USWNT vs Spain, Oct 11 2022 in Spain

So, I watched the game again to try to see why Spain won. The US started well and the announcers were complacent -- expecting an early U.S. goal. In minute 12 it was 60/40 possession in favor of the US. Rodman got a knock about this time and wasn't much of a factor after that.

But, the U.S. couldn't score and about minute 25, the Spanish showed they had lost their awe of the U.S. and were playing with confidence. At minute 28, possession was 55/45 in favor of Spain. About minute 63, Spain took over the game followed by its second goal.

Spanish ball skills were better. Smith and Horan in particular were turnover machines. The U.S. couldn't get anything going because the Spanish were always taking the ball away. Horan was having a tough time in the midfield.

The Spanish 3 center back setup kept the US away from the goal and the two talented wingbacks, Carmona and Hernandez, were able to get forward. On Spain's second goal, Hernandez outran Dunn. She's either very fast, or Dunn is not as fast as she used to be.

I thought subs Coffey and Sanchez were both pretty good. In a match against a good ball control team like Spain, maybe Sanchez should start because she's good at possession -- which the rest of the U.S. team was not.

 

I said after the Women's U20 WC that it looked to me like the US are in for a reckoning going forward and I didn't see anything in this friendly window to change my mind. The women in Europe are getting integrated into the systems that are already in place for the men and we are starting to see the results. My guess is that while we will always remain competitive, I think our days of domination are over.

Changing the coach or getting a few players back might help marginally this window but is not going to solve our bigger picture problems, they seem systemic to me. They are the same issues that have plagued the men's side for decades and they appear to to me to be mostly tied to tactical awareness and an over reliance on athletes over soccer players at the developmental levels. Coaching and soccer culture is and always has been a problem for us. While it seems like we are taking strides in the technical aspects of the game, tactical naivety is still a huge problem. You can't out-athlete, or even out-dribble, your opponents at the highest levels of the game.

The issues have been rehashed ad nauseam over the years on the men's side and I'm not sure why it should be any different with the women. I guess the MLS academies are a step in the right direction for the men but what is there for the women? College ball will not be able to compete with what I am seeing coming out of Europe lately and you have to believe that this is just the beginning.

 

We have a problem with our system. We’ve seen this on the mens side. Our best players cannot go to college. The only way is the academy system as we have seen in MLS to develop better players. The elite players need to be playing consistently against the elite players from a young age. That is the only way for us to get better. Maybe those academies are already in place. We cannot have a player like Naomi Girma wasting her time in college. And maybe like the men, our best players have to go to Europe to play. If Vlatko is fired which maybe he should be, the clear replacements are Casey Stoney, Laura Harvey, and Emma Hayes.

 

not sure if girma would tell you her Stanford education was a waste of time. The best women’s players don’t make set for life money like the men do. That’s why I don’t see anything changing much. College isn’t for everyone, so you’ll always have a few players like Pugh or horan who are not academically inclined and are fast tracked into the senior team who will skip college. But it won’t be common until there’s more money in the game.

 

laura Harvey has significant international experience, which is what Vlatko lacks. She is also very familiar with the USA senior and u20 pool having extensive experience coaching both. I think she is the obvious replacement who could step in immediately should the federation want to make a change in November. She should have been hired in the first place.

 

It’s truly bizarre considering she was the best forward by a mile under Vlatkos tenure and the only one who is world class at all 3 positions (both wings and as a 9).

 

Yes, it can be done; look no further than yesterday’s Spanish team for inspiration. Facing rebellion from all over Spain due in part of Madrid’s domination of their soccer Fed(as the rebellious A listers of Barca complained they always had to the hated Madrid for NT practice), so what did the coach do but build his new squad around the local, pro fed, Real Madrid club(7 starters) and the players club chemistry was good enough to beat not just the #1 ranked NT in the world(even though Real only manages 2-4th place finish in their own league) but tie #3 Sweden in their first game ever.
So in similar vein, we can build our NT around the San Diego Wave which when healthy got Girma & Dahlkemper at CB, Coffey, Kornieck & Turnbow(last year’s top NCAA player) at mid, Morgan at central fwd, with wingers; teen sensation Shaw & fast as lightning Ali at Morgan’s side. And of course led by current m Wave coach/Jill Ellis protege, Casey Stoney((to answer your who coaches instead question).

Vlatko; as poster FoF noted; he’s dull, plotting, mechanical coach.

I’ve read that he’s only an ‘pre-game’ coach, so he wouldn’t make any changes during the game itself(even if we’re loosing)

He apparently refuses any college players even though I read that Emily Madril is the hottest player around(never seen her though)

read too that he’s not going to pick Beth Balcar anymore cuz she wrote an mean twitter about him(she said he made her cry once at practice by yelling at her too harsh)

personally from what I’ve seen is that Europe plays now the game way way more physical, Vlatko hasn’t kept up, this we have now an loosing record vs Euro teams since the Olympics(2–3-1)

One thing to keep in mind that Spain started 6-7 Real Madrid members, so club chemistry was winning the game for them

 

Good assessment of our problem


https://www.allforxi.com/2022/10/11/23399890/the-uswnt-need-a-tactical-backup-plan

 

I don't understand the insistent argument about bringing back the vets.. What difference will they make against younger, faster, more technical rest of the world?

 

Both these things may be true.

But if you compare the 2019 team, and today's team, position by position, we are currently weaker now everywhere but possibly goalkeeper.

 

Thank you for suggesting a replacement. I stand by my statement that 95% of those who say FIRE THE COACH--whether it's inside or outside of soccer--never do this. Which to me vividly demonstrates a simplistic, irresponsible attitude. You have admirably named a possible new coach. Even if people disagree, your suggestion can lead to a genuine discussion.

 

I think the let the keeper off the hook was something you see because it’s a friendly….

 

Of things I want to import from Spain, the whole Barcelona vs. Madrid dynamic is NOT one of them. Obviously, we couldn’t have the whole Basques issue in the US. But overall that club dynamic is poison to be avoided at all costs at the national team level.

 

What's the connection?

 

Very interesting and insightful article, even for a neutral observer like me.

 

Thanks blissett.

So then. here’s another slice of what’s happening .

 

Coffey doesn't play for the San Diego Wave.

 

but we didn’t loose against an top ten team(that would of been Spain’s A) we lost instead to their B, a squad that didn’t exist about an week ago.
Plus we inadvertently helped their soccer fed squash a rebellion for those seeking better quality life in woso—-thus we are now the Darth Vader of soccer?
Oh well, the rebels(most of them from Barcelona) can try & start the Catalonian National Team

 

Now? To any other nation USWNT has always been the Darth Vader of soccer!

 

Ironically this time we could of been Luke Skywalker if we only defeated, Vilda(the much despised Spanish coach who 15 of his former players rebelled against)
———————-
elsewhere, after beating Wales to qualify for the World Cup, the celebrating Irish woso soccer team busted out singing an very very pro IRA song—-thus a new possible evil empire has emerged—England?

 

Scotland, they beat Scotland to qualify Wales was knocked-out by Austria.

If my memory serves me, did many of the Irish protestants originally come from Scotland (some centuries ago).

 

Switzerland

 

Well, an alp-nation with a red-white flag and German as a main language anyway.

 

dunno, but this was the Irish celebration from an couple of days ago, it's taken the woso world by storm as to why would they sing an political song after beating one of UK’s