Sophia Huerta will be on the US team tonight. Probably get a start at FB. She played for the Mexican NT against the US NT a few years ago. She did a FIFA one time switch to the US team last year. (She was born in Idaho and raised here, although I believe her parents were from Mexico, or of Mexican descent. ) I believe this will be the first time she's played against Mexico.
Yea, but I'd give up a half a dozen Huerta's for one Jonathon Gonzalez.Refreshing when the pendulum swings from non US to US
Yea, but I'd give up a half a dozen Huerta's for one Jonathon Gonzalez.
least u got the other Gonzalez from Mexico to US, Jesse goalkeeperYea, but I'd give up a half a dozen Huerta's for one Jonathon Gonzalez.
From reading that or another recent article, her father is Mexican and her mother American, which is why she was able to request and have the switch approved.Sophia Huerta will be on the US team tonight. Probably get a start at FB. She played for the Mexican NT against the US NT a few years ago. She did a FIFA one time switch to the US team last year. (She was born in Idaho and raised here, although I believe her parents were from Mexico, or of Mexican descent. ) I believe this will be the first time she's played against Mexico.
Crystal Dunn in their previous game was maybe the best player on the field in the defensive outside back position. Yes, she's also a big offensive threat, but she doesn't usually nor shouldn't start with Pugh, Morgan & Rapinoe playing so well together, so this is a way to get herAlso the defensive outside backs like O'Hara are expected to move all the way up the field and be part of the offensive scheme.I am not an expert by any means on the USWNT but I thought they abandoned defensive principles to force offensive activity. . That is fine against teams like Mexico but not sure this would work against the top teams in the world. Mexico had too many good opportunities with wide open gaps and our goalie situation will never be the same after Solo so defense has to be solid. Lets see if the second game shows improvement. On the plus side, Pugh and Morgan looked very good. I am not sure Crystal Dunn is a good idea in the backfield although Graham Hays seems to differ
Crystal Dunn's versatility a key for USWNT moving forward after win over Mexico
Thanks for the analysis. Very valuable.Crystal Dunn in their previous game was maybe the best player on the field in the defensive outside back position. Yes, she's also a big offensive threat, but she doesn't usually nor shouldn't start with Pugh, Morgan & Rapinoe playing so well together, so this is a way to get herAlso the defensive outside backs like O'Hara are expected to move all the way up the field and be part of the offensive scheme.
Maybe there are two factors which contributed to the defensive lapses you mentioned. Sauerbrun is usually the anchor to the defensive middle backs. She's recovering from an injury. Dalyrkemple has been her partner back there and has done well but is a younger developing player. Tierra Davidson is an up and coming player but both need to continue to work together and of course make mistakes and get better. Also very importantly Julie Erst is a huge cog in both the defense at defensive midfielder ande also on set pieces on offense. She's also out with an injury.
They just completed recently a four nation tournament with four of the top six national teams in the world. This year the US team won.
What's surprises me with the incredible depth and offensive firepower they the US team has how infrequently they score goals.
There's a huge difference in approach, style, skill set, age and experience in the players between Geno and the women's national soccer team.
That might be an interesting discussion on how young players are used and developed in each system and what might be best transferable.
Bronx23
Horan played in France (PSG) right out of High School. She's back in the states now with Portland Thorns. She was a FW at PSG scoring 54 goals in 4 years. She wasn't given much run time with the NT until she came back to the USA. NT coaches seem to have a hard spot with players playing in Europe.In response to Bronx23: Press has signed to play in Sweden this year. According to the announcers Thursday night, she wasn't invited to this round of play because Ellis wanted only those playing in the US. OTOH, in the Sunday broadcast (I'm watching the second half now), they said one player on the team is playing in France (Horan?). I think the US squad is just plain better when Press is available, even if she's playing 20 minutes.
Yea, Campbell didn't really didn't instill any confidence in there. Not sure why the defense allowed a defender right on the GK though. On the other hand impeding the GK should be a foul. Mexico did it twice on those 2 corner goals.Observation: I now see why the US plays Alyssa Naeher. I don't normally point things like this out, but Jane Campbell made possibly the most baffling play I've ever seen in any sport in the first half Sunday. Mexico had a corner, which the kicker hooked into the goal. Campbell was behind the goal line when the ball was getting close, and she was in the BACK OF THE GOAL when the ball crossed the line. As my wife said, it's like she was playing dodge ball.
