always love your breakdowns. For me, Hayes is great so all reviews start with the question "What is Hayes trying to accomplish in this match " and not "what went wrong or right" Hayes is learning about players, adding information and building capacity in both players and tactics... a draw and win against world class teams under this scenario is just another example of her prowess. Thanks and enjoy time with family!
Thanks for the kind words. I love that questioning mindset, what a great way to approach unpacking the film. I agree that heading home with a whole new set of information and two quality results is a huge win, it's a special team.
I think Holland played particularly well in the first half. Better than I have seen. The US is missing Smith/Swanson/Rodman which changes the attack and that affects midfield and defense. I was not dismayed.
You really are the best on UA-cam. I always look to you to understand what is going on and why Emma makes the tactics vs. certain players not quite able to serve them with the opponent they are up against. Thanks!!
5:22 Nighswonger got steamrolled by Leuchter. Certainly agree with your comments about the size matchup. That's why Crystal Dunn is precisely what Jenna is attempting to be: great on defense but also great at running up the sides to play crosses into the box. I wonder if Nighswonger would do better in the midfield than in that defensive role.
There were so many clips of that matchup that didn't end well for the US. I loved watching Leuchter though, she seemed like a real pro with the change of pace she was using to tee Nighswonger up. The left foot is going to keep Nighswonger in contention for a while, I could see a move to midfield in the works at some point.
@@BusyWatchingWomensSoccerI feel to simplify why Jenna is there is her crossing ability. He’s there are other reasons but if someone comes in that can effectively have that offensive influence she will surplus to requirements
As usual, you made the game even better. I like the idea of Hayes trying new things but not making the team suffer the whole game. Berhalter and Andonovski would stick with their visions and the team spirit suffered. Hayes is smart enough to say, "They've learned all they can today. We'll review the film and try again another day." That is how you add a tool to the toolbox.
That exact thought about Andonovoski was on my mind with the halftime subs. Hayes continues to prove how composed she is, the moving of Davidson over was a big one for me to see the team try something new in the moment as a quick response to a problem.
@@BusyWatchingWomensSoccer Spot on thread. Hayes’ adjustment were masterful. Even with only a little glimpse of her you can tell that Lilly is destined to become the Rodri of US football. She is ground control out there and the connection hub the US has been missing. Her at the 8 and Croix or Shaw at the 10 connecting with our impossibly deep front 3 would be magic.
Same, she looked much more comfortable this series and came up so big in both games. She was one of the most consistent players on both sides of the ball. A big winner for me.
Thanks so much for your USWNT and The Netherlands analysis. It was very great indeed, as always. Your soccer analysis, is head and shoulders above any other in sight. As a matter of fact, your analysis does remind me of the very next best thing besides sitting at the game itself. It is that impeccably good, and to the point. To start, this is not a refute of anything else that you mentioned, but to add my own personal observation. The USA walked into a lions den, more or less in the Netherlands. Theirs were very seasoned players, and experienced also. I did notice on their side, several familiar faces from the 2019 World Cup final between the two countries. It is easy to identify them by their ages, several were between the ages of 28 and 33y/olds during the game, while many of ours had already retired or were left off the squad. Different countries, different priorities is well understood. Their quality of play, in my mind did show, as the USA younger players appeared confused, which I would attribute to trying not to make mistakes. In other words, thinking to much about the plays, instead of simply reacting to them. So, most of their players had better cohesion, and understood each other better, when compared to our team that had only 4 or so days of training camp. Next, the coaching was very obvious once again, and it reminded me of the very first Emma Hayes maiden match with the team. At that time, I saw over-coaching, which lead to several players being indecisive and confused, at times. However, during the Olympics, as per the players comments themselves, Emma allowed them the freedom to be creative on their own at that time, without being overbearing. That was what several players attributed their success to, at that time. Once again, your platform is quality personified. Please keep it up.
Wow, high praise indeed, thank you so much for the kind words. I love connecting with folks over football so this channel will always welcome opinions, objections, and corrections. Your point on the over-thinking is a great one, it showed up on the film in a way that I haven't seen in a while. The players are looking to get to the point where they can turn their brain off and just play but there's so much information that needs to be absorbed first to get to that point. It'll be interesting to see who of the newer players can get there first, Ryan seems the closest to me so far.
Awesome analysis, as always! Anyone else starting to see the limitations of Sam Coffey and Korbin? And how Lily is better than either of them at 17?!? In your video at 18:55, the ball control and pass by Lily to Emily Fox was a thing of beauty. Lily needs to get a start in She Believes, let’s see how she looks with Rose, Lindsey, and the 3 espressos. Happy Holidays, safe travels.
Yohannes has already improved what she's putting on film since I've started following along, the next few years are going to be fun watching her develop. That pass was wise beyond her years. Eyes in the back of her head, great understanding of the run coming in, moves the opposition where she wants, texture on the pass sets Fox up so well, pure magic.
@@BusyWatchingWomensSoccer I read an ESPN article a couple days ago (written by Jeff Carlisle & Audrey de Ridder) where they interviewed Lily’s youth coach and he said she was making those passes when she was around 10 years old, playing on a boy’s team, but the boys didn’t yet have the vision to get to the pass. With Emma Hayes and the fierceness of the USWNT, she’s brought her talents to the right place!
Great as always Birdie. I will spare the world my thoughts on Horan. Winning when you are notably not at your best is the sign of a good team and good coaching. U.S. has some amazing young talent.
Thank you, and you know I'm normally a big Horan fan but I was quiet for good reason this video. Seeing Yohannes coming in for Horan felt somewhat prophetic.
