Not really sure. Only reason is that they're lacking a central midfield presence, forcing them to continue to play the long ball. Alex Morgan is clearly the player they should be playing through.
USWNT are the New England Patriots/San Antonio Spurs/St. Louis Cardinals/Chicago Blackhawks of women's soccer. They always find a way to win no matter how ugly their playing style. Some "experts/critcs" say the world has already caught up with them. I don't think so. It's like in basketball (men's and women's), that the rest of the world has caught up with the USA but the USA are still the most dominant nation in the sport. The same can be said for the USA in women's soccer.
No Rapinoe or Holliday against a sound defensive team in China who have also found some goals as well. Christen Press and I'm guessing Morgan Brian will have to replace them. This leaves Tobin Heath as the only player who is good on the ball and virtually no chance of scoring off set pieces or corners. I'd start Morgan and LeRoux up front and just keep pressing with long service.
The only problem I've had is that the long balls don't have much purpose. If they'll play them more into space (like the one that Morgan got on the end of and created the first pk) then it works with Morgan and Leroux. They haven't been putting them in a place for Wambach to win and play them into space. That or Wamback simply can't get into position anymore...which is looking to be the case.
I'm not a soccer expert, but it appears that the US is really sloppy with their long passes and kicks. The corner kicks were awful. they weren't close to anywhere that someone could make a play on it. BTW, do all south american teams flop like the Colombians? Wow, they looked like Chris Paul and Manu Ginobili out there.
Most teams that face the US know they are extremely physical and aggressive trying to win possession and therefore will be more prone get fouls called against them. They embellished quite a few calls yesterday.
We shouldn't stereotype. Sure some teams will probably be noticed as doing some things more than the others, or maybe we're used to only seeing those teams more often, but... please, don't generalize teams like that. Most, if not all teams, will try to sell fouls to the ref. It's up to him to buy them. Sure, I hate the Cowboys, but it would be unfair for me to... wait, yeah, no, yeah... they're all criminals. :grin:
I've watched a couple of games, best teams I've seen so far were Germany and Japan. Japan was passing the ball like freaking Barca the game I watched. Germany is a machine. Also losing Rapinoe is huge. She's been the USA's best and most consistent player.
The Japan team is so underrated. They won the last world cup, won a silver medal at the olympics but no one talks about them. They keep possession, so it's very difficult for teams like the US and Germany to score a lot of points. They will be in the finals again.
Yes it was. I heard somewhere that the reason they are ranked low is because they've been holding out their best players during the warm-up games. I don't know if that is true since I don't keep up with women's soccer, but they definitely play the most aesthetically pleasing style of soccer in the women's game.
Totally out of the blue, but really cool story about JVG and a couple of the USWNT members http://ftw.usatoday.com/2015/06/usw...an-klingenberg-are-living-with-jeff-van-gundy
Germany and France are having a great classic matchup. Right now, they are in the 2nd half of overtime. It's still tied at 1-1. It will be good for the USA if Germany loses because they have a very good chance of winning the Cup.
Seemed like a clear penalty to me. Penalty shootout vs us Germans... never good for the opposing nation.
