USWNT Olympic Roster: Who will make the cut? | The Late Sub with Claire Watkins
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 16 ก.ย. 2024
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In a special edition of The Late Sub, Claire talks through the final U.S. game prior to Emma Hayes making her final decisions on the teams 18-player Olympic roster. She discusses personnel matchups, tactical tweaks, the roster bubble and one very talented teenager who might blow up previous plans for the midfield. To close, Claire picks who she thinks is in or out on the road to Paris.
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The Late Sub with Claire Watkins brings you the latest news and freshest takes in women’s sports. This is the weekly rundown you’ve been missing, covering the USWNT, NWSL, WNBA, college hoops, and whatever else is popping off in women’s sports each week. Special guest appearances with the biggest names in women’s sports make The Late Sub a must-listen for every fan. Follow Claire on X/Twitter @ScoutRipley and subscribe to the Just Women’s Sports newsletter for more.
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I would bring Lily over Alex Morgan
Easily without a sec thought.
"choosing Albert would be a conservative choice" in more ways than one lol
Yes Dunn scored the 1 goal, but that came about because of the drive and attacking mentality from Neiswanger on the other side of the field. I felt Dunn overall was lacking in creating anything from her side of the field, most of the time the ball was pushed to her, she took a few touches but ultimately she seldom created chances from her side and instead, pushed the ball backwards for others to create and move the ball forward. I think of winger Graham Hansen,Spain who attacks and creates from her outside position, night and day in style and results. I think Dunn would be a better midfielder or back attacking from her position as outside back. There are too many more talented explosive players on the team for that position.
I genuinely don't understand your unwavering belief in Morgan.. with a healthy Mal AND Kat I think she's a reserve for a potential injury, but with only 18 I dont think rostering her at this stage is justified... not when youve got so many strong attackers. also you get the best performances from her when she feels she has something to prove so imo making her a reserve is win-win
Just thoroughbred. In that moment, she knows what it takes. She's a proven winner on the international stage. She draws attention. She's a situational advantage that can come in handy. She also wasn't playing with the best options. She's a good sub for tactics. Is she who she was, no. Course not. Age. But she has pedigree no else besides maybe Naehar has. I get you, I do. I don't think there's a wrong decision with a roster this deep. IMO of course, respectfully. 😊
@@dancin2techno I do agree that Morgan is an instinctually natural athlete, and can be valuable in terms of drawing defender attention. but imo at the end of the day she only plays one position, and for the past few years in international play she has not demonstrated the kind of consistency required to make an 18 roster as a positional specialist... not when you have Mal, Kat, and Smith who can all play the 9 but also wing or 10 if necessary (plus shaw could probably excel there too if asked lol she's essentially the US' attacking utility player)
and while consistency and versatility are my top reasons, much moreso than age, it does also seem prudent to consider that all of the other forwards are in their early to mid 20s, and while Hayes has a lot of respect for experience (thus the Kingsbury callup, like she chose Musovic after the Berger transfer), I imagine she is simultaneously very aware that the 2027 world cup is the primary aim for her tenure, and how this olympics is the first crucial stepping stone toward that big picture goal. As a national team coach she needs to cultivate future chemistry through experience at the highest level, but unfortunately unlike coaching at club level, she only gets this team together for a limited amount of time per year, so I suspect she will be acutely mindful of that coaching adaptation during this roster selection and we will likely see versatile elders like Dunn and Sonnett named for their experience, with Morgan and perhaps Krueger as specialist reserves in case of injury. I also think you secure Lily for the US and name an extra midfielder rather than forward because its by far our weakest zone and having only four rostered frankly feels insufficient. plus another thing id really like to see is the vertical central line chemistry of Girma-Lily-Macario nurtured... there's great potential there
(BTW- I prefer to give the benefit of the doubt especially bc the rest of your comment was written very mindfully so I assume it was unintentional, but using the words "thoroughbred" and "pedigree" about humans is... not a great terminology choice. its especially uncomfortable being that Morgan is the only whte forward named to the training camp, so id suggest to maybe reconsider using those terms from here on🙏)
The words were not at all meant to be about race but about experience and being a proven winner of multiple tournaments. The way i wrote the sentence was obvious that I meant experience. I will also give you the benefit of the doubt you weren't just looking to cherry pick my comment to fight about nothing. As a scientist, those words are a part of my daily life. I also live in derby country so those words don't mean the same things. Pedigree also refers to history and training regimens. But anywho, apologies for those words being misconstrued. I will be more mindful. I agree with you about the other forwards, but again I still see the benefit of Morgan being there. Also, this is me being a softy, but I want her to have one last go in a big tournament. This is 100% her last shot at one. I know future this and blah blah, but that's just my wish. Sometimes we can dream.
