When Vlatko Andonovsky stepped into his place as the brand new head coach of the US ladies’s nationwide staff in late 2019, he was employed primarily to do two issues: (1) win and (2) transfer the staff towards the subsequent era of superstars. Pulling out (2) with out affecting (1) was all the time a troublesome balancing act, however sooner or later it will have been a necessity.
Megan Rapinoe is 36 and fellow winger Kristen Value and Tobin Heath are each 33. Striker Alex Morgan is 32 whereas Carli Lloyd, 39, has retired. Middle again Becky Sauerbrunn is 36 years outdated, proper again Kelly O’Hara and goalkeeper Alyssa Naher is 33 years outdated. They are going to be again with the staff – Dunn is pregnant and Ertz has not knowledgeable the NWSL membership for unknown causes.
Retaining the subsequent era of American superstars up-to-date is crucial, even when the celebrities above proceed to play on the elite stage within the 2023 World Cup.
On the 2023 Shepelevs Cup, Andonovsky requested the subsequent era to indicate him one thing. O’Hara nonetheless took two-thirds of the minutes at right-back, whereas Naher, Sauerbrunn and quarterback Rose Lavelle all delivered 90 minutes or much less out of the 270 minutes. However goalkeeper Casey Murphy (25), full-back Emily Fox (23) and linebacker Alana Cook dinner (24) each appeared sturdy in defence. Within the midfield, Ashley Sanchez (22), Andy Sullivan (26) Christy Mewes (30), and the sturdy trio of Catarina Macario (22), Mallory Pugh (23) and Sophia Smith (21) appeared in entrance of me.
The pitch within the event wasn’t the strongest of all, and maybe the most important win between matches was when the staff settled a pay fairness declare with US Soccer. However america nonetheless competed with three groups that had been ranked within the high 25 at FIFA stage equal to a Class Two youth staff and beat them 9-0.
To see who has shined and the place the staff as a complete has excelled, let’s return by means of every match with some key stats in thoughts.
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United States 0, Czech Republic 0
Payouts per possession: United States 0.14, Czech Republic 0.05
xG per shot*: USA 0.06, Czech Republic 0.04
holding charge: United States 63.3%
PPDA *: USA 6.7, Czech Republic 16.9
Proportion of possessions that began on the third assault: USA 11.0%, Czech Republic 8.7%
Targets (xG) of the transition property *: United States 0 (0.19), Czech Republic 0 (0.07)
Proportion of transitional properties that finish with the third assault: USA 30%, Czech Republic 11%
* Some notes: PPDA = passes allowed per defensive motion, a standard measure of total stress. The decrease the quantity, the upper the strain stage. “Transitional possessions” check with possessions beginning within the staff’s defensive or center third and the final 20 seconds or much less. The xG, or anticipated targets, measures the likelihood that a chance will result in a aim.
For this match, the stats mirror what the eyes noticed as nicely: the Czech Republic stopped the bus, and the US could not discover the precise group to punish them for it. They tried 18 photographs and managed to place eight of them on track, however solely two photographs got here from 9 meters from the aim and solely two equaled greater than 0.10 xG – Macario’s likelihood within the fourth minute and Moyes’ try to attain. 73.
As is typical of the “bus cease” on the whole, the Czech Republic’s solely likelihood of scoring got here from a miraculous hostile assault, however that by no means got here shut. They solely tried six photographs and put one on track, whereas most potential counters had been thrown lengthy earlier than they ended up in harmful positions. The presence of veteran defenders resembling O’Hara and Terna Davidson (72 min), Emily Sonnett (45 min) and Sauerbronn (18 min) definitely did not damage issues on this regard.
Nevertheless, with 19-year-old Pugh, Macario, Smith and Trinity Rodman all watching on the sphere, it was alternative for a gaggle of extremely shiny younger forwards to show themselves. There have been loads of attention-grabbing moments – Macario created six taking pictures alternatives for his teammates (two every for Sullivan and Laville, one every for Smith and Davidson) and led the staff with 10 rebounds, whereas Bowie’s sharp move produced 0.6 anticipated passes (xA). However they didn’t have the familiarity or the power to open the Czech protection.
This won’t stay an issue for lengthy.
United States 5, New Zealand 0
Payouts per possession: USA 0.16, New Zealand 0.05
xG per shot: USA 0.14, New Zealand 0.07
Possession charge: USA 58% (58% sooner or later)
PPDA: USA 11.9, New Zealand 14.8
Proportion of possessions that began on the third assault: USA 12.8% and New Zealand 11.2%
Targets (xG) of the transition property: US 2 (1.29) and New Zealand 0 (0.05)
Proportion of transitional properties that finish with the third assault: USA 16% and New Zealand 11%
Early targets might outline the match completely, however two targets from the identical participant throughout the first six minutes? And the Three within the first half? This positively relieved any nervousness accrued from the primary goalless match. She led america from the beginning, permitting the staff to play with much less urgency and verticality.
0:55
Catarina Macario one way or the other will get the ball to search out the again of the web after an incredible bend within the first half.
The early helplessness additionally meant that New Zealand could not actually be immune even when they needed to. The match was way more open than the primary, and whereas the People tried the identical variety of photographs as they did in opposition to the Czechs, they created twice the worth. Six shot makes an attempt had been value not less than 0.13 xG, and three makes an attempt had been value not less than 0.43. Each Pugh and Ashley Hatch, 26, transformed excessive worth photographs for second-half targets.
