USA vs Sweden [R]

Discussion in 'USA Women: News and Analysis' started by Femfa, Sep 21, 2003.

  1. mingyung

    mingyung Member

    Jun 7, 1999
    Yes, point taken. They do have to stay home more in this formation. The lack of quality service from the back was, however, worrisome. I agree with those posters who see passing as a weakness in Sobrero's overall game; this problem is somewhat minimized when she works centrally. Sobrero, I think, has good defensive instincts and positioning--she is also speedy. If it is true that Chastain has broken her foot, then I think Sobrero is a good candidate for the middle with Fawcett. Sobrero, unlike Chastain, does have the jets to run down a breakaway.

    mingyung
     
  2. mingyung

    mingyung Member

    Jun 7, 1999
    This seems unlikely as Boxx is joining the Nats relatively late (did the announcers say she is 26?). I agree though that Boxx is playing very well, no nerves to speak of at all!

    mingyung
     
  3. Scoey

    Scoey Member

    Oct 1, 1999
    Portland
    Agreed.

    I wouldn't have been surprised to see Scurry get a red for her challenge. She made no effort for the ball and she was the last player between the attacker and the goal. Not saying she deserved a red, just that there exists a credible argument.

    I haven't watched much women's soccer since the World Cup in '99, and I was very surprised with how much physical play was tolerated. The ref did a good job of being consistent and fair, but I was shocked with how much she let go. Is this typical in women's soccer?

    The US first goal was a thing of beauty.
     
  4. TOTC

    TOTC Member

    Feb 20, 2001
    Laurel, MD, USA
    Oh, and lest we forget:

    The Hammster had three assists. HOLY CRAP.
     
  5. TOTC

    TOTC Member

    Feb 20, 2001
    Laurel, MD, USA
    Best sign of the day:

    "You can take away our league, but you will never take our FREEDOM!"

    I got choked up when I saw that one.
     
  6. bungadiri

    bungadiri Super Moderator
    Staff Member

    Jan 25, 2002
    Acnestia
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Disagree. What with all the "has she lost it/no she hasn't" talk lately, I made a point of watching her as much as I could. She worked her ass off both on the ball and away from it all match, as usual. She looked very sharp and, also as usual, fit enough to be dangerous on offense and steady on defense during the final 10 minutes.
     
  7. afgrijselijkheid

    Dec 29, 2002
    mokum
    Club:
    AFC Ajax
    1-huh? are you talking about MIA HAMM? or the ham missing from your cheese sandwich? that's just bizarre...

    2-i'll be honest... i don't know what armband everyone is talking about, but i know this much... foudy was the captain as usual
     
  8. Libero6

    Libero6 Member

    Apr 12, 2001
    Florida
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    That was a pretty cool sign...

    as for the game, I was more impressed with the Swedes than with our girls. The US clearly dominated but a lot of that seemed to be due more to having a few inches and a couple pounds over the Swedes. The opening plays of the match for the US consisted of almost exclusively intercepting a Swedish pass and then booting it up field and hoping Hamm, Parlow, or Wombach would run onto it. The Swedes were able to create more attractive passing threads and shot chances. Brianna played well despite the late tackle (I agree it wasn't a red, I've seen plays like that get waved off as incidental contact on a number of occasions)

    From the Swedish side the top players had to be Hanna Ljundberg up front, Caroline Joensson in the net, and Jane Toernqvist in defense. Victoria Svensson lacked the speed and size to really challenge the US defense but her beauty of a goal showed she's dangerous if given too much space.

    The US's best would have to be Mia Hamm with three assists, Shannon boxx, and Kristine Lilly. Lilly's goal was pure class but Hamm would have to take Woman of the Match honors today for her pace and newfound vitality. She was all over the field and had a hand in every dangerous play the US had.
     
  9. MichaelR

    MichaelR New Member

    Jun 12, 2003
    Philadelphia
    A few random thoughts on a very good result for the US today:

    1. Very pleased with the play of Abby Wambach and Shannon Boxx. Congratulations on wonderful World Cup debuts!

    2. I thought the substitution of Milbrett for Wambach made no sense, especially with the forced halftime sub of Reddick for Chastain. It took away a lot of flexibility, took away some of the height advantage we enjoyed over Sweden, and removed from the field one of our prime offensive threats. Right after that sub, Sweden played its best 15 minutes of the game, and very nearly knotted up the score.

    3. Watching the tape, Wendy Gebauer-Palladino made a very silly statement, that April had made the Milbrett sub to get Tiff playing time to regain her form. What? Here we were, up only 2-0 against the No. 5 team in the world, a team most folks rate as having an outside chance to win the Cup, and April is giving a player a run-out? I don't think so. And I don't think Wendy really thought so. If you don't understand the coach's move, you are allowed to question it. It's the analyst's job.

