The Soccer Thread (Version 13) — Winter World Cup Edition

Glad I slept through that. Start the USWNT coaching search now.

 

I've never gotten too hung up on such things, but the hiring of Andonovski has always been puzzling to be.
Were there seriously no former USWNT players or women's college coaches with a proven record interested in the job?

 

IIRC, he was OL Reign's coach, so Megan Rapinoe and others were comfortable with him. And that cannot be understated. Look up Tom Sermanni and his time with the USWNT - after Pia Sundhage left and before Jill Ellis took over.

 

My issue with Andonovski is that he has the U.S. playing like it's the underdog. Long ball > service into box > rinse and repeat. I do not recall a single instance last night where the ball was worked into a position where a service in the box was an option where the player chose NOT to cross it in and, instead, played under to work it around for a different look.

It is worth pointing out that the USWNT is missing several of its best players. Numerous other teams are also missing star players, of course, but in the U.S.'s case, that includes some of the more technically sound players on the team (Swanson, Macario, Sam Mewis). Poor first touches have been killing us in the final third - we don't have that quality.

I also don't think Andonovski is great at getting the best out of his players, although I don't think Pia would do any better with this group. It all points to a situation that probably isn't salvageable for this tournament.

 

Another thought: Would the USWNT place any players on a Group E All-Star team? Maybe Girma, but I can't think of anyone else who deserves it.

 

Somebody’s going to have to explain the Americans’ game plan to me, because after 90 minutes this morning I had no idea what it was.

 

This side is beginning to define the term "ugly Americans."

 

the risk you take when you expect the top seed and you don’t get it

 

I think the schedule was preset before we knew what group we would be in.

 

I think "clueless Americans" is more apropos. The tournament favorites celebrating like that after tying to squeak through to the next round?

Rapinoe is getting old. Her Golden Boot in 2019 was a mirage, almost every one of her goals came on PKs and not during the run of play. Still serviceable, but definitely on the downside of her career.

 

Umm, haven’t we seen MLB teams do champagne showers after backdooring a wild card berth? Seems odd to rip the USMNT when baseball players celebrate just getting into the postseason like they won the World Series.