I thought one of the big issues was Horan playing so far up top, like a Nine. As a result, she displaced Shaw from the center, and left a hole in midfield, because Shaw didn’t drop that far back to fill that hole. If we were getting overrun in midfield, why did Horan stay up top? Additionally, Shaw looked like she just doesn’t have the speed or strength to challenge for a front line position. Drop her back to midfield, and I think she shows a lot better.
It's funny because a few months ago I would've said I want to try Horan as a 9 to see if she can bring a more physical finishing style. Not totally sure that was one of the goals with this match but I saw enough there to understand why not. Shaw struggled to the point where I feel like injury or something off field may be an issue, she didn't look like herself at all.
Once I realized that Girma, Fox, and Davidson were all on and the backline was still getting roasted I said "Oh God, this is not gonna go well." Also I always especially appreciate your set piece analysis. They always seem so chaotic but there's actually so much complexity to them that I for one have a hard time figuring out.
The pass and shot two minutes in is where I had that same thought! I really believed we were going to see the team get dunked on for the first time under Hayes. Getting live coverage to stop cutting to closeups of the kick taker and making it harder to follow set pieces is high on my list of life goals, I like to dream big.
enjoyed the breakdown. guess Nighswonger just struggled on her own. shes clearly not the most physical player and it showed. hope Jenna learns from it. loved the way Yaz played in both matches. have a safe trip. good vibes.
Such a demanding matchup for Nighswonger but a great opportunity to build from it, I don't think she's going anywhere. And Yazmeen came up big, she was a great surprise for me. Good vibes only!
Fascinating analysis!! Neither of those games (ENG & NED) were a lot fun to watch as a US fan, but I agree with you that they were great learning experiences for the whole team, both the coaches and the players. I'm convinced that Emma Hayes knows exactly what she's doing. She wants to put players in positions where they will be challenged, and maybe fail - because that's how you grow! We're more than two years away from the next World Cup, so Hayes has plenty of time to experiment, to try new things, check out her younger athletes, and probably lose some games along the way. But it will all be worth it, come 2027 and 2028.
Hayes surely knows what she's doing better than anyone, as she's adding in changes I'm having to slow down to follow along, I can only imagine how tough it is as a player right now. I think we're going to see some of them really separate themselves for the 2027 spots in terms of how much information they can retain.
@@BusyWatchingWomensSoccer That is a great point. There is a wealth of talent in US WNT pool. I think you are right that brains will be the deciding factor on World Cup roster spots.
A lot of people are supportive of Jenna but as this game shows she should not be playing on defense. Will Hayes find her a spot at the midfield, at who's cost? Not likely. I see Emily Sams and Yazmeen Ryan making the team. I think Ryan may even jump ahead of Jaedyn Shaw.
I think both her player matchup and the opponent's style were real problems for her this time out but I'm still convinced she has the toolkit to help this team out. You can learn a lot from one nightmare match. Ryan has been a big surprise for me; progress each camp, delivering against what's asked of her, she'll be back.
While we rest triple espresso It looks like we have solid backups on the wings with Ryan and Thompson. But the Shaw experiment in the middle was ineffective… is there anyone else you think could fit in there until fishel is healthy? Feels like we don’t have a ton of target strikers in the pool besides maybe Bright or Turner?
I like how Angel City were using Bright towards the end of the season but Turner's game looks a little more complete to me, she seems like a good fit for the January "futures" camps with past USYNT time. For a big physical striker Jordynn Dudley is probably my favorite prospect because I've seen she's unexpectedly silky with the ball, but I think she's a few years out from making the team. So I'm with you, I don't really see a clear backup option here but I'm hoping January gives us some answers about not just the pool, but how players may move through the pipeline under Hayes.
@ yeah Dudley really seems to have the mentality and potential. I’m excited to see if turner and smith will be used together, if they can build chemistry that would give her a leg up.
Rose Lavelle is the best player, I think the USWNT is much better when Rose plays as the 10. She gives the team balance. I don’t think you need Coffey and Albert in the midfield, Albert is a better player. I would rather see a trio of Albert, Horan and Lavelle. I would also like to see Ally Watt get a call up, I think she’s extremely underrated.
Hopefully the experimentation with Lavelle is over, she seems so much more effective inside and she's too talented to not be a key player. Ally Watt has grown on me a lot this season, I loved seeing her up close in KC. She definitely deserves the chance, curious to see if there's room to bring more players in.
Hayes was really the star of that show. She even stated the fact that those games were not about winning or losing per se. She was more interested in seeing what she's got. And without freaking out, she let them run until we got the lucky own goal, and then she went for the jugular at halftime. It's amazing how it only takes one goal to make everything alright in this sport. Lynn for the Win! Suck it Netherlands! I feel for Jenna but i don't think she's given up her spot just yet. That said, hoping Dunn ain't done, who is the preferred right back to challenge for that spot? I feel like Davidson is a pretty good choice given that Sams and Sonnett are locks for awhile. Would like a bit more speed on that side, but ya can't argue much with Davidson's positioning and tackling and size.
Spot on. Really hoping Dunn ain’t done too! But, your comment got me thinking that we might see a new take on the “Dunn conversion” where a speedster like Ryan would be converted to left or right back. Tierna doesn’t have the physicality or the jets to keep up with world-class wingers, and neither does Nighswonger.
Scorelines in football can be downright cruel, the US are going to be on the other end of it at some point sadly. I don't think Nighswonger's heading anywhere soon either but the left back position feels oddly wide open in the same way that goalkeeper does. I think Davidson may have been a one game solution but perhaps it's and idea Hayes has had on her mind for a while, definitely curious to see how that plays out.
