I agree. I think Bywaters has potential. For me, she was one of the best on the field today. I also agree with posts saying Hayes and Noyola changed the game. The US looked much more dangerous in the second half. I'm not sold on the defending though. Too often, they gave the Ghanaian players way too much space. Speaking of Hayes and Bywaters, it was at least refreshing to see US players with speed. (Certainly something we didn't see in the full squad against Sweden).
because I'm a glutton for punishment, I'm going to watch this game again via espn3. While I'm doing that, will someone else who watched the game please tell me what you saw in terms of formation and tactics. It bothers me that their shape was so bad and they were so disorganized that I still am not sure what the plan was.
i've only seen the first 15 min or so on dvr, and neither my wife or i could figure out what the plan was. we were hoping it would become apparent later, i take it it doesn't?
The back four rarely held their shape when Ghana attacked. Tactically, we looked very naive. Give Jill Ellis credit, though, the two midfield substitutions were inspired and led to the equalizing goal. I was very impressed with Maya Hayes and Teresa Noyola. Conversely, Nairn (hasn't she been capped at the senior level?) looked so awful and had such bad body language that I think she must have been ill.
Other things (ie work) prevented me from watching earlier. Basically, what I've got right now is a 4-?-?-1 with Leroux being up top, often (but not always) isolated. Sometimes it looks sorta like a 4-2-3-1 and sometimes a 4-3-3 and sometimes a 4-1-4-1. But the non-defenders not named Leroux are all over and don't seem to know when/where to cover defensively or how to coordinate their runs. Free flowing is one thing and I still can't figure out what this is. eta: what position is Mewis supposed to be playing? And the same w/ DiMartino. oy. Oh, and we can dissect the defensive shape at some point, too. The outside backs get caught high & too wide which pull the CBs too far outside, leaving a big @ss gaping hole in the middle. The Ghana goal was a fab shot but space give to the shooter after defensive miscue and the midfield not covering their area properly after a turnover/bad clearance. Ellis and her staff badly underestimated Ghana. Or else made very bad choices on how to attack/counter Ghana. eta2: and the USA service is atrocious--repeatedly.
If this group of girls can not get excited about the U20 World Cup, they should not be there. I know of many, many girls that would give their left arm to be there (you don't really need it for soccer anyway). Is this not what all those camps have been working towards? I often wonder if bringing in so many different players at these camps, it does not allow the final team enough time to meld together. Maybe I've been watching too long, but I truly miss the passion brought on the field by the Mia Hamm era. They worked so hard to get these girls what they are being given today and I don't think it is appreciated. I did not see it on the full WNT game either. I found both games rather boring to watch, even though the scores were so close. I also feel it's time to take the college coaches away from the National Team scene, but that's another whole thread there.
I think the players are excited and honored to play for the national team (both U20 and full WNT). I don't think excitement or lack of same was the issue yesterday.
The USA really looked like they were in a 4-5-1 formation for most of the match. LeRoux as the lone striker and even she had to go back to get the ball at times because there was no service from the mids. Looked something like this: 19-Sydney Leroux (capt.) 20-Amber Brooks, 11-Christine Nairn (10-Teresa Noyola, 54), 12-Zakiya Bywaters (Courtney Verloo, 77), 9-Kristie Mewis; 6-Vicki DiMartino (16-Maya Hayes, 46), 3-Rachel Quon, 2-Tony Pressley, 4-Cyrstal Dunn, 5-Kendall Johnson; 1-Bianca Henninger; Ghana was physical and quick and pressured the USA's midfield out of the game as a result. There was no smooth silky passing of the old days. Ghana knew how to smother the midfield into unforced errors. As a result players like Nairn and DiMartino were exposed as they held the ball too long and ended up giving counter attacking breaks. I agree Ghana was a bit lucky on their goal and it seems they only truly threatened on the counter and with long distance shots (just like the World Cup men's team!) but their game plan was to stiffle the US midfield and force them to play poor balls over the top or be disposed by holding the ball too long. Their plan worked... Ellis did recognize this but it was too little too late. The USA played scared instead of hungry and passionate...Hopefully they will wake up. The Swiss are big but very slow in the back and Ramona Bachmann is very selfish so hopefully Maya and Noyola will start...
I'll buy that they were trying some sort of 4-5-1 that could morph into a 4-3-3 when throwing numbers forward. But the lineup you gave wasn't how the players were on the field. Brooks wasn't on the left, she was fairly reliably the deeper holding mid. Mewis was sometimes on the left and sometimes in the middle and sometimes up top. DiMartino was on the right but usually either caught too far up or too far middle. Bywaters was all over the place, too. Narin was usually central as was Noyola.
Yes you are right Brooks should have been listed in the middle but the mids were all over the place and even Brooks strayed from the d-mid spot all game As a result their shape was very stretched.
during the buildup to that first game ussoccer interviewed the coach and some players and they said that ghana doesn't seem to play any fixed system. this might have fed into the u.s. playing without a firm system as well. dunn is surprisingly better at cd than i thought she would be. pressley is too slow. but against the swiss, she may show better if dunn takes bachmann most of the time. the us played better in the second half. let's hope the improvement continues, or else they won't be long in this tournament. conclusion after 1 game. tony's team passed the ball better than ellis' team. but it's only one game.
If so, that is a ridiculous tactical decision by Ellis. Especially as she admits to not having seen Ghana on film or in person prior to the tournament. You do not f--k up your own team's shape & approach to winning the game over an opponent that you have not seen--doubly so as one of the favorites. You make the other team adjust to you and go at them (however your preferred tactical approach defines "go at them"). I didn't think she was a terrible coach prior to this tourny; I just questioned her ability to "win the big one." If what you suggest is true then Lord help 'em.
I only saw the second half and the level of the play of the US shocked me. Glad I didn't see the first half. Horribly hit passes, long balls to nobody, big, athletic, fast players without soccer brains. I am exaggerating a bit but I didn't identify one nifty ball handler and there was SO MUCH space on the field that most errors were not forced but just a lack of skill or horrible decisions. Ghana, at least in the second half, only had 2, maybe 3, players that were dangerous. For some reason the backline couldn't figure out how not to expose themselves to that forward's pace and the midfield kept overcommitting on that Addo or whatever, can't recall her exact name, when if they had just closed her down she would of had to pass to one of her many average teammates. Even our goal was offiside and we barely created a chance after that. If we play a team that matches our athleticism but can also actually play we should get hammered. Maybe they were having an off day and I should wait to watch another game but it was painful to watch.
i guess we shouldn't be surprised. both mens and womens u.s. teams lack skill on the ball when compared to other national teams. what we have always tended to have is athletic prowess, unbelievable fitness, superior discipline, and a gigantic will to win. when other teams challenge any american soccer team on any of these, we will have a terrible time, because our skill is just very elementary or nonexistent. ghana challenged us on athletic prowess. on a whole they were faster AND quicker. (similar thing happened to the men).
And that's not going to change any time soon, unfortunately. For the men there are clear directions to go (more youth development by our pro teams) but the WPS can't afford to do that and too many clubs and parents are consumed with winning at u8 for real development to happen in this country.