Few were surprised that the USWNT won its fourth SheBelieves Cup in six years on Wednesday, but the Stars and Stripes certainly made the march to the title more of a slog than expected.
– Rapinoe scores twice when USWNT wins the SheBelieves Cup
– Andonovski: USWNT worked well as a unit against Argentina
Their opponents – Canada (seven key players missing), Brazil and Argentina (a late replacement for Japan due to concerns about COVID-19) – weren’t the quality of teams from previous SheBelieves Cups, so I thought the tournament would be fairly one. one-sided for the US, only that was not the case. Canada was looking pretty good against the US under their new head coach, Bev Priestman. Brazil was more organized under former USWNT head coach Pia Sundhage and Argentina? Argentina was what we predicted … disappointing.
With the Olympics still starting in less than five months, let’s take a look at what we’ve learned from this SheBelieves Cup:
A healthy memory
For the US, it is always good not to play their best and still win the title. Here’s why: These players will return to their clubs knowing that their world domination is not yet complete. In Orlando, they were sometimes exposed in the back, mistakes that would penalize better teams.
The US wasn’t clean for goal either – that could be the difference in a tight game against a better opponent. These players know all this, and it will chase them softly. They look back at the games and work to get everything right, realizing that the SheBelieves Cup was a subtle but important reminder to keep that fire bright.
Roster Roulette
About keeping that fire burning, when USWNT head coach, Vlatko Andonovski, is asked how many places on his 18-player Olympic squad remain open, he says 18. Obviously, he’s locked up a lot, but I think because of the limited games and access to players and training camps, understandably it will take longer to decipher this Olympic squad.
Roster roulette is a fascinating game to play, so let’s give it a try. Based on the last six games (three in SheBelieves Cup, plus Colombia twice and the Netherlands), and assuming Andonovski and his staff bring two goalkeepers, six defenders, five midfielders and five forwards, here are some scenarios (and the player options for those last place in italics):
GK: Alyssa Naeher, Ashlyn Harris / Jane Campbell
DF: Crystal Dunn, Becky Sauerbrunn, Abby Dahlkemper, Kelly O’Hara, Emily Sonnett, Casey Krueger / Tierna Davidson / Midge Purce / Ali Krieger
MF: Julie Ertz, Sam Mewis, Lindsey Horan, Rose Lavelle, Catarina Macario / Kristie Mewis
FW: Christian Press, Tobin Heath, Megan Rapinoe, Alex Morgan, Carli Lloyd / Lynn Williams / Sophia Smith
Questions to be answered
Where is Carli Lloyd in her comeback after missing most of 2020 due to injury?
Lloyd had a goal and assist against Argentina and looked sharper than in her previous SheBelieves Cup match, but she missed some excellent chances against Canada. Rapinoe’s comeback, after also missing most of 2020, seems more evident. She finished the SheBelieves Cup as the top scorer and also leads the team with five goals in five games in 2021. Rapinoe has shown that she can still influence games quickly and consistently. I think Lloyd will have to show that in the coming months too.
How did Alex Morgan recover from missing 2020 due to pregnancy, a knee injury, and a COVID-19 diagnosis that continued into 2021?
I thought her performance against Brazil was a plus. Her touch was sharp, her movement good. She also made a nice goal against Argentina.
Did Lynn Williams help or hurt her cause by breaking into the last 18 Olympic squad based on her play in this SheBelieves Cup?
This is a tough question for me to answer because I love what Lynn Williams does with her speed so much. She gets into great positions and becomes defenders, which makes her a constant threat to the opposition. She also does a lot of work on the defensive side of the ball. All great traits, yes, but her final pass and her finish are way too inconsistent, hurting her chances of becoming a regular starter.
Had Williams finished some of those chances against Canada and Brazil, the games would have been less of a slog.
How many younger players can Andonovski afford to break in? Will they be ready for the Olympics?
Catarina Macario struggled in midfield vs. Canada, but excelled as a forward in both games against Colombia. Unfortunately, Macario didn’t get much time in this SheBelieves Cup when she returned to her club in Lyon early.
Sophia Smith came into the game against Brazil in the 65th minute and although she did not impress, she played a beautiful ball for the assist on Alex Morgan’s goal against Argentina. I think this young player is peeking in from the outside, but she will be fun to watch. She runs better on players than most.
Then there is Kristie Mewis. Not a young player – she’s 30 – but she’s new to the mix (or, more accurately, just back in the mix) and constantly looking sharp, with a goal and assist against Argentina.
Also to think about:
– Would Andonovski consider taking five defenders instead of six, as Julie Ertz can also play center-back?
If he did, and he took Dunn, Sauerbrunn, Dahlkemper, O’Hara, and Sonnett, then the US would have three natural outside-back options in Dunn, O’Hara, and Sonnett. That seems meager for that position given the tight Olympic schedule and how often O’Hara has been injured. That’s why I think he’ll take six defenders and Ertz in midfield.
Since he has the option of Ertz as a center back, I think that sixth defender should be a player who can play outside.
– What about the mix in midfield?
If Vlatko had a strong feeling about it both Macario and Kristie Mewis, Macario could go as attacker, but that means other attackers (such as Lloyd, Williams and Smith) might not get into the roster. I don’t see that happening. I think Lloyd is leaving. Her work on both sides of the ball is still one of the best on the team. Add to that her strong mindset and finishing ability at big moments, and even at the age of 39 at the Olympics, she can help the team.
0:33
USMNT’s Rose Lavelle says white players must “do their part” in the fight against racial inequality.
Their super power
Because the Olympic rhythm is tighter than the World Cup schedule (two days rest at the Olympics, compared to three at a World Cup) and the Olympic squad is five players lighter than a World Cup squad, you cannot afford to take players along. to take that May help the team or are not 100 percent fit. With only 16 outfielders and limited rest, EVERY SINGLE PLAYER has to contribute, which is why the US is clearly the favorites to win the gold medal: their team is much deeper than any team.
That’s their super power. The US can have two lineups that are very different, but both strong, and we’ve seen Andonovski do this during his tenure with the national team. Who else in this Olympic pool could do that without losing too much in that second group? Maybe Great Britain. For the US, it will be less about who starts and more about managing the rhythm of minutes played per game so that whatever combination is on the field, they aggressively dictate the pace.
Overall, I think the US will take a big positive out of this SheBelieves Cup as they remain unbeaten under Andonovski, and let’s not forget, they didn’t concede a goal in this tournament, the first team to ever do so in history of the tournament. (It just goes to show the standard by which we judge this team’s performance, which I still think were far from their best.)
Andonovski’s last chance to evaluate players against other international opponents comes in April’s FIFA window (the team will be set by June window). It’s just the environment it takes to make those final judgments and then bring the 18 Olympic team together.
I hope that an Olympic Games will indeed be played in July. I am now sending out my best YES-the-Olympics-will-play karma. Do the same, please!