@@BusyWatchingWomensSoccer I agree, Tierna is solid if she’s helping Girma anchor the back line, but I don’t see her in the starting lineup if Emma Hayes starts employing that 3-back line more regularly - in light of the alternatives. Crazy thought, Fox and Girma are the only sure things about the 1 through 5 positions at the moment. So much depends on Dunn and her fitness going forward. Time will tell.
@@Edwardianschool As long as Sonnett stays healthy i think she's definitely earned a spot alongside Girma. Sonnett made Gotham one of the stingiest teams in the NWSL this year and she had a solid Olympics. She's in that weird sweet spot between late 20's and mid-30's so she jut needs to stay healthy and playing.
2:54 the issue here is that uswnt instinct would be for Horan and Coffey to go balls to the wall transition mode and sprint up the middle to receive a pass from Lavelle and pass on the first touch to shaw who rebounds back to Horan. And wham bam usa gets a goal or a shot on target. I think Hayes is trying to break the uswnt from the habit of playing that transitional style to reduce risk of losing possession and get caught out from behind. She's probably instructing the midfield to stay and protect the goal hence we see Coffey and Horan just ball watching, only lightly jogging. Lavelle doesn't intuitively pass backwards and sees Shaw as the only player in front and does a ridiculously optimistic pass to Shaw. In the WSL we would see the ball passed backwards to Nighswonger and everyone catches their breath and reset back to the starting position. But that slow boring methodical approach is not part of the uswnt DNA. Roord is unmarked bopping balls after balls because the midfield is fighting with themselves not to move too forward but end up not defending deep enough
I took a look again and I really like that take over what I said about Lavelle following instructions to look for transitional chances. No one else is showing that, it makes much more sense the instruction was to slow down and build up. Also think that tracks with Lavelle's positioning being a little off/slow and Nighswonger struggling on her matchup but being in the right spots. That's bias at work right there, assuming the veteran is following the gameplan better.
Thank you for your insights. Your previous look at new tactics was excellent. I'm not sure that I agree with the man marking assessment. Looked typical to me. Agree that Coffee was very good. I am a big fan of Nighswonger but her technique ignored two weaknesses. As you said, she was much smaller and the referee was allowing a lot of contact so Nighswonger set herself up to be manhandled. One trend I see is that referees for the women's game allow a lot of pushing through the back of players. The same "physicality" is correctly called as fouls in the men's game. I believe the shove in the back that put Girma to her knees would have been called in most men's games. The last point that I would like to hear your take on is that the US got a little used to teams that give them more time and space. The Dutch give the US very time and space and that combined ref allowing so many fouls in the back threw the US way off their game. Quicker and more physical is what was needed and they were slow and tentative.
I'm starting to have some doubts about the press being in man for man. ua-cam.com/video/xV1nGfG7fas/v-deo.htmlsi=GyHvIfnxfeZiIve2&t=85 was shared with me and I hear Emma talking about the Netherlands matching up player for player which has me think some sequences of pressure may have looked different to me because of the Dutch positioning. I felt the refereeing was at least consistent, it reminded me a lot of the Olympic final where both teams were just left to play, European ref for that too. But I do agree there's plenty of contact in the women's game that doesn't get called that would in men's football, the hip check instead of a shoulder charge is one of my pet peeves.
I don't think enough emphasis is being placed on the fact that the Dutch just sort of ran out of gas in the 2nd half the same way that Brazil ran out of gas in the Olympic Final. Both Brazil and the Dutch spent a TON of energy in the 1st half against the US winning every challenge and the US weathered the storm and then turned the match around in the 2nd half. Not exactly what you want in not being able to match the intensity of the opponent in the first 30 mins of the game, but if you can weather the storm then you give yourself a chance in the 2nd half when the opponent comes off the pitch at half time and is just going to naturally not be able to get back to that same level of effort they did in the first half. Compound that with the fact that Emma made some great subs at half time and it's a different match in the 2nd half. Don't forget that this is what she has been preaching since she got here, that we don't need to panic just because we aren't the better team in the 1st half. If you weather the storm and stay in the match you can start to catch up and match the intensity and the pace in the 2nd half and then win it in the 2nd half. Don't forget that the US just came off a match with England. The Dutch were coming off a fairly easy match with China, had 1 more day to rest and had almost a completely new starting lineup. They definitely looked fresher than the US in the 1st half, but couldn't match that same intensity in the 2nd half.
That's a great comparison with the Brazil matchup, there's certainly something to be said for pacing yourself but also about having the confidence to read your opponent's pace and hang back, sort of like long distance running. Totally agree that against the Netherlands it felt like the perfect storm of them losing steam and Hayes making great adjustments at clever times. I don't know enough about the Dutch roster to know if they had the depth for this but I can't help but think it would've been a very different match if they'd started with subs around 60 minutes in. I'd love to know if the US could've come to the same result without the Dutch helping them!
All of what you said might be true but you could say some of the same for the Dutch. Buurman has exactly 1 cap for the Netherlands (against the US), Kaptein has 14, Leuchter has 20, Brugts has 28. They may be in the same stage of trying to find eventual replacements for their aging stars like Spitse, Van de Donk, Groenen and Meidema. One of the differences may be that Hayes needs to blend her players into a style of play that suits them. The Dutch on the other hand have a national identity as soccer players. All of them grew up playing the Dutch 4-3-3 or variations there of. When they get to the senior level they already know how to play the system (especially the defensive to offensive transitions you mentioned, which is definitely a feature of the Dutch style of play), what their role in it is and what is expected of them. They just have to hope that their abilities and game plan are better than their opposition. In the first half against the US they were. In the second half they were not. What should be very encouraging for the USWNT is that, except for Williams, all of their substitutes were young players with limited numbers of caps, and they still turned the game around.