For one Ertz was a CB. They have plenty of good CB's now. And Ertz is really commanding in the DMF role. Much better than she was at CB. She was kind of being passed at CB by Sauerbrunn, Dahlkemper and now Davidson. Sonnet is also usually a CB. Where they, at least in Ellis' opinion, have some shortage (of quality anyway) is at the FB spots. They tried the 3 back set up, but that was an disaster. So it looks like they are going to keep the 4 back system. Ellis' wants her FB's attacking quite a bit and that fits in real well for Dunn.Question: why do coaches move players directly from the front line to the back line? Crystal Dunn is the immediate example, but I think this has happened before. Ellis moved Julie Johnston from the back line, where she was great, to holding midfielder, then not too long after, Dunn from the front line to the back line. Why not Johnston/Ertz stay in the back and Dunn to attacking midfield?
US wants to play out of the back, ala Barcelona, Man City, Spain, Germany, etc. Even most young leagues (U8, U9, etc.) are trying to get their GK to quit "booting" the ball up field, by using build out lines. The idea is to maintain possession, not just boot it up field where it's becomes a 50/50 ball. We don't have a Wambach up there anymore to win those headers anyway. Morgan, Press, Pugh, Williams are "into space" players, while Rapinoe, McCaskill and Heath are more "to feet" players. We really don't have anyone who is great at "hold up" play.Question: US goal keepers don't seem to be picking the ball up much at all. Has there been a rule change that somehow discourages picking the ball up and punting/drop kicking/throwing it?
I love your posts of course mostly about U Conns wbb and now women's soccer.In response to Bronx23: Press has signed to play in Sweden this year. According to the announcers Thursday night, she wasn't invited to this round of play because Ellis wanted only those playing in the US. OTOH, in the Sunday broadcast (I'm watching the second half now), they said one player on the team is playing in France (Horan?). I think the US squad is just plain better when Press is available, even if she's playing 20 minutes.
Observation: Mallory Pugh may be the best US player ever by the time she retires. She's scary good on so many levels.
Observation: I now see why the US plays Alyssa Naeher. I don't normally point things like this out, but Jane Campbell made possibly the most baffling play I've ever seen in any sport in the first half Sunday. Mexico had a corner, which the kicker hooked into the goal. Campbell was behind the goal line when the ball was getting close, and she was in the BACK OF THE GOAL when the ball crossed the line. As my wife said, it's like she was playing dodge ball.
Question: why do coaches move players directly from the front line to the back line? Crystal Dunn is the immediate example, but I think this has happened before. Ellis moved Julie Johnston from the back line, where she was great, to holding midfielder, then not too long after, Dunn from the front line to the back line. Why not Johnston/Ertz stay in the back and Dunn to attacking midfield?
Question: US goal keepers don't seem to be picking the ball up much at all. Has there been a rule change that somehow discourages picking the ball up and punting/drop kicking/throwing it?
US wants to play out of the back, ala Barcelona, Man City, Spain, Germany, etc. Even most young leagues (U8, U9, etc.) are trying to get their GK to quit "booting" the ball up field, by using build out lines. The idea is to maintain possession, not just boot it up field where it's becomes a 50/50 ball. We don't have a Wambach up there anymore to win those headers anyway. Morgan, Press, Pugh, Williams are "into space" players, while Rapinoe, McCaskill and Heath are more "to feet" players. We really don't have anyone who is great at "hold up" play.
Well it depends. They can't pick the ball up if it is passed back to them by a teammate. Indirect Free Kick Foul.First, thanks very much to both beyers7 and Bronx23 for your informative posts and for patiently answering my comments and questions.
My question kind of arose from the possession viewpoint. It seems that the keepers are just booting the moving ball even, or especially when there's pressure from the opposing team. I would think it would be better to pick the ball up, gain control, then throw the ball or place it down and kick it to your teammate 20 meters away. I agree with the current keepers' inability to boot the ball forward -- I was jealous of the Mexican keeper booting it up past midfield.
Outside of goal, I do think this side has some potential. We just need a back line that keeps the opponents far enough away from goal (especially in set plays) that the GK's lack of strength isn't so important.
Julie Erst then Johnson was playing defensive middle during the World Cup run and was thought of by many as one of the top few players on that winning team. The Olympic year, for reasons I have no clue about, both her play and playing time we're not of the previous level. Therefore she had become a sub. Morgan Brian was the defensive midfielder on the World Cup team and was outstanding then. She too showed a bit of slippage and then ongoing injuries she was just now returning from, when they moved Erst to that position a year or more ago. She is just phenomenal there.
Well it depends. They can't pick the ball up if it is passed back to them by a teammate. Indirect Free Kick Foul.