OT: Olympics: U.S. Women’s Soccer

[TheGOAT23]

SMH….that penalty….

 

[TheGOAT23]

Congrats Canada!

 

[cordarone]

Hope it goes better than the last time

 

[eebmg]

Time to shift to the USMNT. They win the Gold Cup 1-0 over Mexico with a beautiful goal in the 117', Our B team spanks the Mexico A team. Alot of young talent all of a sudden on the Men's side

 

[BostonBay]

An embarrassing effort by the US team, plain-and-simple. This is a decent, but not overwhelming Canada team, to say the least. To not score a goal against them just speaks to the old, slow composition of the team in the striker/midfield positions. Maybe next time, the U.S. can compose a team based on talent & current onfield capabilities & not on number of social media followers they have.

 

[Aluminny69]

So, here's another problem with soccer: The person who is fouled doesn't have to take the penalty shot! How does that make any sense? What other sport has this rule? Can you imagine basketball where your best free throw shooter takes all the foul shots? SMH

 

[oldude]

So, here's another problem with soccer: The person who is fouled doesn't have to take the penalty shot! How does that make any sense? What other sport has this rule? Can you imagine basketball where your best free throw shooter takes all the foul shots? SMH

Consider that a foul in soccer, in the box, is like a technical foul in basketball, where your best FT shooter does in fact take the foul shot.

 

[Ozimoto]

The US team needs a revitalization. Younger players need to be developed. This generation of players has had a great ride, but their time is over I fear.

 

[Vowelguy]

An. Maybe next time, the U.S. can compose a team based on talent & current onfield capabilities & not on number of social media followers they have.

Which players were selected based on their social media following?

 

[Vowelguy]

Funny how no one around here is blaming the coach, which seems to be the consensus among folks who, you know, actually know something about soccer.,

 

[Rixxx]

All I know is women's soccer gets to play for a bronze. Women's softball achieved silver with no hitting. Both teams (effort) were disappointing to me. (Coaching, etc....)

 

[Happydad745]

All I know is women's soccer gets to play for a bronze. Women's softball achieved silver with no hitting. Both teams (effort) were disappointing to me. (Coaching, etc....)

It appears we have entered a new era, where there is a balance of talent in many nations that we used to dominate.

 

[D J B]

On the bright side, they seem to have solved the problem of goals being reversed for offside.

 

[Kaizen]

US soccer team needs to add more young people.
For anyone searching for a reason why the U.S. team might not be the gold-medal favorite, the average age of the team's core -- 30.8 years old for the initial 18-player roster -- offers a glimpse of vulnerability.Jul 20, 2021

Are Olympics last hurrah for USWNT greats?

The USWNT will have the oldest average age of any team at the Olympics, but that's not likely to stop a golden generation of American talent.

www.espn.com

 

[LoboDays]

Tough call but they just didn’t play well enough during these games. Shutout 3 of 5 games. Lots of changes coming.

 

[Mdoggie]

Daughter played club for years. We watched the USA selection process bypass many talented and deserving players only to keep “old” passed their prime players on the roster. The process needs to change like yesterday! Maybe there should be term limits lol

 

[JordyG]

Daughter played club for years. We watched the USA selection process bypass many talented and deserving players only to keep “old” passed their prime players on the roster. The process needs to change like yesterday! Maybe there should be term limits lol

I don't necessarily agree with term limits, but yes. The issues with this team is the same that is confronting the WBB team: age and a decline in abilities. Not coaching. You can't arrest time. Often those involved in the selection processes and those who play need to be shown, not told the truth. I fear the WBB team will be shown that truth against Australia. Again. This is a good thing, and come the next World's and Olympics this country will be better represented.

 

[UcMiami]

Team sports are always a merger between athletes, styles of play, and coaches. If you follow European men's soccer, you see how important the coaches are, how delicate the composition of teams is, and how the matching of coach and player and style of play can change the perception of player (and coach.)