Morgan would not make this team if it weren't for looksand statue. These young girls have pace and can create unlike the older one.
It was great to see Yohannes on the pitch and having success. I wonder if her Dutch option will carry any weight in who's named to the US Olympic roster. Interesting dynamic.
I hope she stays with the USA
She needs to be there. If not what the tape shows. 16 could be one of the best ever in uswnt history
I can't justify putting Alex on the roster. The most she can bring to the team is leadership, locker room presence and star power so for that you can bring her as alternate.
agree. so why not hire Morgan as an assistant coach and leave off the roster?
@@msgail7905Emma hayes took over alot of former chelsea staff, kept twila Kilgore as an assistant plus some of her staff, if emma hayes needs to hire morgan as a coach for some reason it ain't a good start. I mean morgan isn't going to play at the next world cup she will be 37/38, just like megan rapinoe shouldn't have been at the last World Cup. Maybe hayes offers her the chance to retire from the uswnt with Olympic gold to sweeten the deal. As a player who can cone off the bench if they need a gold but it's clear we know who haye's front 3/4 is going to be it the players who stated the her first game in charge.
Finally, someone speaking some truth on Alex Morgan last night. Yes ok, shes not the "horse" for the US she used to be, i get that, but for people to say shes not "smart" enough to understand how Emma wants to play as if shes a caveman ugh ugh USA bash is pretty asinine. She might not make the 18 but shes not dumb. Enough with the disrespect.
Well said. Alex is not dumb and does not deserve any bashing. I personally think she should make way for the younger kids as she no longer has their level of energy. And there are so many of those kids who don't get any chance because roster positions are limited.
Morgan is the early 2000s typical forward but that doesn't work for what Emma is trying to do. She didn't connect with anyone in this last game and that is proof that she's not a good fit.
Your first initial comment at the top of the show is spot on. We need a midfield that can connect the back line to our talented attackers. All of our amazing attacking talent is worthless if we don't have a midfielder who can get the ball to them. Team desperately needs midfielders who can turn under pressure or dribble into space, then pick out a winger, the 10, or the 9. We have so much attacking talent, so this midfielder doesn't need to be a huge offensive threat either. Just a connector.
If it was the 23 player world cup roster then maybe Morgan would get taken for experience in the locker room. However, no way she can be justified for that reason alone with the smaller 18 player roster. The way Hayes anwered the question about Morgan in the post game press conference, I do not think she did enough to make it. I think Yohannes goes.
What really impacted the first half of the game vs. Saturdays game was that the South Koreans defensive line was way higher the second game which really didn’t give the midfield the freedom they had in the first game. Hayes said this in her presser after the game and admitted they hadn’t gone over the adjustments to make when the defensive line is more of a mid block vs a low block,
Jenna is obviously unbelievable going forward. But, against good teams she scares the shit out of me that she is gonna give away goals because of her eagerness to push forward prematurely, and because her marking tracking back and on set pieces is legitimately atrocious. She has only been playing the position for a year so it isn’t her fault she is bad at this stuff. Dunn has proven she locks down that side against everyone in the world. Nighswonger gave up the best chance the other team created in like 4 of the previous 6 games she started in.
Is there enough defense between yohannes and Horan to run with them in the pivot with a 10? That’s what i want to see, or Albert and Horan. I wish we had a chance to sit two eights against a good team.
Whoever makes the team I sure hope they respect the American flag and the National anthem. No player should be allowed on the team that doesn't. After all it is called the USWNT for a reason. Many of the other National teams sing their anthems with heart felt emotions. These are the type of players that should be representing their countries in the Olympics.
Did I hear correctly? No Macario? If she is healthy she is a lock to go. Emma will want here there.
No she’s on her list.
