All-Encompassing Womens Soccer Thread

[bluesfan94]

It is kind of an odd look that you have such a poor group stage showing and in the post-game you see a lot of smiles, joking, dancing, etc... going on. Not expecting anyone to kick kittens or anything, but for a team with such expectations and to be a post away from elimination, you just maybe expect to see less...casualness and contentment?

Players and teams will handle adversity in different ways so this may just be their way, but I can definitely see why someone like Lloyd would be sensitive to that. I thought she was fine to go there.

Carli Lloyd once skipped a game to go to a concert, I'm not sure she's exactly the expert on anything.

She's the female Alexi Lalas.

I love being proven right:

 

[Venkman]

Formation change worked brilliantly going with 3 CBs with Walsh out. Zelem next to Stanway and James and Hemp closer to Russo.

Two great goals by James and denied a hatrick of great goals by VAR.

 

[Savant]

Lol, I remember when I was told this was a very likable group.

Their own doesn't even seem to agree.

Why aren’t they likable? They aren’t losing because they are unlikable. Two Different things here.

The English team isn’t exactly patriotic either

 

[John Price]

The players are likable. Everyone loves Alex Morgan. The only controversial one is rapinoe and she's struggled lately on the World stage

Main issue

 

[PanniniClaus]

It is kind of an odd look that you have such a poor group stage showing and in the post-game you see a lot of smiles, joking, dancing, etc... going on. Not expecting anyone to kick kittens or anything, but for a team with such expectations and to be a post away from elimination, you just maybe expect to see less...casualness and contentment?

Players and teams will handle adversity in different ways so this may just be their way, but I can definitely see why someone like Lloyd would be sensitive to that. I thought she was fine to go there.

I just love gratuitous dancing and prancing... They should be on a plane home with Canada.

 

[Savant]

The players are likable. Everyone loves Alex Morgan. The only controversial one is rapinoe and she's struggled lately on the World stage

Main issue

Everyone is jumping on Carli Lloyd but if you look at Heather O’Reilly it’s a different perspective. HAO isn’t as sensationalistic so of course it isn’t getting the the attention

 

[John Price]

I followed this USWNT closely since 2011 and I've seen a lot of concerning things. I was hoping they'd be resolved by 2023 but apparently not.

The issue with Vladko is that he was successful in the NWSL which is where all the women play in the US. It is their domestic league, and he has done well there, credit to him for that. But since being promoted to the head coaching job of the US women's team he has

- seen his side (mostly old vets) succumb to the Olympics against Canada, a team that was considered "lucky" to win with outrageous offensive inefficiency. Afterwards he saw the writing on the wall and put some younger players in, which was what the team sorely needed.

- seen one of the worst winters a US national team could have in 22-jan 23 where they lost 3? in a row in friendlies, something that had not been done since the 90's. The US lost to England, Spain and Germany. They later won against Germany the second time a few days later, but the damage was done.

- injuries have greatly impacted this team, at least 3 players (Mallory Swanson, Macario, and Sauerbrunn) were ineligible due to injury and others like Sam Mewis were unable to play either.

Going in everyone was teasing about how it was the US vs the World, or how the US would coast easily to a three-peat. But those following this team closely know that the injuries plus Vladko would not bode well.

Also it should be noted that no country even the vaulted US has ever won 3 WC's in a row (although the sample size is small with only 9 or so world cups)

 

[CuuuJooo]

Ah yes, my other hot take! I have the Dutch pippin' them to top spot in their group.

Nicely done.

 

[John Price]

Dutch were underachieving in Euros under former manager Parsons who left to coach the NWSL spirit. Pleasantly surprised to see them improved so much.

 

[Wee Baby Seamus]

Nicely done.

Thank you.

Alas, Canada went out even earlier than I had expected, and the corollary to my US prediction - a US-Spain QF, was dashed at the hands of a Japanese beat down.

 

[Hockey4Lyfe]

It is what it is sometimes. Aspects of the US team look old and slow while in other spurts and areas they look extremely fast.

Swanson, Macario, Press, possibly Lavelle. Unfortunately the amount of injuries sometimes can’t be overcome and it looks like that may be the case. They look really disjointed.

No matter the result, the US is going to have one of if not the best women’s soccer teams moving forward.

With Swanson, Smith, Thompson and others coming through the ranks, they have the skill to continue to produce no matter what result ends up happening here.

 

[Ben Grimm]

I don't disagree with Lloyd. There's always been a code though that the US media is a little bit kinder to the national teams and I don't think that's a bad thing.

Idk know what the Canadian media says if their men's hockey team doesn't win everything and I don't want to.

 

[Summer Rose]

Huge moment for South Africa as they win their first match ever at the World Cup and advance to play the Netherlands.

 

[Eye of Ra]

How is it fair that Sweden gets USA this early? We won all of our games and yet we have to play against the best NT in the world already at this stage.

Sweden and Japan the only teams with a 100% record after the group stage. If im correct

 

[Dr Pepper]

Italy done, Argentina done, Brazil needs a goal late or they're gonna go home too.

 

[John Price]

Brazil in serious danger of not advancing out of the group stage. What a wild tournament. Americans nearly eliminated, saved by a post, and now Brazil out. Oh, and Italy is out to South Africa.

Final whistle blows. Jamaica advances with a draw. Brazil are out.

 

[Dr Pepper]

Just saw the highlights from the Italy-South Africa game, that own goal by Italy was something......defender pressured and passed back to the keeper, only she ended up rifling into the left corner. Keeper wasn't ready I guess.

Brutal. Great play by RSA to get the win in extra time though.

 

[Dr Pepper]

Also, with Brazil out, that's it for Marta I guess.

Going into the tourney both she and Christine Sinclair had the chance of being the first player (male OR female) to score in six consecutive world cups......and neither one managed to do it, in three group stage games before their respective teams got sent packing.

 

[GKJ]

Dutch were underachieving in Euros under former manager Parsons who left to coach the NWSL spirit. Pleasantly surprised to see them improved so much.

Without their best player, too. By a significant margin.

Well, maybe not so significant.

 

[Jack Straw]

How is it fair that Sweden gets USA this early? We won all of our games and yet we have to play against the best NT in the world already at this stage.

Sweden and Japan the only teams with a 100% record after the group stage. If im correct

USA look far from the best team in the world right now.

 

[Dr Pepper]

That first goal by Panama against France was world class.....curled into the top corner from far out.

Might be the best "first ever goal by {insert country here} at the World Cup", that I've ever seen.

 

[Jussi]

Sundhage sacked in 3-2-...

 

[Jack Straw]

Is Hervé Renard the first coach to manage teams in successive men’s and women’s World Cups? Saudi men last year and now France women.

 

[Cirris]

As much as i was never a huge Marta fan. It is a shame to see her slide off into the sunset never winning either of the big two trophies; World Cup or Olympics.

They slayed the American Juggernaut in 2007 only to get blitzkrieged by the Germans in the finals.

And who can ever forget the late US equalizer in 2011 by Wambach that sent it to ET and Hope Solo did the rest. (You can say a lot about Hope Solo off the field antics. But you have to admit she was one of, if not the greatest women's GK ever)

Brazil team is always talented, but they never seemed to find the final push in those two big tournaments.

 

[GKJ]

How is it fair that Sweden gets USA this early? We won all of our games and yet we have to play against the best NT in the world already at this stage.

Sweden and Japan the only teams with a 100% record after the group stage. If im correct

That’s how the draw goes. You’ll get USA without their best player at least.

Fox is also not going to be happy here because the game is going to be in the middle of the night in the US. I know no one is crying for the networks, but the heat will come from all angles here just like it is in Canada.