If Ertz is going to keep playing so far up that she gets unmarked chances from the penalty spot, I'd say you're on to something. We clearly need her farther back, and just as clearly need someone with Lloyd's nose for goal in the #10 position.Call me crazy, but I'd bring in Lloyd. Put her in Johnston-Ertz's spot and move Julie to Dahlkemper's spot.
Just running straight at the defender. What's she going to do, try for the nutmeg when she has six players supporting her in the attacking zone?Rapinoe just turned it over twice...
The USWNT has a history of converting forwards to other positions. O'Hara, Dunn, and Horan are all forwards that were moved elsewhere. Lauren Holiday and Christie Rampone are other examples off the top of my head.Dunn was a forward until, what, a year or two ago? I'm not sure her defensive instincts are world-class yet. Can neither of our national teams produce a left back?
On the other hand, the US has the conditioning to see it out at something close to this pace. Spain doesn't.We're playing into Spain's hands by keeping up this frantic tempo - more likely to make (another) dumb mistake. We have the quality to settle things down and pick our spots.
As they should. She's wobbly.They are very much onto pressuring Naeher.
Drinks break. Its hot there today.WTF is this - a time out on the field? Strange. I guess it's just for a sub and the refs need water in this heat, too.
True. Just seems like they're overhitting/mishitting their passes.The fast-paced tempo is what they do, though.
This is becoming a real thing. They're having it at AFCON in Egypt too. I can't imagine having to play 90 minutes under those conditions.Drinks break. Its hot there today.
I completely disagree, our fitness and speed is our prime advantage. We're giving Spain no time on the ball. Yeah, they're dispossessing us at a rate greater than other teams, but we're going to grind them into the ground by minutes 60+ if not before. Look at how open our runs through the midfield are.We're playing into Spain's hands by keeping up this frantic tempo - more likely to make (another) dumb mistake. We have the quality to settle things down and pick our spots.
Or sooner.Press better be coming in for Rapinoe at halftime.
Agree, but most of the time you'll see a hand to the face draw a booking lately.Rapinoe did catch her in the face, but that was a pretty dramatic reaction.
I thought so initially, but she made contact. The defender made a meal of it but it wasn't invented - as Rapinoe's reaction afterwards should have told you.Garbage call
Ellis is not subbing anyone out in the 1st half, and likely not at half time either. It's not happening unless there's an injury. It's too hot and the game could go 120 minutes. Gotta be smart.Time for Press please. She's killing them. Doesn't have the speed either.
Quoted for truth.When your defense is tested like every 8th game you play, there's no way to predict how they'll react.
The problem there was that the US got a big offensive advantage once the Spain defender went down and so I think the ref thought she had to stop play. And the only way to do that is call a foul. And once you call the foul, you kind of have to give the card if you thought it was a hand to the face. If that happens in the defensive zone or the ball goes out of bounds I think it's possibly a play on, but that's just how it goes in footie sometimes.Rapinoe did catch her in the face, but that was a pretty dramatic reaction.
They're playing Spain in France. To be expected.Rapinoe did catch her in the face, but that was a pretty dramatic reaction.
should be a yellow on all that grabbing so close to the box. Was pretty cynical, and bought time for the covering defender to get there and get the block on the cross. What is this, CONCACAF?Mewis just stole and ate #7's lunch.
SoSHers gonna SoSH.I think you guys are all a bit dramatic (shambles? Falling apart?) but, yes, Horan not being out there is a big deal.