That national identity stood out so clearly and I can see how it benefits the players, if the commentators hadn't mentioned it was Buurman's 1st cap I never would've known. There was no hesitancy in their transition moments, just fluid intuitive football. I really enjoyed watching it outside of the fact that they were making the US look silly. A lot of the announcements from US Soccer make it sound like Hayes is working to establish a tactical model that can be taught in the youth systems to start building that identity. What a huge ask of one person! We're going to need a decade of her leadership for that.
@@BusyWatchingWomensSoccer As an addendum, the US has 1.7 million girls and women registered with the US Soccer Federation, the Netherlands has 150 thousand (only 9% of what the US has). The VAST player pool of healthy, strong, fast, athletic girls and women who have had sports as an everyday part of their lives (since Nixon signed Title XI into law back in 1972) gives the US an advantage over the Netherlands. Soccer for girls and women in the Netherlands only became popular a short time ago but having that Dutch "total soccer" national soccer identity is the advantage the Netherlands has. It was interesting to watch how it played out on the field.
Beyond the tactics, the USAwas outplayed by an aggressive Dutch team, who consistently, played the ball, beating the US to it first, and also not waiting for the official to blow a foul call, that never came. I thought the ball that Lavalle, ambitiously sent through the middle to Shaw might havebeen playable if Shaw had been more assertive coming back. It is a play that Swanson could have made, IMO. I like Shaw, but she needs to develop as well. USA has to do more against top teams without the ball and impose themselves. maybe, it has been a long season for some, and they were experiencing Jet lag and holidays… that said, with all the changes, coming away with the win and tie againsttwogoodteams makes for the beginning of a great holiday season!
I like thinking through the what if on Shaw vs Swanson, collecting that specific ball into a dribble is such a strength for Swanson, she makes it look effortless every time and then we take it for granted! Your first point on being outplayed is so much of it and I probably should've touched on it. Netherlands were all over loose balls in the first half, they wanted it more and executed quicker. And I really think the travel point is huge. It's a whole different experience waking up in a foreign country, breaking matchday routines you've had for years, jet lag is tough, and oh by the way it's Thanksgiving and you can't be with family. Big result all things considered.
good breakdown. curious, though, why emma subbed lily for horan when the obvious sub would have been for the 6 in that midfield 3. emma played her as 10/false 9. doesn't Lily fit more logically as the 6 in this system?
The 6 is where I had expected to see her too but maybe Hayes wants to get a look at her in more spots first. I also think the half time subs not being planned may have impacted the plan for the remaining players coming on.
Yohannes has serious talent in many facets of the game. I'm not sure her defense is quite there yet, but she is years ahead of herself at reading/reacting/passing and playing through balls, changing point of attack and finding teammates who can get on the end of her lovely passes. Her most evident skills right now are at the 10 - playmaking and directing passes on point. Hence the Lilly/Lindsey swap. I've seen clips her playing at Ajax. When she plays deeper, she does all right but has more room to develop those defensive skills. I think Emma wanted to see what she could bring at the 10. That header right out to Ryan - the hockey assist that led to the goal - was a terrific, in the moment play.
I won't get to a full breakdown of that game but have it clipped for player footage I'm hoping to use for other videos. I'm not sure the team necessarily played much better against England offensively, chemistry and timing still felt off. Defensively the coordination was tighter with the first roster but they weren't pushed in the same way.
Excellent. The focus on defense is great. Many commentators focus almost exclusively on the attack, which is borderline-ridiculous. The one thing you could have commented on was how late first-half and second half Girma started to man-mark Berensteyn, that made a big difference. Nighswonger was seriously exposed in this game, I did not realize how much she has to learn as a 1:1 defender, because I've been so impressed by her attacking abilities. And Coffey and Lavelle's lackluster "marking"! Wow. Lavelle has stuff to learn from Trinity Rodman, who will follow her player from end-to-end.
I suspect folks try not to talk defense because it's harder to read and criticize, case in point, I didn't catch that Girma started man-marking Berensteyn after that "timeout". Just went back and had another look and it deserves a highlight for how smooth Girma is with her communication. She knows where her mark is at all times, knows when she needs to leave space, knows when she needs to hand her off. Played perfectly.
THE no.1 reason the USWNT 'played bad' against the Netherlands was LEE's absence. If Lee _had_ been there, I'm sure that the USWNT would have instead 'played badLY' lol (just a joke - don't flip out)
Nighswanger (SP?) was so outmatched getting beat over and over again. She should of been benched earlier. Lavelle does not belong on the wing. The team needs her ball control center pitch. Albert giving ball away too soon. She has the skill to hold and look for better passes, maneuver her way out of trouble first then advance play. We have seen it , especially against Brazil. Shaw was non existent on the field, total waste of talent, did not saw much urgency in her play on both sides of the ball. She needs to reassess her attitude when given opportunity to play. Why do you think Dutch took foot off the pedal in the second half? They stopped playing with urgency and kind of gave up.
Lavelle on the outside is something in principal I would've expected to work well in this matchup because I think she's strong defensively. But not this time out and there were signs of defensive issues against Iceland too. I'm not sure Hayes has found a permanent home for her which sounds ridiculous. Dutch change of pace baffled me, they eased up on the press significantly. Stamina may have been an issue with the lack of subs? Maybe they got excited to matchup against the world champs with a physical gameplan but forgot they need to do it for 90 minutes.
