here's my starting lineup: ----------------------solo--------------------------- krieger----johnston----sauerbrunn----kling rapinoe-----lloyd------holiday--------leroux -------------wambach---morgan---------- defense: no need to change the back 5 midfield: desperate for a dangerous player opposite pinoe to take some defensive attention away from her (i don't mind hao). don't like lloyd and holiday, but now is the wrong time to change them. forward: they need more time together, but abby only goes 60. your thoughts.
Leroux as a winger? She doesn't have the technical or tactical ability to play the wing - and her passing is sub-par. And to be honest, she doesn't even seem fast this tournament - so not sure how many defenders she'd get around for a cross. That's the thing with this team - Jill did a poor job selecting players. What's Hao form? If she's not ready to play why in the world did you bring her?
Yeah I do not she Leroux on the wing. I also do expect at least 3 changes to the starting lineup as this will be the time to rest starters in the next two matches. Based on that, I expect changes in the back line especially for Sauerbrunn or Johnston as they need it. I don't expect changes to the full backs as we need our top guys out there to contain Lady Andrade. In the middle, I think we would see Brian for either Lloyd or Holiday. I'm hoping it Holiday as we will be weak in the middle defensively if it's just Holiday and Brian. Rapinoe starts on the left and HAO starts on the right. She will be the next in the long line of players to make that position their own in the eyes of Ellis. At forward I expect Press to start again with either Morgan or Arod. Abby will not get the start as she has played the most minutes of any forward and really we don't need her for this match. Leroux for her part have really not been convincing at all in any of the matches. Her lack of a first touch have been amplified and all of a sudden she can't get by on speed any more.
I agree re Leroux. She's not a winger and she's primarily a run on to balls over the top kind of player. I expect to see exactly the same starting lineup. Time for experimentation is largely over. You definitely won't see any change in the goalie and back 4. All are playing well, particularly on the defensive side. Would really like to see Krieger sharpen up her passing and crosses. Like everyone else, I'm not crazy about the play of the interior mids, but I don't look for any changes here, other than possibly increased movement of Holiday forward and Lloyd backward in a more defensive role. Heath played well enough to get another start in my view, but I wouldn't hesitate to substitute either Brien or Press or O'Reilly for her if she falters. Morgan and Wambach will start again, as they need to fine tune playing off each other. I think Alex Morgan will go all 90 or close if the game is close and she feels okay. I think Leroux will substitute for Wamback at approximately the 70 minute mark.
Making changes at this stage is not about experimentation but more about making sure your players don't burn out by the time they get to the semis. We can't expect these players to play 7 physically and mentally grueling games in the span of a month. The US is especially lucky to have Colombia, China/Cameroon in the next matches so they CAN afford to rest players at this stage
luvdagame, why shoehorn Leroux into the wing when you've got actual outside mids on the roster? I mean, if you don't want to do what Ellis has done and play Press in midfield, there is at least one other quality option:
I do not thing it will be wise to play Naeher on the wing. I know Solo was a forward back in the day but was Naeher ever a field player?
Of course, if one is looking for a lefty, there's one of those on the bench, too [no, I wouldn't actually start her in this game. But I don't think Leroux at left mid is a good use of the player or the bench]
As long as we're suggesting lineups that Ellis won't use: Solo Same Back 4 HAO Lloyd Holiday Rapinoe Morgan Press I didn't go too crazy and suggest CMs that aren't Lloyd & Holiday b/c I like to pretend to be reality based. No way Ellis plays anyone else there unless forced.
i actually prefer that girl standing in your pic to leroux. i picked her in a different thread. but neither press nor heath nor brian has worked there, and jill just doesn't seem to like hao. she's also a one trick pony. and, i'm desperate. we just have to have somebody on the other side taking the defensive attention away from rapinoe.
I don't think you can use one trick pony against HAO and than suggest Leroux. Leroux's only trick IS to run by her defender. As we saw in the game against Nigeria, when you get someone who matches her speed, her threat is negated. If we assume that Ellis doesn't want to play HAO (which I don't think is true as my guess is Ellis believes there are better options than HAO and as we have seen she have tried all of them so I get the feeling we will HAO), I do not think she will try Leroux there. It's more likely we might see Press up there than Leroux. Ellis have never played Leroux in the 4-4-2
This is what I expect as well though I DO think we will see at least one change in the back for or CM. Call me unrealistic but this is the best time to rest players
I get your reasoning, luvdagame, but the midfield you propose is so, so, so light on anything resembling defense. Those outside backs have been left on islands too many times already. It is going to really bite us in the backside at some point. I think this game (like the Nigeria game) is good ones for using a player like HAO, because of what Colombia does. What's the point of bringing 23 if you're not going to use them?
You know another thing that is working in HAO favor? That top 10 goal she scored against them last world cup.
I'd be extremely surprised if Press doesn't start at right mid moving forward in this WC. Ellis was probably just giving her a rest against Nigeria. Heath has decent ball handling skills, but Press is a bigger threat when it comes to creating her own shot from outside.
I agree, Press can and should have a bigger upside - but she's not buying into her role as a winger. She's not on the flanks, she's not attacking defenses - she continually goes central.
She is just as fast this tourney as she has been in the past. Her speed and hustle allowed her to make the pass to Press. And has brought about a few fouls, because the defender couldn't keep up. The odd thing is it doesn't seem like tactics have really been put in to take advantage of her speed.
Her 1st touch hasn't been great, but if you are honest nor has anyone else's. Press, Wambach, and Morgan (though she has more rust), also haven't exploited defenses off the dribble, or looking for teammates. Wayward passes have been sprayed by the lot of them (oddly enough Leroux gets no credit I guess for her touch on the assist). And I don't see her as a one trick pony. Outside of Wambach, she is the most physical fwd, she is probably the most tenacious fwd defender, and has learned a lot from Wambach on winning and flicking on headers. Also you can make runs all day, put if the ball isn't played to you (the same can be said for the other fwds) it's hard to impact the game. None of the fwds has really elevated their play, so to single one out at this point doesn't seem on the level. I think if the mid-field starts providing better service, and can play fwds into easier shot attempts, instead of looking to the fwds each time to pull highlight goals off half chances.
Agree. I think it's very important to rest some players now. IMO if they won't do it, it will cost them in the long run. Most best teams have already done it in the group stage and now they will face tougher opponents that probably won't allow it. For US it's the opposite and it could be a big advantage going forward. Playing HAO on the wing and Brian in the middle - where's experimentation in that?
As mentioned above, all we heard about for 6 months was turf/schedule/depth/rest. Group of Death limited that flexibility - not one "Bye", so be it. I'm the last person who wants any change to the back 4 but it may be the last chance to provide any rest.