Too early Olympic roster projections?

…Rapinoe’s comments were that her injury was proof that God doesn’t exist. To a devout Christian, that’s not really something you would like to hear. Not much chatter about that here when it happened. A “like” would be as passive aggressive as you can get but the 24/7 watchdogs are not just gonna let that go.

No need to go on a discourse, beat my chest and get emotional about how I genuinely value equality in every form—but this team and its fans really need to make soccer, strictly about soccer. Can’t prevent hypocrisy on the soccer subject alone so might as well not give external topics any airtime.

 

To a queer/transsexual fan, Albert's reposts/social media activity wasn't something you would like to see.

Maybe regarding her other activity, but I don't think you can just move on like that from her liking that post regarding Rapinoe's injury.

 

Albert being incredibly dumb on social media probably lets alex morgan squeak onto this roster despite her utter lack of effectiveness at club or country level. I have never been a fan of her game, but she looks extra clunky and lost on the field with these quick, technical younger players. No other striker who didn't score a goal for an entire year would still be on the USWNT, let alone starting. Politics and marketing rule over all.

As someone who was there in person, she was easily the worst forward on the pitch last night. Had flashbacks to when she was at the Pride lol.

The thing with Albert is, she just isn't very bright. She's seen what has happened to other players like Hinkle/Nasello who posted similar stuff on their socials. Very possible she destroyed her international career when she could have just, you know, cleaned up her feed after becoming a professional. Even if you are homophobic, you are a women's soccer player - keep it to yourself. It's like being terrified of blood and becoming a surgeon. FFS

 

Albert is not going anywhere. She fits the profile of what Hayes wants to see in her midfielders, versatile enough to play the 10, 8 and 6 positions. She wants her mids to be interchangeable in those positions during the flow of play during the game.

Players like Horan, Albert, and Coffey gives her that kind of flexibility. I don’t see Lavelle Shaw being those type of players right now, and obviously she is having a hard time finding the type of players she wants, thus for right now she has to turn to players in Europe that are currently on teams that utilize players in the same way she wants to use them.

 

Albert played well enough in yesterday CL semis, surprisingly taken off at the start of the 2nd half, but PSG would later pay karma for it(Lyon’s 3 goals in ten minutes comeback)

here’s an question; minus her famous name or pre injury play, what does Macario bring to the table?—-I mean currently at best, Chelsea’s third tier striker, hasn’t shown anything remarkable—maybe spare change(73 minute sub) at yesterday’s all important Barca game, but lacking any speed to do anything substantial. But she’s did get to start the other day against one player down/Aston Villa’s 17 year old GK in first major league game ever

 

Macario is a very good playmaker. She has a goal contribution, typically an assist, basically every time she steps on the field. If you want your 9 to drop and connect play, she is MUCH better at this than Morgan who has no ball control skills and a fairly limited passing game. I'm not sure she's "third tier" as much as still building fitness on a stacked team, but she did start and got two assists against villa so i'm assuming she'll be fit enough for Paris.

 

“What does Macario bring to the table?”

Actually, she has accomplished a lot in the limited minutes she has been allowed to play. Even not being at 100% she is the go too player on all kicks on set pieces when in the game. Three goals were from corner kicks and another was a perfect placed cross into the box that ended in a header for another goal.

She has been effective handling and protecting the ball at her feet and has delivered several well placed passes for shot opportunities. The two goals she got were, as Hayes stated, high quality goals. One goal was the only goal in a 1-0 victory.

Hayes and her staff have been careful about the amount of playing time she gets. The first start may be an indication she is ready to start more games. Chelsea had to play 3 games in 7 days. Macario played a little over 100 minutes total. It will be interesting to see, with a weeks rest, whether she is in the starting lineup for the 2nd Leg against Barcelona.
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Obviously, playing and practicing for the new USWNT coach, that question has already been answered. I won't second guess that decision, whatever is made.

 

Her speed will come back; it pretty much always does-- but not for a few months after they resume play.

 

Albert did play well enough, but karma? PSG played their best football all match in the first 30 minutes of the second half. The Samoura for Albert sub (switch to 5-2-1-2) allowed for that, making PSG better defensively and offensively. FBref had Lyon at 4 shots with barely any xG in that 30 minute span while PSG had 7 shots with a good/great xG. PSG could/should have made it 3-0 or 4-0, and they could have had their own "three goals in six minutes" stretch [Karchaoui and Chawinga with misses from as good chances (or even better) than Lyon's goals]. Lyon had some good chances in the first half but didn't take them; they had three good chances in the second half and pretty much saved up all of their finishing ability for those chances.

