World Cup Finals Prediction

Hasn't been a lot of chatter on here about the World Cup, so I thought I would get a thread going and give us all a break from all the local signing madness. Let's discuss and throw out some interesting thoughts. Also, if you went to the games, would love to hear your description of the atmosphere and how your experience was.

Prediction on Final Score and who will score?
US 4 Japan 0
Goal scorers:
Morgan - 2
Wambach - 1
Johnston - 1

Will Sydney Leroux and Amy Rodriguez get time on the pitch? I think if the US jumps to a two goal lead quickly, I think Elliis may change her sub strategy to get players on the pitch as a farewell/send off, but extremely risky since it is a finals game.

Other discussion: England's own goal, wow! Hopefully Bassett will recover and move on and not let it define her. But, also a great opportunity to show our daughters that mistakes are made even on the largest stage of soccer.

I think it will be 2-0 US, assuming they stick with what worked against Germany. If they go back to using the 4-4-2 I don't have much confidence they will win.
I'd like to see Leroux and/or Press get some action either as starter or sub. I think they are due a good game. Limit Morgans minutes. Have her come in as sub. Haven't been impressed with Holiday much. Maybe put O'hara in her place? Been impressed with her play. Keep back four the same.

Re: England, this is reason that we shouldn't encourage our dd's to be defenders. Forwards/midfielders can have a hundred bad touches during a game, and no one hardly seems to notice or care. Defender has a bad touch, and she has an own goal in the last seconds of the WC semis. (My dd is a defender BTW)

If there is good reason that Leroux isn't playing, then I admit that I have much to learn about this game.

If Ellis sticks with the 4-5-1 (or 4-2-3-1, or 4-3-3, or whatever you want to call it) with Wambach on the bench to start (and hopefully giving O'Hara another start over Heath), then I go 3-0 US with Lloyd, Morgan, and Wambach (who comes on as a sub and nets a late one on a header to get the storybook ending to her USWNT career) scoring.

If Ellis goes back to the 4-4-2 and starts Wambach, all bets are off. Abby totally deserves to get this World Cup championship for everything she has accomplished and has done for the Women's game and the USWNT, but, Pia was right when she said that Abby needs to be a "super sub" these days. When Abby is in there as a starter, the offense becomes completely one-dimensional and stagnant, kind of like watching the Knicks with Carmelo, or the Lakers with Kobe these days.

Except Carmelo and Kobe can still move.

The thing I'm enjoying is watching Julie Johnston show our daughters how important the defender position is.

Yep. Most consistent player of the USWNT WC. Also have enjoyed watching Klingenburg, especially these last couple of games. Not just great defending, but good attacking out of the back as well.

Tiki-taka wrote:Hasn't been a lot of chatter on here about the World Cup, so I thought I would get a thread going and give us all a break from all the local signing madness.  Let's discuss and throw out some interesting thoughts.  Also,  if you went to the games, would love to hear your description of the atmosphere and how your experience was.  

Prediction on Final Score and who will score?
US 4 Japan 0
Goal scorers:
Morgan - 2
Wambach - 1
Johnston - 1

Will Sydney Leroux and Amy Rodriguez get time on the pitch?  I think if the US jumps to a two goal lead quickly, I think Elliis may change her sub strategy to get players on the pitch as a farewell/send off, but extremely risky since it is a finals game.

Other discussion:  England's own goal, wow!  Hopefully Bassett will recover and move on and not let it define her.   But, also a great opportunity to show our daughters that mistakes are made even on the largest stage of soccer.  

Have we watched the same game? Can't see a 4 nil US win. England at 42% possession. Had a PK that was awarded as a result of acting great sales job though. US has been playing better as of late. However, I have a bad feeling about this match not going in the US favour. Most technical team in the tourney verse a great defense. US has been extremely organized, but had some help (should have had a red card in their match against Germany) but you need some luck to win in this game and they are peaking at the right moment. Great questions is Will Syndey see more then 30 seconds of stall time. Looked good in her quality appearance. But Morgan has looked great so understand the selection. Benching of Wamback was brave but correct. She took it like a champion and she shows why she is first class. Looking for a great match. Still upset at the 5 minutes Canada pooped on themselves was looking for a Canada US final, with Canada coming out on top maybe 4 years from now.

bwgophers wrote:If Ellis sticks with the 4-5-1 (or 4-2-3-1, or 4-3-3, or whatever you want to call it) with Wambach on the bench to start (and hopefully giving O'Hara another start over Heath), then I go 3-0 US with Lloyd, Morgan, and Wambach (who comes on as a sub and nets a late one on a header to get the storybook ending to her USWNT career) scoring.

