France outplayed the USA girls’s nationwide staff from begin to end and secured a convincing 2-0 victory that may drive Jill Ellis to take a tough have a look at her personnel selections and techniques.
BY
John D. Halloran
Posted
February 09, 2015
9:55 AM
SHARE THIS STORY
IF THE UNITED STATES girls’s nationwide staff and head coach Jill Ellis thought they’d confronted a variety of scrutiny in regards to the staff’s latest struggles, issues definitely received’t get any simpler after Sunday’s 2-0 loss to France in Lorient.
France’s complete victory—its first in 17 tries in opposition to the Individuals—got here on the again of two second-half targets and shed critical doubts on whether or not the U.S. girls are ok to win this summer time’s World Cup.
Listed here are 5 issues we discovered from the match.
1. Outdoors again stays unsettled
In opposition to France Ellis began Meghan Klingenberg at proper again and Lori Chalupny on the left. Klingenberg was one of many U.S.’s strongest performers in World Cup qualifying, however as many identified, she confronted pretty weak competitors. Chalupny, for her half, returned to the U.S. set-up in December, after a five-year hiatus because of concussion signs.
Neither performed nicely in opposition to France.
Klingenberg struggled to deal with a number of crosses and was badly overwhelmed on two events. Within the sixteenth minute, a French cross went over her head, solely to be fired over the bar by the attacker lurking on the far publish. Then, within the fiftieth minute, Klingenberg was once more overwhelmed within the air—this time for the sport’s opening aim, scored by Eugenie Le Sommer.
All through the match Klingenberg additionally struggled in possession and didn’t make an affect on the U.S. assault out of the again.
Kling has had a tough sport to this point
— USWNTfan13 (@uswntfan13) February 8, 2015
For Chalupny the France sport was a story of two halves. Within the first half she was excellent, combining powerful and bodily defending with savvy, veteran positioning. Within the second half, nevertheless, Chalupny’s gaffes led on to each targets.
Has Chalupny been containing Thomis to this point? Sure. Can she stick with it for the second half? That is much less seemingly, she’s getting drained. Put KO in.
— Jozz (@Toberr174) February 8, 2015
On the primary aim Elodie Thomis beat Chalupny on the endline with a cross that Le Sommer headed into the again of the online. On the second strike, Jessica Houara bested Chalupny after which delivered a cross that drifted over Ashlyn Harris’ head and into the aim.
Chalupny has began the final 4 video games for the Individuals however has been withdrawn early in every of them—by no means taking part in past the 56th minute. Clearly she continues to be working her manner again to full health, however along with her second-half efficiency and Klingenberg’s struggles all match, it might be time to offer Kelley O’Hara one other look.
The total backs have been embarrassed at present subsequently I can not fathom a motive why Ellis would not give O’Hara a begin in opposition to England
— USWNT5 (@USWNT51317) February 8, 2015
O’Hara, the staff’s beginning left again within the 2012 London Olympics, underwent ankle surgical procedure within the fall of 2013 and has by no means been given a shot at profitable again her spot. Whereas Klingenberg and Chalupny are each high quality defenders, and extra pure on the place than O’Hara, O’Hara is the most effective athlete of the bunch and seemingly affords the U.S. a greater possibility in opposition to speedy flank attackers.
2. France Dominated the Midfield
One large change for the U.S. girls on Sunday: the return to a 4-4-2. Followers have clamored for this formational shift ever since Ellis launched a 4-3-3 final April.
For some unknown motive, Carli Lloyd was deployed out of place on the left, away from her regular spot within the heart of the U.S. midfield. Lauren Vacation and Morgan Brian struggled to get something going within the heart of the pitch for the U.S. and Vacation, particularly, had an uncharacteristically poor match.
Lauren Vacation hasn’t been her finest..
— The Yanks Are Coming (@YanksAreComing) February 8, 2015
Time and again, Vacation conceded possession because the U.S. midfield was overrun. Lloyd was ineffective on the left whereas Brian and Tobin Heath—who performed on the correct—have been invisible for lengthy stretches.
Heath repeatedly resorted to aimlessly launching the ball up the sector and contributed little to the U.S. assault. On one of many U.S.’ finest sequences, Christen Press made a run robust and squared the ball to Heath within the space. With an opportunity for an open shot on aim, Heath whiffed so badly that she fell down.
Is Tobin Heath drunk?
— Tom (@DukeForum) February 8, 2015
3. The assault was listless
Neither of the 2 beginning forwards, Christen Press and Alex Morgan, created a lot. Morgan regarded harmful in spurts, however on three separate events her first contact took her away from aim and diminished her scoring possibilities. After two lengthy damage layoffs, she additionally, understandably, regarded half a step slower than common.
Her finest sequence got here simply earlier than the halftime whistle when she rounded the French goalkeeper, Sarah Bouhaddi, however a French defender recovered in time to dam what would have been the primary aim of the competition.
Morgan with two nice possibilities however the ending simply is not there for her proper now.
— Lauren Inexperienced (@lgreenWPSoccer) February 8, 2015
Press, for her half, additionally regarded shiny in stretches, however like Morgan she couldn’t discover her of entirety. Press had an amazing alternative within the eleventh minute however hesitated from shut vary after which her angle disappeared. On a number of different events Press did nicely to create alternatives for her teammates however they didn’t convert.
Second-half substitute Abby Wambach drew a penalty within the sixty fourth minute, however it was a ridiculous name that was an iffy foul to start with, to say nothing of the truth that the contact clearly occurred outdoors the field. Justice prevailed as Bouhaddi dove to her proper to avoid wasting Wambach’s timid penalty.
Horrible name, however universe evens issues out with a horrible PK.
— Jeff Kassouf (@JeffKassouf) February 8, 2015
4. Ashlyn Harris Did Her Half
With Hope Solo suspended, Ahslyn Harris began in aim forward of veteran Nicole Barnhart and upstart Alyssa Naeher. And Harris performed nicely.
She got here off her line to guard her again line and made two excellent saves within the first half to maintain the U.S. within the sport. Each have been fingertip pushes over the crossbar on excellent excessive photographs. Within the second half, there was nothing Harris may have finished on both aim—regardless of some chatter suggesting she was caught out on France’s second aim.
Anybody who thinks that 2nd aim was poor GKing has by no means been between the pipes
— Jon Lipsitz (@UKCoachLipsitz) February 8, 2015
Harris’ efficiency on Sunday needed to be encouraging for each Ellis and U.S. followers, particularly contemplating that Solo’s World Cup standing continues to be doubtful.
5. What’s Subsequent?
Final week U.S. Soccer introduced a sequence of proposed adjustments for its growth program, with Ellis saying considerably presciently, “If we sit where we are, we’ll get run over.”
Given Sunday’s match and the staff’s latest performances in Brazil, it is protected to say that the U.S. is now not the dominant energy in girls’s soccer.
There are a selection excuses out there to Ellis, the staff, and its followers—in the event that they wish to use them.
Regardless of Harris’ robust efficiency, there’s little doubt that the latest occasions with Solo have been a distraction to the staff.
This was additionally the staff’s first look in a 4-4-2 since final March.
Moreover, the U.S. was lacking Megan Rapinoe, Christie Rampone, and Sydney Leroux to damage, whereas Morgan was taking part in her first sport since October and Chalupny is clearly not absolutely match.
Can Ellis repair these issues? Definitely.
Is there time to proper the ship earlier than the 2015 Ladies’s World Cup begins in Canada? That continues to be to be seen.
John D. Halloran is an American Soccer Now columnist. Observe him on Twitter.