Gotta name Lilly
Some thoughts: Word at half time that Hayes wanted more patience made me think she wasn't so much on board with the style of "home run" soccer that led to a couple of missed shots on goal (think a shorter version of the Rapinoe-Wambaugh connection, spectacular when it occasionally succeeded, but now with midfielders on the end of the pass). Along with the advantages of Dunn being able to play up front is the disadvantage that she's not as fast as some of those defending her. I see her on the backline mostly. In hindsight, I see that my criticism of Alex Morgan over the years as a nonfinisher in international competition (vs. better teams) is that she has never found the kind of personnel chemistry that Swanson, Smith and Rodman have. Yohannes did Hayes a big favor, if she is looking to take advantage of it, which it seems like she's tempted to (her post-match comments showed that she already knows what Johannes brings, which is probably why she was held out until ~70 minutes). Johannes is presumably no less than an alternate. What has caught my attention about Albert is how willing she is to cut short the attack to take low-percentage shots from just outside the 18, which thus far have invariably missed. I wouldn't be surprised to see Sam Stab as an alternate. It's her bad luck that she hasn't gotten USWNT recognition before Hayes.
It absolutely blows my mind that "experts" keep granting Sonnett roster spots. Hasn't she underachieved enough to convince you that the fact that she can play 2 positions just mean she can stink at both? Also, we had to put up with Pinoe for 4 years past her expiration date (WC'19), why are repeating the same mistake again with Morgan? Don't we ever learn? Morgan has been done and dusted physically since the Tokyo OG (2020). We are now in 2024, 'nough already. There are enough leaders in that locker room (Horan, Dunn, Naeher), can't afford more deadwood on an 18-player roster. Finally, despite being a good defender, Krueger is so bad with the ball at her feet that I would be surprised if she was picked. My 18 players are: 1- Naeher, 2- Murphy, 3- Girma, 4- Davidson (reluctantly, just for the height), 5- Nighswonger, 6- Dunn, 7- Fox, 8- Coffey, 9- Albert (she played in the CL so she knows the German players in our group), 10- Yohannes, 11- Horan, 12-Macario, 13- Lavelle, 14- Shaw, 15- Swanson, 16- Smith, 17- Rodman, 18- Staab (Dunn can back up both Jenna and Emily). Backups in case of injury: a- Williams, b- Gaetino, c- Bethune, d- Hirshfeldt
You’ve literally taken the words in my brain and put them to text. Agree 100% on your roster.
I feel the same way about Williams. People dismiss how terrible she is technically, bad at possession, bad 1v1. And not at this camp, means she’ll never be pulled in.
perfect roster right there except i would give sanchez a chance
Sonnett can play multiple positions tho
@@uh.kitanbanjo There's no room for Sanchez.
Lily Johannes is a tricky situation.
If she doesn’t go with the USWNT, the door is open for the Dutch to grab her for the Olympics and cap her.
Lily plays with a bunch of her homies back in the Netherlands, wouldn’t be hard to “twist” her arm.
Hope Emma knows what she’s doing .
The Dutch actually didn't qualify for the Olympics. And Lily doesn't have a Dutch passport yet, so she actually couldn't play for the Dutch senior national team currently anyways, only their youth teams. So they can't cap tie her - yet.
I'm not saying we should wait, I think Emma should offer her a roster spot for the Olympics because she can help us win a medal. But it's not as risky as it seems if she doesn't make the 18.
@@lostindarkestperu I really thought the Dutch qualified for the Olympics, I even watched the game that they won 6-0 earlier this year .
right after the summer in September, Europeans renew their women’s 2025 EURO qualifying matches while Concacaf womens are idle for awhile.
Governments could actually issue passports within a couple days in any country… the US did this for a male footballer for the 1998 WC.
Again, let’s thread with caution.
GK - Naeher, Murphy, (Campbell)
D - Girma, Davidson, Sonnett, Krueger, Fox, Nighswonger, (Staab)
M - Horan, Coffey, Albert, Lavelle, Macario, (Yohannes)
F - Swanson, Smith, Rodman, Dunn, Shaw, Morgan
I know that I have 19 rostered players and only 3 alternates selected, but I just can’t decide on who gets that last roster spot yet.
