Only thing about Cheney is the lack of experience. There's a huge difference between high school and college play, and international play. Fotop is a known entity, a pure goal scorer, who is always in the right place at the right time. She always makes the back post run and would be a great target on set plays. She doesn't mind getting down and dirty, and does a lot of the grunt work. Do you really want to go with an unknown this close to the tournament? This is assuming that Fotop is healthy, of course. I know someone could use Abby and Shannon as examples of newbies who excelled, but it's a totally different situation. Those two were playing in the league against the best in the world. They are also unique players, in their own rights.
Solo played early in her career at Washington as a forward before reluctantly taking up the goal spot...
Cheney was tauted by many to be the best high school player in the country and a consensus #1 recruit a couple of years ago and in her freshman year at UCLA score a ton of goals. IMO the coaching staff likes her. She will be a regular on the full national team sooner than most people think.
Here's my best guess for the final 21 (with age during WWC): 1-Scurry (36) 2-Mitts (29) 3-Rampone (32) 4-Whitehill (25) 5-Tarpley (23) 6-Kai (24) 7-Boxx (30) 8-Frimpong (25) 9-O'Reilly (22) 10-Wagner (27) 11-Lloyd (25) 12-Osborne (24) 13-Lilly (36) 14-Lopez (21) 15-Markgraf (30) 16-Noguiera (18!!) 17-Chalupny (23) 18-Solo (26) 19-Averbuch (20) 20-Wambach (27) 21-Branham (26) Average Age: 26.1 years (Scurry and Lil take the average up almost one whole year) 2003 Average Age: 27.6 years....if I calculated correctly
yea, lovinsoccer, not a chance what? not a chance lepeillbet will be left out? not a chance noguiera? not a chance averbuch? (i'm actually hoping she makes it) not a chance branham? not a chance abby gets picked? what?
I'm not saying Cheney won't make the team, or be a contributor to this team. I know her credentials in high school as well as with the various U-teams. I'm just looking at the roster. I'm assuming they will take 5-6 forwards. Wambach, Lilly, O'Reilly, and Tarpley pretty much have 4 of those spots wrapped up. That's one big player and 3 smaller ones. That leaves 1-2 slots left. Kai looks like a keeper, another small player. If they take one more forward, I think they need to take a bigger player, if only as a backup to a possible Abby injury. I just don't think Cheney will take any one of those slots away. Unless she makes all the rosters this year and has a monster of a season, I can't see a player with one cap going into a world cup season making the team. This is all predicated on the assumption of no major injuries, of course.
I'm not so certain the U.S. absolutely needs another Abby-esque player on the roster. There are a number of taller players on the team, but unfortunately not usually in the goal area looking for scoring chances. While having a target in there is convenient, and can result in some easy goals, it tends to result in one-dimensional, direct play. When Abby is playing, this doesn't tend to happen too much because she is so skilled with her feet that she can create as well as finish. But it seems like a bit of a waste to name someone like Fotopolous to the roster just as cover for Abby. Who knows, there is plenty of time left in the year. Fotop or someone else may get on a roll and legitimately earn their spot. Kai isn't all that small, she has a tremendous vertical, and is aggresive in the air. I saw her win a number of aerial battles with taller defenders at the Four Nations Cup.
I am vascillating on whether or not we need height. It sure was nice when Parlow provided the easy target and Wambach is awesome. I know Kai can get up, too. No one else can. We have gotten hammered by the Germans and Norweigians in the air a time or two. Fotop seems like the only other choice. How about Solo as a Wambach backup? But I know I digress....
What about Whitehill? haven't you fans been checking her out since the WWC3 in the box on corner kicks. at the rate she going she will some surpass Brandi and Fawcett in goals tally for defenders.
She's great on set plays. What happened to Welsh? Most of Averbuch's goals in college have been quick turns to slam it in. Who else is tall?
Same old story. Tall, small, style etc. really don't matter except in theory. Lots of similar speculation about Abby at one time. As I recall, many on these very boards commented that she was too something (tall, awkward, whatever) and maybe not the right 'fit' for the artistic style of the USA. In fact, A.H. was just one of the many skeptics. Well Abby showed one thing - it doesn't matter what you look like or how big you are (or are not). Put big numbers up and all the rest is just b.s. If Ryan can find someone else to put up the same kind of numbers as Abby, he won't care if she's 3' tall and has 3 legs.
Too true, CAFAN. Abby has made huge advances since she first burst on the scene. She was very much a one dimensional player then, putting up huge numbers of huge goals. Her game has evolved exponentially as well as her fitness level. I don't know about the last part, though. Welsh put up huge numbers two years ago, and then promptly disappeared. Regarding the necessity of another bigger player. We can get away with playing China, France, and maybe Sweden without another larger player, but Germany and Norway would kill us in 50/50's. Even a player who can sky, like Kai, would get pushed off the ball by the physical play. Don't get me wrong, I think the team is in excellent shape. I'm excited about the 4-3-3, and the chemistry between the younger players and older players is great. The Algarve will give us a great preview of Sept. And I'll be able to follow the games, because they won't be on in the middle of the night!
Well, Danielle Fotopoulos just retired from the national team. So that settles the speculation about her as an Abby backup. Let the search continue.
Set plays are not something I would worry about in terms of heading. Boxx is great. Kai and Lloyd can jump. Whitehill has a knack for being in the right place at the right time and Osborne is also an option. As for the speed, physicality, and all the intangibles that Wambach brings--well, those things aren't really replaceable by one person. It's all about finding combinations of players that give us a wide array of tactical options. Plenty of small forwards have made it work. So, what Ryan should be doing is experimenting with combos to see what works (with and without Wambach). The Hamm/Wambach duo was pretty special so we should feel spoiled that we got to see it in action. Perhaps other duos will emerge . . .
except that part of her success is that she has size to go with skill. it would be nice to have another forward with both. i don't think anybody is interested in size for its own sake.
There's a nice write-up at fifa.com on the USWNT preparations for the WWC and their success over the last two years.
Let's take a look at the midfielders: Wagner, Boxx, Osborne, Lloyd, Averbuch, Nogueira, Hucles and Miller The last 4 are basically fighting for 2 spots, but let's also keep in mind that Chalupney also can play midfield. If for some reason Chalup's has a reoccurance of her concussion problems, then maybe GR takes only 6 defenders and takes 7 midfielders. Setting the chalupney paradigm aside, I don't see Greg Ryan giving the younger players the playing time needed to mesh with the rest of the team. It seems fashionable to bash Hucles on this board, but unless her fitness tanks, she is going to get the nod based on experience...that the other players know where they have to be when Angela has the ball, as opposed to the younger players were the others are pretty sure, but not as certain where they should be, or where Averbuch & Noguerira will play the ball. Here is one problem with trying to say that Hucles and Miller should NOT be on this team. Pray tell me where their play has cost us games? That's the problem with a 35 game unbeaten streak (in the run of Play). Now if you wish to argue that Averbuch & Nogueira have bigger upsides, I would grant you that, but that is not enough to take the experience off the field of the veterans. I say that fitness will rule in the end, and unless the veterans are substantially less fit that the yutes, the Vets will have the spots.