2023 FIFA Women's World Cup

[donniesyracuse]

Not really seeing why the US is favored other than its name.

I assume a majority of the bets are coming from the United States.

 

[upperdeck]

Germany beating Morocco 6-0 and then Morocco getting in ahead of them with a GD that was 9 goals worse is like how we lost to Rutgers a few year ago.

Germany lost to Col with 68% possession and shots 14-9 and tied SK with 71% possession and shots 14-5..

 

[jordville]

Read these two articles and thought some posters in this thread might find interesting. Second link is from July and is referenced in the first article as a summary of problems with player development.

Yahoo - USWNT's problems, explained

US Soccer Girls Youth Pipeline Issues

Regards to the 2nd article and DA...

They did away with DA because no kid wants to train 5 nights a week and be banned from playing in HS. Players were dropping out of that league like flys when they realized they could play on their club teams 1 level down, get all the exposure they need, still get identified for the National team and be a normal high level student athlete. I coach both a HS girls team and also 2 girls club teams.

Edit: DA existed for only the last two years of a prior US Womens World Cup Championship. Their success wasn't built on DA.

 

[Orangezoo]

Brutal way to lose. In the end couldn't finish the entire WC and that's what did them in.

 

[cliftonparksufan]

What a way to lose. They had the goalie going the other direction and couldn't convert. Wow.

 

[Orangezoo]

What a way to lose.

They dominated run of play and had far more shots on frame then had everything right there for them in PKs and still couldn't close. Rapinoe of all people sailing that PK was poetic in the wrong way to their WC this cycle

 

[cliftonparksufan]

They dominated run of play and had far more shots on frame then had everything right there for them in PKs and still couldn't close. Rapinoe of all people sailing that PK was poetic in the wrong way to their WC this cycle

How does Sophia Smith move on from here. Soccer's new golden child, starts off the WC with a bang and ends with a fizzle. Sad to see.

 

[Orangezoo]

How does Sophia Smith move on from here. Soccer's new golden child, starts off the WC with a bang and ends with a fizzle. Sad to see.

It is. It's also clear that unless she makes some large strides development wise she and Rodman should be backups at the most for the national team.

 

[Willy75]

They dominated run of play and had far more shots on frame then had everything right there for them in PKs and still couldn't close. Rapinoe of all people sailing that PK was poetic in the wrong way to their WC this cycle

Inability to finish was their Achilles heel all tournament long.

 

[jordville]

A 238-minute scoring drought is unacceptable for our women in the World Cup. We knew some key injuries going into the WC was going to make it more challenging, but that stat is alarming. We had the chances in each match but just couldn't put it in the back of the net.

Edit: And only one goal in the last 3 WC matches (late Horan equalizer).

 

[kirbivore]

I made some money on the 90 minute draw bet. +260 with the Fanduel profit boost.

 

[cusefan88]

Understand the USAs lead in women's soccer is gone. They'll need to get past "grit toughness heart" and focus on better technical and tactical skills.

Hope USSF gets the message (unlikely).

 

[PoppyHart]

At least the WNT made the most money out of any of the competing teams!

 

[OrangeDW]

Also soccer is pretty boring to me, but at least they’re way more athletic than golfers.

 

[samspann1]

Also soccer is pretty boring to me, but at least they’re way more athletic than golfers.

I don’t think that the levels of athleticism between soccer players and golfers are remotely even comparable

 

[Trueblue25]

I dont watch soccer at all so I’ve just seen interviews and a couple world cup mat hes this year. They’re clearly talented, smart, powerful women who deserve a greater following from the country. Equal pay means equal criticism though. Its not like men aren’t dealing with absurd H0T Takes and politicizing too.

Hope they bounce back at whatever the next opportunity may be. Was fun watching/cheering them on at Wolf’s.

 

[OrangeDW]

I’m sure they have a massive game coming up against Belarus or Iran/Taliban (nvm they don’t allow women to do sports).

BOYS ARE BUZZING!

 

[upperdeck]

I don’t think that the levels of athleticism between soccer players and golfers are remotely even comparable

I wonder if you compared the work out routines for the PGA guys vs the WNT what you would think.

