4 forwards: Smith, Rodman, Morgan, Swanson (Williams and Cat on the bubble, plus others?) 4 mids: Shaw, Horan, Albert, Coffey (Sonnett on the bubble and makes it, Rose does not) 4 fullbacks: Nighswonger, Fox, Dunn, Krueger (could be one too many here) 3 center backs: Girma, Davidson, Dahlkemper?, (got to have three, reason why Last spot goes to: likely Sonnett (health will be the real decider) Not going: Williams, Rose, and Macario Coaches will tell us that Dunn can play on the wing, just not very well, IMO. I would personally take Williams and Krueger so that Shaw can stay in midfield and this leaves Sonnett at home unless Horan or Coffey get injured. If not Williams, then a fast mobile winger like her. Thompson or Rose? Who else can play on the wing that is healthy? All this explains why Shaw was tried on the wing to start against Canada and this was a failed experiment as we lost the midfield. Sonnett just doesn't do it for me. I also think Sonnett was getting the full evaluation as well and she was average at best, imo. Also explains why Nighswonger played in front of Dunn against Japan at the end of the game to see if that would work and it really didn't. Coaches have some very tough decisions to make to get down to a tiny 18 person roster. It is very hard to make a plan B work. We know plan A works, but the reserves and depth is a work in progress.
I think this is pretty close but some of it depends on Emma's approach and on Cat and Rose's health. If Rose is healthy, she needs to go, which drops one of Coffee, Albert, or Sonnett. If Cat is healthy that's an interesting choice to gamble on her or to take Alex Morgan or to take both and not take a midfielder (probably unlikely, but I would rather have another attacker who could possibly change the game). On the old USWNT, Sonnett would go and one of Albert or Coffey, probably Albert because of the socials, would be dropped. Interesting to see what Emma does. I think the defense is probably right and not one I trust. I think you need 7 players between the four roles. This is a team that could win but certainly won't be the favorites.
So how much punishment for the gay hate to Albert? I think she has had enough and learned her lesson, imo. She was a starter for gold cup and played really well. She is young and her body is capable of the demands ot the olympics. A player like rose can never stay available very long. Sonnett stays available and is fit. She just is average in so many ways and takes little risks with conservative passes and a complete non treat to score nor make passes that lead to scoring. Great player to kill off the game with the lead, but that is about it. I wouldn't take both Krueger and Sonnett.
If Cat is healthy she will definitely be on the team. No one will know better about hee performance then Hayes having the opportunity to watch her in all the practices and matches with Chelsea. Besides what better situation for her to have a player that better understands the kind of offense she wants to run. Right now I want to see how she uses her, and how long she plays her against Barcelona.
Albert did also like a post that mocked Rapinoe's Achilles injury in her final professional match. Seeing certain fans defend that action as just dark humor/satire was quite confusing. Not starting but still getting minutes in both matches doesn't seem like that much punishment. The booing upon her entrance into both matches was more like punishment. Also, Albert and Horan were like the only in-season players at the Gold Cup; that wasn't the case at the SheBelieves Cup. So, I think she may have not started one of the matches regardless.
I wouldn't over-analyze her "likes". People can "like" something about a post that is unrelated to what you think is significant. But it does show a lack of awareness about how her activity may be misinterpreted. At the very least, she has a lot to learn. But, as you suggest, it could also indicate something more troubling.
My point was in the old WNT, veteran preference etc might have driven selection. I think Emma will have more scope to choose who she wants.
My choice Swanson, Smith, Rodman Shaw, Macario Horan, Coffey Dunn, Nighswonger,Fox Girma, Davidson, Dahlkamper Sonnett can help at 6, cb, fb so it comes down to Krueger, Alex, or korbin for the last spot for me. For me, it’s Krueger, we need depth at rb. now, getting realistic, there is no way Alex is not going. Add Alex, who comes out. Tough call. I think Krueger stays. I think Macario stays. Since fox can play either fb position, I think nighswonger is in jeopardy. I’d be really surprised if both nighswonger and macaroon make the team. They’d both be on my team
I think you might be miscounting? Unless you're planning to take 3 keepers instead of 2. At least I'm counting 14 players in your list when you say that it's 3 players for the last spot, but you actually have 2 more spots. More often than not, the USWNT has taken 2 keepers, 6 defenders, 6 midfielders, and 4 forwards to previous Olympics although I'd say with the current pool, formation, and depth on different lines it's probably 2 keepers, 6 defenders, 5 midfielders, and 5 forwards for this roster, unless Hayes drastically changes tactics in these last few games.
