I tend to agree. Over the last five or six years, the U.S. has usually been very aggressive in pushing the outside defenders forward. That was the case again today; Kelly O’Hara and Crystal Dunn both spent a lot of time in the attacking third. That is a gamble that rests on the iron triangle of the two center backs and Julie Ertz as a defensive midfielder, and on the midfielders rotating back to help. It’s high risk. The ladies aren’t as young as they used to be. We concede a lot of space on the wings, and peer group teams with speed are finding room to operate. I wouldn’t try to change the chemistry of the team at this point, but it’s at least arguable that they’d be better off with a standard four back defense with the outside defenders staying home. Julie Ertz played center back through the 2015 World Cup and the U.S. defense was impervious. It’s arguable that they’d be better off moving Ertz back, which would allow Vlatko to get Horan, Mewis and Lavelle in midfield simultaneously. I dunno; I just kibbitz from the cheap seats. But the defense is vulnerable against teams that can beat the U.S. press.
Great post again, thank you sphnix.