I think I remember in an interview Emma Hayes saying she liked Lavelle in the 8? Which if she's not the 10 that's probably where she should be. To me it kinda seems like Hayes knows what Rose can do in the midfield, so now she's experimenting with her in other positions.
Challenged or tested would've been much more accurate but the negative connotation draws more clicks. I don't feel great about it either honestly but I'm experimenting and learning a lot right now so I appreciate the feedback.
@@BusyWatchingWomensSoccer I get it, the negative is just smothering and snuffing out the grace and gratitude for you and them. and it affects the players too as well as the kids watching..
Nighswonger had a horrible matchup for her, someone who is just physically too powerful as well as very good technically. Between that mismatch and Horan and especially Lavelle being pretty much useless in midfield against possibly the best midfield in soccer, the US was in terrible shape for most of the first half. The US has been struggling against much more physical teams, and I wish we had a chance to see Gaetino who would be a much better matchup against tall opponents, if she fits in Emma's system. I see Lavelle and Horan as soon to be good players to come off the bench, but hope that younger and more athletic, and more creative players like Lily (offensive midfielder) and Hershfelt (defensive midfielder) could become more of a mainstay on the US team. I'm very disappointed that Macario has been so messed up with injuries just as she was coming into her own, and hope she can still make a big difference and an offensive midfielder going forward as she becomes 100% physically.
Nighswonger looks somewhat manageable after 30 minutes mark when she decided to actually play defense. The first 30 minutes she just looked not caught on by the speed and agility of Dutch RW. She's a very skilled player actually. Always enjoyed Dutch's 3-5-2 as they present a particular strong midfield challenge. Lavelle is our best MF player imo but is a little injury prone. The best thing about that game imo is it forced the US to play a 3 back system and it worked out.
Seeing Gaetino would've been great. I know we haven't had the chance to evaluate her against strong opposition but I didn't think the England or Dutch matchups were beyond her capabilities based on what we've seen so far. I do wonder if that had been the plan if things hadn't gone sideways quickly. Horan I don't have a read on what the plan is there but I think you're right on with Lavelle. What a pain in the butt it'll be for teams to slog through 65 minutes just to have Lavelle come out and dance around them.
always love your breakdowns. For me, Hayes is great so all reviews start with the question "What is Hayes trying to accomplish in this match " and not "what went wrong or right" Hayes is learning about players, adding information and building capacity in both players and tactics... a draw and win against world class teams under this scenario is just another example of her prowess. Thanks and enjoy time with family!
Thanks for the kind words. I love that questioning mindset, what a great way to approach unpacking the film. I agree that heading home with a whole new set of information and two quality results is a huge win, it's a special team.
I think Holland played particularly well in the first half. Better than I have seen.
The US is missing Smith/Swanson/Rodman which changes the attack and that affects midfield and defense.
I was not dismayed.
You really are the best on UA-cam. I always look to you to understand what is going on and why Emma makes the tactics vs. certain players not quite able to serve them with the opponent they are up against.
Thanks!!
Thanks for the kind words, I think it's such a fun mystery picking apart what really happened vs what the plan was.
Film doesn’t lie. Your analysis is spot on and provided without bias or negativity. Good job.
@ Exactly. Thanks.
5:22 Nighswonger got steamrolled by Leuchter. Certainly agree with your comments about the size matchup. That's why Crystal Dunn is precisely what Jenna is attempting to be: great on defense but also great at running up the sides to play crosses into the box. I wonder if Nighswonger would do better in the midfield than in that defensive role.
Nighswonger is a decent choice against a team that parks the bus. She feels like a liability against an agressive team.
There were so many clips of that matchup that didn't end well for the US. I loved watching Leuchter though, she seemed like a real pro with the change of pace she was using to tee Nighswonger up. The left foot is going to keep Nighswonger in contention for a while, I could see a move to midfield in the works at some point.
@@BusyWatchingWomensSoccerI feel to simplify why Jenna is there is her crossing ability. He’s there are other reasons but if someone comes in that can effectively have that offensive influence she will surplus to requirements
Nighswonger won't be back come February.
As usual, you made the game even better. I like the idea of Hayes trying new things but not making the team suffer the whole game. Berhalter and Andonovski would stick with their visions and the team spirit suffered.
Hayes is smart enough to say, "They've learned all they can today. We'll review the film and try again another day." That is how you add a tool to the toolbox.
That exact thought about Andonovoski was on my mind with the halftime subs. Hayes continues to prove how composed she is, the moving of Davidson over was a big one for me to see the team try something new in the moment as a quick response to a problem.
@@BusyWatchingWomensSoccer Spot on thread. Hayes’ adjustment were masterful. Even with only a little glimpse of her you can tell that Lilly is destined to become the Rodri of US football. She is ground control out there and the connection hub the US has been missing. Her at the 8 and Croix or Shaw at the 10 connecting with our impossibly deep front 3 would be magic.