Drop Morgan
@@Mvivija I was thinking that, but I just don't see U.S. Soccer allowing her to not make the roster.
Drop Morgan and Rodman. Bring in Williams.
@@MvivijaDrop her like a bad habit!
@@RJ420NL Williams over Rodman is crazy
I like Nighswonger's offensive capabilities, but long term I would put her in a midfield and have a better defensive option at LB. We are very vulnerable on counters from the strong side - hoping out CB can defend wingers in space...
I think not playing SS out wide at times is a missed opportunity. She can play well there when Swanson is taking a break.
Shaw is a 3rd option for CAM - behind Macario and Lavelle, she has versatility up top - but not where we lack depth for a 18 member roster.
Lily is a great talent, but can't justify her roster spot yet - she didn't have to defend under pressure or possess the ball under pressure in her own end. She was in the game at a time when the game was winding down and Korea was not attacking at all. Alpert is a more proven player, and even she is light on high pressure experience.
Morgan and Kreuger should not be on the roster.
Hello Claire. Well thought through as always.
I reckon Emma will not see the best team as having the eleven most gifted players, ratger the eleven that can be most adaptable to fit tactics to beat the opponent. See operational research where the best fit is that which is not the best, but the best at being fit for purpose.
Secondly, see the recent U17 UEFA Women's championship. The players already play like professionals. This is what the US is up against. Note that Arsenal recently were held to a draw by Everton following an equaliser by a sixteen year old. US youngsters, like Albert, who went to play in big clubs professionally will put themselves at an advantage over players who stayed in college.
Lastly, since I am English, take a look at how England's youngsters, male and female, have been developed through academies, like in Spain and have started winning trophies and reaching finals. The senior women are European champions and the men lost on penalties in the final last time. I grew up dreaming of England being good enough to do this.
Tbh i don't see Korbin Albert not going at this point, she's played in pretty much every game this year with the new team and tactics. She's def going, not starting the games though. Also don't think krueger is going and Yohannes will instead.
I don't see both Albert and Yohannes making the 18 at the same time. It's one or the other or maybe even neither. One could be an alternate. I only say this because the attack is so stacked.
Nice analysis. Hard to argue with your list. If I had to guess who would potentially drop out due to injury I’d say Lavelle. She’s fragile and opposing teams always rough her up.
If she's fragile and "injury prone," isn't that a reason to take her as one of the 18? Then god forbid when she got hurt, then one of the alternate can be used.
I'm not going to even attempt my wish list roster. But a few notes on specific players. Staab: didn't get much of a mention but she should for a couple of reasons. First, there are players all through the lineup coming back from minor knocks. Staab - even as an alternate - must be in the mix. Second, with the attacking, high press Hayes likes, which this team does so well, the defense is vulnerable to teams that can either go over the top or attack with speed. We saw that happen at the recent tournament (Gold Cup I think?) Staab is so solid on the back line, especially alongside Girma and/or Davidson, she gives some extra support at the back. I think that will prove to be critical at some point against a talented attacking team. Yohannes: Yep, she's young, no experience in US major tournaments (don't forget Champions League with Ajax!) but I was gobsmacked by her field vision and passing ability. Pinpoint accuracy combined with reading the run of play. That long pass to Rodman was a thing of beauty. At times, let's say, Horan has to play deep, you can slot Yohannes into the 8 with any of a long list of talented 10s. At the very least she's on the squad as an alternate. Finally, Shaw: Hayes I'm sure has a plan to better integrate her along with Macario alternating at the 10. With these players, I'd almost like a default shape of 3-5-2 with 2 defending mids, a "connecting" mid, and two attacking mids who can drop back in defense quickly or attack into the front line along with two forwards. But I'm not the coach ...
Good take. I’d bring Yohannes over sonnett. I don’t think we need a 2nd utility player and Yohannes already has great chemistry with the front line.
Lynn Williams cannot play in this possession, 1v1 attacking offense. Agree here, not making this camp, not even as a practice player, means she will not be in the 18. 🤷♀️
I like it!
Alex Morgan has had two years to retire from the National Team with some classy send-off. She chose not to. She's gotten all the continuing sponsorship bucks while producing little. Now is the consequences - time to get dropped. She had a choice, it's on her.
