WWC USA vs Australia Pre/pbp/Post 6/8/2015 Winnipeg

If Abby puts away the 2 chances you'd have expected her to score yesterday, this is a different game and we're having a different conversation. She has a skillset so unique to the women's game you'd be silly as a coach to not run her out. If she's still not firing after Nigeria, there is a hard decision to make.

I'm much more concerned about the LCB spot. The defensive shape early on was not very good. I think Devanna pulled something shortly after the goal that changed how they had to play, otherwise their coach should have to answer some quesitons about why they stopped going at our shambles of a back line.

 

Well, she is chilling alright...

 

http://ftw.usatoday.com/2015/06/australias-official-team-website-roasts-the-u-s-after-world-cup-loss

This is some high level sour grapes:

"The USA, well, they just aren’t that good"

"The US certainly like to talk a good game. The reality is they play a fairly rudimentary, bog-standard 4-4-2, were short of ideas going forward and outmanoeuvred tactically. ‘Play it long and look for the head of Wambach’ seems the default game-plan for a team stuck in the past."


I think the Aussie's need a bit of a reality check. They had a good tactical plan in the early stages of the match and it created a few opportunities. But they failed to finish them, thanks to poor placement and good goalkeeping. But the USA adjusted and from about the 35th minute on it was all United States. Perhaps their fed should focus more on the fact that they were no match in the fitness department and as the game wore on the superior fitness of the US players took over the match.

I know a lot of people question Ellis and the inclusion of Wambach and its effects on the tactics we play, but when you just lost to the team stuck in the past pretty decisively...i am not sure those criticisms carry any eight whatsoever.

 

I actually thought Sauerbrunn play very well. I think she is the strength of our defense right now.

 

It's not not Wambach is just some stiff. Shes the all time leading scorer in the game. Yes it's old school, but there is nobody like her in the women's game. There aren't a lot of center backs that can handle her one on one.

I will agree with the first sentence though. I'll be surprised if this team makes it to the semi's.

I haven't done an every touch breakdown or anything, but she was at least partially (mostly) at fault on the goal, and had a couple other plays that seemed more dangerous than they should have. Maybe it was a bad game. Maybe she feels like she has to help inside with the younger defender. I always liked Rampone's game.

 

RFR Just cause you miss her sooooo much.. I found this picture of her. Imagine she is waving at you!

 

She and Julie Johnston got split by the player who assisted the goal. Other than that, she was rock solid all night and actually saved JJ's butt after a badly mistimed tackle.

 

c stuck in the past."


I think the Aussie's need a bit of a reality check. They had a good tactical plan in the early stages of the match and it created a few opportunities. But they failed to finish them, thanks to poor placement and good goalkeeping. But the USA adjusted and from about the 35th minute on it was all United States. Perhaps their fed should focus more on the fact that they were no match in the fitness department and as the game wore on the superior fitness of the US players took over the match.

I know a lot of people question Ellis and the inclusion of Wambach and its effects on the tactics we play, but when you just lost to the team stuck in the past pretty decisively...i am not sure those criticisms carry any eight whatsoever.[/QUOTE]

Totally agree on the tactics. "Bog-standard" indeed.

Thought it was laughable when they whined about their injuries. I'll trade ya Polkinghorne & the keeper for a 90 minute fit Alex Morgan.

Bottom line, if that's how the feel about the team that beat them 3-1, (bad tactics, mediocre players, team is "not that good") then they must already have their tickets booked to go home after they play Sweden. Cause Sweden and Nigeria are that good.

 

Saw this over on Deadspin and just had to share

 

Did anyone else think the "pass" to De Vanna was really an accident? I thought the player lost control of the ball while trying to turn.....

 

Why do you keep posting this? Does she need an alibi for a liquor store hold up in Winnipeg last night or something?

 

The USWNT are broken, and they can't skate by on talent forever

http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/2015...alia-2015-womens-world-cup-jill-ellis-tactics

 

Trouble with that is, she subbed Heath in and Holiday, Lloyd, and Wambach's possession games all improved markedly. Y'know, like you would hope will happen with a situational substitution.

She did something not altogether obvious, it worked, she gets to claim the credit as far as I can see...