    4. The other two subs made perfect sense. Reddick added speed to the back line after Brandi's injury, and Cindy Parlow looked like she was spent. Bringing on Aly Wagner seemed like a good way to recharge the offense that had lost some steam without Wambach.

    5. I was mildly disappointed in Aly. The yellow card was very foolish. Had the Swedes converted the free kick from that very dangerous spot on the field, the entire complexion of the game would have changed. But Aly's nice pass led to Kristine Lilly's winning of the corner kick that Shannon headed into the net. And I was entertained by that spin move near the end. I would rate her performance a "6" on a 10-point scale. She'll have better performances in this tournament. Don't mind the yellow card, April! Play Wagner against Nigeria.

    6. Abby did not commit a foul on the play that led to Lilly's goal. The Swedish player was falling, and although the Wombat appeared to be making a pushing away motion, I don't believe she ever made contact with the player.

    7. Joy Fawcett, hats off to you! Great to see you add to the offensive attack. You deserved a goal on that header early in the second half, but the Swedish keeper robbed you. For 90 minutes, the rock of the US central defense.

    8. Mia Hamm, with three assists, would have been my player of the match. No disrespect to Kristine Lilly, who really seems like the best two-way player in the world right now.
     
  10. divingheader

    divingheader Member

    Nov 10, 2001
    St John, NB, Canada
    Club:
    Newcastle United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Originally posted by bofahey
    "On the first U.S. goal, did anyone think that Abby could have been called for a foul when she pushed the defender? It was about 30 feet in front of me and I thought it could go either way. The defender's momentum was carrying her towards the endline anyways, but Abby definitely gave her a bit of a push."


    I agree with MichealR, on the replays it looked like she never made contact. But it sure was an odd motion to make, having shed the player in question who was going down anyway.
     
  11. M9fanatic

    M9fanatic Member

    Oct 31, 2000
    North Side.
    Huh? No way. Mia was awsome out there. She was one of the few players who kept her game together from begining to end.

    I'll come right out and say it.... Brandi's absence threw the whole D out of wack. About the only think to be overly concerned about. Brandi was missed back there.
     
  12. MichaelR

    MichaelR New Member

    Jun 12, 2003
    Philadelphia
    As one who has questioned Brandi's speed and form this year, I have to admit that the facts support your position. The US defense appeared more solid in the first half, with BC, than it was in the second, without her.

    I will add that some of Sweden's second-half resurgence came from their ability to push more players forward, since the US attack -- without Wambach after the 56th minute, and with a tiring Parlow -- had become less threatening.
     
  13. tcmahoney

    tcmahoney New Member

    Feb 14, 1999
    Metronatural
    Hamm looked lost out there? With three assists?

    If that's the case, she needs to get lost more often.

    A very good start for the United States. #1 against #5, and the US won 3-1. The backline is going to miss Brandi, but it's good to have depth.

    I think April is feeling a little vindicated right about now. I know she went through a lot of crticism on these boards -- criticism that I agreed with -- and she's made a dramatic first step toward smacking her critics around.

    She needs to lose the visor, though -- she looks like she's 88th on the LPGA money list and about to tee off on 14.
     
  14. fidlerre

    fidlerre Moderator
    Staff Member

    Oct 10, 2000
    Central Ohio
    actually, you should know that the fifa ranking really have nothing to do with current level of play...so although you are in the semi's you are still ranked 9th in the latest rankings. sorry, if you had one name and played with a yellow jersey on things might be different.
     
  15. *Crazy_Chastain*

    *Crazy_Chastain* New Member

    Mar 19, 2000
    Florida

    LFMAO!!!! :D:D
     
  16. Libero6

    Libero6 Member

    Apr 12, 2001
    Florida
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    maybe she's going for a Spurrier look along with the 4-3-3 fun n' gun formation :)

    Sweden's move to spread the midfield out to the wings was also a factor in this as they were then able to outflank the US central three.
     
  17. Heist

    Heist Member+

    Jun 15, 2001
    Virginia
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    It is true that there was little contact, but that wasn't for lack of trying. The play was dangerous and the yellow was fully deserved. If the Swedish player hadn't done all she could to avoid contact it would have looked much worse and Scurry might have gotten a red.

    A couple of other questions about the game... especially Heinrichs' substituting. I though Parlow should have gone out well before Wambach. I am a major Wambach fan. I told a friend I was watching with that Wambach would give the Swedes trouble. She goes out and creates a couple of chances in the first few minutes. Was it a coincedence that the Swedes scored right after she came out and the US wasn't nearly as dominating in the last 30 minutes of the game? Not that Milbrett and Wagner didn't play well, but I want Abby and her big frame up top creating matchup problems! Parlow just seemed really tired and out of gas and should have been the first forward to sit.