Assuming Le Guilly could have kept going, the Vangsgaard for Le Guilly sub at RWB made little to no sense up 2-0. Martens for Katoto made more sense, but Martens just never got up to pace. Vangsgaard for Katoto and Le Guilly staying on would have been much better.

 

My choice:

Swanson, Smith, Rodman,
Shaw, Macario,
Horan, Coffey, Sonnet, Albert,
Krueger, Nighswonger, Fox,
Girma, Davidson, Dahlkamper.

I don't want Morgan, she has done little. She lost a lots of our attacking chances. If Macario cannot do it, we can still fall back on Smith.

I don't want Dunn, if we need offense from our FB, might as well stay with Nighswonger. If we need defense, Dunn can't do it any more. She lost recovering speed and also her defensive sense(watching runs behind her)

I want Sonnet knowing she is only better than average but we need a defensive mid and possible backup as back in case of injury.

I want Albert because she is a good player( not great yet) and she has a good future ahead of her.

 

Whoa! Pretty much my choices, for the exact reasons too…

 

I think @fire123 only had 15 in the list.

My impression is Swanson, Smith, Rodman, and Shaw are locks. So there is a choice between Morgan and Macario. I don't see any of the other FWs we've called in recently (ie Lynn Williams) as a better choice. In the old WNT, Morgan would obviously be on the roster, but I think Emma can pick who she wants. My only question about Macario is her fitness, but she has been playing with Chelsea and if I think she is matchfit, I would take her instead of 2024 Alex.

I would think we would take 5 in the MF. Horan is a lock. I think Sonnet is clearly going for versatility, though I'm not sure this is where I would have gone myself, Coffee and Albert make sense, I would think if Ashley Sanchez, DeMelo, Andi Sullivan etc were in the picture they would have been in camp for She Believes or the Gold Cup, but I wouldn't totally rule out something different. The question is if there is enough defensive bite in this. For the 5th MF, Rose is obviously going if fit. Then there is a question if one of Coffee or Albert should be dropped for someone with a different skill set.

In the back, Nighswonger, Fox, and Girma seem like locks. Davidson and Dahlkamper seem like the most likely CBs. I mean I love Becky but not the 2024 version. I'm skeptical that Dunn will be dropped for Kruger.

In goal, Naeher and probably Casey Murphy.

This is a team that could win, but can't be considered the favorite, which has to be Spain followed by France.

 

My assumption is whoever gets invited to this month's camp, will be the pool from which the final 18 will be drawn. I think the alternates could be drawn from outside this group, but this is unlikely.

A couple of players I'd like to see invited and given a chance based on NWSL performances these past few weeks are Taylor Flint and Croix Bethune.

 

Now Shaw is nicked up...

 

I don't think anyone was predicting an O'Hara comeback, but since it hasn't been mentioned here yet, she did officially announce her retirement a couple of weeks ago. The article lists her last USWNT game as the Sweden game at the WWC, but she'll continue with Gotham through the end of the NWSL season: https://www.ussoccer.com/stories/20...announces-retirement-from-professional-soccer

 

Hayes said not to count anyone out yet, despite not being in this roster, but I would think:

Most lockiest of locks = 3.

Girma, Horan, Swanson.

Not as locked as the top 3 but still a dead certainty = 5.

Fox, Nighswonger, Coffey, Rodman, Smith

Virtual locks = 2.

Davidson, Shaw.

Looking pretty good = 3.

Sonnett, LaVelle, Macario.

That's 13. 2 keepers. 3 field players.

I'd go with:
1) Another FB/WB type (Dunn or Krueger)
2) Another CM (Albert) and
3) Another pure CF (Morgan)

Another CB (Dahlkemper, Staab).

The last time we won Olymoic Gold was 2012. The roster:

GK: Solo, Barnhart
D: Rampone (C), O'Hara, Mitts
CB: Buehler, LePeilbet, Sauerbrunn
M: Boxx, Rapinoe, Heath, Lloyd, Holiday, O'Reilly
F: Wambach, Morgan; Rodriguez, Leroux
Alt: Loyden, Klingenberg, Lindsey, Press

If Morgan & Becky don't make the squad, it will be the first time since 1996 we won't have an Olympic medalist in the squad.

 

*Olympic gold medalist

 

See, I think another pure CF could be a luxury we can't afford. We have Smith as one style, Macario as another, and during the last game we were working with two high players a lot as a third option in lieu of a true CF.

