It's no slight to say Dunn is not as good a crosser as Klingenberg. Kling is the most clever passer/crosser from a wing position of the last 10 years, at least among American players. Her problem, which got her phased out of the USWNT and is not her fault at all, is lack of recovery speed. Dunn, while not quite as accurate with her crossing, is still among the best in our player pool. She can cross well with right and left feet, which is highly valuable. If I were to distinguish the two, I'd say Kling is better with shorter "clipped" crosses, and Dunn is better at longer crosses whipped in with pace. If I'm Vlatko, I build around Ertz and Dunn for next cycle as our veteran leaders. They will both be 31 at the World Cup, are hard workers, reliable, experienced.
Personally, I'm disappointed in Dunn's development. There was a time when I thought she could become the best American player, possibly one of the best ever. That obviously hasn't happened, but I wonder if part of that is the position she is played on the field. I've seen her play in person probably 5-6 times over the past 5 years. I've always been struck by how little she moves around the field and how rarely she sprints. There are games where she literally never hits (what I consider) a fast speed for more than 5-10 meters. I couldn't tell if it was because she was lazy or because the team as a whole had a lazy/unambitious strategy. ...Then about two years ago I started playing outside defender. I have literally never felt tired after playing a game as an outside defender. I sometimes feel like I could play a whole second game. On the other hand, when I played striker I would sometimes be exhausted. There was always something more you could do, an extra run you could make. However, as an outside defender the shape of the game puts limits on how far you can run. At this point, it might be too late to radically change Dunn's position/role. She's 29 years old, either at or slightly past her athletic peak...but yeah, I do wonder if she achieved her actual potential, and I wonder what she would have been if the USWNT committed to playing her as forward or a central/attacking midfielder
Free her to where? The role she has been playing is the one where she helps the team the most. She's a starter. It's not like she never got opportunities as a forward with this team, she just didn't beat out her competition to get a consistent starting job. I wouldn't bench an in form rapinoe either. You indirectly calling people racists because they don't agree with you that Dunn isn't being used properly on this particular team is weird. As the needs of the team evolve and hopefully more defenders come in, maybe she can be moved up front since the forwards obviously need to be refreshed.
Both the Courage and the Thorns have played Crystal as a midfielder, not as a forward. I do not know where people thinking she should be a forward are getting that idea.
I haven't been overly impressed with her as a midfielder with the thorns. I think the box midfield system NCC played where she had Debinha beside her helped her shine.
I also wonder about this "free Crystal Dunn" I've been reading lately. Move her as a forward? I mean she is 29 and most certainly will only get another cycle and then retires but okay. Besides, who's gonna replace her as an effective wing-back? (Possibly retiring O'hara as well)??? We don't really have any good prospects right now. At least upfront, we have countless young great ones who can step in.
I have been watching Crystal very carefully this year, since I sit near midfield at Thorns games and for half of every game have her right in front of me. I do not think she is asked to fill the playmaking role with the Thorns. That is primarily Horan’s role and secondarily Sinclair’s. Dunn is asked to advance play with the ball at her feet through tight spaces (which she does really well considering how difficult the ask is) and to link up with Klingenberg to move the ball up the field so that Kling can put crosses in. The two of them do that extremely well, and I suspect it is one of the reasons Kling is having such an outstanding year. I do agree she is not a distributor at the level of Horan or of Sinclair (who, in case no one has noticed, is a great passer), but she is really good at what she does.
Right. Like Kelley O'Hara broke records as a forward at stanford and had to convert to an outside back. Crystal has been a defender at least off and on since her college days. Emma Hayes also used her as a wingback or outside back because she wasn't very effective as a forward at Chelsea.
Agree on all of this. The Dunn Dilemma is about profile. Dunn could be just as effective, in her own way, getting comparable numbers to others who have been given repeated chances at the more glamorous roles that attract more endorsements and notoriety. Its a commentary on who the USSF decide to back as opposed to if she could do it. she could. I think she is every bit as effective a Lavelle at advancing the ball via the dribble. Different type of dribbler, but verry effective.
