This comes off the heels of yesterday’s revealing discussion about the tactical disaster that was the USWNT/China draw on Wednesday night. A few commentors put forth their own preferred formations and/or suggested calling up names that have seemingly been black-listed from the USWNT.

This merely sratches at the surface of the myriad of emerging problems that riddle this USWNT set-up. The dearth of fullbacks, the institutional distrust of young players, the stubborn selection of pet players regardless of their fitness or form, the clear lack of technical ability, the “we can’t pass or control the ball so let’s just hoof it up to Wambach and hope for the best” mentality and the lack of a true holding midfielder are all factors in this. That’s a conversation for another day, however.

Select any player you’d like, even if they’re (allegedly) unfit or out of favor (calling Lori Chalupny and Leslie Osborne). Also pick your seven reserves with preferably one goalkeeper. Order your substitutes by whom you feel would have the most immediate effect.

If you posted your formation in the previous post, feel free to transcribe it here. Also, if you’re completely and utterly confused by these nebulous number arrangements called ‘tactics’ I highly recommend reading EPL Talk’s Beginner’s Guide to Tactics. Pretty soon you’ll be able to tell when a left-back gets slotted in to midfield, thus creating a three-man defense and a condensed five-man midfield.

Here’s Chris Henderson’s variation of a 4-3-3:

Solo

Chalupny—Buehler—LePeilbet—Krieger

Osborne—Averbuch

Boxx

O’Hara—-Wambach—–Morgan

And here’s my suggestion:

Solo

Chalupny—Buehler—LePeilet—Krieger

Osborne

O’Reilly—Boxx—O’Hara

Wambach

Rodriguez

Subs: Morgan, Lilly, Averbuch, Lindsey, Cheney, Barnhart

The formation would resemble more of a 4-1-4-1 or a 4-1-3-2, depending on Abby Wambach’s positioning. She would have a “free” role and could either play in passes from midfield alongside Shannon Boxx, widen out play on the flanks or link up with A-Rod up top. Wambach’s vision is second to none and she would play as the reserved striker/playmaker, which she kind of already does. It was very tempting to select a 4-2-3-1 with Osborne and Averbuch as your DM’s but the system would lose a wide player (either O’Hara or O’Reilly) and the USWNT doesn’t want that to happen, as is illustrated below.

*Note on 4-4-2: Batfink made the point that 4-4-2 is still a perfectly acceptable system today (ask Harry Redknapp’s Tottenham Hotspur) but that the USWNT simply doesn’t have the personnel to make it work. 4-4-2 depends on its wide players – fullbacks have to make deep runs and wingers have to cut in from the outside. The USWNT made it work twice this year: first in the Germany friendly in which HAO and Lilly completely bossed the flanks and in the first China game in which HAO (again) and Megan Rapinoe had excellent performances. How’s this for proof? Both wingers scored in those two games. When the outside midfielders are off their game, however, the system loses its threat. That’s what happened in Wednesday’s China game. Rapinoe was anonymous and it sabotaged the entire system. Attacking impetus was put on to the central midfielders. Considering how many square passes were played across midfield by either Shannon Boxx or Carli Lloyd on Wednesday, it’s safe to say that the USWNT isn’t going to win games on the back of its spectacular central mid’s.

Germany’s Women’s National Team plays a variation of a 4-4-2 in which its wingers spend more time in the front line than in midfield. They create endless waves of attacking sequences as players like Kerstin Garefrekes and Fatmire Bajrmaj (who is probably the most skillful player in the women’s game today) cut in to pair up with clinical finishers like Inka Grings and Martine Muller (who may or may not be a factor next year). Germany’s fullbacks are also threats but understand when to stay home and defend.

The other variability that a 4-4-2 must have is overlapping runs from outside backs. This is what killed England in the 2010 World Cup. England right-back Glenn Johnson was ineffective going forward and England lost much of its edge. And as for England’s wingers? Seven words: Steven Gerrard is not a natural winger.

The USWNT simply aren’t producing enough (or any) quality fullbacks. We’re kind of making the best with what we’ve got. If neither the outside midfielders nor the outside backs can make runs in to help initiate the attack, the 4-4-2 formation is D.O.A.

A flat four formation across midfield just isn’t going to fly, particularly if your outside midfielders are having ‘off’ games.

What do you say?

View Original Post at allwhitekit.wordpress.com

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