Don’t expect a repeat of last week’s long-winded thought experiment. As for the issues discussed then — lack of turnover, depth at left back — we’ll hit those as we go through the 23-woman roster Tom Sermanni has selected for June 15th and 20th’s matches against South Korea.
In short, there’s reason to think both of those concerns may turn out to be little more than the bored musing that fly around at a downpoint in a team’s cycle. Sermanni’s been on the job six months, and we’re still well away from the 2015 World Cup. Each selection is going to include curiosities as the staff tried to evaluate the player pool. Some curiosities will be positive (hey look – it’s Morgan Brian). Others will require some thought (um, Jill Loyden hasn’t played in a while).
We’re still two years out. Right now, it’s a lot of bluster about very little movement.
Not that there’s anything wrong with bluster. Here are our thoughts on the team:
Goalkeepers: Nicole Barnhart (FC Kansas City), Jill Loyden (Sky Blue FC), Hope Solo (Seattle Reign)
No surprises here. Expect Solo, omitted from the team that faced Canada, to regain her starting spot. She was untested in her NWSL return (the only decent chance Portland generated two weeks ago coming off a penalty kick). With Barnhart assumed to be Solo’s current backup, might as well call in Jill Loyden, whose recovery from a broken hand has kept her from playing for Sky Blue FC.
Well, kind of. Loyden’s been on Jim Gabarra’s recent game day rosters but has been unable to reclaim SBFC’s starting position from NWSL May Player of the Month Brittany Cameron. That status prompts the question: If Loyden hasn’t played all season and is coming off injury, why is she even being called in?
With a third keeper, you can afford to bring somebody in to evaluate. But that’s bad news for Washington’s Ashlyn Harris, who misses out on the squad. Harris had dealt with some fitness issues before the Toronto camp, but according to both U.S. Soccer and the Washington Spirit, she’s fine. Fitness wasn’t a factor.
The selections are also bad news for Boston’s Alyssa Naeher, who continues to have trouble drawing more attention from her national team. Her move stateside from Turbine Potsdam may re-ignite her cas.
Defenders: Rachel Buehler (Portland Thorns FC), Crystal Dunn (North Carolina), Whitney Engen (Liverpool), Meghan Klingenberg (Tyresö), Ali Krieger (Washington Spirit), Kelley O’Hara (Sky Blue FC), Christie Rampone (Sky Blue FC), Becky Sauerbrunn (FC Kansas City)
Meghan Klingenberg gets recalled, confirming her she’s still in the picture after being left off the team for Toronto. She’s the only surprise of an eight-woman group whose revelations will be in the XI (not 23). If Whitney Engen keeps getting starts along side Christie Rampone, we’ll know Sermanni wants the Liverpool defender to start consolidating her partnership with Christie Rampone. And if Crystal Dunn sees more time at left back, we’ll know she, not Kristie Mewis, is Kelley O’Hara’s likely backup.
Midfielders: Yael Averbuch (Göteborg), Morgan Brian (Virginia), Lauren Cheney (FC Kansas City), Tobin Heath (Portland Thorns FC), Carli Lloyd (Western NY Flash), Kristie Mewis (FC Kansas City), Heather O’Reilly (Boston Breakers), Megan Rapinoe (Seattle Reign)
Welcome back, Yael Averbuch, who missed out on the team for the Canada game. But also give a welcome to Morgan Brian, the 20-year-old U-level standout the latest to get a some time with the senior team.
A creative midfielder coming off her second year at the University of Virginia, Brian was part of the team that represented the U.S. at last year’s U-20 World Cup in Japan. Despite her talent, she’s a bit of a surprise call up, but if Sermanni uses his 22nd and 23rd spots as more than handshakes and backslaps to veteran troopers, the program will be better for it.
Amber Brooks and Julie Johnston miss out on this team, but the big news for most will be the return of Megan Rapinoe, which will spur another starting XI debate. Who is the first choice right midfielder? Rapinoe, at one point, had pushed Heather O’Reilly to the bench, but in terms of put wide play, O’Reilly continues to be one of the best in the world.
It’s another question that doesn’t need to be decided for two years. Not that we’ll refrain from dissecting it.
Forwards: Sydney Leroux (Boston Breakers), Alex Morgan (Portland Thorns FC), Christen Press (Tyresö), Abby Wambach (Western NY Flash)
Carved in stone. And why not?
Doubling back to last week’s thought experiment, let’s think about what we’ve learned (or, had confirmed) between the Canada match and this selection:
- On lack of new blood, when players like Brooks and Brian are being called in (in addition to Press, Dunn, Johnston, Averbuch, and Klingenberg’s roles in the setup), it’s hard to criticize the lack of turnover. And in that sense, it’s hard to see the Rachel Quon issue (players jumping from the U.S. pool to other nations) as a function of a closed system. The critique needs to be refined as …
- What does an “in” player have to do to be dropped? Last time, this came up with Carli Lloyd, but Lloyd looked good in Canada, so it’s difficult to get too worked up about her getting the benefit of the doubt. This time, Jill Loyden got the call over Harris, but if Barnhart ends up suiting up against South Korea, Loyden’s inclusion can be seen as evaluating somebody who will compete for the No. 2 job (not merely a place in the squad).
- The other issue discussed last week: Whether we’ll see another Becky Sauerbrunn – a player who can used the new domestic league to establish national team bonafided. Tom Sermanni has said it’s too early in the NWSL season to be making any judgments, though for players like Becky Edwards (Portland), Keelin Winters (Seattle), Jen Buczkowski (Kansas City), or Leigh Ann Robinson (Kansas City), the new league can be seen as augmenting previous established cases. When will we see a breakthough?
Ultimately, it’s bcoming more and more difficult to recycle to old complaints onto Tom Sermanni’s selections. Soon the debates will be more traditional ones – pure player versus player evaluations.
