140 replies to this topic

[JeremyStrain]

US - Spain coming up in 20 minutes. Here's the key's for the ladies to move on.

 

1. Patience, Patience, And more Patience.  Don't get caught up in chasing Spain when they play their possession game. Let Spain run around and make there little short triangle passes. Keep them wide and don't chase them in the middle. Sooner or later they will make a bad touch then go fast and hard. 

 

2. When we have the ball run at them hard. There will be space on the wings so use it with Rapinoe and Heath.  Throw balls into the box and put the heat on them. 

 

3. When the ball is in Spain's defensive third play a hard high press. Try and get the ball right back.

 

4. Spain is not  good at scoring. They only scored three goals in their three matches. All three of those in the first game and two of those were on penalties. This goes back to #1 above. Spain will try and use their little passes to get inside the area then do little fancy footwork and try and draw penalties. Don't fall for that nonsense. Just keep your structure and head on.

 

5. Key players today will be Mewis and Ertz. Moran is not starting as she's on a yellow. But Julie and Sam can put tons of heat on the Spanish midfield.  Get the ball and get it wide.

 

Prediction: The ATM is too much for Spain and we move on. Looking at something in the realm of 2-0 or 3-1.

 

Rapinoe has been all over everything so far, but as I type this Ertz missed and got underneath one. Spain had a defender throw her whole body at saving a goal earlier too.

 

Looks like US is settling down now though, keeping the ball in Spain's end now. Dunn just looked AWFUL back in her own end, looked so lazy just kicking to the goalie with a striker right in their face, and then didn't hustle to get the return pass and let it get stolen back.

[SportsGuy]

Seems like a BS call to get the US the penalty kick

[BSLSteveBirrer]

Well my post game thoughts.

 

1. Not a good overall performance but they did get the W. They played really really good the first 20 (except for the horrid mistake by the back line). But they couldn't find the back of the net so they got frustrated.

 

2. Both PK calls were 100% correct. And Rapinoe did her job.

 

3. Coach Ellis - WAKE the hell up. Should have made those subs much earlier, esecially bringing in Press for Rapinoe. Clearly she was out of legs by the 70th minute.

 

4. Ref - Do you know what persistent infringement is? This game was the definition of it. Alex Morgan was fouled somewhere around 8 or 10 times. You called the fouls correctly but not once did you bring out a yellow. Inexcusable. You also missed a clear charge on our keeper. The Spanish player made zero attempt to try and head the ball she just charged into Naeher's ribs. Your number one duty as the lead official in the match is for player safety. To not call PI and that charge on the keeper just invites more and more fouls. Way too late to pull out the yellow when you finally did (which was correct).

 

Player ratings:

Naeher - 6    need to take a bit more charge

O'Hara - 7 mostly solid

Sauerbrunn - 4 solid except for the huge error.....WTH were you thinking

Dahlkemper - 7

Dunn - 3/7  You supported the attack very well. You got beat defensively all day long and continually got caught too far inside. You give France that much room wide and they will punish us.

Ertz - 6 ok but seemed a tad "off" today 

Mewis - 6 solid but needed a bit better passing

Lavelle -  5 Rose I love that you look to shoot but you need to pass the damn ball. Not your best game but you did draw the winning penalty.

ATM - lumping the front line together for this match. 5. Simply not good enough today.

[glenn__davis]

Young teams that have grown together and don't realize they're not supposed to be that good yet are incredibly dangerous in any sport.  Hats off to Spain for a very well-played game.

[BSLSteveBirrer]

Young teams that have grown together and don't realize they're not supposed to be that good yet are incredibly dangerous in any sport.  Hats off to Spain for a very well-played game.

Spain did play well. Just the way the needed to play to frustrate the US. However, if the Ref had done her job correctly I think it would have looked a bit different in the second half.

 

US was called for 4 fouls and got one yellow (correct).

 

Spain was called for 18 fouls and also only shown one yellow.

 

The Ref gave them way toomuch leeway with their chippy tackles. Its very much what the US Men see in qualification matches in Central America. They hack. They hack. And they hack some more. And usually they pick on our best player. Used to be Clint Dempsey and not they hack Pulisic. Today Spain hacked Morgan a lot. Way too often to not have been shown a yellow or two. But they frustrated Morgan. Kept knocking her over and it worked. So smart by Spain, not so smart by the Ref.

 

Watch France on Friday. They will have seen the tape several times by them and I won't be surprised if they take a similar approach. Hopefully if they do the Ref won't let them keep on it.

[glenn__davis]

Totally agree Steve.  But at the elite level you take anything you can get away with and that's what Spain did.  

 

A lot coaches who care more about winning then they do about development use that same approach at the youth level which is unfortunate.

[BSLSteveBirrer]

Totally agree Steve.  But at the elite level you take anything you can get away with and that's what Spain did.  

