The difference is Mal has a low center of gravity, shifty player. A Game changer and dangerous. The type of player that will always have some sort of impact. The other two you speak of, mainly Williams, is a put her head down and just run player. I’m not saying she isn’t capable, but they just aren’t the same type of player…at all. My fear is that we now have to trot out the slowest person alive in Rapinoe for more action…..
Yeah Mal is both a scorer and facilitator. We have nobody waiting in the wings ready to replace her. Cat maybe if she gets healthy but she is a different kind of player, she is more of a threat in the middle of the pitch. Rodman has shown that she can deliver a nice ball but has yet to display consistent scoring at the international level. She is also nowhere near Swanson’s level on the ball and in possession. It would have been a hell of a WC watching Mal bomb down one flank and Smith the other. It sucks bad but it is what it is. Have to feel just horrible for Swanson. She worked so hard to get herself back and was in world class form. The other attackers are going to have to step up and find a way to get it done but the dynamic of the team will have to change for sure.
In reading what I have seen and watching much of the NWSL so far I feel a bit differently. I agree the loss of Swanson is about as devastating as anything that could happen on a team as talented as the USA it is not really that bad. I also think Rodman will be very very valuable and I would not be surprised if she led the team in assists at the WWC. The USA has been hurt by Swanson's loss but there is so much talent that the loss will not be horribly impactful. If they would have scored say 25 goals with Swanson they now will only score 24 or so. However a loss in the defense or at keeper could be truly devastating. Our defenders are simply adequate but there is quite a drop off from the 4 or 5 best defenders and the rest. The real wildcard is Ertz, If she gets with a club and gets enough playing time and dose not have any setbacks she makes the defense "world class" across the board. Heck, I at 75 and more than a bit infirm could play decent defense if I knew Ertz was around to cover for my mistakes and laziness. The other wildcard is players like Morgan and Rapinoe. They are no longer productive and I really do not think they should even be included in the roster although I also think Rapinoe would be valuable in a leadership roll like being with the team as an assistant or some such. Since there are 23 spots available she could even be carried as a "player/coach." However I think that teams are required to carry three goalkeepers and that reduces field spots to 20 and throwing away a field field player just to carry Rapinoe does not seem as good. Maybe the should roster her as the third goalkeeper. The third goalkeeper almost never plays at a World Cup so the risk would be low. I wonder if FIFA would allow that? I think they would have to. Also would the third designated goal keeper be allowed to play as a field player, or are rostered goalkeepers only allowed to play goalkeeper? I really think this WWC may be the most interesting in a long time. But I am also reminded of the curse, "May you live in interesting times." I wonder what kind of "interesting" we have in store for this WWC. I hope I live long enough to get to watch this WWC.
Good find - thanks for sharing. I totally agree on her line about Vlatko just having to "trust her" when she says she's good to go. Hopefully its out of context, and she said other more humble quotes at other points in the interview. If not, yeesh! Contrast with Sauerbrunn who on the post-game interview from St. Louis threw in the statement "if she is selected" for the World Cup roster . . . despite being the current team captain!