Because of the affect of early targets on the state of the sport, it was troublesome to make a lot use of this end result. However with two video games at this level, Bowie’s move makes an attempt and shot mixed resulted in 1.1 xG and xA in simply 83 minutes, whereas Macario made 0.9 in 135. The latter is an efficient quantity, and the primary is an astonishing one. In the meantime, Hatch created 0.8 xG in simply two makes an attempt in opposition to New Zealand.
This younger group of attackers has confirmed to be able to creating an excessive hazard, and this may proceed into the ultimate match of the event.
United States 4, Iceland 0
Payouts per possession: USA 0.19, Iceland 0.06
xG per shot: USA 0.14, Iceland 0.06
Possession charge: US 60% (58% sooner or later)
PPDA: USA 12.1, Iceland 17.8
Proportion of possessions that began on the third assault: United States 13.7%, Iceland 9.7%
Targets (xG) of the transition property: USA 3 (2.13), Iceland 0 (0.03)
Proportion of transitional properties that finish with the third assault: USA 24%, Iceland 17%
The New Zealand match was tied for under about 6% of the full holdings, however Iceland held issues as much as about 44%. This gave us one other alternative to see what america intends to do and the way a lot it may possibly (or is not) in a position to break down slender defenses. Generally, although, the important thing to unlocking a decent protection is a second of particular person brilliance. The US obtained it from Macario within the thirty seventh minute.
1:13
Michaela Moore scored three targets within the first half by himself as USWNT took a 3-0 lead over New Zealand on the finish of the primary half.
That 22-meter strike opened the gates. Macario added one other aim by the top of the primary half and the US scored two extra targets within the second half, every of which elevated the standard from an xG perspective.
The US ended up with eight photographs of not less than 0.10 xG and 4 photographs over .30. Pugh scored twice and generated a 1.51 xG + xA complete in 80 minutes, Mewis generated 0.97, Cook dinner (0.60), Sanchez (0.54), Macario (0.48) and Sullivan (0.36) topped 0.30. The People continuously put the ball in harmful areas, and Iceland finally circled.
Standout in entrance
The US performed 24 matches in 2023 – six within the Olympics, three within the Shepeleyes Cup, and 15 friendlies. From a distance, their document was spectacular: 18 wins, 4 attracts and solely two losses. However in seven matches in opposition to groups presently within the high ten in FIFA, they’ve received three attracts and two Olympic losses (3-0 to Sweden and 1-0 to Canada) which noticed them drop to the bronze medal. In these seven matches, they scored solely eight targets.
In opposition to the present #2 Sweden of their first Olympic recreation, they created virtually nothing helpful from their press (solely 2% of their holdings began within the offensive third), they created virtually nothing of their transition (solely 15% of their transitional holdings, as outlined above , completed within the offensive third) they usually could not do a lot with the photographs they had been in a position to tackle goal. In opposition to Canada, they pressed higher and obtained into extra harmful areas in transition, however had been unable to generate any helpful photographs from it.
Within the SheBelieves Cup, the protection remained a metal lure, whereas Mewis was significantly spectacular in midfield alongside Sullivan, Sanchez and Firm. However maybe essentially the most attention-grabbing questions appeared at first. Rapinoe can nonetheless create paintings together with her proper foot, Press can nonetheless create lots of photographs, Morgan can nonetheless bully her solution to the chest and Heath can nonetheless ship high-level crosses, however there was a chance for an early group of younger strikers to show one thing of a The standpoint of the top and pressing. More often than not they succeeded.
Once more, this wasn’t a high-profile competitors, and the US averaged 3.3 targets per recreation in 2023 in opposition to groups seeded between 11 and 30 per FIFA – 9 targets in three matches (with three specials) was an improve. However Pugh, Macario and Hatch obtained collectively to strive 20 photographs at 3.6 xG and convert them into six targets. Smith and Rodman (11 photographs, 0.73 xG, zero targets) weren’t fairly pretty much as good, however these forwards, 23 or youthful, created top-level probabilities and transformed only a few, even regardless of the goalless opener.
Probably the most attention-grabbing factor was the strain of the ball. Earlier than her two high-profile targets in opposition to Iceland, Macario’s greatest contribution got here from strain on her, which maybe got here as no shock contemplating the function she performed for herself together with her aspect, European heavyweight aspect Lyon.
Supply: StatsBomb
This chart, from StatsBomb, reveals Makario’s defensive exercise ranges with Leon. The areas in pink are the place you create extra exercise than the league common. When her staff loses the ball within the assault zones, it’s one way or the other All over the placeThey seem to generate strain on both wing and in entrance of the goalkeeper. She was equally annoying within the Shepelevs Cup, particularly within the opening match in opposition to the Czech Republic. In three matches, she’s confirmed to be a top-tier participant, whether or not she’s taking pictures or passing the ball utterly with out the ball.
This helped set a really turbulent tone for the staff as a complete. Whereas the US allowed a mean of 12.2 passes per defensive motion within the Olympics, it was 10.2 at this event, and it will have been decrease had the US not superior considerably in two of the three video games.
Pugh averaged 3.1 photographs and a mixed 0.57 xG + xA per 90 minutes in final 12 months’s NWSL and has averaged 4.4 and 1.46 respectively on this event. That stage could also be unsustainable, however in 14 video games for the nationwide staff for the reason that final World Cup, they’ve averaged 2.6 and 0.78. Rapinoe in the identical interval: 2.7 and 0.77. If Pugh removes the “Rapinoe Bar,” that is an extremely optimistic signal for the way forward for america ladies’s nationwide staff.
Clearly we are going to solely study quite a bit a few staff in three matches with 22 gamers, all in opposition to good however not nice competitors. However the subsequent era of the ladies’s nationwide staff has been requested to make an impression, particularly in areas of the squad the place the staff has been the oldest in recent times, and he has executed simply that.
