The U.S. women's national team has nine months to prepare for the World Cup.
A recent trip to Europe resulted in a loss to England and a loss to a Spain team missing 15 of its best players. The loss in Spain raises serious questions about the trajectory of this U.S. team, even though the USWNT was without several starters even beyond the long-term injuries they have dealt with for most of the year.
Nobody's place in the starting lineup is assured because of poor performances. England dominated the U.S. in the middle of the field, while Spain played out of pressure and limited the U.S. to two shots on goal. Before the team's long winter break arrives, the USWNT needs to produce more confident performances in upcoming games against Germany.
There will be fresh faces in camp. Will the team's system be changed by head coach Vlatko Andonovski? The questions will help shape the final roster.
The USWNT's depth chart will be looked at throughout the build-up to the World Cup. The USWNT has a big board. There are two A search for answers in defense and in the middle of the field has been added to the Big Board since September. Crystal is needed.
The team of 23 going to the World Cup will most likely not be the same team as before. I am very sure of this. Changes will happen as a result of injuries and recovery.
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The Big Board is a ranking of how things are currently. If the World Cup starts today, players with long-term injuries will not be on the roster.
There are tiers of players within each position.
The roster locks are the first tier. The plane for the World Cup would be filled with clear starters or players pushing to be the starter.
There is a bubble. If you aren't a lock, you are part of the bubble where there is no certainty.
There is a third tier outside looking in. The players who have had a passing look, players performing well for club but who haven't gotten a look, and players who were once integral but no longer seem part of the plans.
There are former locks racing against time. Injuries and absences are included in this category to account for players who need to regain their status for a spot on the plane. If they get back to 100% in time, they should have a clear path back to Tier 1 because an injured starter can't be there right now.
The roster locks are Alyssa Naeher.
There is a bubble.
Adrianna Franch is outside looking in.
Wait and see if there's anything.
Since last time, there has been no significant change. The U.S. coaching staff wants to make sure it has a goalkeeper with experience ready to step in if Naeher gets hurt.
Murphy and Naeher lost to England and Spain, respectively, in the October trip to Europe. Both players did nothing to help or hurt her case, as defensive breakdowns in front of them left them exposed, and England's game-winner came from the penalty spot.
There are valid questions about whether goalkeepers outside of the bubble should get a better look.
Adrianna Franch played a key role in the Kansas City Current's 2-1 victory over the Houston Dash in the first round of the playoffs. Franch's comfort level with the ball at her feet is not a strength of many in this U.S pool.
There are people on the plane right now.
Crystal Dunn and Emily Fox are on the roster.
The bubble is made of Hailie Mace.
There are people outside looking in.
Wait and see who it is.
The most significant changes from the previous volume. The USWNT Big Board comes at full-back. Crystal returned to the squad after giving birth to her child. She will go to the World Cup if she can play. Emily Fox went into concussion protocol after taking an early hit in the England game and was replaced byHailie Mace.
Kelley O'Hara is still out with a hip injury that has kept her out of two straight camps and the end of the NWSL season. She is in the "Wait and see" category, whileDunn is in the "lock" category.
I wrote in the first volume. The question by the time the World Cup arrives could be about whether Fox is on the right or left. There will be something to say by the woman. There is no denying that she can create from the full-back position and she was defensively sound against England.
Hailie Mace absolutely thumped this ball in for the equalizer! #NWSL (🎥 @NWSL)pic.twitter.com/cV9xp78W2B
— AllForXI (@AllForXI) September 18, 2022
Mace has been away from the U.S. for four years. She entered the England match at left-back for the injured Fox in the opening half-hour and quickly conceded the penalty, a high boot that was called by the VAR. She started at right back.
Mace's strengths are clear in the attack and her recovery speed is excellent, something the U.S. team has lacked. Sometimes she needs that because she's too aggressive to step to her attacker at times and gets pulled out. Mace has played center-back, where the USWNT is lacking depth, and that can be useful.
In order to replace Fox, she flew to Spain two days before the match, then started in her first start for the U.S., and held her own as pressure mounted on the USWNT. Mace was elevated into competition by the performance. If the World Cup started today, Andonovski would have to take at least one of them. In a pinch, mace can offer help.
There are people on the plane right now.
Naomi Girma is on the roster.
The bubble didn't exist.
A group of people are outside looking in.
Tierna Davidson is waiting and seeing.
Right now, center-back is a concern. The USWNT lacks both in the position and in several areas of the field, but Naomi Girma provides them with the passing range, agility, and one-on-one defending that they so badly need. I don't know if he is a starter today.
