US Women Find Offense Against a 4-5-1

As November departed and consumed USA Women’s National Team fans with trepidation and waves of blizzards encompassing most of the nation, a wonderful cycler event began to transpire. Underneath the frozen terrain, perhaps, yes perhaps, seeds of offense began to sprout for the US Women.

Anticipation and pure giddy excitement has begun to engulf my soccer tactical logic. Why? Based solely on highlight feeds (I know…dangerous to analyze highlights) the USA has created more intelligent offensive movement since the World Cup Qualifying closely contested matches. Over winter, like many soccer fanatics, I wondered if the USA could ever find their way out of an opponents 4-5-1 (or similar) formation. Our midfield lacked poise, control, and creativity. Our defense at times (despite not yielding numerous goals) appeared panicked, angered, and often resulted to simply clearing balls rather than developing an attack. The strikers, well, the strikers seem tired and frustrated running after numerous 50/50 balls. The USA game was played primarily within the center of the pitch. Ugly. 

Coach Pia Sundhage knows offense—at least I am convinced she does. However, many fans were becoming impatient. US women soccer fans fail to comprehend losing. US Women’s Soccer, UCONN Women’s basketball, New York Yankees, LA Lakers—these are all teams that win year in and year out. So when the US Women were on the verge of not qualifying based on “one” loss, it became news. As a more intelligent soccer fan, the lack of the USA understanding how to play against a 4-5-1 became my news. Pia went to work.

While many soccer experts were rightfully pointing out Pia’s change and experimentation with the defensive back four, another storyline was developing to coincide with the defensive exploration. We found width! Could it be that the USA will no longer be “boxxed” in the midfield (forgive me, could not help myself) against teams that wish to close out our central space?

Watch the highlights from the Iceland match on the USWNT website. Viewers are consumed with overlapping runs, balls played out to the flanks, and several US attackers crashing the goal on slotted balls. High pressure, patience, creativity, and smiles.  Highlight videos make me feel good. Megan Rapinoe and Heather O’Reilly controlled the flanks with confidence. Rapinoe was patient, composed, and timed her crosses perfectly. Soccer was fun again.

April 2^nd will provide a clear picture on the USA’s progress. The match against England is to be televised (as of now) thanks to ESPN2. Until then, USA players and fans will continue to allow their confidence to grow.

US Women defeat Costa Rica

Defeating Costa Rica 3-0, the US Women’s National Team finished the CONCACAF World Cup qualifying tournament scoring a total of 21 goals while only conceding one. Despite this impressive stat, the US finished in third place and must now defeat Italy on aggregate to proceed to Germany next summer.

With elimination on the line, the US looked poised and relaxed against Costa Rica. Coach Pia Sundhage had urged her team to attack using the flanks while playing in their 4-4-2 formation. Costa Rica was able to suppress the outside attack during much of the first half. Again, lack of US outside midfielders and defenders failed to challenge one versus one situations on the flanks which created a more direct central US attack. The US caught a break in the 17^th minute when Lauren Cheney’s shot managed to catch Costa Rica’s goalie wrong footed.

Sporting a blue head band that covered her recent stitches earned during the Mexico match, Abby Wambach scored her 116^th international goal in the 33^rd minute with a picture perfect left footed volley. Wambach scored goal number 117 early in the second half to ensure the US victory.

Despite easily defeating Costa Rica, the US will face a more difficult Italian side in Italy on November 20 and again in Chicago on November 27. The winner will be decided on aggregate, which means that the team which scores the most goals will advance to the Women’s World Cup.

For a preview of the Italy-USA match, including info on Italy, please continue here: USWNT V ITALY
USWNT post match quotes

Pre-game Thoughts For USWNT Must Win Game Versus Costa Rica

As the nation hopefully tunes into ESPN2 tonight at 6pm, the US will have to fight off many obstacles to keep their hopes of World Cup qualification alive. Challenged by playing in an unsupportive atmosphere, the US will look to remain undefeated and un-scored on by Costa Rica.

There remains little doubt that the women’s national team is still transitioning from their powerhouse dominating 90’s and pre-2007 World Cup days. While the US is building their identity and foundation for the future, the rest of the world has finally improved drastically. With better coaching and more opportunities, more parity has been created within the women’s game. Therefore, the lousy setup of the women’s CONCACAF World Cup qualification has been a joke and hopefully will be changed after this debacle of a tournament is over.

Tonight, the US has one simple task. Embrace the US women’s soccer tradition of never giving up. To embrace the competitive drive that I once witnessed as a young teenager when many national team players were playing in a “pick-up” soccer game. The desire to win was so intense that a fight almost broke out between two very good friends. Winning was everything, even in a pick-up soccer game.

If Costa Rica’s coaching staff knows what they are doing, they will come out in a 4-5-1formation--or a similar formation to congest and jam the midfield. During the CONCACAF tournament, the US midfield and defense has been frustrated and often times ineffective at controlling the midfield. Frantic play along with not developing a strong possession game has had the US starting matches a little “off” and sluggish. The midfield has not been able to settle down and become creative. Costa Rica will look to exploit this weakness and force the US to fall into their bad habit of playing a direct and physical style of soccer. If the US falls into this pattern, the referees will not tolerate the US physical play. Costa Rica may be able to have a quick counter against the US central defenders who have seemed vulnerable in quick counter situations.

The good news is that the US has never lost to Costa Rica and recently defeated them on November 1. The bad news is that it took the US a penalty kick late in the first half to start their scoring campaign. The other three goals all came in the second half. The US failed to capitalized on many scoring chances that game. The score could have been worse. However, Costa Rica definitely exposed the weaknesses in the US midfield and central defense.

To win tonight, look for the US to play more relaxed and less direct. The midfield needs to find width and use the flanks to initiate the attack. The US is a stronger side and has more depth. A quick attacking style that exposes gaps within the Costa Rican defense will free up Abby Wambach in the center. Look for sub (or starter?) Alex Morgan to come in to take some pressure off Wambach. The US will need to be disciplined and play a possession game.

The US may start veteran Kristine Lilly at left midfielder. Her experience and silent leadership should be beneficial during this stressful match. Lilly has always been the calm silent one.

One thing is for certain, the US Women’s National team once again has the country talking about them. Hopefully, they will rise to the challenge as they have always done.