Obviously there's still a final and third place game to go, which can definitely influence opinions, like Lloyd in 2015. Plus, we have a Golden Boot race going on, which may influence opinions for Golden Ball. But in any case, let's get some speculation going. Who is on your list for the Golden Ball award? What about Golden Glove? Young Player Award? Who's on your All-Star Team? Note: I didn't see a thread on this yet, and I think there's enough interest for a separate thread, instead of General discussion but, mods, feel free to move it if appropriate.
My Picks Golden Ball: Rapinoe/Miedema/ Silver Ball: Ertz/Asllani/Bronze/Spitse/White Bronze Ball: Martens/Mewis/Houghton/Daebritz Golden Glove: Naeher/Lindahl/Peng/Endler Best Youth: Cuthbert/Fleming Best XI: GK: Endler DF: Dunn - Renard, Houghton - Bronze MF: Ertz, Daebritz, Asllani FW: Diani, Miedema, Rapinoe Reserve: GK: Naeher DF: Stokes, van der Gragt, Sauerbrunn, Glas MF: Hansen, Henry, Sugita, Spitse FW: White, Morgan, Iwabuchi
Who I want, but probably won't be Golden Ball: Miedema Golden Glove: Correa From what I have seen... Best XI: GK: Correa DF: Dunn - Renard, Houghton - Bronze MF: Henry, Daebritz, Asllani FW: Hermoso, Miedema, Rapinoe
First of all, I'll copy/paste what I have written in the England-Sweden thread: "I'd strongly prefer White to win Golden Shoe over Morgan: no offense, but I don't like the winner being the player who raised up her tally with 5 goals vs Thailand. White was more dependable throughout the whole tournament: she scored vs Japan and vs Cameroon, vs Norway and vs USA; a much more complete achievement, in my eyes. Unless Morgan does something absolutely astonishing and spectacular in the final match, I see White as more deserving than her as a top-scorer in this WWC". For the rest, I guess the other awards will be strictly dependant from the outcome of the final match, as it almost always happened in the past. The exception is I can't see Naeher winning the Golden Glove even if USA win the final, unless she has an outstanding performance in that match. She made good saves but was very shaky at times. The saved PK in the final was mostly Houghton missing it, in my eyes.
I should have probably put this in the initial post, but just as a review of what each award is: Golden, Silver, and Bronze Ball go to the most outstanding player(s). The initial list is from the Technical Committee and is then voted on by some media members. Golden, Silver, and Bronze Boot is for most goals scored. First tiebreaker is assists, and second is least time played (higher goals/minute). Golden Glove seems self-explanatory. Best Young Player is also self-explanatory, except with the note that the player must be 21 years old or younger. For All-Star Team, it is an entire team, not XI. For example, in 2015, 23 players were named to the All-Star Team. Also there's the Fair Play Award, but I think that's entirely based on stats? Ok, carry on.
I understand (even agree) with this perspective on Morgan, but the Golden Boot isn’t really a judgement call, right? Also agree on Naeher’s performance overall, while disagreeing on the penalty save. Houghton put the ball on frame and in the corner. Does the attempt have to be a “perfect” strike for a keeper to get credit for a save? Feel like people have been too harsh on Naeher on this one.
You're right; its not, but I get what blisset is saying and even agree (although I still won't hate it if Morgan happens to win). The Golden Boot is completely based on the numbers. Who will score in the final/third-place game is the question.
Of course not. By expressing my preference I am just hoping for some kind of karmic justice, but it's obvious that should Morgan score one more (or, better, should White not score one more, since I guess Morgan is currently ahead on assists) she'll be given the award regardless of any judgement call. I am just saying that I would like White to manage to win that award instead, because it seems to me that such a top-scorer would represent women's football's image better. Just imagine reading the stats 20 or 30 years from now: 2019 edition, the winner was Alex Morgan with... 5 goals at group stage vs Thailand + just one more goal in the semifinal. With all due respect to Morgan, how lame would it sound?
I know that a dominant performance in the final will be key to winning this. But, if the award had to be given now, who would get it, and why?
It's no more lame than Sasic beating up on Ivory Coast and a worn out Sweden to get her Golden Boot in 2015. Or, to go a bit more recent, Kane winning the Golden Boot last year by getting most of his goals against much weaker opponents.
