The timing is unusual and the roster options a number of curious quirks, however that will not cease the U.S. girls’s nationwide group from its first-ever worldwide contest towards Switzerland.
BY
John D. Halloran
Posted
August 14, 2014
6:43 PM
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UNITED STATES girls’s nationwide group head coach Jill Ellis has named a 19-player roster for the group’s upcoming pleasant towards Switzerland.
The sport, which shall be performed in Cary, North Carolina on August 20 (7:30 p.m. ET; livestream on ussoccer.com), would be the group’s thirteenth match of 2014 because the group continues preparations for World Cup qualifying in October.
Right here’s a have a look at the roster together with some potential implications.
GOALKEEPERS: Ashlyn Harris (Washington Spirit), Hope Solo (Seattle Reign FC)
DEFENDERS: Crystal Dunn (Washington Spirit), Julie Johnston (Chicago Purple Stars), Meghan Klingenberg (Houston Sprint), Ali Krieger (Washington Spirit), Christie Rampone (Sky Blue FC), Becky Sauerbrunn (FC Kansas Metropolis)
MIDFIELDERS: Morgan Brian (Virginia), Lauren Vacation (FC Kansas Metropolis), Carli Lloyd (WNY Flash), Allie Lengthy (Portland Thorns FC), Heather O’Reilly (Boston Breakers), Megan Rapinoe (Seattle Reign FC)
FORWARDS: Sydney Leroux (Seattle Reign FC), Alex Morgan (Portland Thorns), Christen Press (Chicago Purple Stars), Amy Rodriguez (FC Kansas Metropolis), Abby Wambach (WNY Flash)
Um, Actually?
This would be the first time these two sides have met on the worldwide stage and, contemplating that Switzerland has already certified for the 2015 Girls’s World Cup, the sport looks as if a great matchup for the U.S.
Nevertheless, the timing of the pleasant has left many questioning why U.S. Soccer scheduled the sport within the first place. Relying on NWSL outcomes on Wednesday night time, 11 of the 19 gamers Ellis chosen could possibly be enjoying within the NWSL playoffs solely days after showing for nationwide group responsibility.
The match towards Switzerland is sandwiched between the ultimate common season weekend of the NWSL and the league’s playoffs, and is more likely to be a serious annoyance to membership coaches—and maybe even a number of gamers. Contemplating that U.S. Soccer is closely concerned within the NWSL—to the purpose of funding the league’s contracts with many nationwide group gamers—the date of the pleasant in relation to the NWSL season appears to have been an avoidable error.
Nevertheless, U.S. Soccer’s Sunil Gulati has spoken up to now of the issue to find high quality opponents for the U.S. girls and, contemplating there is no such thing as a official worldwide calendar for the ladies’s sport, he could have merely felt this sport was too priceless to move up.
Understanding this battle existed, it appears that evidently Ellis might have chosen solely gamers from NWSL groups that didn’t advance to the playoffs. However, this will have been logistically not possible contemplating the brief time between the ultimate league video games this weekend and the midweek pleasant.
Goalkeepers
Ellis solely named two keepers to the U.S. squad for the match, Hope Solo and Ashlyn Harris. These choices appear to point that Harris is at the moment the popular back-up to Solo. Although Solo continues to be unquestionably the U.S.’s No. 1 within the internet, her latest authorized points might make the backup position for the U.S. far more essential than it has been in recent times.
Nicole Barnhart, who was Solo’s backup by means of the 2011 World Cup and 2012 Olympics, was not referred to as in and it wasn’t made instantly clear whether or not this was purely a coach’s resolution, or because of the accidents Barnhart has been working by means of. Jill Loyden and Alyssa Naeher, who’ve additionally been a part of the U.S. pool in latest months, have been additionally neglected of the squad.
If Solo does get the beginning subsequent week, as anticipated, she may have the possibility to interrupt Briana Scurry’s all-time shutout file for america.
Defenders
There have been a number of surprises among the many defenders referred to as in by Ellis. Most notable: Whitney Engen and Kelley O’Hara, who’re each confirmed nationwide group defenders, didn’t get the nod.
Maybe with the brief camp, Ellis desires to spend extra time taking a look at Julie Johnston and Meghan Klingenberg. If that isn’t the case, the choice to exclude O’Hara and Engen makes little sense.
Engen is a confirmed commodity within the again line for the U.S., an space of the group that’s nonetheless transitioning from the Christie Rampone-Rachel Van Hollebeke mixture so acquainted to followers over the previous few years. Rampone continues to be a top quality participant, however Van Hollebeke’s well being has been up-and-down all yr.
Whereas Johnston is little question a top quality participant, it could be shocking if she had leapfrogged Engen within the participant pool contemplating that Engen has been a constant performer for the group over the previous two years whereas Johnston has not often seen the sphere. Over that point, Engen had seemingly emerged because the participant almost certainly to accomplice Sauerbrunn at middle again in World Cup qualifying. For her to be left off the roster solely is a shock.
Much more troubling is the absence of O’Hara. Once more, maybe Ellis is solely planning to take an extended have a look at Klingenberg, however O’Hara must be re-integrated into the U.S. again line sooner slightly than later. After a protracted absence on account of damage, in addition to enjoying at ahead on the membership stage, O’Hara wants follow and sport time at protection. At this time limit, she continues to be the U.S.’s most suitable choice at left again.
Within the U.S.’s final camp, Ellis checked out O’Hara as a ahead, however with the U.S.’s steady of high quality forwards and lack of depth at left again, the choice appears misplaced.
Midfielders and Forwards
The massive query from Ellis’ midfield choices is, what formation will the U.S. be enjoying?
With 4 central midfielders chosen—Lauren Vacation, Carli Lloyd, Allie Lengthy and Morgan Brian—a 4-3-3 appears almost certainly, however that might in all probability push call-ups Heather O’Reilly and Megan Rapinoe to ahead, the place the U.S. already has 5 different high quality gamers vying for enjoying time.
That subject alone—contemplating the U.S. could be compelled to depart a number of of its greatest attackers out of the lineup in a three-front—will definitely reignite the controversy over what formation the U.S. needs to be enjoying.
The opposite large subject contemplating the midfield choices is the shortage of a real holding midfielder. However contemplating that Shannon Boxx continues to be not again to full health and Amber Brooks has not been referred to as up in months, it appears seemingly that Ellis is planning to start World Cup qualifying and not using a pure defensive midfielder on the roster.
Midfielder Tobin Heath, who’s injured with a sprained LCL, was additionally left off the squad.
Ellis chosen 5 forwards for the roster, together with Abby Wambach, Alex Morgan, Syndey Leroux, Christen Press and Amy Rodriguez—5 choices that may increase nearly no debate amongst U.S. followers. In fact, it’s going to show very attention-grabbing to see which of those completed strikers get enjoying time, and which find yourself watching from the bench.
What do you consider the timing and the roster? Share your take under.
John D. Halloran is an American Soccer Now columnist. Comply with him on Twitter.