There were two people against England. Cook failed to clear the cross on England's opening goal after the US was broken down on the flanks.
For the second time this season, @naomi_girma is the @ally Rookie of the Month! pic.twitter.com/30Qlb21S9B
— National Women's Soccer League (@NWSL) October 14, 2022
Cook, who is the USWNT's captain, and Sauerbrunn, who is the USWNT's leader, played for the US against Spain. There were lost marks on the two goals conceded by the U.S., first on a corner kick and then in open play. The starting pair should be decided. The trio on the depth chart are not the only ones.
Since spring, she has not been called in, but she seems to have an injury. Tierna Davidson's return could be important to the No. 6 conversation because of the questions in the middle. She will be more needed as a center-back.
The USWNT needs to find answers and I'm adding to the third tier because of their recent performances. It's difficult to say that uncapped players are on the bubble right now.
There are people on the plane right now.
Rose Lavelle and Andi Sullivan are on the roster.
The people in the bubble are:
Outside looking in: Morgan Gautrat.
Wait and see: Sam and Julie.
The composition of the middle ground is the most pressing of all the concerns that were confirmed during the October trip to Europe. Rose Lavelle, Lindsey Horan, and Andi Sullivan are all great. Lavelle is one of the best No. 10s in the world when she is in top shape. If you want a box-to-boxMidfielder, you should look at Horan. Sullivan is filling in for the departed in the holding role.
Things haven't clicked recently in their current roles. There was a fair grace period for the team as they transitioned from one generation to another. The first big tests were England and Spain.
She should be in the conversation for NWSL Most Valuable Player based on her first season with the Thorns, according to Andonovski. A single No. 6 seems to be a tall order for either Sullivan or Coffey. The team's shape will be changed by Andonovski.
A stunning strike by Rose Lavelle helped OL Reign claim a 2-2 draw against the Red Stars.
The answer could mean a lot of different things on this depth chart. Among those on the outside looking in, there is a woman who just finished her best season yet with the Chicago Red Stars. She can play a number of roles in the middle of the field.
It's important to keep an eye on how Taylor fits into this equation. After missing the trip to Europe due to an ankle injury, Kornieck played 103 minutes for San Diego in the NWSL playoffs. Her game is still a bit raw for the international level, but in San Diego she continues to show how useful she can be as a middle target to play out of pressure.
She's the tallest player in the history of the U.S. women's national team and she's not afraid to tackle.
Expect some movement around the bubble after November when the group in the middle of the plane is unchanged. Sam Mewis is coming back.
There are people on the plane right now.
Sophia Smith and Megan Rapinoe are on the roster.
Margaret "Midge" Purce is in the bubble.
Christen Press and Morgan Weaver are outside looking in.
Lynn Williams is waiting and seeing.
The addition of a teenager was a surprise. She appeared off the bench in both games, but the general feeling was that it would be a good experience for the wunderkind. Even if it already felt lost, Thompson added a needed injection of life to the U.S.
Thompson might have gotten the nod over Shaw because she was getting ready for her first NWSL playoff campaign. Thompson isn't done with high school. Thompson is now in the picture based on the evidence. She needs to be in the World Cup conversation if she is good enough to get the call and earn minutes against England and Spain.
Trinity Rodman was one of the bright spots of the England game, as their would-be goal was called back due to an incorrect call by the VAR. When the USWNT needed an outlet, Rodman was effective on the wing.
Jeff Kassouf thinks the NWSL's Most Valuable Player should be a woman.
Alex Morgan missed the trip due to injury, forcing Sophia Smith into the No. 9 role for the two games. Morgan scored the overtime winner for the San Diego Wave in front of a record crowd in the opening round of the NWSL playoffs.
Smith was solid in the central role for the USWNT in Europe, even if she should face up at defenders rather than being asked to have her back to goal to get the most out of her game. Smith appears to be the back-up to the starting No. 9.
Megan Rapinoe's inability to track back against England was compounded by Fox's early departure from the match.
Smith, Rapinoe, Rapman are on the plane.
Alex Morgan is locked onto the roster.
There is a bubble.
There are people outside looking in.
Catarina Macario is waiting and seeing.
The San Diego Wave advanced to the NWSL semifinals after defeating the Chicago Red Stars.
The lack of depth at No. 9 was highlighted by Morgan's absence. Catarina Macario won't be back from her knee injury, and only played the last 45 minutes against Spain.
With Morgan missing the most recent camp, Andonovski went for an internal solution with Smith at the No. 9.
They are on the plane right now.
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