I think I remember there is a rule about keepers that lets them replace a keeper who gets injured and out of the games with a third keeper who is not on the 18-player roster, so that third keeper becomes the #2 keeper on the active roster. I think they bring Albert rather than Krueger, although I can see what you mean about right backs.
It's not just goalkeepers. Any player on the final roster who is seriously injured can be replaced by one of the 4 alternate players (one of the alternates must be a goalkeeper). It requires a serious injury that knocks the rostered player out of the tournament and the FIFA medical team has to confirm that the player is not able to continue in the tournament. (Obviously the rules were different in the last Olympics.) It's why the USWNT has travelled with all 4 alternates since 2012. In 2004, and I think 2000, only the alternate goalkeeper travelled with the team since the federation bears the full expense for the alternates traveling (I'm not sure on 2008). However, we've only had to use an alternate once: in 2008 with Cheney replacing Wambach but since that was before the start of the tournament and before the deadline for the final lists/rosters, I think the USWNT was actually able to name another alternate in Cheney's place on the final list. (After the tournament starts, you can't do that.)
Who cares? Albert is an amazing young player, and she has right like everyone else to her own thoughts.
A lot of fans do. These are the thoughts people keep in their head when they have them; they don't publicly like derogatory remarks towards a legend in their sport that helped pave the way to a better future for them in said sport. I was very surprised that Albert still wore #15 at the SheBelieves Cup.
The thing is, team chemistry is a real thing and if you have one player who messes it up… the team typically doesn’t do well. Most people typically don’t like it when other people wish harm to their friends. I don’t know what Albert was thinking (no one does), but to ignore her actions and just say ‘Well she is the better player, she deserves to go’ is being a bit naive about the dynamic of team sports.
I don't want to defend Albert too much, but I wonder if Rapinoes comments on God not being real kind of got to her. Albert seems pretty deeply religious. She may have felt angry at something that is a deeply ingrained part of her identity being disregarded or made fun of by someone. Maybe the team was able to show Albert how her social media activity could have made someone else feel that same way.
I'm willing to get some pushback on this, but imo, Albert also isn't that good yet. (She has potential to be, just not yet.) She was a bubble player before all of the drama, and she's still on the bubble. I'm just putting that out there because if she doesn't make the Olympic roster, some fans are going to point back to the social media likes/shares as the reason why and forget the fact that she was and still is on the bubble regardless.
If Hayes wanted to play a 3-5-2, 3-4-1-2 etc - do we hve the depth in the back lines to do it? Like I can see the Smith, Shaw, Simpson, Rodman, Coffey, Horan, Albert, and most likely Morgan and or Macario. Fox and Nighswonger. I'd take Krueger over Dunn. But after Dahlkemper, Girma, Davidson, it gets kinda thin doesn't it? Cook seemed a lttle too shaky. Is there anyone else in NWSL? Vignola? Does Fox move to RCB? I get that Sonnet can play in the back line but she seems to be more of a liability for cards there than in the midfield.
You might get a better idea of whether Albert will be on the the Olympic roster if you can see it from Hayes perspective rather then your own. Hayes is basically looking at whether players are versatile and how quickly they will be able to adapt to the style of play she wants to see, especially during the flow of a game. Obviously, at this point she does over other candidates vying for a spot. Just the fact she was called in, and how much she was used, and the fact she was still called up after the incident, means if Hayes has any say so, she will be on the Olympic roster, like it or not.
Regarding Albert, there are a lot of things we do not and likely will not know, including what her attitude is in relation to her teammates, what their attitude is in relation to her, and where the staff has her on their position depth lists. It makes any prognostications about whether she will or will not be on the roster speculative. Those who like to speculate will speculate and those who prefer to wait and see will wait and see .
And I get that. For me, I personally don’t play well if I find someone kind of an ass. And again, she is within her right to believe what she wants. But my issue is her liking a post that was happy Rapinoe got injured. By extension, she was also happy that someone got injured. I would not want to play with that person who wishes harm on a friend. However, I am not a professional and I am sure the team has addressed the topic. I am just saying bad team chemistry can really ruin a team’s run towards a championship. It’s an underrated factor that has to be considered, along with how good a player’s soccer skills are.
IF healthy, since we are talking Macario, add a definite to Rose. If she is healthy, she will be on the roster. She is still the fastest and trickiest (skilled with feet on the ball) midfielder the USWNT has. In fact, I would take her, healthy, over Horan.
Macario started in today’s 3-0 win against Aston Villa, subbing out in the 69th minute. She had two assists. One a heel pass and other a corner kick. Hayes has her taking all the corner kicks from both sides as well as free kicks in the final 23rd area of the field.