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U.S. coach Jill Ellis boasts a powerful won-loss report, however most of her victories have come in opposition to second-tier competitors. The subsequent two friendlies ought to put her staff to the take a look at.
BY
John D. Halloran
Posted
February 06, 2015
4:30 PM
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OVER THE NEXT WEEK OR SO the USA girls’s nationwide staff will face its greatest assessments within the buildup to the 2015 World Cup, flying throughout the Atlantic Ocean to face France and England.
First, the People will tackle France in Lorient on February 8 (12pm ET, ESPN2), adopted by a recreation 5 days later in opposition to England in Milton Keynes on February 13 (3pm ET, Fox Sports activities 1).
Though the matches are friendlies, they signify the stiffest competitors the U.S. will face earlier than departing for Canada this summer season. The video games must also provide followers a glimpse of the true progress of the staff underneath head coach Jill Ellis.
Since taking on the reins of the U.S. squad final April Ellis has led the staff to a powerful 11-1-4 report over 16 video games. However studying the ideas of many followers in article feedback, message boards, and on Twitter, it is apparent that the staff’s performances—whatever the won-loss report—have been lower than convincing.
I am unable to even take care of Jill Ellis’ teaching. Abby as attacking mid? Kling, once more? There isn’t any manner we are going to win World Cup like this. #USWNT
— Kirsten (@Redberta11) December 14, 2014
Wow if the #USWNT desires to win the World Cup they cannot be shedding to Brazil and tying with China. Have to get issues found out.
— Noor Mahmood (@NoorMahmood10) December 15, 2014
So, the place is the disconnect?
In Ellis’ 11-month tenure, the U.S. has primarily performed a sequence of weak opponents, together with China, Switzerland, Argentina, and a number of overmatched CONCACAF foes. The staff has additionally struggled to implement a brand new 4-3-3 formation and gamers themselves have described a number of efforts as “disjointed.”
Ellis actually cannot be blamed for the relative weak spot of the schedule, however she may be held accountable for her comparatively weak report in opposition to high opponents. Over Ellis’ 16 video games in cost reaching again to final April, the U.S. has performed 5 matches in opposition to groups ranked within the high 10—two in opposition to Brazil, two in opposition to France, and one in opposition to Canada. In these video games, the People have gone 1-1-3.
After muddling by way of World Cup qualifying within the fall, the staff went to Brazil in December the place it went 1-1-2, drawing China and shedding to Brazil in group play earlier than tying Brazil in a scoreless event closing. Whereas the staff was in South America, it additionally misplaced its No. 1 FIFA rating, a place it had held since 2007.
For Ellis and the U.S. girls, the time-frame to proper the ship and make its closing World Cup changes is narrowing. There are solely 4 months left till the World Cup kicks off and the U.S. has been positioned within the so-called “group of death” with Australia, Sweden, and Nigeria.
For the video games in Brazil, many U.S. gamers blamed a protracted layoff for the poor outcomes. Now, on the again of a three-week coaching camp in January and heading to Europe for friendlies in opposition to two high groups, the U.S. ought to be capable of see the place it actually stands.
The Roster
GOALKEEPERS: Nicole Barnhart (FC Kansas Metropolis), Ashlyn Harris (Washington Spirit), Alyssa Naeher (Boston Breakers)
DEFENDERS: Lori Chalupny (Chicago Purple Stars), Crystal Dunn (Washington Spirit), Whitney Engen (Western NY Flash), Julie Johnston (Chicago Purple Stars), Meghan Klingenberg (Houston Sprint), Ali Krieger (Washington Spirit), Kelley O’Hara (Sky Blue FC), Becky Sauerbrunn (FC Kansas Metropolis), Rachel Van Hollebeke (Portland Thorns FC)
MIDFIELDERS: Shannon Boxx (Chicago Purple Stars), Morgan Brian (Houston Sprint), Tobin Heath (Portland Thorns FC), Lauren Vacation (FC Kansas Metropolis), Tori Huster (Washington Spirit), Carli Lloyd (Houston Sprint), Heather O’Reilly (FC Kansas Metropolis)
FORWARDS: Sydney Leroux (Seattle Reign FC), Alex Morgan (Portland Thorns FC), Christen Press (Chicago Purple Stars), Amy Rodriguez (FC Kansas Metropolis), Abby Wambach (Western NY Flash)
The notable absences from the U.S. roster are Megan Rapinoe, Christine Rampone, and Hope Solo. Rapinoe and Rampone have been each injured throughout the January camp; Solo is serving a 30-day suspension mandated by the federation after an incident throughout the camp.
Sisters Kristie and Sam Mewis, who have been each within the January camp, have been dropped from the squad for the journey to Europe. Rachel Van Hollebeke and Shannon Boxx, each of whom missed the roster for the staff’s current journey to Brazil, have made the staff this time round.
The lone new face on the squad is the Washington Spirit’s Tori Huster, a primary time call-up.
