Ladies’s World Cup roundtable: Hedge your bets earlier than choosing the U.S. over England
LYON, France — Final week, the U.S. handed the daunting check towards France, however it does not essentially get any simpler for the Individuals at this yr’s Ladies’s World Cup.
On Tuesday (Three p.m. ET), they face a decided England squad, a workforce with world-class expertise who’re assured they will break by means of.
Will they? It is exhausting to say for certain come what may, however our intrepid crew on the bottom in Lyon, ESPN’s Graham Hays and Alyssa Roenigk, ESPN FC’s Julien Laurens and ESPN UK’s Tom Hamilton, share their ideas:
Which coach do you belief extra?
Jill Ellis takes a very good quantity of warmth, however her outcomes as coach of the U.S. cannot be disputed. Craig Mercer/MB Media/Getty Photos
Hays: American followers grumbling about Jill Ellis has been a relentless by means of what’s now the longest teaching tenure within the workforce’s historical past. Lineups, rosters, substitutions, ways — she hears it on all fronts. Her groups are additionally 11-Zero-1 within the World Cup and 13-Zero-Three in main tournaments. That is not as a result of she did all the pieces proper, however it will even be tough to tug off if she did as a lot unsuitable because the grumbling suggests. As a lot as Phil Neville appears to have quieted the skepticism that met his entry into the ladies’s recreation and gained over loads of individuals, Ellis has extra of an imprint on a workforce. Way more than 2015, this can be a workforce constructed to play the best way she needs to play.
Roenigk: Ellis. Not less than publicly, Neville is concentrated on an excessive amount of that is taking place off the sector — coaches scouting his gamers at matches, poor “etiquette” from U.S. ops personnel trying out the foyer of his workforce’s resort. Neville is creating his personal distractions, which could not be sending the very best sign to his gamers.
Laurens: Ellis. I do not at all times agree along with her decisions, however she has a lot expertise. She has been there and carried out it earlier than on the prime stage, and she or he is aware of precisely find out how to deal with the strain and the expectations. Ellis understands how her gamers react. For Neville, that is all new.
Hamilton: Ellis has been there, carried out that and is aware of World Cup knockout soccer higher than any. However equally, I might prefer to see how the U.S. would cope when being put beneath relentless strain and towards a workforce that’s ready to go toe-to-toe with them, somewhat than standing off in awe. Neville, as a participant, has performed in soccer’s greatest video games and has realized from the very best, however that is uncharted territory for him. Each have had sensible World Cups, however Ellis simply shades it right here.
Who ought to begin within the U.S. midfield?
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Christen Press responds to the suggestion the USA are boastful as they put together for his or her World Cup semifinal vs. England.
Hays: Lindsey Horan’s absence from the beginning lineup the previous two video games is puzzling. Except there may be an undisclosed bodily limitation — Ellis’ feedback after the win towards France have been emphatic that it was a tactical choice — it is an odd time for Horan to fall out of favor. Rose Lavelle burst on the scene with a powerful debut efficiency in a loss towards England in 2017, however the very best lineup for the U.S. in the intervening time looks like Horan and Sam Mewis beginning collectively in entrance of Julie Ertz because the holding midfielder. A small midfield did not work in a 2-2 draw towards England earlier this yr. Julie Ertz, Horan and Mewis may shut down that a part of the sector with out being uncovered for pace. And Lavelle might be a game-changer as a sub. The catch is Ellis hasn’t began Horan and Mewis collectively in these roles, the Nos. eight and 10, since two video games towards Canada late in 2017.
Laurens: I used to be stunned to see Horan on the bench towards France. For me, she has to start out towards England. She is the very best U.S. midfielder, the league MVP. Julie Ertz is a crucial participant on this workforce, and I believed she was glorious towards France. It then leaves one place for Lavelle or Mewis. Lavelle was disappointing towards the French, not like Mewis, however I’d nonetheless maintain her within the beginning lineup. She is going to rise to the event on Tuesday.
Hamilton: Lots of choices right here for the U.S., so no matter midfield the workforce goes for, it will be sturdy. I might go along with Mewis, Lavelle and Ertz.
Who’s England’s most dear participant?
If England is to tug off the upset towards the U.S., Lucy Bronze will possible play a key function. Marcio Machado/Getty Photos
Hays: Nicely, Neville this week referred to as Lucy Bronze the very best participant on the earth, in order that looks like a very good place to start out. Bronze, who gained an NCAA title in her lone season at North Carolina, will presumably take her regular place at outdoors again. Though Neville was coy in not less than holding open the potential for taking part in her in midfield, as he did towards the U.S. earlier this yr. In any function, she’s most likely England’s finest all-around athlete. And in addition to the U.S. did towards France’s sensible vast threats this previous Friday, these areas stay a possible weak spots.