 

A lot coaches who care more about winning then they do about development use that same approach at the youth level which is unfortunate.

Spot on. Sad but spot on.

 

And the problem is such an easy fix. With all the video tools available today there is no reason why FIFA doesn't adopt a universal policy on reviewing matches after the fact for blatant dives or aggressive fouls gone uncarded. Then issue cards to offending players. Players aren't stupid (well most of them anyway) and they'll stop doing crap when they stop getting away with it.

 

I would love to have read Jill Ellis' match report on the ref yesterday!!!

[BSLSteveBirrer]

Very tough game for the ladies today. I think this game is a toss up. The US is slightly better across the board but France is playing at home and that is a big deal. So far the US has had very strong support in the stadiums for all of their games. To the level where they said they felt like they were playing at home. It won't be like that today.

 

Keys today:

 

1. The front line must play better. Too much trying to go 1v1 especially Rapinoe and Heath. Morgan needs to play tougher and hopefully the refs won't let France hack her like Spain did.

2. Ellis needs to manage the match WAY better than she did against Spain. Her use of substitutes was abysmal. There is a reason many have said for years that the US Women win a lot of the time in spite of their coach. Rapinoe is clearly running out of gas. Probably a combination of age, the heat in France, and what they ask her to do on the wing. If she is slow again today then Press MUST be subbed in for her. I doubt Ellis has the guts to do that. In my book I would start Press and have her run the French back line to death. And hold Rapinoe for a sub mid second half. I think that would be a winning move for the US.

3. Back line and keeper can't afford a single gaff like against Spain. This game is too close to allow a stupid goal.

4. Finish, finish, finish. Opportunities (for both sides) are going to be far and few between. The team that makes that final ball count is going to win.

 

Who wins? Toss up all the way. I can see this game going 1-1 and requiring extra time and maybe all the way to penalties.

[JeremyStrain]

Very tough game for the ladies today. I think this game is a toss up. The US is slightly better across the board but France is playing at home and that is a big deal. So far the US has had very strong support in the stadiums for all of their games. To the level where they said they felt like they were playing at home. It won't be like that today.

 

Keys today:

 

1. The front line must play better. Too much trying to go 1v1 especially Rapinoe and Heath. Morgan needs to play tougher and hopefully the refs won't let France hack her like Spain did.

2. Ellis needs to manage the match WAY better than she did against Spain. Her use of substitutes was abysmal. There is a reason many have said for years that the US Women win a lot of the time in spite of their coach. Rapinoe is clearly running out of gas. Probably a combination of age, the heat in France, and what they ask her to do on the wing. If she is slow again today then Press MUST be subbed in for her. I doubt Ellis has the guts to do that. In my book I would start Press and have her run the French back line to death. And hold Rapinoe for a sub mid second half. I think that would be a winning move for the US.

3. Back line and keeper can't afford a single gaff like against Spain. This game is too close to allow a stupid goal.

4. Finish, finish, finish. Opportunities (for both sides) are going to be far and few between. The team that makes that final ball count is going to win.

 

Who wins? Toss up all the way. I can see this game going 1-1 and requiring extra time and maybe all the way to penalties.

 

My nephew and I were talking about this last night. That front 6 is deep, but they've been playing with one hand behind their back the whole cup so far by sitting half of them depending on the game. With that heat over there, subbing more in and out and keeping them fresher would be much smarter.

 

Rapinoe picked up a yellow in the 2nd half last game too so I wouldn't be surprised to see Press or Lloyd in there at the start. The mids are going to have a lot of pressure to keep France from getting by them, our D is too suspect to give them chances like they did Spain. I feel like if we had any better options Dunn wouldn't be playing, she looked terrible last game, total lack of hustle anywhere.

 

Have a feeling you are spot on but here's hoping for a surprise 3-0 win.

[BSLSteveBirrer]

Well the lineup won't be out for another 40 minutes but Grant Wahl just tweeted that he is hearing Horan isn't starting. WTH is wrong with Ellis?  Wahl's tweet said its not an injury but coaches decision.

 

I'll post my lineup thoughts during the pregame.....color me worried....

[BSLSteveBirrer]

Same starting XI as against Spain. Totally don't get it. Just about speechless that they had such an off game against Spain and then not a single change.

[JeremyStrain]

Same starting XI as against Spain. Totally don't get it. Just about speechless that they had such an off game against Spain and then not a single change.

 

Was just thinking the exact same thing. Lets hope for some often subbing.

[BSLSteveBirrer]

Well I managed to keep my cool enough to not throw anything at the TV when I saw the starting XI.  So here are my thoughts.

 

1.  Continue to play wide but must use the right flank more. Overuse of the left tires Rapinoe too early and Heath is very good on the right. Plus it allows Dunn to get some breathers. She is strong on the wing in attack but she has looked suspect on defense. Her speed keeps her ok in that area. But if we attack so much on the left like against Spain a tired Dunn can be beaten. The root problem here is that Rapinoe does not like to track back and support the defense and Dunn is really a midfield player and not a defender.