First statement is reasonable. The second does NOT follow the first and there is NO EVIDENCE FOR IT and EXACTLY THE REASON WHY CRYSTAL DUNN SHOULD NO LONGER ACCEPT PLAYING LEFT BACK ANYMORE. The concept in economics is called comparative advantage as opposed to absolute advantage. In sports, we're becoming familiar with a related concept, Wins Over Replacement or Wins Against Replacement ("WAR"?). A player like Dunn could be the best at one position, but if there are alternatives, "replacements", which are almost as good, then it's quite possible she could "help the team the most" by playing a position she's not as good at (in an absolute sense) but where she's far superior (in a comparative sense) to the alternatives, the "replacements". It is integral to the concept that Dunn could be objectively a better midfielder than a left back, she could even be a better midfielder than any other midfielder, but she could help the team more by playing left back if she's so much better than the alternatives, the "replacements, at left back, more so than at midfield where there may be other very good alternatives, or "replacements" But instead of respecting her incredible versatility, her ability to be an impact player at every position (with the possible exception of sticking gloves on her and calling her "the false 1"), and her sacrifice (by playing out of her normal and preferred position) for the sake of her team, we have people who disrespect her, casually dismissing her abilities by saying, Oh, she wasn't able to "beat the competition". What opportunities did Dunn get to win a midfield or forward position? Where are the minutes, the starts? Any other starter on the national team who plays forward or attacking midfielder for her club, would have a legion of fanboys and fangirls screaming for her to get a chance to score goals and be a big star on the national team. Some people still bring up someone like Kelley O'Hara and how she was a star striker for Stanford. After her 2nd or 3rd year in the pros, there has not been a single coach willing to play her as forward. (If they did, they weren't willing to trade anything of value to get her) The people thinking Dunn could be a forward OR an attacking midfielder is me and you can call me out by name because I can take care of myself on this forum. In the national team's 4-3-3 how different is what the outside forwards do than what some midfield skill sets do? Tobin Heath has been a midfielder throughout her pro career, hasn't she? Isn't it what she did with Portland? Rapinoe, of course you know better than I since her University of Portland days, but in the pros she's played midfield as well as with the US when they lined up 4-4-2. The aggressive way the US employs Dunn as an outside back, she's already doing a lot of things the outside forwards do, combining with them, interchanging with them in a triangle with the nearest local midfielder. God's Bloody Wounds. It's not like we're teaching Dunn how to play offense. She's 29 alright and playing on the attack is what she's been doing for her club teams the last 7 years. I'm not surprised by all the little sniping and belittling of Crystal Dunn. But it's still stunning. Which is all the more reason for someone like me to put the question and let people see what's lurking out there. It matters so much to people that Dunn NOT GET A CHANCE to play a more glamorous position. So much so they come out of the woodwork making up this or that excuse for why she should be grateful to be put on the defensive line. "Lazy..." We really want to toss around those racial stereotypes casually? Crystal Dunn played 554 minutes in the Olympics. Ashley Lawrence, Canada's version of Crystal Dunn, played almost 590 But other key outside backs in the tournament? Canada's Allysa Chapman: about 410 Sweden's Magda Eriksson: about 415 Sweden's Hannah Glas: about 430 So Dunn played about 120-150 minutes more than other key defensive backs. Seems like other top teams see the need to rotate outside backs even though YOU never get tired.
kolabear, just so you know, I do not remember you having indicated Crystal should be a forward. Maybe you have here on BS, but I do not remember it, and I have gone through this entire thread and the Free Crystal thread and do not understand anything you posted in either place as indicating she should be a forward. If I was referring to something I thought you had said, I would have referred to you specifically. I like Crystal in the midfield, but then when I played I was a midfielder and I always have felt that midfielders are the most important players. And, I think that a great assist is much more beautiful than a great shot. Of course, a lot of fans do not agree with me. But I would rather have Crystal in what I believe is the most important position. If that leaves the need for a left back, then let the USWNT brain trust find one. And, let it start putting pressure on down the youth NT chain, and below that down the youth chain, to move some of their best players into the left back position so they can become really good at playing there. And, lets start educating soccer girls and their parents that being a forward is not the be all and end all in soccer. When you have to take players who have spent their early soccer years playing a different position (OHara and Dunn) and, at the national team level, have them learn to play outside back, something is wrong with the entire developmental scheme.