Roenigk: Ellen White is the apparent reply. Together with Megan Rapinoe and Alex Morgan, White leads the World Cup scoring race with 5 targets, and she or he’s discovered the online at vital moments for England on this event. However defender Bronze, who performs for Lyon, is England’s workhorse and will probably be integral towards the U.S.
Laurens: Bronze. Though I really suppose it’s losing her expertise to play her at proper again. I would not be stunned if she performed in midfield towards the U.S.
Hamilton: Bronze is world-class and the very best proper again within the recreation. England has different improbable gamers, too, however captain Steph Houghton is the important thing. Neville described her as “irreplaceable,” and he is spot on.
Each squads posted spectacular quarterfinal wins. Which one component do they should enhance?
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The USWNT’s World Cup semifinal brings Alex Morgan again to Lyon, the place she performed with considered one of ladies’s soccer’s most prestigious golf equipment.
Hays: They impressed in very alternative ways. England took the sport to Norway, whereas the USA dug in and defended as soon as it had an early lead towards a greater opponent. So the logical reply is every wants to enhance within the function it did not play. The U.S. will need extra possession, and in conjunction, wish to get Alex Morgan extra concerned in goal-scoring areas. Morgan has quietly carried out essential soiled work since her five-goal outburst, leaving the scoring to Rapinoe. An ideal state of affairs could be Rapinoe returning to the set-up function she additionally fills so effectively. For England? Nicely, changing penalty kicks could be smart. Not a lot else went unsuitable.
Roenigk: The U.S. tempo is its trademark, however they’ve had one fewer day to recuperate after the quarterfinals, and England has proved they’ll run with the very best, so the U.S. assault cannot be all about pace. Cleansing up the USWNT’s passing up entrance will probably be essential. England has by no means gained a semifinal match at a serious event, so confidence will probably be key for the Lionesses.
Laurens: I really feel England is but to be examined on this event, and the actual fact this workforce hasn’t been pushed into giving its best possible might be a problem whether it is dominated by the Individuals on Tuesday. England additionally wants to enhance its left-hand aspect because it relies upon rather a lot on the correct in the intervening time. For the Individuals, they should get Tobin Heath extra concerned. The one time they used her towards France, she arrange Rapinoe’s second objective.
Hamilton: England was magnificent towards Norway, placing in its finest displaying of the event. However for the U.S. to knock over France by itself patch is a few outcome.
Which result’s higher for the event?
Hays: Seemingly half the questions that Ellis and her gamers get from international journalists are about their perceived conceitedness. Neville added this week that he thinks England is the host nation’s second-favorite workforce and may have that assist within the semifinal, no small factor given the lengthy historical past of these two nations. So perhaps the remainder of the world, or not less than Europe, wish to see a last with out the Individuals. It will definitely cap of a event during which Europe’s depth is on show. However the very best tales have massive characters, whether or not beloved or hated. So a last between Europe’s reigning champion (the Netherlands) and the U.S.? Or a second Olympic rematch between the U.S. and Sweden? With apologies to the English, that is a greater story.
Roenigk: Very similar to their earlier recreation towards France, an American win would draw extra international consideration to Sunday’s last. However an England win may alter the panorama of the game for girls in Nice Britain, and in Europe total. A great end result for the event is one that’s shut, aggressive and free from controversy (and too many post-match tales about VAR).
Laurens: Each groups could be nice finalists. Just like the U.S.-France match on Friday, it’s a disgrace they will not meet within the last. It will be improbable for England to beat the Individuals and make it to the ultimate. It will carry a change as effectively.
Hamilton: It is determined by which aspect of the Atlantic you reside. The U.S. is the strongest workforce right here, however how great for the expansion of the sport in England if the Lionesses have been to win. So from a totally non-biased standpoint, an England victory.
How does the USWNT keep away from the emotional hangover after the win towards France?
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England coach Phil Neville explains why he admires USWNT star Megan Rapinoe and laughs about when she broke his Apple Watch throughout a recreation in 2018.
Hays: This one is fairly self-explanatory. One of many nice strengths of the U.S. is its behavior of taking the sport to opponents exhausting and quick within the opening 15 minutes of a recreation. That does not at all times result in a objective, though it has this event, however it units the phrases of a recreation. So how does the U.S. keep away from the hangover? By not letting the France recreation drift into the opening minutes right here.
Roenigk: By remembering that they have been right here earlier than. And understanding that Sweden is within the last 4 as effectively ought to maintain the workforce — particularly those that performed in Rio three years in the past — centered.
Laurens: I do not suppose there are any fears with the USWNT having an emotional hangover after beating France. Profitable is of their tradition, their DNA. They by no means get carried after they win. It’s really the alternative. Profitable makes them wish to win extra. The U.S. doesn’t relaxation on its laurels.
Hamilton: Under no circumstances. The Individuals have been right here earlier than. They will recharge and be sturdy all through once more.