    I was very unimpressed with Shannon Boxx apart from her goal, which was a great header on what was really only a half-chance. I thought she looked as lost as you would expect from a player with three caps. Again, her shot was great and i'm glad she can score, but she played a lot of bad passes after winning balls or collecting errant passes from the Swedes. I don't know who else (if anyone) can really fill the role she does, but I wouldn't mind seeing Wagner or Hucles start the next game.

    Solid games from Joy Fawcett, Kate Sobrero, and Briana Scurry.

    Another thought: Did anyone who was at the game feel like everyone was totally bunching up like a U-12 game in the first 10 or so minutes? It probably wasn't too visible on the TV, but sitting behind the goal there were vast expanses of field with no player from either team. They definitely settled down and spread the field as the game went on, but it was weird to watch at first.
     
  18. Anthony

    Anthony Member+

    Chelsea
    United States
    Aug 20, 1999
    Chicago
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Where was she hiding all these years?

    She should be the poster child for why we need WUSA. Late bloomer. Without WUSA, she is playing on my co-ed Sunday rec league this morning.
     
  19. Libero6

    Libero6 Member

    Apr 12, 2001
    Florida
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I agree with most of what you said except those two points above...Wombach's abscence was problematic for the US in that they lost aerial dominance but her substitution coincided with Sweden's change in tactics. They started using the wings (as you mentioned, the beginning of the game was played mostly in the middle and mostly in bunches) and outflanking the US midfield. Svensson's goal came off a Hanna Ljundberg cross from the right wing.

    As for Who can fill Boxx's shoes in the midfield, I'm not sure anyone could in that formation. I love watching Aly play and she's without a doubt the most creative attacker on the team with skill coming out her ears....but she doesn't defend. We saw that when she got yellowed in her first minute on the field from a, frankly, piss poor attempt at a tackle from behind. In a 4-3-3 your mids have to be two-way players with a lot of pace. Her particular talents are better suited to a central attacking mid role in a 4-4-2 or 3-5-2.
     
  20. Libero6

    Libero6 Member

    Apr 12, 2001
    Florida
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Very true, same case with someone like Brian Ching, who's a 25 yr old rookie this season with San Jose and has (only due to MLS) gotten his first cap with the MNT.

    has anyone heard anything other than rumor as to new investors?
     
  21. Brownswan

    Brownswan New Member

    Jun 30, 1999
    Port St. Lucie, FL
    I think they will go into next Sunday's match with N.Korea with 6 points, and I think they will need them. I have a hunch N.Korea will take the group on goal difference, and we could possibly meet them again in the final.

    I think the defense will be sorely tested by some speedy forewards and mids in the coming matches. Today's win could flatter to deceive.

    A month ago I figured there were one or two real challengers to the US. If we dispatch NK as handily as Sweden I will safely, gladly, return to that opinion.
     
  22. tcmahoney

    tcmahoney New Member

    Feb 14, 1999
    Metronatural
    For comparison:

    http://www.gatorzone.com/stevespurrier/images/shared/steve_left.jpg

    "I'm just glad I didn't have to succeed Tony DeCicco."

    http://us.news1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/fifa/gen/fifa/20030921/i/2282971869.jpg

    "A lot of people thought I was Ron Zook's sister. Wrong."

    -----------------------------

    I have to agree with Brownswan -- North Korea is going to be tough. Should be a great match. But we can't overlook Nigeria for a second. This is the Group of Death™, and all we've done so far is get past the first hurdle.
     
  23. boingo

    boingo Member

    Forward Madison FC
    Feb 17, 2003
    WI
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Boxx

    Praise to Boxx on the goal. However....

    As I watched her give one away in the first half, I was touting her to the friend I was watching the game with and then she gave away another. I know she had some nerves going, but her passes were not very sharp in the first half.

    She made her presence on the field known (in a positive way) and will gain more confidence as the tournament rolls on. Great for us!

    I was pleasantly surprised she started.

    I was also happy with Reddick's play.
     
  24. Bleacherbutt

    Bleacherbutt New Member

    May 1, 2001
    Rochester, NY
    I have to disagree. Cat Reddick was an upgrade. The Swedes kept going at her and she kept turning them back. I don't think the pressure the Swedes put on were due to Brandi's absence. I think it was due to pulling Abby out when they did. Abby requires a tight marker and clean-up defender. Once Tiff went out there, the just man-marked Tiff. This allowed the Swedes to push one more up. I probably would have pulled Parlow out after that miserable recovery run about at about the 55th minutes. It's fun being a Monday morning manager. The good news is that the gals won in a convincing manner.

    The Swedish goal was a great one. Just enough arc and just the right pace on the header to get it over Bri and under the crossbar. I thought the defense looked very solid and organized.
     
  25. TOTC

    TOTC Member

    Feb 20, 2001
    Laurel, MD, USA
    Yes, but she was dispossessed and/or run down several times. Perhaps it is time to put her in the midfield? Oh, right. That was tried with the Freedom. Didn't work out too well.

    BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!
     

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