HT 1-0. Costa Rica must be smelling a real chance. USA hasn't constructed anything. Start connecting some passes!
Hopefully Pia will pull Boxx and insert Lindsey. Boxx just does not have it tonight. Additionally, Heath should come out and be replaced by Rodriguez or Leroux.
My thoughts on our team: -No midfield presence at all. -Boxxy really must retire. D-mids are really an easier position to fill, just look at the botleneck in the men's team for that position. Why do we not have a deep bench for that position? -Tobin must be quicker to pass instead of trying to take on multiple defenders. -I never minded Buehler at CB ... until tonight; she's definitely turning it over more than she should. -O'Hara is doing OK. I like her better than Mitts. -HAO having a hard time getting clear against CR like she's used to ... CR really bottling up anyone who receives the ball. Hats off to CR for their very well played first half. -Oh, did I mention that we have zero midfield presence? LOL!
I'd like to see Sauerbrunn (or anyone) come on for Beuhler at the half. Then maybe A-Rod for Heath soon thereafter. Morgan or Leroux on for Wombach around 80. Boxx has to stick it out unless we want Wambach to go 90 and leave that firepower on the bench.
so, pia can't take abby out? she's not in this game like the mj/phil playoff game. maybe she'll sub herself out this time. that's just a thought.
Wow. This board is kind of down to two speeds: 1. USWNT scores or does something unarguably positive: **board response - "concacrap sucks" 2. An opponent strings a couple of passes together or maintains possession in the US end for more than 45 seconds. **board response - "<insert name of US player here> sucks" Boxx can't pass, defend or stand in the right place on the field, Lloyd molests baby frogs, Wambach AARP card came in, <defender name here> is slow and can't pass or win the ball. Grr. Costa Rica - who were group runners up to Canada - have shown they're not a total push over. Good for them and for CONCA-CRAP. They've also shown that they struggle to possess in the back, have little speed or finishing ability, are overwhelmed defending set plays, and will roll around on the ground at the slightest provocation. The United States almost allowed a shot on goal . . . once from 40 yards out when the US didn't step and a CR player under NO pressure really cranked a shot, and once on a bouncing through ball that forced Solo to come off her line. The US also looked nervous playing possession in their own end - not exactly news there and everybody seemed to have a give away (although Rampone was again impressive cleaning up the mess). On the other hand, USWNT looked dangerous surging forward, got endline on both sides of the field, got great offensive contributions from O'Hara on overlapping runs and could easily be up by two or three instead of one. And of course, do you want to compare bench options for the 2nd half?
why can't becky s play holding mid? she's quicker than boxx, 100 times better on defense and can distribute the ball just as good as she can... abby is really giving us nothing on the attack. she's much to slow... great in the air, great presence when she's not falling over...but the day she outruns a defender is the day that defender is from dominican republic... buehler wouldn't even be on my team..so at a loss of words for her...
It's not Abby who keeps passing to CR. Countless times, we have passed right to their midfield. Tobin needs to pass earlier, but needs someone up there to support her. US just needs to calm down and pass to the US team. Speed of play is 1 thing, but speed of turnover is devastating. Sure hope concacaf gets its camera back online.
I watched most of the 5-1 game and thought that although Canada looked good, CR looked worse than the last time I'd seen them play. They've definitely stepped it up tonight, and it helps that they have two starters back who weren't able to play the other game.
Canada "beat" Costa Rica 4-0 with better high-pressure: faster, more relentless, for a full 45', and with far smoother ball-skill whenever Canada did force a ball loose. Once Canada got the ball, they methodically cut through traffic into CR's box (think France vs. USA in the semis), and kept feeding good balls to Sinclair, which works. More composure + skill than USA has shown in about a cycle and a half. Costa Rica never got a sniff of a turnover, never made Canada blink, and couldn't get the ball back. Looked and felt way more one-sided than tonight. CR beat themselves with a backpass blunder for the ages (or OGes ), and beat Canada's sleeping defense for a consolation counter.
There a quite a few US players that deserve to be subbed out right now...if only we were allowed more subs.
That was with a different goalkeeper (Arias, the one who whiffed on a backpass, which turned into an own-goal).
34 goals in 7 gms before tonight. don't yo u think there is something with this starting 11, esp at the front end? rampone is in. like i said, they won't get any really, really good shots centrally. they're attacking the left (o'hara side) a bit.
We do go all negative, it's true. Some of it is high expectations. Some of it is feeling like we should have a better, more consistent, tight team. There's something missing with the USWNT that we all want to be there. We want to be #1 and play like #1 every time we step on the field without a doubt. Sometimes I wonder if we're missing a leader on the field especially in the attacking end.
A much better assessment than my own! I agree completely. And yeah, that backpass was really one for the books.
My quick thoughts: Overall our corner kicks & dead ball service has been sub par. Also, Abby's not getting the service she needs from the midfield. She's drifted out wide and played some nice balls from there. That one switch to LP was really nice. Too bad the shot was, well, a defender's shot. Heath: it isn't her ball skills that are the problem, it is her speed of play. When the ball goes to her, she slows everything down while she decides what to do next. That said, she's had some decent defensive plays & runs. Was in the right place at the right time for the goal so yay for that. Boxx & Lloyd are back to that unbalanced pulley one goes forward & the other is left out to dry thing that hasn't worked for 4-6 yrs. Passes from both have been off on top of that. O'Hara has to learn how to defend if she's going to play right back. I think Cheney has tired legs. She's played A LOT of minutes in Van. Pia needs a half time sub to shake things up.
Agreed Clive. Despite scoring that goal, I don't think she's done anything in my eyes to make a case for herself to be included on the Olympic roster. I just think Pia wanted to get another look at her in a game.
Subtract the two totally inferior opponents, and it turns into 7 goals in 5 games, which is pretty lame.
34 goals in 7 games against CR in the last 7 matches. CR is 0-7 vs the USA. again, horrible, slow line up for usa. put the gunners in and trade with them. dont worry rampone is in the game. CR won't generate a REAL shot on goal centrally, and you cant be solo with long shots from the wings.