Might as well start one, as this is bound to be a hot topic. Obviously, we've suffered a huge loss if Mac is out. I don't think either Wambach or O'Reilly can offer her versatility.
It's official per a Spirit press release...Mac is out with an ACL tear. She will undergo surgery tomorrow. I think this opens up the door for Abigail to be named to future rosters. Playing time is perhaps another story. I think April has pretty much settled on the WWC squad. It's just a matter of picking those "fringe" players in the next couple of months.
It looked as if April was toying with the idea of maybe putting CP outwide in Mid. With the loss of Mac it should make Mia, Millie and CP the three forwards. That leaves sub time for Abby and the HS kid. Even though we have the best forwards in the world, Mac's loss will make April rethink things.
If April sticks mostly with the 4-4-2, we actually might be seeing Parlow playing the right mid and Millie or O'Reilly up top with Mia. Unless we needed height specifically on the front line.
As much as I hate losing Mac in the lineup, as Fear said, this really opens the door for Abby. As it was, I considered 4 forward spots (Mia, Millie, CP, and Mac) as permanently taken. The #5 spot was a battle between Abby and O'Reilly. Now that the #4 spot is open, Abby has a better shot at making the WC squad, in my opinion. These are terrible circumstances to make statements like this, but they have to be made by Ape. The thing with CP being a mid is she's never going to be listed as a mid. We're eyeball deep in middies anyway, so I don't see her being listed as anything other than a forward. Playing her as a midfielder is a different story. She seemed very comfrotable there Saturday. Assuming CP and Abby both make the rosters, you can run CP wide open for 45 minutes, then put Abby in as another big body to knock 'em in from short range.
Sun Wen does some trash talking! Whoever makes the roster, Sun Wen thinks we're slipping! "While Liangxing chooses to concentrate on the immediate task of the next month's tournament, the team's star striker Sun Wen is already looking ahead to the autumn and, more specifically, avenging the 1999 World Cup final defeat. "Our chance for revenge is here," said Sun. "The task will be easy if we only have America to contend with. They are on the downturn as they are still relying on the same players that won them the World Cup the last time. "Their younger players are not yet ready for the big stage and, in that instance, I think we've done a much better job in China." China women focus on bringing World Cup home
Re: Sun Wen does some trash talking! And this is a bad thing? Sunny must think our studs are getting too old. That's funny coming from her. However, I suspect these comments were for show.
The quote below presented some interesting possibilities. "The thing with CP being a mid is she's never going to be listed as a mid. We're eyeball deep in middies anyway, so I don't see her being listed as anything other than a forward. Playing her as a midfielder is a different story. She seemed very comfrotable there Saturday. Assuming CP and Abby both make the rosters, you can run CP wide open for 45 minutes, then put Abby in as another big body to knock 'em in from short range." When CP played outside mid in Birmingham, she did a good job of socring, but not as good a job of possessing or distributing the ball. And when Ally Wagner is not playing as well as she can, then CP needs to assume more of a role of distribution to the front runners. She'll always be there for goals like she scored against England. I agree with letting her run full out for a half and subbing in Abby. I also like the fact that CP seems to not "fall" as much as she does in the W*USA games. She may not ever be a Michelle, but we need a strong presence in the midfield that will not be ridden off the ball - as AW was consistently. Yes, it's sad that Mac is out, but we now must rely on Ape's ideas, which may not be a good thing. Remember her substitution gaffes in the 2000 Olympics that had some players not seeing time at all, while other were gasping for air by the final. Each side gets 18 on the roster. The keeprs will most likely be Bri and Siri. So what's the roster look like in the remaining 16 positions?
If it is 18 --- 1 Scurry 2 Fair 3 Hucles 4 Reddick 5 Roberts 6 Chastain 7 Kluegel 8 Wambach 9 Hamm 10 Wagner 11 Foudy 12 Parlow 13 Lilly 14 Fawcett 15 Sobrero 16 Milbrett 17 Slaton 18 Mullinix If there were 23 like the men's: 19 Bivens 20 Welsh 21 Hawkins 22 Bryan 23 Beene No way the "kids" -- O'Reilly, Tarpley -- make the team. I can't see Pearce making the team; Fair may get replaced by Bryan. Who knows?
re: Bryan is clearly out. april I think has decided she isn't what the U.S. needs. Fair I think will make the roster if only by the skin of her teeth as will TR. Tarpley is a big maybe, but i do not think she will be there. Abby i think will make the cut. O'reily I think will make the cut as well especially because of the loss of Mac. Chances are we may not see three keepers on the roster since we are playing at home. who gets the number one keeper position is still up for grabs in my mind. if you asked me 4 or 5 months ago I would have said Bri, but Siri has been brilliant through out the WUSA season, and I think she is making a very good case for herself for that number one keeper position. and may very well have the edge now, simply because her foot skills are superior to that of Scurry's.