Id like to see more of Yasmeen Ryan. That ball she served in to Lynn was *chefs kiss* 🤌🏽
Same, she looked much more comfortable this series and came up so big in both games. She was one of the most consistent players on both sides of the ball. A big winner for me.
teammates have flow
Thanks so much for your USWNT and The Netherlands analysis. It was very great indeed, as always. Your soccer analysis, is head and shoulders above any other in sight. As a matter of fact, your analysis does remind me of the very next best thing besides sitting at the game itself. It is that impeccably good, and to the point. To start, this is not a refute of anything else that you mentioned, but to add my own personal observation. The USA walked into a lions den, more or less in the Netherlands. Theirs were very seasoned players, and experienced also. I did notice on their side, several familiar faces from the 2019 World Cup final between the two countries. It is easy to identify them by their ages, several were between the ages of 28 and 33y/olds during the game, while many of ours had already retired or were left off the squad. Different countries, different priorities is well understood. Their quality of play, in my mind did show, as the USA younger players appeared confused, which I would attribute to trying not to make mistakes. In other words, thinking to much about the plays, instead of simply reacting to them. So, most of their players had better cohesion, and understood each other better, when compared to our team that had only 4 or so days of training camp. Next, the coaching was very obvious once again, and it reminded me of the very first Emma Hayes maiden match with the team. At that time, I saw over-coaching, which lead to several players being indecisive and confused, at times. However, during the Olympics, as per the players comments themselves, Emma allowed them the freedom to be creative on their own at that time, without being overbearing. That was what several players attributed their success to, at that time. Once again, your platform is quality personified. Please keep it up.
Wow, high praise indeed, thank you so much for the kind words. I love connecting with folks over football so this channel will always welcome opinions, objections, and corrections. Your point on the over-thinking is a great one, it showed up on the film in a way that I haven't seen in a while. The players are looking to get to the point where they can turn their brain off and just play but there's so much information that needs to be absorbed first to get to that point. It'll be interesting to see who of the newer players can get there first, Ryan seems the closest to me so far.
Thank you for the breakdown. I learn something, usually many somethings, with each video you upload. Thank you!
That's so lovely to hear, thank you!
Thank you for the deep explanations on strategies and tactics and player positioning I'm unfamiliar with.
You're so welcome
Awesome analysis, as always! Anyone else starting to see the limitations of Sam Coffey and Korbin? And how Lily is better than either of them at 17?!? In your video at 18:55, the ball control and pass by Lily to Emily Fox was a thing of beauty. Lily needs to get a start in She Believes, let’s see how she looks with Rose, Lindsey, and the 3 espressos. Happy Holidays, safe travels.
Yohannes has already improved what she's putting on film since I've started following along, the next few years are going to be fun watching her develop. That pass was wise beyond her years. Eyes in the back of her head, great understanding of the run coming in, moves the opposition where she wants, texture on the pass sets Fox up so well, pure magic.
@@BusyWatchingWomensSoccer I read an ESPN article a couple days ago (written by Jeff Carlisle & Audrey de Ridder) where they interviewed Lily’s youth coach and he said she was making those passes when she was around 10 years old, playing on a boy’s team, but the boys didn’t yet have the vision to get to the pass. With Emma Hayes and the fierceness of the USWNT, she’s brought her talents to the right place!
Before long, I expect we'll see Claire Hutton competing for the top spot as holding midfielder on the WNT.
@@Edwardianschool That was a good read thanks for the heads up. I loved learning that she was the most fouled player in her league.
Great as always Birdie. I will spare the world my thoughts on Horan. Winning when you are notably not at your best is the sign of a good team and good coaching. U.S. has some amazing young talent.
Thank you, and you know I'm normally a big Horan fan but I was quiet for good reason this video. Seeing Yohannes coming in for Horan felt somewhat prophetic.
I thought one of the big issues was Horan playing so far up top, like a Nine. As a result, she displaced Shaw from the center, and left a hole in midfield, because Shaw didn’t drop that far back to fill that hole. If we were getting overrun in midfield, why did Horan stay up top? Additionally, Shaw looked like she just doesn’t have the speed or strength to challenge for a front line position. Drop her back to midfield, and I think she shows a lot better.
It's funny because a few months ago I would've said I want to try Horan as a 9 to see if she can bring a more physical finishing style. Not totally sure that was one of the goals with this match but I saw enough there to understand why not. Shaw struggled to the point where I feel like injury or something off field may be an issue, she didn't look like herself at all.
Once I realized that Girma, Fox, and Davidson were all on and the backline was still getting roasted I said "Oh God, this is not gonna go well."
Also I always especially appreciate your set piece analysis. They always seem so chaotic but there's actually so much complexity to them that I for one have a hard time figuring out.
The pass and shot two minutes in is where I had that same thought! I really believed we were going to see the team get dunked on for the first time under Hayes. Getting live coverage to stop cutting to closeups of the kick taker and making it harder to follow set pieces is high on my list of life goals, I like to dream big.
Great video...incredible insights and a great sense of what was unfurling out there!
So happy to hear it was helpful!
fantastic analysis. keep up the good work!
Much appreciated!
enjoyed the breakdown. guess Nighswonger just struggled on her own. shes clearly not the most physical player and it showed. hope Jenna learns from it. loved the way Yaz played in both matches. have a safe trip. good vibes.
Such a demanding matchup for Nighswonger but a great opportunity to build from it, I don't think she's going anywhere. And Yazmeen came up big, she was a great surprise for me. Good vibes only!
Fascinating analysis!! Neither of those games (ENG & NED) were a lot fun to watch as a US fan, but I agree with you that they were great learning experiences for the whole team, both the coaches and the players. I'm convinced that Emma Hayes knows exactly what she's doing. She wants to put players in positions where they will be challenged, and maybe fail - because that's how you grow! We're more than two years away from the next World Cup, so Hayes has plenty of time to experiment, to try new things, check out her younger athletes, and probably lose some games along the way. But it will all be worth it, come 2027 and 2028.