 

I gave her a little credit. I'd like to give her more, but I don't see much else to give her credit for.
We were ranked # 1 in the World when she took over, even with Sermanis gaffs. We may not be better than #3 at the end ov this cup. Right now I'm watch Korea get smacked my Marta & co. How'd we do a couple weeks ago?


The team she put on the field went toe to toe with the #10 team in the world lost the battle for about the first 60 minutes and would have lost that if not for some magic from Rapino and Solo. If that's what we depend on, we don't need a coach at all.

 

Heath came in in the 68th minute. I conceded we were doing marginally better before that, but that doesn't help the argument that it was a brilliant coaching change that made the difference. I need more evidence it was more than coincidence and a fluke. There is precious little other evidence.

I didn't say anything about luck. I believe players make luck.I said we would not have won without Rapinoe and Solo's magic and you don't need a coach for that. If you want to talk about DeVanna, she was unmarked. She is their best threat. Was that a coaching decision?

Listen to the "expert" commentary. Several said Hope made saves that no other keepers in the World can make. That doesn't make Jill a great coach. Keepers aren't really part of the team a coach puts together. Part of a keepers mind set has to be ' ok, you are beating the tar out of my team, but you aren't beating me'
You have to be a bit of a head case for that. I understand that. I was a Lacrosse keeper for a bit.

Until now, I have never typed the word DeVanna in this thread. You must be addressing this to somebody else. And frankly, I don't think the team Jill put on the field has 5 goals in it. You'd better hope the defence gets better.

 

With due respect I think you are missing his point.

Yes, the GK is a a player, but starting Solo should hardly be a credit to Ellis. Anyone would start her at GK. Ergo, I don't give her credit for that decision.

Starting decisions I hold Ellis accountable for are:

1 Starting Wambach
2 Starting Press as a winger
3 Playing no DM
4 Playing Press on the same side as Krieger knowing Australia would attack this side

The team looked terrible for the first 30 minutes. We were damn near overrun. That to me is on the coach. Our superior talent enabled us to survive. Then our fitness wore down Australia.

If all Ellis brings to the table is starting Solo, Rapinoe and great fitness level then I personally am not impressed.

 

It's extremely hard to give Ellis any credit for situational subs when part of the problem is the fact that we needed that situational sub in the first place because the USWNT was playing so badly from the start. At some point, with the problems so obvious and foreseeable for months, it's on the coach to fix it and not put the team in a bad place in the first place.

It's one thing if it's a new formation tried out in a friendly with new players. But it's not. This is the world cup after months of friendlies and try outs. This is what Ellis has played repeatedly and decided is the best formation and group of players for the USWNT. That Ellis is getting it so obviously wrong repeatedly is why most people think she's a terrible coach.

 

My question is did Ellis take Press out as a tactical change to try and improve flank play and ball possession or was it simply a planned sub to try and keep Press fresh so that she is effective for seven starts? If it was the latter then Ellis didnt show much insight into the way the game was going at all. It will be interesting to see how the play in this match effects the line-up for Sweden, if at all.

 

LOL, Ellis gets second guessed no matter what she does. As you know well, you're part of the proof!

 

This. Exactly this. People are blaming Wambach for totally separate mistakes by entirely different players. Krieger had a very poor showing as did Leroux to be honest. I've heard only admiration for Leroux but she seemed just as slow as allegedly Wambach is....

 

I'm hesitant for Heath to start the next game. I wouldn't necessarily mind her starting, and I don't question at all that her calm on the ball and finding the simple pass definitely changed this game against Australia, but do we have any guarantee that the same Heath will show up in the next?

In the past, Heath's issue has been some very real inconsistency in her game.

 

Huh? Leroux blew past her player on a Rapinoe ball and gifted Press a sitter with her cross.

 

Here's another review.

Thing is, this is on the official Australia Football Fedration website.

Read more at http://www.footballaustralia.com.au...5zhe8bs8l5v91qy1k44rpoc3e#CrvHesjjPlKQlQCf.99

 

Its nothing that hasn't been said here, but seems like sour grapes, coming from the Matildas. I'm also not sure they can call themselves a better team than a team that they're winless against. (US's all-time record against the Aussies is 23 wins and 2 draws.)