Thoughts on the WWC?

[HCCForever]

I loved what Demelo gave us. I thought she was fantastic. I want to see her out there more. Maybe not at Lavelle's expense but Demelo is impressing me a lot.

In my uneducated opinion, the team plays better with Lavelle on the pitch. It has been either/or with Demelo and Lavelle so hard to say how well the team would play if both were out there.

 

[RSTuthill]

Well, possession isn't everything. Lots of teams deliberately do not want to possess the ball. But USA was trying to possess the ball and could not. They were in a midfield block and got dominated there.

I noticed that ESPN changed the possession stat from 40/60 to 44/56. I am a big fan of counter attacking direct play, btw. If you are gonna play possession, you have to do a lot more movement off the ball, a lot less dribbling. And a lot more one touch passing. One thing I noticed is that they seem incapable of changing fields to stretch the defense, and their though service lacks touch. I hope the sharpen up.,

 

[upstater]

I noticed that ESPN changed the possession stat from 40/60 to 44/56. I am a big fan of counter attacking direct play, btw. If you are gonna play possession, you have to do a lot more movement off the ball, a lot less dribbling. And a lot more one touch passing. One thing I noticed is that they seem incapable of changing fields to stretch the defense, and their though service lacks touch. I hope the sharpen up.,

I'd like to see Ertz defer to Girma since Girma seems more capable of making those through balls and connecting.

But instead we have Girma constantly dropping as Ertz moves up to make plays.

I'd love to see the reverse.

On the other hand, I appreciated Ertz showing some urgency when they needed it.

 

[HCCForever]

I'd like to see Ertz defer to Girma since Girma seems more capable of making those through balls and connecting.

But instead we have Girma constantly dropping as Ertz moves up to make plays.

I'd love to see the reverse.

On the other hand, I appreciated Ertz showing some urgency when they needed it.

Ertz had a nice block as well late in the second half.

 

[meyers7]

I'd like to see Ertz defer to Girma since Girma seems more capable of making those through balls and connecting.

But instead we have Girma constantly dropping as Ertz moves up to make plays.

I'd love to see the reverse.

On the other hand, I appreciated Ertz showing some urgency when they needed it.

Ertz is not a great passer. Sullivan isn't great either, but better then Ertz. However, Ertz is better defensively in the 6 role, covers more ground and just makes things happen. (and is good on corners). Also would let Horan and Lavelle (or Demelo) have more freedom going forward. AND Girma and Cooke are better passers out of the back.

USA are missing quite a few players. Besides a healthy Lavelle, also Swanson, Macario, Sauerbrunn (for leadership if nothing else - and to push Ertz into the MF), Sam Mewis, Davidson. Some of them would probably be starters. At least giving the team more depth.

I don't expect them to win the WC. Winning 3 in a row is crazy anyway. But it's fairly wide open this year, sooo anything could happen. But it would surprise me if they even made it to the final.

 

[upstater]

Ertz is not a great passer. Sullivan isn't great either, but better then Ertz. However, Ertz is better defensively in the 6 role, covers more ground and just makes things happen. (and is good on corners). Also would let Horan and Lavelle (or Demelo) have more freedom going forward. AND Girma and Cooke are better passers out of the back.

USA are missing quite a few players. Besides a healthy Lavelle, also Swanson, Macario, Sauerbrunn (for leadership if nothing else - and to push Ertz into the MF), Sam Mewis, Davidson. Some of them would probably be starters. At least giving the team more depth.

I don't expect them to win the WC. Winning 3 in a row is crazy anyway. But it's fairly wide open this year, sooo anything could happen. But it would surprise me if they even made it to the final.

Agree with all of this. Vlatko probably saw what he was working with and realized he needed to just go directly over teams to let Sophia Smith and Rodman drive into the box.

 

[Fan1978]

Agree with all of this. Vlatko probably saw what he was working with and realized he needed to just go directly over teams to let Sophia Smith and Rodman drive into the box.

Hard to get excited about a team with 6 players not standing or participating in national anthem. Not the place or they time.

 

[upstater]

Hard to get excited about a team with 6 players not standing or participating in national anthem. Not the place or they time.

It's summer. There's sunshine. Get out there, meet friends, spend less time watching network news in the basement.

 

[meyers7]

Hard to get excited about a team with 6 players not standing or participating in national anthem. Not the place or they time.

They all stood. Some sang, some didn't. Some had their hands over their heart, some didn't. Same thing you see by spectators at any sporting event.

 

[Fan1978]

They all stood. Some sang, some didn't. Some had their hands over their heart, some didn't. Same thing you see by spectators at any sporting event.

They are not spectators, they are representing the greatest country in the world.