She is absolutely worthless. It makes me mad and pissed off just watching her play. She almost seems like she’s scared to go after the ball she stands behind the defenders . She loses every 50-50 ball. She has always been maybe varsity soccer high school level good. And people think she’s one of the best!
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
I put Alex Morgan
😂😂😂😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂
Hahahahahah
What a joke
How do all these pundits keep including Morgan for "leadership." We have Horan, Neaher, Dunn, Lavelle. And the young guns up front have been playing enough. They look great together. I think the real reason is the sponsors and all these pundits know who ultimately butters their bread. It can't be from a footballing standpoint. I think its the Sports Illustrated roster spot.
My line-up
Naeher, Murphy
Girma, Davidson,
Nighswonger, Dunn ,Fox,
Yohannes,Horan, Coffey, Albert, Macario, Lavelle, Shaw, Morgan Rodman, Swanson, Smith,
reserve: Sonnett, Stabb, Campbell, Bethune
Morgen will definitely make the squad barring further injury! Emma's comments during the second post game interview support that thinking.
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Clearly you know nothing
Well I know something about you!
Dunn over someone like Lynn Williams would be a mistake IMO
There's zero reason to take Williams over Dunn imo
no it wouldn't, williams does not fit in Emma's tactics at all and Dunn is super versatile
until williams can learn to hold up the ball and bring players into the games, hayes won't pick her. Emma hayes likes her strikers to be more than goalscorers and more team players
Sonnet??? And kreueger over staub???
Lily over Albert i agree with. The other 2 i think are good players, but very average, if you ask me.
I really didnt hear sonnets name called much in her start in the 2nd game. Staubs name, on the other hand, was constantly mentioned. Saving this, stopping that. Excellent passes. Shes sneaky, younger, faster than sonnet. If you bring in a yohannes, you have the midfield covered. So sonnets like a sixth finger, really not necessary.
hayes isn't taking 4 midfielders, she has made it clear Albert is a big part of her team.
I don't see Lily Yohannes playing for the USWNT when she can stay at home and regularly play against the best European International teams all year long. On one hand the Euro's and on the other hand the Gold Cup. It's a 10 hour flight to the US east coast and an entire day to California (plus 3 hours for TSA) or she can take her bike from home to the train station. Of course, I could be completely wrong.
Money talks too and once she sees what the US will offer in comparison, along with potential endorsement contracts… that’s a lot to turn away. That’s of course not mentioning being taught by Emma Hayes and the friendships she’s already built. Also, interesting, what does the age of the Dutch national team look like? She can actually grow up with the young core of the USWNT. The youth could be a draw too. They’re building something from scratch and that might draw her
@@candacelong7643 You sound like you know what you're talking about. Thanks!
If you can be a star in US team, you make 10 times more than playing for Netherlands. US is where the money to be. She needs to consider is if she is good enough to stay in the star stagged US team.
@@ms1007901 I think this is actually the real issue. Quietly you wonder if she can actually stay in the program considering the talent and competition year in and year out. I mean just look at Bethune. She already looks like a future starter. For the Dutch she doesn’t have that worry or concern. However, if Lily is the baller and competitor I think she is, she’s betting on herself
Or, she could just feel more American than Dutch. She was born and grew up in the DMV(my area in the US as well), I'm sure she has a ton of family in the area as well when you consider that the DMV has the biggest Eritrean/Ethiopian population outside of those 2 country's themselves, so that could be a factor too. Money always talks of course, and she'll earn more playing for the US and the USWNT is just a better NT than the Dutch if we're being completely honest. The Dutch couldn't beat the USWNT at our lowest point during the WC
Drop Morgan and Rodman. They have been holding the offense back for a long time. Its way past time to move on. Morgan is past retirement and Rodman never will be an international level player.
But Williams is?
completely disagree on Rodman. not only is she field smart, she's currently coached by Adrian Gonzalez and soon Jona Giraldez also (not to mention Hayes). I think theyre going to see her as a mix of Paraluello and Graham Hansen, and train her accordingly. At only 21, she's pure potential and I think she's going to blossom as an excellent wing under the training and leadership she has access to
Your opinion on Rodman is yours to have, cherish it, but try to watch her play for a while, she is a baller!
🦶🦶
Rodmen is like one of your best players. Hayes isn't stupid.