With regard to Crystal Dunn moving to the midfield, I'm not sure she can break into that quartet of Ertz, Horan, Mewis, and Lavelle. That's a formidable group -- or at least I thought it was before the Olympics. But then I don't think Dunn showed all that well at the Olympics either. Seems to me that Dunn might have a better chance of moving to left forward vice Rapinoe. Personally, I'm fond of fullbacks -- and I sort of resent the notion that left back isn't a prestigious enough position for Dunn. However, I've got a replacement for Dunn at left back: Emily Fox. Fox was a disaster when she played a couple of games with the National Team two or so years ago, but she's looking good in the NWSL and deserves another try. To bring up style points, I think the two most graceful players in the NWSL are Sarah Gordon of Chicago and Fox of Louisville. Poetry in motion -- as was she who cannot be mentioned who used to play left back for NC.
the scheme is about winning. At youth level, you dont use your best athletes where they wont touch the ball much. Parents PAY for exposure. There is no long term development scheme. There is a "showcase my talent for College scheme" that involves private training, expensive youth Clubs and lots of travel. Very few players relative to the number that go in, actually improve technically in College.
None of the players you mention are better than Dunn. They just offer different things. I think Dunn would offers much of what Lavelle does and some things she does not. Much of WNT status revolves around goals. If you dont score, people dont hear your name
For Sweden's part is was less a need to rest them and mainly due to resting the all key players against New Zeeland and that Magdalena Eriksson missed the first match since they wanted to be sure she was fit after her injury before using her.
Agree with you on Endler, but Renard has lost a step and is not the player she once was. The backline will be a lot better with the return of Carpenter and Buchanan, I think Renard becomes the weak link for them, though I haven’t seen enough of Morroni, the new outside back on Renards side, to form an opinion yet. The center back I really like from what I have seen is Griedge Mbock. She should be be back soon after missing most of last season due to an injury.
Renard really good with headers. able to give an team extra scoring power(led France in goals in the 2019 WC) and would think controls the high balls on the defensive end against corner & free kicks, but defending against quick counters seems to be the weakest part of her game. Buchanen one of the best defensive CB’s in the world, but sat on Lyon’s bench for about 3 years until MBock got injured. Wasn’t sure if she & Carpenter moved over to English clubs as haven’t seen them in action yet. Lyon made a big mistake giving up FB Karchaoui, but needed somehow to bring former youth wiz Bacha into reverence. That club done a poor job of developing their former youth elites. I mean just look at Mallard(leading scorer at the 2019 u19 Euro Championship which France won) so far she doesn’t look all that good as an adult.
Wow. I only saw her play in person once, but she was the most active American on the field in that match. Different days I guess.
Watched Beth Balcer play well for the Reigh last night. We're looking to replace our strikers on the USWNT. Thoughts on her potential to play for the team? We need to start a new train of thought here, we've beaten poor Crystal Dunn to death.
Morgan Weaver, Bethany Balcer and Sophia Smith trio forwards. Trinity Rodman is raw but still learning and making some bad decisions that can be avoidable and gets frustrated or flustered when losing the ball easily or passes intercepted. She can learn from her mistakes.
In limited viewing of Balcer, I noticed she uses her her tall, athletic body very well to quickly get to loose balls & headers. But she does come across as someone you got to set up(through crosses, free kicks, eccedra) as compared creating your own goals(which seems to be the staple set for former & current USWNT players) What could help Balcer if the USWNT decides to switch or modernize their game plan, favoring the mids as the creative players in setting up the lone central striker(ala Balcer would be)
They should send in a midfielder to act as forward with total of 4 forwards to overwhelm the defenses besides setting up the plays for those forwards.
Are you going to be a player short in the midfield or the defensive line? Sweden overwhelmed the US midfield with an extra player there in the 3-0 win. The US was on the back foot the entire game.
That is when we use the attacking ability of our fullbacks and the defensive ability of Ertz to turn into a back 3 with JJ dropping in as the third CB and the fullbacks inverting to provide a connecting option through the midfield with the 8.