USA Soccer at this Olympics looks like it has a problem in that balance and I don't think you can point to the players or their age as the cause. They have a new coach and the team flow on the field looks spotty. Soccer is also generally a very low scoring game that relies on individual moments of brilliance during 90+ minutes of competition - close matches can easily be determined by brilliant save, or as in the Canada match a moment of inattention by a defender.

It is also worth noting that the US NT in soccer has never been dominant in the way we look at USA basketball - last Olympics they were 5th (no medal) so they have actually improved on 2016 already. The longest consecutive WC run is currently 2.

 

[meyers7]

An embarrassing effort by the US team, plain-and-simple. This is a decent, but not overwhelming Canada team, to say the least. To not score a goal against them just speaks to the old, slow composition of the team in the striker/midfield positions. Maybe next time, the U.S. can compose a team based on talent & current onfield capabilities & not on number of social media followers they have.

IN the MF, Horan (27), Lavelle (25), Ertz (29), S. Mewis (28) are pretty much prime age.

I can agree the forwards are long in the tooth.

 

[oldude]

While age is certainly one issue with US women’s soccer, I think it’s also a bit of a cop out to claim age as the primary reason the US lost to Canada and struggled against both Sweden & Australia. Women’s soccer around the world, just like WBB, has made great strides, while the US has stayed about the same.

European countries have improved significantly. The last time the US played Canada, the Americans barely managed to eke out a 1-0 victory. Certainly the US needs to get better. But that doesn’t necessarily mean throwing out a bunch of youngsters on the pitch. National team player development needs to improve at all levels from youth development, through HS & college, all the way to the professional level.

 

[meyers7]

It is also worth noting that the US NT in soccer has never been dominant in the way we look at USA basketball - last Olympics they were 5th (no medal) so they have actually improved on 2016 already. The longest consecutive WC run is currently 2.

Also, I believe there has never been a team that has won the WC and Olympics in consecutive years.

 

[Vowelguy]

I don't necessarily agree with term limits, but yes. The issues with this team is the same that is confronting the WBB team: age and a decline in abilities. Not coaching. You can't arrest time.

Every analysis I’ve seen has been befuddled by decisions made by this coaches — lineups, subs, snd lack of adjustment. Yes the team was old and may very well have done no better, but seems no question that coaching did them no favors.
And I don’t get the comparison to BB. The oldest player has like 387 assists so far. Diana has been just ok but do you want to bet against her when the chips are down? And it’s been the youngest players — SDS Phee AA — who have been deemed not ready for prime time.

which old players do you want to dump? dT and fowles? I’ll take them over the alternatives.

 

[JJTB]

A great ride for sure. Parity and their opponents didn't back down. Now win the Bronze!

 

[LoboDays]

The team fielded the best players. If they were to go with a younger team, that wouldn’t have been the best roster. The young players will get their chance. Years go by between the World Cup (2023) and the Olympics. Plenty of time to get the new group ready. They played poorly but it wasn’t age or social media or politics that did them in. It was Canada and Sweden.

 

[Plebe]

Team sports are always a merger between athletes, styles of play, and coaches. If you follow European men's soccer, you see how important the coaches are, how delicate the composition of teams is, and how the matching of coach and player and style of play can change the perception of player (and coach.)

USA Soccer at this Olympics looks like it has a problem in that balance and I don't think you can point to the players or their age as the cause. They have a new coach and the team flow on the field looks spotty. Soccer is also generally a very low scoring game that relies on individual moments of brilliance during 90+ minutes of competition - close matches can easily be determined by brilliant save, or as in the Canada match a moment of inattention by a defender.

It is also worth noting that the US NT in soccer has never been dominant in the way we look at USA basketball - last Olympics they were 5th (no medal) so they have actually improved on 2016 already. The longest consecutive WC run is currently 2.

Your comment deserves a thousand likes. It's refreshing to see that some people here get it and actually watch soccer.

People were acting like the US were overwhelming favorites coming into the tournament, and that simply never was the case.

It's interesting, too, among all the "too old" comments, no one is pointing out that the game-deciding error on the back line was committed by a 22-year-old. God forbid we look at evidence that doesn't conform to our pet narrative.