My picks for award winners (excluding the Boot since that's entirely based on stats)- Golden Ball: I'm torn between Lavelle and Spitse. Whichever team wins the final will likely have the respective player putting in a strong performance, so that's probably going to be the decider. Bronze was the best player through the quarterfinals, but her performances in the semi and 3rd place games were lackluster at best, so she's out for me. Golden Glove: No way should a player who only played in the group stage win an award, so both Endler and Nayler are out. It has to be van Veenendaal. One or two bad moments aside, she was the most consistent keeper in the entire tournament. Best Young Player: Gwinn, and it's not even close. Best XI: van Veenendaal Bronze Mjelde Dahlkemper Majri Lavelle Spitse Scott Jakobsson White Rapinoe
Sure, but at least she was impactful/solid against France (and arguably better than she was against England) as well.
Best XIs don't generally factor in how practical the lineup is, but maybe some people feel it's either Lavelle or Asllani instead of both. I suppose Jakobsson, Diani, and Parris are the competition for Graham Hansen. I don't really have a particularly strong stance there.
Here's still the hope that she can score an unanswered poker in the final to grab Golden Boot from Morgan's hands! (an hat-trick wouldn't be enough, because she has 0 assists to Morgan's 3 and you could argue that scoring 4 goals should be "easier" than scoring three-goals and making three assists, since this last performance would imply Netherlands scoring at least 6 goals! ).
Since I asked the question, I'll play along. Golden, Silver, and Bronze Ball: this one's the hardest for me... Golden, Silver, and Bronze Boot: With White not scoring in the 3rd place game, Morgan has it even if she doesn't score in the final since Morgan has 3 assists (and less time played) and White has no assists. Rapinoe can actually overtake White and Morgan if she scores another (she's at 5 goals and has 3 assists, but has less time played than either, but her and Morgan's minutes played are close; she needs a brace to be sure). So the race is now on between Morgan and Rapinoe. Golden Glove: maybe van Veenendaal? Bardsley's injury was especially unfortunate since I think she had a chance for the award prior to having to sit. Best Young Player: Gwinn All-Star Team (23): GKs: van Veenendaal, Naeher, Endler (although maybe she can't get it without advancing to the knockouts?) D: Bronze, Majri, Renard, Dalhkemper, Houghton, van der Gragt, Dunn M: Asllani, Lavelle, Ertz, Henry, Groenen, Spitse, Daebritz F: Rapinoe, Miedema, Kerr, Jakobsson, Morgan, White
I see this as little more than name recognition: apart from 4 goals scored to Jamaica, I don't think her WWC has been good and of course it wasn't even close to her actual potential.
You're right. It was more of a struggle to come up with 23 than I would think. Believe me, a couple got in by the skin of their teeth. I did deliberate over putting in a French forward (but really, did any of them have a great tournament?), and I wouldn't be surprised if Blackstenius got in to the top 23 either.
I mean, if it was so hard to squeeze in another name, why not putting Iwabuchi at Kerr's place? Sure, she was out in the Round of 16 (exactly like Kerr, by the way) and she only scored one goal, but she was an absolute bag of tricks and I guess her display in the game vs Netherlands would be enough alone to put her ahead of Kerr.
Spitse for the golden ball...? I mean now you’re entitled to have your own opinions but I’m curious if we’ve even judging the same games? Sure she’s been good but imo her colleague Grönen’s been exceptional in this WC. To me it’s between Grönen, Ertz or Lavelle (personally she’s impressed me)
Both were very good, and would be shoo-ins if I had done more than a Best XI. I just think the players I selected were better overall.
What is absolutely stunning to me is that Bronze is automatically picked as best RB even though van Lunteren has had a better tournament (just my opinion of course) and should receive some consideration. Bronze defended poorly against the US and because of van Dongen being poor on the ball the Dutch pretty much always go up the right side with van Lunteren. Picking between Spitse and Groenen is difficult as the Dutch play a double pivot and Spitse takes all the free kicks giving her the nod.
I think Spitse's been more vital in the Netherlands' success, and has been better overall, than Groenen. Not to say that Groenen's been poor. Far from it, in fact. But if I could only choose one, I'd pick Spitse.