Maybe you bring Morgan as an alternate in case anything happens to Smith or Macario, but I feel like leaving her off that roster you suggested for both Krueger and Dunn would just provide so much flexibility and depth across the roster. For example, here is who could play each position:

CB: Girma, Davidson, Sonnett, Krueger
FB: Fox, Nighswonger, Sonnett, Krueger, Dunn
DM: Coffey, Horan, Sonnett, Albert
CM: Horan, Lavelle, Coffey, Albert, Dunn
CAM: Macario, Shaw, Swanson, Lavelle, Horan, Albert, Dunn
Wing: Swanson, Rodman, Shaw, Smith, Lavelle, Dunn
CF: Smith, Macario, Rodman, Swanson

 

While I do not think Krueger did anything necessarily wrong (though she nearly got stripped and wasn'tcthe almost handball PK her), I just think a backup who can really only play one spot does not make much sense to me. Though that also applies to Morgan.

The factor that tips Krueger out for me is that Hayes is playing asymmetrically. LB/LWB Nighswonger (or Dunn) way upfield while RB is playing more like a RCB in a 3 back. If that is the way we are going to play it, then what does Krueger do that Sonnett cannot?

Now, that does not get Morgan in. And I think Macario, Shaw, and Lavelle are all pretty similar. IDK if there is room for all 3.

And Yonannes looked awful good.

If I was picking 23:
GK: Naeher, Murphy, Campbell
FB/D: Fox, Krueger
CB: Girma, Davidson; Dahlkemper or Staab
FB/WB: Nighswonger, Dunn
CM/DM: Coffey, Sonnett (CB/FB)
CM: Horan, Yohannes, Albert
WB/WF: Rodman, Purce
WF/AM/CAM: Macario, Shaw, Lavelle
WF/CF: Swanson, Smith
CF: Morgan

But I only have 18. Need to subtract five. Purce is out injured. Only 2 GKs. That is 2 of 5. Assuming Macario starts, the XI would be:

Naeher/Murphy + Fox, Girma, Davidson + Coffey & Horan + Nighswonger & Rodman + Swanson, Smith & Macario.

Murphy (or Campbell if Naeher is out) + Sonnett & Dunn are still locks for me. Sonnett can play anywhere in a back 3, DM, or a stay at home FB. Dunn can play WB/FB on either side and a smidge up top.

That takes Krueger out for me. I don't think she is much of an upgrade over Sonnett or Dunn as a stay at home RB. And I'd rather have someone who can create/finish something out there (Albert, Yohannes, Shaw, Lavelle, Morgan). I'd take 4 of those 5.

But I get the argument of bringing Krueger or another CB instead.

 

I don't see Krueger as anything but a RB/RCB. If we were playing a true back 4, and the RB got forward a lot, I take her. But since she is essentially a RCB in a back 3, I think Sonnett can do that. Or Dunn in a pinch.

Now, whether you take another pure CF (Morgan), another attacker (Shaw/Lavelle), another CM (Yohannes and Albert), or another CB (Staab or Dahlkemper) is up to you.

But of the 6 field reserves I go, for certain:

1) Sonnett (CB, DM, RCB, LCB, RB, LB)
2) Dunn (LB, LWB, RWB, RWF, RB)
3) Yohannes or Albert (CM, CAM, DM)
4) Shaw or Lavelle (CAM, RWF)
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Macario can play as a false 9 type. And Swanson & Rodman can play down the middle, too. As can Shaw. But none are a proper CF in my mind, and all are best utilized elsewhere.

I'd be more likely to drop the Shaw/Lavelle or Albert/Yohannes choice losers than Morgan.

Though I think going in another direction is certainly valid. Krueger + 1. Both CMs + 1. Shaw and Lavelle + 1. Another CB + 1.

 

The roster deadline is July 3. The US has usually announced the roster well before the deadline, so if Hayes sticks to that, we could know the roster before the end of June.

 

OTOH, if ever there was a year to take as long as possible, this would be it, would it not?

 

Good to see Naeher back last weekend.

Starters: Naeher; Fox, Girma, Davidson, Nighswonger; Coffey, Horan, Macario; Rodman, Smith, Swanson.

Reserves: Murphy; Dunn; Sonnett; Yonannes; Lavelle, Shaw; Morgan.

Alternates: Campbell; Krueger; Dahlkemper, Albert.


I think Hayes will take Albert over Yohannes.

 

These days, everytime I read the name of this thread, I am like: "Heck, no, it's not too early: it's just about time! "

Let's say that who named the thread didn't care much about how it was going to age.