I don't see Kluegel making it. Her WUSA career so far has been underwhelming. Bryan is probably out because Christie Pearce is back now, and she's much better with her feet.
What have you all been watching? Siri is still an adventure on drop punts and some goal kicks. And Pearce, in a 80th-minute sprint, got her doors blown off by The Wombat in the opener. That ain't supposed to happen in the late going.
When is the last time Welsh has even been invited to a camp? I am hard pressed to see her selected over Tarpley or O'Reilly when they have been relative regulars in camp.
I'm not sure who'll play left outside backer. As "2002 W*USA Defender of the Year" Slaton has not impressed me since I saw her in the Founder's Cup match. She miskicks too many balls out of the back. Reddick, while more imposing physically than Danielle but slower afoot, seemed to run out of room and ideas way too often in Birmingham. She would push the ball up the left side, get trapped against the touchline by a defender and have to pass it back to Brandi. She can't create from the back line and lacks, at least in that game, the touch to control the ball and continue upfield on the attack. Maybe it was a bad game, or maybe she was nervous before her hometown fans. I thought that CP (the defender) outplayed her, albeit on the other side.
Cat Reddick is a very good defender and she is excellent at stopping, breaking up, and slowing down attacks. I thought she played great in the Birmingham game. She's got some nifty little moves that get her out of trouble. And she does pass back to Brandi...but isn't that what she's there for? Also, she didn't get involved in the attack much in Birmingham, but when she does, look out. She's got an awesome shot and I've seen her play plenty of beautiful balls out of the back. She's physical and she shows good decision making. I personally think she'd be an excellent choice for left defender. If I had to guess, the roster would be: 1-Scurry 2-Fair 3-Pearce 4-Reddick 5-Roberts 6-Chastain 7-Hucles 8-Wambach 9-Hamm 10-Wagner 11-Foudy 12-Parlow 13-Lilly 14-Fawcett 15-Sobrero 16-Milbrett 17-Slaton 18-Mullinix And I think the starters will be: Scurry (or could be Mullinix, I'd have to draw this one out of a hat) Sobrero, Fawcett, Chastain, Reddick, Lilly, Foudy, Wagner, Parlow, Hamm, Milbrett
ok..i might be going out on a limb here..maybe even a very weak limp..but did someone officially say that Mac's out? i'll keep going in case the answer to that is no. being that she had her surgery in may..that gives her approximately, what, 4 months?? at the college level, as many as 2 or 3 years ago, i knew a couple of kids who came back in 3...and didn't just come back but played exceptionally. yes, that's college and here we're talking the highest level of play in the world. but wouldn't someone who plays soccer at the highest level in the world, for the best team in the world, have the drive, discipline, and intensity to make it back in time? i personally think Mac has that. it would just be another remarkable story to add to the chapters upon chapters of remarkable stories our nat'l team has. now, also, everyone is different and the extent of the injury might be weird and even more involved than usual, requiring more time. and probably, since she's supposedly out for the remainder of WUSA, the WC would almost be included in that. but doctors are only doctors, they don't predict the future. i'm not saying it isn't a bit far-fetched, but i'm saying it's way too early to count Mac out, assuming once again that she hasn't already officially been counted out. just my 2 cents. kc
wishful thinking, no way in hell she is going to be back and in good enough shape to make the world cup roster...a sad thought, but a realistic and honest one. she won't be there...
FearM9 is right. There are 20 players on the roster. Final rosters have to be submitted 10 days before the first WWC match. I guess there's an outside chance Heinrichs could hold a spot for Mac if her rehab is going well, kind of like she did for Akers and Overbeck prior to the 2000 Olympics. Of course, Akers ultimately retired a month before the Olympics and Overbeck traveled with the team but never got on the field. But I don't think we have the luxury this time to include a player who is unlikely to contribute.
I think there's a 70% chance of Wambach making the cut. Although some of you say that you haven't been impressed by slaton, you guys have to remember that she is still injured and not up to 100% form yet. She is a good D/M; in the short time she was in for the SD game last saturday, I think she did quite well penetrating with the ball. My 20 woman roster would have to be: GKs Scurry Mullinix DEF Slaton Pearce Sobrerro Fawcett Chastain Reddick MID Foudy Wagner Lilly Hucles Roberts Tarpley Fair FWD Millbrett Hamm Parlow O'Reilly Wambach