Pia's post game quotes on the USSF site singled out Tobin Heath, another rookie who came in at half as part of the US's switch to a 4-3-3 formation, for some well deserved (IMO) praise. She ran past Chinese defenders down the left wing over and over creating chances and making (along with HAO on the other side) Pia's halftime stategy change work.
The passing play between O'Reilly and Amy Rodriguez toward game's end with A-Rod actually pointing to a diagonal run between defenders and HAO laying the ball perfectly into space was something special. Unfortunately, Rodriguez's curving low shot to the far corner lacked the last tiny bit of pace and the Chinese keeper was able to get a finger on it to push it a foot wide. We didn't see that kind of play much in the Ryan era. I have rapidly become a huge Pia fan.
Last observation and I'll leave you all alone: Solo's first half save (her only one) was a beauty. Her post game comments said the shot was a chip and she retreated to her line to save it. She suggested she might have been a bit too far out initially and was fortunate to read the shot and get back. I thought the shot was a dipping drive, not a chip, and the only retreating I saw was Hope's leap up, back, and a bit to her right to deflect a ball virtually behind her over the top of the cage. She may have been out of position (as I read her comments to suggest) but, if so, she erased the mistake (not to mention the scoring chance) with a seriously athletic move. It seemed to me to be quite a bit more spectacular than her comments suggest, but then, I'm hardly an objective observer, either.
The team looked good. As they continue to develop in Pia's system, it'll be interesting to see them against the better teams who'll pressure them instead of laying back like the Chinese did. This was a very nice start, though.
FC if USSF had any brains they would set up a rematch between US and Brazil here in south Florida. It would be a sell out game. There are more Brazilians down here then cubans now. As my friend sophia says, they are like bic pens: they are everywhere, lol.
Ghost Heath played great against China. People kept saying that we had a lot of young talent, but they were not ready for international comp. Pia has show them all wrong. Arod, Heath, Sauer, Kreiger, and woznuk all had great performances coming in with so few caps. Hopefully we will bring in some young keepers to the next camp and round out the team.
As for the Solo comments,
“I thought she caught me off my line. I was reading the through ball so I started to cheat off my line and I swear the forward and I made eye contact. I saw that she was about to chip me so I quickly made it back to my line and made the save.”
I think its interesting to get some insight into the mental game which is the heart of goalkeeping. although as a former keeper, im a little biased lol
I only want Pia to do one thing: tactfully and gracefully get Lilly and Scurry out of the WNT program (I wish Wambach the same fate but that's unrealistic at this time).
Ghostwriter, thanks for the detailed analysis. I don't always trust the writeups at USSF.com (when matches are not readily available) so it's good to read your viewpoint about this match.
SOunds like Pia is on the right track and good to see that the youngsters are getting a run out.
7 comments:
When does the team get their revenge match against Brazil and Marta?
Pia's post game quotes on the USSF site singled out Tobin Heath, another rookie who came in at half as part of the US's switch to a 4-3-3 formation, for some well deserved (IMO) praise. She ran past Chinese defenders down the left wing over and over creating chances and making (along with HAO on the other side) Pia's halftime stategy change work.
The passing play between O'Reilly and Amy Rodriguez toward game's end with A-Rod actually pointing to a diagonal run between defenders and HAO laying the ball perfectly into space was something special. Unfortunately, Rodriguez's curving low shot to the far corner lacked the last tiny bit of pace and the Chinese keeper was able to get a finger on it to push it a foot wide. We didn't see that kind of play much in the Ryan era. I have rapidly become a huge Pia fan.
Last observation and I'll leave you all alone: Solo's first half save (her only one) was a beauty. Her post game comments said the shot was a chip and she retreated to her line to save it. She suggested she might have been a bit too far out initially and was fortunate to read the shot and get back. I thought the shot was a dipping drive, not a chip, and the only retreating I saw was Hope's leap up, back, and a bit to her right to deflect a ball virtually behind her over the top of the cage. She may have been out of position (as I read her comments to suggest) but, if so, she erased the mistake (not to mention the scoring chance) with a seriously athletic move. It seemed to me to be quite a bit more spectacular than her comments suggest, but then, I'm hardly an objective observer, either.
The team looked good. As they continue to develop in Pia's system, it'll be interesting to see them against the better teams who'll pressure them instead of laying back like the Chinese did. This was a very nice start, though.
FC if USSF had any brains they would set up a rematch between US and Brazil here in south Florida. It would be a sell out game. There are more Brazilians down here then cubans now. As my friend sophia says, they are like bic pens: they are everywhere, lol.
Ghost
Heath played great against China. People kept saying that we had a lot of young talent, but they were not ready for international comp. Pia has show them all wrong. Arod, Heath, Sauer, Kreiger, and woznuk all had great performances coming in with so few caps. Hopefully we will bring in some young keepers to the next camp and round out the team.
As for the Solo comments,
“I thought she caught me off my line. I was reading the through ball so I started to cheat off my line and I swear the forward and I made eye contact. I saw that she was about to chip me so I quickly made it back to my line and made the save.”
I think its interesting to get some insight into the mental game which is the heart of goalkeeping. although as a former keeper, im a little biased lol
I only want Pia to do one thing: tactfully and gracefully get Lilly and Scurry out of the WNT program (I wish Wambach the same fate but that's unrealistic at this time).
Ghostwriter, thanks for the detailed analysis. I don't always trust the writeups at USSF.com (when matches are not readily available) so it's good to read your viewpoint about this match.
SOunds like Pia is on the right track and good to see that the youngsters are getting a run out.
So looks like things are back to neat. Gotta love that.
JT,
My pleasure. Its not often I see something that many of you all maybe did not.
Highlights of that game on the USSF site are also worthwhile. They show Hope's save (from the other end of the field) and some nice moves from Tobin.
ghost
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