Ryan Names Final Three Players To U.S. Roster For 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup in China

Good for her.

 

Here is an article on Kai's selection. Apparently fitness was the biggest issue.

http://honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070723/SPORTS/707230349/1032

 

I'm completely unsurprised.

 

That's a lot of running - for 7 minute runouts at the end of games.

 

no surprise, but i was hoping that we wouldn't take jobson AND hucles. was hoping trotter squeezed in there

 

As has been said, there were no real surprises. We all knew Hucles and Kai were in and any speculation and uncertainty remained with the final spot. I'm glad it's all over and done with and hope the ladies remain healthy for the tournament.

 

I thought both Kai and especially Hucles played so well at the Norway game that it was inevitable that they'd go. I figured they already had to play their way off the roster,and I thought both did well.

Dalmy just seemed obvious as soon as Mitts got hurt.

 

Its not the cameos she'll likely make. If Abby gets hurt, she'll have to run her tail off for 90 and still be able to go on if it ain't over.

 

I old you guys a while back that Jobson will make this squad. Guaranteed.

 

So who were the last people cut? India Trotter? Who else?

 

Jobson and Hucles.... He must be getting some of that, because there is no reason they should even in the Pool of players....

I have never seen the two of them contribute to the game ecept to to become the invisible women on the field... When they step on the field, seems the US plays a person down...

 

That's uncalled for. I think part of the reason people get so down on fill in the blank, today its Jobson and Hucles, is that we don't get to see them play much. There aren't a ton of televised games and they're not starters so they don't get a ton of minutes. Ryan and his staff see them play everyday and feel that they add value to the team. Do you really think he would risk a World Cup on them if they didn't? There is an excellent video on ussoccer.com where he explains his choices (don't know if it's been updated to include the latest 3) and what they bring to the team.

Also, how would you feel if someone posted what you just posted (or some of the other things) about these young ladies about your daughter?

 

I agree with the rest of the post, but you are off the mark here. These are grown women competing for NT positions, there is nothing wrong with questioning their ability to perform at the highest level.

 

As a mod, you might want to actually read the post she's objecting to?

 

We all know that the last three or four players aren't going to play very many minutes so the reason they are there isn't strictly for what they bring to the field, but to the locker room and practice pitch. They also have to have the right mentality. Players who are used to starting and playing whole games sometimes have a hard time putting their personal desires aside for the scheme of the team. It takes a special personality to give 100% in practice all the time when you don't get minutes.

 

Kai isn't a surprise. I have been a huge fan of hers, but honestly, she was atrocious against Norway. I see what they say about fitness. She was unable to beat the defenders.

Hucles, on the other hand, was very good in her limited minutes against Norway. She did take two shots that were horribly offline, but otherwise, I was pleasently surprised at how well she played.

I honestly don't know that much about Dalmy. To be honest I was hoping for someone with two-way speed and the ability to be put on the backline - India Trotter.

With the injury to Mitts, our defense suddenly looks suspect. Basically, it's not the Old (Rampone), the Fat (Whitehill), and the Slow (Markgraf). Christie still has wheels, but she can't play 90 minutes at speed twice a week for three weeks. Cat and Kate are slow. The really nice thing that Mitts gave us on the other side was recovery speed. And I don't really want to see a repeat of the Chalupny on the back line experiment. She got the job done, but she's proven that she's far more valuable running the offense. Two bad Kylie Bivens left the game. Four more years of international experience and she might just have been the answer. But honestly, I'm really concerned about how fragile our backline is at this point. Another injury or an untimely suspension and we could be looking at a four-alarm fire drill.

 

Cheney will be there soon. Kai will be out and Cheney will take her spot b/c I believe they both play that target spot. She will beat her out for the Olympics I bet. I like them both but Cheney is better.

 

I wondered for half a second when he left Kai off the original 18 if he was thinking of recalling
Cheney. Then she showed up on the U-20 roster so I figured probably not.

 

Of the 24 in camp in June, those not on the final roster are Trotter, Lohman, and Welsh. In the utility player category, has Hucles ever been tried in defense? If there are suspensions and/or injuries (knock on wood, please no) could she fill in there?

 

Actually according to the release, they are training her as a forward so she could fill in there.

 

Amazing how one injury can completely change things. I think we'll be ok with Rampone, Markgraf, Whitehill, and Lopez in the back, with Ellertson available either as a sub or to deal with any particularly tricky opposing attackers. Her speed will help to offset Kate and Cat's lack thereof. I think we can, if necessary, withstand one suspension or minor injury. Any more than that, though, and we're in trouble. And I agree, Chalupny needs to be in the midfield.

 

Really. Forward? Hucles? Interesting. Guess I should have read the release and not just looked at the names. Ok, she did score a lot for UVA but I didn't really peg her there at this point in her career. For some reason, I had in my head that her midfield work might translate to decent defensive cover. But I haven't seen her play in ages (aside from the brief Norway outing) so, clearly, I'm mis-remembering.

 

Yeah, I heard that. We don't need more forwards. We need midfielders that can win balls and consistently make good passes. We currently have 2 like that (Boxx & Lloyd). Osbourne and Chalupny were scary against Norway, Jobson wins balls but can't complete a pass forward against a decent team, Hucles made more good passes against Norway (coming on late with fresh legs against a tired D) than the last 4 times I remember watching her play, and Wagner passes pretty well but doesn't win many balls.

If we can't control the ball in midfield, our D will have real trouble. I think our D is good enough to win the WC, and our keepers and forwards definitely are, but the midfield needs to control the play. I have real concerns about our ability to do that, especially playing 4-3-3 with no width.