 

[Forza Azzurri]

They dominated run of play and had far more shots on frame then had everything right there for them in PKs and still couldn't close. Rapinoe of all people sailing that PK was poetic in the wrong way to their WC this cycle

So, going back and finding the last post that actually had something to do with the game, the US was certainly the better team and deserved to win. But that is soccer. Probably more than in any other sport, the better team doesn't always win the game.

I will give limited credit to Andonovski. Yes, he switched to a dual pivot but I am not sure he would have changed anything if Lavelle had not been suspended.

The dual pivot was clearly the right move. We looked like a totally different team defensively with that solidity in the middle.

Assuming this was tactical but the dual pivot also seemed to give Fox much more freedom to go forward and support Rodman\Williams and I thought she was terrific.

I also thought Smith was much better this game. Much better at not dribbling into trouble and keeping the ball moving.

Horan was terrific in the link-up role and I'm still not sure how the Swedish keeper saved that shot. That save was the best of a lot of really good saves that she made.

Sonnett had a heckuva game for an outside back forced into a holding mid role. Thought she did a great job playing within herself.

The biggest reason that Andonovski cannot be back is that he has no idea how to use his bench. You cannot play a month long tournament without using your bench. The Rodman sub was a good one as she had made two really poor backpasses in the space of a couple of minutes and was clearly tiring. But we had Sweden on the ropes at the end of the game and in OT and some fresh legs could have ended it without having to go to PKs. Sweden had made 9 changes for their last game so they were fresher than we were and it showed in OT and we lost the initiative.

He also should have realized after the Netherlands (Edit: meant Netherlands; wrote Sweden) game that what he was doing wasn't working and made changes for Portugal. The Netherlands (same edit) game clearly showed that there were changes to be made that could have made the US a much better team but he made none of them.

And you would think that Coaches would learn that bringing in players in the final minute of OT and then asking them to take a PK is not a good idea.

Obviously the earliest exit ever is disappointing but at least they exited with a solid performance where they deserved to win.

Onto the Olympics in '24.

 

[Orangezoo]

So, going back and finding the last post that actually had something to do with the game, the US was certainly the better team and deserved to win. But that is soccer. Probably more than in any other sport, the better team doesn't always win the game.

I will give limited credit to Andonovski. Yes, he switched to a dual pivot but I am not sure he would have changed anything if Lavelle had not been suspended.

The dual pivot was clearly the right move. We looked like a totally different team defensively with that solidity in the middle.

Assuming this was tactical but the dual pivot also seemed to give Fox much more freedom to go forward and support Rodman\Williams and I thought she was terrific.

I also thought Smith was much better this game. Much better at not dribbling into trouble and keeping the ball moving.

Horan was terrific in the link-up role and I'm still not sure how the Swedish keeper saved that shot. That save was the best of a lot of really good saves that she made.

Sonnett had a heckuva game for an outside back forced into a holding mid role. Thought she did a great job playing within herself.

The biggest reason that Andonovski cannot be back is that he has no idea how to use his bench. You cannot play a month long tournament without using your bench. The Rodman sub was a good one as she had made two really poor backpasses in the space of a couple of minutes and was clearly tiring. But we had Sweden on the ropes at the end of the game and in OT and some fresh legs could have ended it without having to go to PKs. Sweden had made 9 changes for their last game so they were fresher than we were and it showed in OT and we lost the initiative.

He also should have realized after the Sweden game that what he was doing wasn't working and made changes for Portugal. The Sweden game clearly showed that there were changaes to be made that could have made the US a much better team but he made none of them.

And you would think that Coaches would learn that bringing in players in the final minute of OT and then asking them to take a PK is not a good idea.

Obviously the earliest exit ever is disappointing but at least they exited with a solid performance where they deserved to win.

Onto the Olympics in '24.

I think that's fair. I also felt like Sweden was a better matchup for this squad to get for playing a group winner. They are limited in the final 30 a great deal which was in part due to our tactics but also their own poor execution.

It was most certainly a harsh result to go with excellent GK play from Sweden. They have always been a team that defends well and bests you on the counter and with set pieces.

Hope that we can get healthy for the Olympics and also we get a new manager in asap.