If Ellis goes back to the 4-4-2 and starts Wambach, all bets are off.  Abby totally deserves to get this World Cup championship for everything she has accomplished and has done for the Women's game and the USWNT, but, Pia was right when she said that Abby needs to be a "super sub" these days. When Abby is in there as a starter, the offense becomes completely one-dimensional and stagnant, kind of like watching the Knicks with Carmelo, or the Lakers with Kobe these days.  

Dang I fully agree with you again gophers. Wambach makes much more of an impression coming off the bench. So coming off the bench isn't the end of the world. Dang that's impossible from what I have been told.

Marvelousmar wrote:

Tiki-taka wrote:Hasn't been a lot of chatter on here about the World Cup, so I thought I would get a thread going and give us all a break from all the local signing madness.  Let's discuss and throw out some interesting thoughts.  Also,  if you went to the games, would love to hear your description of the atmosphere and how your experience was.  

Prediction on Final Score and who will score?
US 4 Japan 0
Goal scorers:
Morgan - 2
Wambach - 1
Johnston - 1

Will Sydney Leroux and Amy Rodriguez get time on the pitch?  I think if the US jumps to a two goal lead quickly, I think Elliis may change her sub strategy to get players on the pitch as a farewell/send off, but extremely risky since it is a finals game.

Other discussion:  England's own goal, wow!  Hopefully Bassett will recover and move on and not let it define her.   But, also a great opportunity to show our daughters that mistakes are made even on the largest stage of soccer.  

Have we watched the same game?  Can't see a 4 nil US win.  England at 42% possession.  Had a PK that was awarded as a result of acting great sales job though.  US has been playing better as of late.  However, I have a bad feeling about this match not going in the US favour.  Most technical team in the tourney verse a great defense.  US has been extremely organized, but had some help (should have had a red card in their match against Germany)  but you need some luck to win in this game and they are peaking at the right moment.  Great questions is Will Syndey see more then 30 seconds of stall time.  Looked good in her quality appearance.  But Morgan has looked great so understand the selection.  Benching of Wamback was brave but correct.  She took it like a champion and she shows why she is first class.  Looking for a great match.  Still upset at the 5 minutes Canada pooped on themselves was looking for a Canada US final, with Canada coming out on top maybe 4 years from now.  

Japan struggled with Australia. Their team is not where it has been quality wise. Definitely thought Canada out played England, but that may have been out of the desperation that they found themselves after two early goals.

Wambach sadly is no longer fast enough to play at this level. She is getting beaten to balls hit deep into the corner. I am surprised that Sidney is not playing more. She is a scorer. It would be interesting to see Sidney and Morgan Brian up front. Japan has over 7000 passes with an 86 percent accuracy rate. I can easily see 0-0 into the 70th minute.

Sho'nuff wrote:If there is good reason that Leroux isn't playing, then I admit that I have much to learn about this game.

I totally agree and especially when vs China we were missing two of our key players due to yellow card accumulation. That 1-0 score was way too close for comfort. Would have been way too close for comfort vs Germany if they'd converted their PK and we not been gifted one. Don't believe it would have been that stressful had she been in the game. She is relentless when she gets on the ball and puts a lot of pressure on the defense when in attack mode and would have created more scoring opportunities taking some of the pressure off.

Leroux is the BFS type player who struggles against good back lines, which is all we're seeing in the late rounds. The team is relying less on dump and chase.

Abby playing too slowly for Jill's latest pressure tactics, and her complaints about the field turf surface were prophetic - turf is brutal on older bodies (me included) and by her admission she is hesitant to lay out for a ball.

Best performers on the team: Johnston, despite her bouncing ball misplay takedown, and Lloyd

upper95 wrote:Leroux is the BFS type player who struggles against good back lines, which is all we're seeing in the late rounds.  The team is relying less on dump and chase.

Abby playing too slowly for Jill's latest pressure tactics, and her complaints about the field turf surface were prophetic - turf is brutal on older bodies (me included) and by her admission she is hesitant to lay out for a ball.  

Best performers on the team: Johnston, despite her bouncing ball misplay takedown, and Lloyd

Agreee...except for me it's Johnston by a mile. Back line with brian at holding have been brilliant. Agree 100% with your take on Leroux. Abby cant pressure for 90 so she has to come on late, but she still holds it up better than anyone else we have. Her game hasnt been about pure speed for at least 10 years , and you don't need to be a speedster to be a back to goal ctr fwd. She doesn't look any slower than Sinclair, those old legs just tire out quicker than her heyday.

This japan team is nowhere near the quality of 2011. They do look much better in the air than years past, so Abby ball may not be as effective. Long as Jill doesn't overthink it, we should nick them in a low scoring final...u.s. 1-0. Keep brian running the 6 and we'll be fine.