Positional Battles to Watch
With Solo suspended, all eyes can be on the goalkeeper place. Nicole Barnhart, with 54 worldwide caps and expertise in essential matches, is the obvious alternative to exchange Solo within the web. Whereas Barnhart didn’t play a single minute for the U.S. in an injury-riddled 2014, she did deputize for an injured Solo throughout 2011 World Cup qualifying.
The opposite two decisions are Ashlyn Harris and Alyssa Naeher. Harris has solely 4 caps, two of which have been earned in 2014. Naeher has one solely senior look to her identify, earned within the U.S.’s 7-0 drubbing of Argentina in December.
Additionally intriguing: Who will play the No. 10 function? Ellis has primarily used Megan Rapinoe and Abby Wambach to spearhead her assault out of the midfield. However with Rapinoe out attributable to harm and Wambach comparatively ineffective within the function, the February friendlies ought to show an excellent alternative to have a look at different choices.
Lauren Vacation, Carli Lloyd, and Morgan Brian are all wonderful attacking midfielders and, arguably, are all higher matches than Rapinoe—who normally performs her greatest video games from a large place. A dark-horse contender for the No. 10 function is Tobin Heath, one of many staff’s most technical gamers.
There’s additionally a battle brewing at exterior again, a place which had regarded pretty settled in World Cup qualifying earlier than the shock return of Lori Chalupny in December. Whereas Ali Krieger is the de facto No. 1 at proper again, Chalupny earned three begins in Brazil on the left and is now possible battling Meghan Klingenberg for that spot. Many followers wish to see Kelley O’Hara be given an opportunity to reclaim her beginning place at left again—a place she performed greater than capably throughout the U.S.’s run to Olympic gold in 2012—however up to now, Ellis hasn’t seen issues the identical manner.
At heart again, particularly with Rampone out, Whitney Engen ought to see an elevated function as Julie Johnston and Van Hollebeke battle it out for what is going to possible be the ultimate World Cup roster spot within the heart of the U.S.’s protection. Johnston was on the roster for World Cup qualifying. Van Hollebeke was lower and went to Japan on mortgage to remain match.
Van Hollebeke has an edge over Johnston in expertise, however Johnston—who first impressed with the U.S. U-20 staff that received the World Cup in 2012—is an up-and-comer who can be versatile sufficient to play within the midfield.
At ahead, it will likely be attention-grabbing to see what decisions Ellis makes. Even with out Rapinoe competing for minutes within the vast ahead function, there are nonetheless seven gamers combating for time at three spots. Christen Press has emerged as one of many staff’s most essential gamers, seeing minutes in 23 out of 24 U.S. matches in 2014. Alex Morgan ought to lastly be again after two lengthy harm layoffs whereas Sydney Leroux can be seeking to recapture her kind—which sputtered towards the top of 2014.
— Alex Morgan (@alexmorgan13) January 28, 2015
Additionally within the combine, after all, can be Abby Wambach, with Tobin Heath, Heather O’Reilly, and Amy Rodriguez additionally competing for minutes.
— Blake Thomsen (@blakecthomsen) January 25, 2015
The Opponents
France heads into the match in opposition to the U.S. ranked No. 3 on this planet, having gone a powerful 10-0-0 in World Cup qualifying with a +51 purpose differential. The U.S. beat the French within the semifinals of the 2011 World Cup. This previous June, the U.S. performed back-to-back friendlies in opposition to France, profitable the primary and drawing the second.
The French roster options a number of gamers from Lyon and Paris Saint-Germain. Lyon is without doubt one of the greatest feminine golf equipment on this planet, having performed in 4 of the final 5 Champions League finals and profitable two. Each golf equipment even have American connections as effectively, with Megan Rapinoe having performed two stints for Lyon and Tobin Heath doing the identical for PSG. PSG can be the present house of American U-20 star Lindsey Horan.
In October, France beat the top-ranked Germans, 2-0; in November, the the staff beat Brazil 2-0.
For what it is price, the People have by no means misplaced to France, going 14-0-2.
England additionally went 10-0-0 in World Cup qualifying and likewise had a +51 purpose differential, conceding only one purpose within the course of. Ranked sixth in the latest FIFA rankings, the English beat No. 5 Sweden 4-0 in August.
Nevertheless, the English have been dealt a chilly dose of actuality in November as a stout German staff defeated England 3-0 at Wembley Stadium.
The U.S. is 7-3-1 in opposition to England all-time.
The Significance
The absences of Rampone, Rapinoe, and Solo for these video games will clearly make it inconceivable for the People to get a very correct concept of the place they’re 4 months out from the World Cup.
Nevertheless, these two matches are nonetheless the most effective indicator the U.S. will get earlier than touring to Canada this summer season. After the matches in opposition to France and England, the U.S. can be going through a comparatively weak schedule, together with matches in opposition to Norway, Switzerland, Iceland, New Zealand, Eire, Mexico, and South Korea—none of whom have France or England’s firepower.
John D. Halloran is an American Soccer Now columnist. Observe him on Twitter.
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Publish date : 2025-03-15 10:17:42
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