One last comment- it's been a very interesting WWC so far. A lot of disappointing performances from the big favorites to date. I have yet to see any controversy or the ball being used so at least there is that

 

[Cowtown]

The quote below is copied from a post on the OT board a few years ago. The point is two-fold. First the story about the evolution of the transgender athletes and how all the protests just died away.

The second is that even for an issue as contentious as this apparently is, there can be intelligent discussion over on the OT board on such issues without personal attacks. Come on over, the water's fine.

"I have a cousin in Connecticut who was a remarkably successful track and XC coach over his 35 years in that role. Now retired, he serves on an advisory council for HS track there. Some 15 years ago a couple of trans athletes were noticed as they were winning local events as 13-14 year olds, and controversy naturally ensued. As they grew older and the hormone regimen with which they were prescribed did its work, their times began falling off to where as HS seniors they were just average athletes. Neither girl landed a scholarship and they moved off the sports pages and on with their lives. Today very few remember them or the controversy."

 

[Shrmdougluvr]

Read these two articles and thought some posters in this thread might find interesting. Second link is from July and is referenced in the first article as a summary of problems with player development.

Yahoo - USWNT's problems, explained

US Soccer Girls Youth Pipeline Issues

Pay to play and a lack of a true meritocracy is problematic and (I think) a uniquely American sports problem (at least in comparison to the European sports model).

And when I say "pay to play" i am referring not only about the barriers that children from lower economic classes face (though I actually think this is less of a problem) but also the scores of players that have no business playing at certain levels but are there simply because mommy and daddy can afford to write the check (or find the way to afford it) and the club directors are too financially invested to pass it up.

I'm the father of sons, but my sense is that these issues are exacerbated even more with girls' teams than boys'.

 

[Cowtown]

Pay to play and a lack of a true meritocracy is problematic and (I think) a uniquely American sports problem (at least in comparison to the European sports model).

And when I say "pay to play" i am referring not only about the barriers that children from lower economic classes face (though I actually think this is less of a problem) but also the scores of players that have no business playing at certain levels but are there simply because mommy and daddy can afford to right the check (or find the way to afford it) and the club directors are too financially invested to pass it up.

I'm the father of sons, but my sense is that these issues are exacerbated even more with girls' teams than boys'.

I know a lot of people whose kids don't play hockey because of the expense and the almost furious level of involvement. Not only cost of the equipment, but the fees for ice rental, the traveling back and forth from the interminable practices, and the obligatory "volunteering" at fund-raising events, like casinos.

 

[Orangezoo]

Pay to play and a lack of a true meritocracy is problematic and (I think) a uniquely American sports problem (at least in comparison to the European sports model).

And when I say "pay to play" i am referring not only about the barriers that children from lower economic classes face (though I actually think this is less of a problem) but also the scores of players that have no business playing at certain levels but are there simply because mommy and daddy can afford to write the check (or find the way to afford it) and the club directors are too financially invested to pass it up.

I'm the father of sons, but my sense is that these issues are exacerbated even more with girls' teams than boys'.

When you look at the issues with the power conference game of thrones that is ongoing paired with points here- the future is very concerning.

When I played in HS- a very small town rural HS at that- most every school in the county had multiple competitive sports programs with strong participation. Sports , along with other extra curricular activities were a big deal. They also were affordable and even with summer camps and equipment it was an option for all kids - given they ran night busses for kids to get home after practice or events.

22 years later participation is a shell of itself, very few programs are competitive in the county and the cost has gone up ( given all the other tourneys and commitments to be competitive).That includes fewer evening bus routes.

The money grab at the top level of college sports is only going to further dilute interest and participation at youth levels over time, especially at a time it needs a boost not to be knocked down.It's sad to see.

 

[OrangeDW]

I know a lot of people whose kids don't play hockey because of the expense and the almost furious level of involvement. Not only cost of the equipment, but the fees for ice rental, the traveling back and forth from the interminable practices, and the obligatory "volunteering" at fund-raising events, like casinos.

I know people from
Syracuse whose son (maybe 13-14 years old) plays hockey that are regularly driving to weekend tournaments in Ottawa, Rochester, Niagara Falls, etc. which seems completely ridiculous to me.