 

[RSTuthill]

So when did SINGING and hand over the heart be required during the national anthem????? I didn't get that memo.

You sing if: you have a good voice and can carry the tune; you can remember the words which most of us can't; and there isn't a mic in front of your face in case you make a mistake. The only requirement is to show respectfulness. This is not the military where one comes to attention or presents arms.

 

[ZooCougar]

The old players have lost their skills.

But the young players are super talented.

Girma is excellent. Demelo is the best with the ball at her feet, maybe better than Tobin Heath.

Sophia Smith and Trinity Rodman are fast but they need a lot of seasoning.

When Macario and Swanson come back, this will be a very potent team. Fox, Huerta, Sanchez, and Thompson are young and up and coming.

I'd say they have the potential to be better than the team of the last several years.

Rose couldn’t even get into the squad for Man City.

The USA is about to get blown past by the rest of the world I am afraid.

 

[RSTuthill]

Rose couldn’t even get into the squad for Man City.

The USA is about to get blown past by the rest of the world I am afraid.

Spain and Germany look pretty strong. USA should not look past Portugal. I am sure they are not, but they will need some goal difference as Netherlands has Vietnam. And Portugal has the ability to steal a point or even worse.

I would not be too upset if the USA does not three peat. It is a changing of the guard this WC year. If they, against the odds, win this year, they could stretch the streak to 5 because this team has the players that will form the basis for the next two WC's. And let's not forget the three players that are injured and not even there. So I do not look upon this year as anything more than a slight lull, if that.

 

[meyers7]

They are not spectators, they are representing the greatest country in the world.

Ok then, same thing you see by players at any game. Better?

I was more directing it at you. I'm sure you sing every time it's played.

 

[RSTuthill]

Ok then, same thing you see by players at any game. Better?

I was more directing it at you. I'm sure you sing every time it's played.

Their behavior during the anthem was not outside of today's norms. Watch Olympic reruns or previous WC's.

What never ceases to bother me is letting the flag touch the ground during victory laps around the track. That too seems to have changed.

 

[RSTuthill]

Colombia just stunned Germany 2-1. They possessed the ball 32% of the time.

 

[RSTuthill]

Colombia just stunned Germany 2-1. They possessed the ball 32% of the time.

And scored the two highest quality goals I have seen in this WWC.

 

[upstater]

And scored the two highest quality goals I have seen in this WWC.

They are the biggest underdogs so far. Best win by a team with the lowest tournament odds.

I just checked--was also shocked to see Sweden considered a mid range team and for Italy to be so low in the bottom half.

Norway and Germany are the biggest underperformers

 

[meyers7]

USA plays Portugal tomorrow morning (3:00 AM) on Fox. Netherlands plays Vietnam at the same time. USA tops the group by GD (+2) over Netherlands. USA should win, but will need to score some goals. Netherlands will be trying to run up the score on Vietnam (who is eliminated already) to top the group. We'll see who can score the most.

 

[upstater]

4 shocking results last 2 days, I can't believe Canada and Spain got blown out. Hard to believe

 

[RSTuthill]

4 shocking results last 2 days, I can't believe Canada and Spain got blown out. Hard to believe

I am sitting here in disbelief. A friend and I drafted 5 teams each for a gentlemen's beer bet. Japan isn't in our top 10. And I thought Spain might win it all.

 

[meyers7]

I am sitting here in disbelief. A friend and I drafted 5 teams each for a gentlemen's beer bet. Japan isn't in our top 10. And I thought Spain might win it all.

I had Japan as one of my favorites. But it's pretty wide open this year. Japan may not get past Norway. ???

 

[Plebe]

And scored the two highest quality goals I have seen in this WWC.

That upper 90 goal by Caicedo, the 18-year-old rising star for Colombia, gave me chills. And that 99th-minute header to win the game just blew the top off the stadium.

It wasn't the highest-quality play overall, but the tussle and the crowd energy made it the most exciting in the WWC so far.

 

[RSTuthill]

Very poor defending by the Germans on that first Colombian goal, though. The outside back could easily have beaten her to the ball and toe poked it over the touch line. But she backed off for some reason.

By the way, Pratt & Whitney used to have a ten team industrial league all its own, and a great pitch on what is now the Rent access road near the RTX Research Center.

 

[HCCForever]

Very poor defending by the Germans on that first Colombian goal, though. The outside back could easily have beaten her to the ball and toe poked it over the touch line. But she backed off for some reason.

By the way, Pratt & Whitney used to have a ten team industrial league all its own, and a great pitch on what is now the Rent access road near the RTX Research Center.

I remember when both Travelers and Aetna recruited good players. I'm not sure if they were in that league.

That first Columbian goal was a thing of beauty.