Dunn, Huerta, Fox, Mace
M (8): Ertz, Coffey, Howell, S. Mewis, Lavelle, Sanchez, DeMelo, Kornieck
F (7): Morgan, Macario, Hatch, Pugh, Smith, Rodman, Rapinoe

If FIFA only allows 23, omit Howell, one of DeMelo/Kornieck, and...Hatch?

Alternates/Close cuts: Franch, Sonnett, O'Hara, C. Pickett, Sullivan, K. Mewis, Purce, Williams, Balcer, Thompson?

 

Have you been watching Vlatko's lineups and call-ins? How do you put DeMelo, Howell (who has had very little impact at the NWSL level), Coffey and Korniek in before Kristie Mewis and Sullivan?

Vlatko himself has also said that caps (experience are important at major events). How many caps does DeMelo (0) have? Howell (5)? Coffey (1) Korniek (5)?

Howell has not been brought back in since her initial struggles at that level. Despite the fact that the 6 is arguably our weakest starting position.

Sullivan (33 caps) is a starter right now, and K Mewis (45 caps) is one of his top two off the bench.

Ertz has not even indicated she is returning to soccer, and Sam Mewis hasn't played a game since the Olympics. These two are certainly locks if healthy and willing. But, there is no indication of that at this time.

The rest of the roster makes sense, but I think he brings O'Hara if she is healthy. He seems to really like her.

 

You forgot Horan.

As between Hatch and Rodman, if there is a need to take drop one forward, I think it will come down to who will be a better teammate if left on the bench.

It is hard for me to see Ertz on the team. She has not even played in ages.

 

Here is something I think is a good question:

Think of your best starting lineup. Then, for each player, think of which bench player best could replace her seamlessly. Wouldn’t this be a significant consideration when considering how to complete a roster beyond the best starting lineup?

 

I think another way to look at it is who is good at impacting the game off the bench? And, who brings an exceptional quality off the bench that can change a game. Sanchez brings breakdown dribbling, K Mewis brings brilliant long ball distribution with her left foot. Those two would bring qualities and energy that can uplift a team that needs it. Rapinoe is another great example of game changing quality off the bench.

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Oh yes, Horan of course. How could I miss her? She's one of Vlatko's first names on the team sheet.

 

5 caps, 85 minutes, 1 goal. Certainly suggests a player who can help you.

But I'll say it again for the hundredth time-- the whole point is to pick players not for what they have done, but for what they are about to do. And her arrow sure looks like it points forward and up...

But right now she's out with an ankle. Howell called in.

 

“5 caps, 85 minutes, 1 goal. Certainly suggests a player who can help you.”

How does 85 minutes of play suggest she can help you? That is a tiny sample size to judge anyone.

 

You judge them in practice. 85 good minutes in a game or games goes a fair way to confirming that judgement.

And you are making a huge and unjustified leap to equate "suggests" with "confirmed as."


I am entirely with you on the difference between league and international and have said so many times; but in terms of judgement, we are considerably sub league and the NT staff even if not up to the level are at least "league" to us. AFAIK no one has offered to pay any of us to replace them.

So it is a little shaky for any of us to put our judgement of what we see on our screens for a couple of hours up against what they see all workday long. Especially, they will have much better takes on who is going to continue to improve, who will hold steady for a while, and who is in decline. It is about what they are going to do, not what they have done.

And 85 minutes over 5 games, 1 goal is at least promising.

 

He was specifically asked about Tobin. She is not making this roster. If time is running out on Ertz, how is the same standard not applied to Heath? He is just being politically correct because he was blasted last time he threw Press under the bus. Now he is playing nice with everyone dealing with injuries, who has a history on the national team. Tobin hasn't played meaningful minutes since the Olympics. She is always injured, and currently not signed to a club (same club issue he mentioned for Ertz).

 

I enjoyed, related and sympathised with the Road Manager story but watching that pass from Huerta was...
Sweet As.

 

I pretty much agree with this, but there is one glaring problem. Bringing only 3 outside backs to a World Cup seems highly riskly. Especially when one (Fox) has a concussion history that one hit could knock her out for a week or so. Outside back is such a demanding position. Four center backs and three outside backs seems out of balance to me. This is where Sonnett is valuable with her versatility. Although I don't see who he knocks out of center back. I would remove Cook because she gets beat for pace in nearly ever tough game we had in the fall. But, she seems to be a favorite of his. This is where someone like Rapinoe should not be going (in my opinion). We need someone who can play a lot of minutes at this level and she cannot anymore. We are loaded with depth on the wing. You have 5 wingers going. Sacrifice a winger for an outside back perhaps?

 

Just sticking something in here because it is easy to forget, in re Ertz, and it probably affects her decisions-- Zach Ertz is only three months or so into rehabbing an MCL repair.

So he's probably not carrying all that much of the load with the new baby...

 

They can afford a nanny.

 

But they may not choose to do that at this age... and they can also afford to choose not to.

 

Right so her husband can be with the child while she works out and goes to work like the rest of working parents do. Three months off an ACL and he can do everything but sports. If you saw him on the street you would never know he was injured at three months. In fact he has likely been cleared for running at this stage. Three months is standard timeline to be cleared to run.