Because the World Cup Victory Tour winds down and Olympic qualifying seems on the horizon, a number of key questions have surfaced for Jill Ellis and her United States girls’s nationwide group.
BY
John D. Halloran
Posted
December 14, 2015
4:20 PM
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IN THE PENULTIMATE GAME of its World Cup Victory Tour, america girls’s nationwide group downed China 2-0 in entrance of 19,000 followers in Glendale, Ariz.
The People took a 1-0 lead into the break after Crystal Dunn struck from simply contained in the field 5 minutes earlier than the halftime whistle. Then, within the second stanza, Christen Press added a late insurance coverage aim with a terrific left-footed effort from distance.
Listed here are three ideas on the sport.
WHY ISN’T PRESS GETTING MORE TIME?
For 2 video games in a row, Christen Press has been a sparkplug for america.
On Thursday towards Trinidad and Tobago, she got here off the bench and pulled off a hat trick in simply 23 minutes—scoring her first aim only one minute after coming into the match. On Sunday, Press tallied two minutes into her substitute look.
So why isn’t she getting extra taking part in time?
The most important purpose is the U.S.’ change to a one-striker set, a choice that goes again to this summer time’s World Cup. The transfer put Carli Lloyd in a extra offensive function, unleashed the U.S. assault, and led the group to a championship. However this transfer has additionally made it that a lot more durable for any of the U.S.’ 5 rostered strikers to get on the sector.
Since Canada, head coach Jill Ellis has most well-liked Alex Morgan as the one striker within the U.S.’s 4-2-3-1 set-up, even if Morgan has suffered by a goal-scoring funk for a lot of 2014 and 2015. Nevertheless, Morgan has just lately began to return to type, scoring a pleasant aim towards Brazil in October and hitting the again of the web towards Trinidad and Tobago midweek.
Morgan additionally ought to have had a aim towards China, touching a pleasant little chip over the Chinese language goalkeeper within the first half, however the assistant referee incorrectly dominated Morgan offside when Dunn performed the move in behind the Chinese language protection.
For her half, Press hasn’t began any of the U.S.’ final 5 matches—a stretch that goes all the best way again to September. However Press is making that call more durable on Ellis along with her latest goal-scoring type.
The query is: How can Ellis get Press on the sector?
The only reply can be to bench Morgan, however that appears unlikely and, at this level, the choice wouldn’t be wholly warranted. Some have urged that Press ought to tuck into the No. 10 function, however Lloyd appeared to show positively within the World Cup that the place must be hers. The final choice, and one which few are keen on, is to push Press into one of many broad roles, the place she performed on a number of events earlier than the World Cup.
Taking part in Press broad might not be the very best resolution, but it surely will get her onto the sector and proper now she’s the recent hand for the U.S.
NO CLEAR ANSWER AT CENTER MIDFIELD
Towards China, Ellis as soon as once more began Lindsey Horan alongside Morgan Brian within the heart of the U.S. midfield, repeating the experiment of Thursday night time when the People performed Trinidad and Tobago.
On Thursday Horan excelled, distributing properly from a deep-lying place, switching the purpose of assault, and choosing up two assists. On Sunday, nonetheless, towards the rather more competent Chinese language, Horan didn’t repeat her efficiency.
Whereas she did have some good challenges and some good mixtures, Horan struggled along with her again to stress and gave the ball away on a number of events resulting from a heavy contact. Neither of these talent units are negotiable as a middle midfielder on the worldwide degree.
It’s nonetheless too early to resolve whether or not the Horan as a No. 8 experiment will work or not—she has performed as a ahead along with her membership and the youth nationwide groups—however her efficiency towards China lacked high quality.
In each December friendlies, Ellis has used Emily Sonnett as her heart midfield substitute. The coach additionally has three pure heart midfielders on the roster that she has declined to make use of within the final two friendlies: Samantha Mewis, Danielle Colaprico, and Rose Lavelle.
With one pleasant left earlier than the U.S. heads into its January camp and Olympic qualifying, Ellis would possibly wish to see what a few of her different gamers can do earlier than placing all of her eggs into Horan’s basket.
INTERESTING QUESTION AT GOALKEEPER
Heading into Sunday’s recreation Hope Solo had began 21 of the earlier 22 video games in internet for the U.S. Towards China, backup Alyssa Naeher earned the beginning.
Earlier than Sunday’s match, the group had performed 24 matches in 2015 and, of the three matches Solo didn’t begin, Ashlyn Harris began all three. That included the matches towards France and England to start out off the yr (when U.S. Soccer had suspended Solo) together with one pleasant in August towards Costa Rica.
Ellis’ choice to sit down Solo on Sunday wasn’t wholly shocking, as she indicated after the match towards Trinidad that she can be giving Solo a relaxation. Nevertheless it was shocking to see Naeher moderately than Harris.
For the Olympic roster the U.S. will solely be allowed to convey two goalkeepers, moderately than the three mandated for World Cup rosters. Assuming Solo stays the group’s No. 1, Ellis should decide between Naeher and Harris for the ultimate spot.
Maybe Harris will begin the ultimate recreation towards China on Wednesday, but when she doesn’t it could appear to be a sign that Naeher has handed her on the U.S. depth chart in the intervening time.
