ASN: Offense Sputters But Once more as U.S. Ties South Korea

Within the final match of its three-game World Cup Ship-Off Collection, america girls’s nationwide crew performed South Korea to a scoreless draw on Saturday afternoon at Pink Bull Enviornment.

BY

John D. Halloran

Posted
Could 31, 2015
9:00 AM

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HERE ARE FOUR THOUGHTS on the motion—or lack thereof—that unfolded yesterday in Harrison, New Jersey as america and South Korea performed to a scoreless draw. 
The Assault Regarded Woeful

After a lot of inconsistent outcomes over the previous six months, the U.S. girls lastly appeared to be again on observe two weeks in the past once they dominated Mexico 5-1. Nonetheless, on Saturday, the assault stuttered as soon as once more.

Christen Press, Lauren Vacation, and Morgan Brian—who’re usually three of the U.S.’s most technically proficient gamers—all repeatedly gave the ball away with poor touches and unhealthy passes. And the forwards—Abby Wambach, Sydney Leroux, and Amy Rodriguez—all struggled to supply something worthwhile.

Jill Ellis is hoping Lauren Vacation is attempting to get all of the turnovers out of her system pre-WC. #USWNT

— Jeff Carlisle (@JeffreyCarlisle) Could 30, 2015

Carli Lloyd appeared just like the hungriest of the U.S.’s attackers, creating a lot of possibilities for herself and her teammates. Nonetheless, none of these possibilities resulted in something of worth for the U.S., marking the seventh-straight recreation for Lloyd with out a tally.

Whereas there could also be a lot of causes for the poor efficiency, together with a brief break from camp after the Mexico recreation and a barrage of media commitments for the crew this week (which included an look on Good Morning America), the rusty efficiency is troubling for a crew solely 9 days away from its World Cup opener towards Australia.

Once more, Too A lot Direct Play

One criticism aimed on the People of late, significantly in video games when Wambach is within the beginning XI, is the directness of their play. In two matches this yr, towards Iceland and the Republic of Eire and with Wambach beginning in each video games, even the opposing coaches criticized the dearth of passing by way of the U.S. midfield.

Jill Ellis has spoken so much about bringing #USWNT into the “modern” recreation. Coaches from 2 current opponents disagree. pic.twitter.com/i54eT8GBvh

— John D. Halloran (@JohnDHalloran) Could 11, 2015

On Saturday, that was true once more, with the U.S. usually and repeatedly bypassing its midfield and resorting to pumping the ball ahead, even when it had loads of time and house to work the ball by way of the center. ESPN sideline reporter Monica Gonzalez famous throughout one among her in-game reviews that Ellis herself had advised the crew to “play very vertical and try to barrage the box with services.”

Whereas this “long ball” method has usually labored for the U.S. previously, it merely isn’t adequate anymore. It makes the U.S. assault predictable and straightforward to thwart.

The states are actually at there finest once they go the ball, So I do not perceive the .. Hit it straight & Lengthy Mindset !

— Jessica Fishlock (@JessFishlock) Could 30, 2015

Even if the U.S. entered the sport 7-0-1 all-time towards South Korea and drubbed the Koreans 5-0 of their final assembly, the People generated few possibilities from its direct method on Saturday. The match represented the fourth time in its final 11 video games through which the U.S. was shutout.

Positives?

Whereas there wasn’t a lot to cheer from Saturday’s effort, there have been just a few positives. For one, the continued development of the ladies’s recreation was evident as the group of 26,467 followers was considerably bigger than the 5,852 followers that noticed the crew off for the 2011 World Cup in Germany.

Additionally constructive for the U.S. was the play of the protection, which earned the shutout. All 4 of the U.S.’s starters made key contributions within the match. It additionally seems like Ellis has lastly settled on a most popular backline as Meghan Klingenberg, Becky Sauerbrunn, Julie Johnston, and Ali Krieger began their fifth straight match collectively.

Hope Solo, whereas largely untested, additionally proved as much as the duty when wanted. Solo made two stable saves within the second half, first tipping a long-range effort over the bar within the 54th minute and parrying away one other shot from distance to protect the scorelesss draw three minutes into stoppage time.

Nice save by Hope Solo on the finish of the #USWNT match! #Shutout ????? https://t.co/L8SyNRqiek

— U.S. Soccer WNT (@ussoccer_wnt) Could 30, 2015
What’s Subsequent?

By the point the U.S. opens up group play on June 8, the crew ought to profit from the anticipated returns of Megan Rapinoe and Alex Morgan. Rapinoe missed Saturday’s match with what was reported as a “slight knock” and Morgan has been out with a knee contusion since early April.

The damage to Morgan is probably the most regarding, as Ellis admitted after Saturday’s match that Morgan wouldn’t be 90-minutes match by the beginning of the World Cup. However even when Morgan had been absolutely match by then, one has to surprise what her kind can be like. It’s generally accepted {that a} striker’s ending is the very last thing to return after an extended damage layoff, and contemplating that is Morgan’s third prolonged stint on the sidelines within the final 18 months, how efficient she is likely to be in Canada is a serious query mark.

After the draw towards South Korea, each Ellis and the U.S. gamers had been fast to do the “nothing to see here” routine. And whereas the draw is troubling, each the gamers and the coach alike know the expectations for the U.S. because it heads to Canada—it’s a championship or bust.