 

2. The midfield must play very physical and frustrate France. Lavelle needs to step up a bit. But this is our strength in this match. Lavelle, Mewis, and Ertz are good. Just not sure why Horan isn't starting. I get that they can't all play but I would have been leaning toward taking out one of the wing backs (Dunn or O'Hara) and sliding Sauerbrunn wide, Ertz to CB, and then Lavelle, Mewis, and Horan in the midfield.

 

3. The ATM needs to step up their play.  Know that we have GREAT players behind you so go hard right out of the gate. 

 

4. Ellis - You better manage this game way better than Spain especially with your substitutions. If Rapinoe tires get Press in early in the second half. And if Morgan keeps getting banged around then bring in McKenzie or Lloyd.

 

Based upon this starting XI I think this game just tilted a little bit in France's favor. If the US can stay even (or obviously get ahead) early in the second half then we should be in good shape.  

 

Talk after the game.....

[JeremyStrain]

Well I managed to keep my cool enough to not throw anything at the TV when I saw the starting XI.  So here are my thoughts.

 

1.  Continue to play wide but must use the right flank more. Overuse of the left tires Rapinoe too early and Heath is very good on the right. Plus it allows Dunn to get some breathers. She is strong on the wing in attack but she has looked suspect on defense. Her speed keeps her ok in that area. But if we attack so much on the left like against Spain a tired Dunn can be beaten. The root problem here is that Rapinoe does not like to track back and support the defense and Dunn is really a midfield player and not a defender.

 

2. The midfield must play very physical and frustrate France. Lavelle needs to step up a bit. But this is our strength in this match. Lavelle, Mewis, and Ertz are good. Just not sure why Horan isn't starting. I get that they can't all play but I would have been leaning toward taking out one of the wing backs (Dunn or O'Hara) and sliding Sauerbrunn wide, Ertz to CB, and then Lavelle, Mewis, and Horan in the midfield.

 

3. The ATM needs to step up their play.  Know that we have GREAT players behind you so go hard right out of the gate. 

 

4. Ellis - You better manage this game way better than Spain especially with your substitutions. If Rapinoe tires get Press in early in the second half. And if Morgan keeps getting banged around then bring in McKenzie or Lloyd.

 

Based upon this starting XI I think this game just tilted a little bit in France's favor. If the US can stay even (or obviously get ahead) early in the second half then we should be in good shape.  

 

Talk after the game.....

 

Very similar thoughts. I think your idea for #2 is a really good one, but basically anything that gets Dunn out of there has my vote right now, just a glaring weakness for me.

 

I'm really surprised by the front 3. I know they like to keep them together as a whole, but you have to keep fresh out there in this heat, and while I know I should give them a bit of a pass since Spain basically took Morgan out of the game playing dirty, but they weren't really impressive. I mean sure Rapinoe had 2 goals, and I'm not taking away from that, they were clutch shots, BUT they were also both penalty shots, and creating her own in play she shot like 10 wide.

 

Here's hoping.

[McNulty]

Heath has been really bad the last 12 minutes

[McNulty]

Also pretty clear France wants to attack the left side. Sorry if the commentators are saying this already. I’m watching the espanol feed

[McNulty]

Been truly dominated by France since the goal.  They deserve a result here.  US women cannot get any build up, totally dominated in midfield and lose balls, so many turnovers.  I've never seen them play this bad.  

 

HA goal US!

[McNulty]

The third goal that was mistakenly called offside looms large now.  2-1.

[BSLSteveBirrer]

That was as BAD a half as I have ever seen a team play at this level and still come out with the result.

 

1. Ellis please stop with the praising for Rapinoe. Yes she has finished very well but her play has been just fair. Two goals today you say?

a. The first was a free kick which was poorly taken. But France decided to whiff on the ball and it goes directly in.

b. The second goal was a sitter. I finish that.

 

2. Dunn got it done. The bad - she was beat all day. The good - she has such quick reaction and is so fit that she can recover time after time.

 

3. If we pass like that against England they will punish us. Way to slow to see the pass. Not enough pace on our passes. Not good.

 

4. We better see some changes in players and/or tactics this next match. We only have 3 days rest once again. You are insane if you sit Horan again. If you are so convinced that you have to have Ertz, Lavelle, and Mewis starting then fine. Switch to a 5-4-1 like you did halfway into the second half. Move Ertz to CB. Dunn wide where she belongs anyway. Take out Heath or Rapinoe and start Horan.

[McNulty]

Steve, is the midfield always so shaky on the ball?  

 

I'm all for a counter-attack mentality if you are the weaker side, but the US should never be the weaker side.  Their entire strategy was long balls from the back third, which seems crazy to me.  

 

Deserved to lose that one.  Just an insane number of giveaways.