Hayes surely knows what she's doing better than anyone, as she's adding in changes I'm having to slow down to follow along, I can only imagine how tough it is as a player right now. I think we're going to see some of them really separate themselves for the 2027 spots in terms of how much information they can retain.
@@BusyWatchingWomensSoccer That is a great point. There is a wealth of talent in US WNT pool. I think you are right that brains will be the deciding factor on World Cup roster spots.
A lot of people are supportive of Jenna but as this game shows she should not be playing on defense. Will Hayes find her a spot at the midfield, at who's cost? Not likely. I see Emily Sams and Yazmeen Ryan making the team. I think Ryan may even jump ahead of Jaedyn Shaw.
I think both her player matchup and the opponent's style were real problems for her this time out but I'm still convinced she has the toolkit to help this team out. You can learn a lot from one nightmare match. Ryan has been a big surprise for me; progress each camp, delivering against what's asked of her, she'll be back.
Love these videos
Thank you so much!
While we rest triple espresso It looks like we have solid backups on the wings with Ryan and Thompson. But the Shaw experiment in the middle was ineffective… is there anyone else you think could fit in there until fishel is healthy? Feels like we don’t have a ton of target strikers in the pool besides maybe Bright or Turner?
I like how Angel City were using Bright towards the end of the season but Turner's game looks a little more complete to me, she seems like a good fit for the January "futures" camps with past USYNT time. For a big physical striker Jordynn Dudley is probably my favorite prospect because I've seen she's unexpectedly silky with the ball, but I think she's a few years out from making the team. So I'm with you, I don't really see a clear backup option here but I'm hoping January gives us some answers about not just the pool, but how players may move through the pipeline under Hayes.
@ yeah Dudley really seems to have the mentality and potential. I’m excited to see if turner and smith will be used together, if they can build chemistry that would give her a leg up.
Rose Lavelle is the best player, I think the USWNT is much better when Rose plays as the 10. She gives the team balance. I don’t think you need Coffey and Albert in the midfield, Albert is a better player. I would rather see a trio of Albert, Horan and Lavelle. I would also like to see Ally Watt get a call up, I think she’s extremely underrated.
Hopefully the experimentation with Lavelle is over, she seems so much more effective inside and she's too talented to not be a key player. Ally Watt has grown on me a lot this season, I loved seeing her up close in KC. She definitely deserves the chance, curious to see if there's room to bring more players in.
Hayes was really the star of that show. She even stated the fact that those games were not about winning or losing per se. She was more interested in seeing what she's got. And without freaking out, she let them run until we got the lucky own goal, and then she went for the jugular at halftime. It's amazing how it only takes one goal to make everything alright in this sport. Lynn for the Win! Suck it Netherlands! I feel for Jenna but i don't think she's given up her spot just yet. That said, hoping Dunn ain't done, who is the preferred right back to challenge for that spot? I feel like Davidson is a pretty good choice given that Sams and Sonnett are locks for awhile. Would like a bit more speed on that side, but ya can't argue much with Davidson's positioning and tackling and size.
Spot on. Really hoping Dunn ain’t done too! But, your comment got me thinking that we might see a new take on the “Dunn conversion” where a speedster like Ryan would be converted to left or right back. Tierna doesn’t have the physicality or the jets to keep up with world-class wingers, and neither does Nighswonger.
Scorelines in football can be downright cruel, the US are going to be on the other end of it at some point sadly. I don't think Nighswonger's heading anywhere soon either but the left back position feels oddly wide open in the same way that goalkeeper does. I think Davidson may have been a one game solution but perhaps it's and idea Hayes has had on her mind for a while, definitely curious to see how that plays out.
@@BusyWatchingWomensSoccer I agree, Tierna is solid if she’s helping Girma anchor the back line, but I don’t see her in the starting lineup if Emma Hayes starts employing that 3-back line more regularly - in light of the alternatives. Crazy thought, Fox and Girma are the only sure things about the 1 through 5 positions at the moment. So much depends on Dunn and her fitness going forward. Time will tell.
@@Edwardianschool As long as Sonnett stays healthy i think she's definitely earned a spot alongside Girma. Sonnett made Gotham one of the stingiest teams in the NWSL this year and she had a solid Olympics. She's in that weird sweet spot between late 20's and mid-30's so she jut needs to stay healthy and playing.
@@Edwardianschool Also, can Malonson play left back or is she right back only?because she seems to have the speed and grit for the USWNT.
2:54 the issue here is that uswnt instinct would be for Horan and Coffey to go balls to the wall transition mode and sprint up the middle to receive a pass from Lavelle and pass on the first touch to shaw who rebounds back to Horan. And wham bam usa gets a goal or a shot on target. I think Hayes is trying to break the uswnt from the habit of playing that transitional style to reduce risk of losing possession and get caught out from behind. She's probably instructing the midfield to stay and protect the goal hence we see Coffey and Horan just ball watching, only lightly jogging. Lavelle doesn't intuitively pass backwards and sees Shaw as the only player in front and does a ridiculously optimistic pass to Shaw. In the WSL we would see the ball passed backwards to Nighswonger and everyone catches their breath and reset back to the starting position. But that slow boring methodical approach is not part of the uswnt DNA. Roord is unmarked bopping balls after balls because the midfield is fighting with themselves not to move too forward but end up not defending deep enough
I took a look again and I really like that take over what I said about Lavelle following instructions to look for transitional chances. No one else is showing that, it makes much more sense the instruction was to slow down and build up. Also think that tracks with Lavelle's positioning being a little off/slow and Nighswonger struggling on her matchup but being in the right spots. That's bias at work right there, assuming the veteran is following the gameplan better.
Thank you for your insights. Your previous look at new tactics was excellent. I'm not sure that I agree with the man marking assessment. Looked typical to me. Agree that Coffee was very good. I am a big fan of Nighswonger but her technique ignored two weaknesses. As you said, she was much smaller and the referee was allowing a lot of contact so Nighswonger set herself up to be manhandled. One trend I see is that referees for the women's game allow a lot of pushing through the back of players. The same "physicality" is correctly called as fouls in the men's game. I believe the shove in the back that put Girma to her knees would have been called in most men's games. The last point that I would like to hear your take on is that the US got a little used to teams that give them more time and space. The Dutch give the US very time and space and that combined ref allowing so many fouls in the back threw the US way off their game. Quicker and more physical is what was needed and they were slow and tentative.
I'm starting to have some doubts about the press being in man for man. ua-cam.com/video/xV1nGfG7fas/v-deo.htmlsi=GyHvIfnxfeZiIve2&t=85 was shared with me and I hear Emma talking about the Netherlands matching up player for player which has me think some sequences of pressure may have looked different to me because of the Dutch positioning. I felt the refereeing was at least consistent, it reminded me a lot of the Olympic final where both teams were just left to play, European ref for that too. But I do agree there's plenty of contact in the women's game that doesn't get called that would in men's football, the hip check instead of a shoulder charge is one of my pet peeves.
I don't think enough emphasis is being placed on the fact that the Dutch just sort of ran out of gas in the 2nd half the same way that Brazil ran out of gas in the Olympic Final. Both Brazil and the Dutch spent a TON of energy in the 1st half against the US winning every challenge and the US weathered the storm and then turned the match around in the 2nd half. Not exactly what you want in not being able to match the intensity of the opponent in the first 30 mins of the game, but if you can weather the storm then you give yourself a chance in the 2nd half when the opponent comes off the pitch at half time and is just going to naturally not be able to get back to that same level of effort they did in the first half. Compound that with the fact that Emma made some great subs at half time and it's a different match in the 2nd half. Don't forget that this is what she has been preaching since she got here, that we don't need to panic just because we aren't the better team in the 1st half. If you weather the storm and stay in the match you can start to catch up and match the intensity and the pace in the 2nd half and then win it in the 2nd half. Don't forget that the US just came off a match with England. The Dutch were coming off a fairly easy match with China, had 1 more day to rest and had almost a completely new starting lineup. They definitely looked fresher than the US in the 1st half, but couldn't match that same intensity in the 2nd half.
That's a great comparison with the Brazil matchup, there's certainly something to be said for pacing yourself but also about having the confidence to read your opponent's pace and hang back, sort of like long distance running. Totally agree that against the Netherlands it felt like the perfect storm of them losing steam and Hayes making great adjustments at clever times. I don't know enough about the Dutch roster to know if they had the depth for this but I can't help but think it would've been a very different match if they'd started with subs around 60 minutes in. I'd love to know if the US could've come to the same result without the Dutch helping them!
All of what you said might be true but you could say some of the same for the Dutch. Buurman has exactly 1 cap for the Netherlands (against the US), Kaptein has 14, Leuchter has 20, Brugts has 28. They may be in the same stage of trying to find eventual replacements for their aging stars like Spitse, Van de Donk, Groenen and Meidema. One of the differences may be that Hayes needs to blend her players into a style of play that suits them. The Dutch on the other hand have a national identity as soccer players. All of them grew up playing the Dutch 4-3-3 or variations there of. When they get to the senior level they already know how to play the system (especially the defensive to offensive transitions you mentioned, which is definitely a feature of the Dutch style of play), what their role in it is and what is expected of them. They just have to hope that their abilities and game plan are better than their opposition. In the first half against the US they were. In the second half they were not. What should be very encouraging for the USWNT is that, except for Williams, all of their substitutes were young players with limited numbers of caps, and they still turned the game around.
That national identity stood out so clearly and I can see how it benefits the players, if the commentators hadn't mentioned it was Buurman's 1st cap I never would've known. There was no hesitancy in their transition moments, just fluid intuitive football. I really enjoyed watching it outside of the fact that they were making the US look silly. A lot of the announcements from US Soccer make it sound like Hayes is working to establish a tactical model that can be taught in the youth systems to start building that identity. What a huge ask of one person! We're going to need a decade of her leadership for that.
@@BusyWatchingWomensSoccer As an addendum, the US has 1.7 million girls and women registered with the US Soccer Federation, the Netherlands has 150 thousand (only 9% of what the US has). The VAST player pool of healthy, strong, fast, athletic girls and women who have had sports as an everyday part of their lives (since Nixon signed Title XI into law back in 1972) gives the US an advantage over the Netherlands. Soccer for girls and women in the Netherlands only became popular a short time ago but having that Dutch "total soccer" national soccer identity is the advantage the Netherlands has. It was interesting to watch how it played out on the field.
Beyond the tactics, the USAwas outplayed by an aggressive Dutch team, who consistently, played the ball, beating the US to it first, and also not waiting for the official to blow a foul call, that never came. I thought the ball that Lavalle, ambitiously sent through the middle to Shaw might havebeen playable if Shaw had been more assertive coming back. It is a play that Swanson could have made, IMO. I like Shaw, but she needs to develop as well. USA has to do more against top teams without the ball and impose themselves. maybe, it has been a long season for some, and they were experiencing Jet lag and holidays…
that said, with all the changes, coming away with the win and tie againsttwogoodteams makes for the beginning of a great holiday season!
I like thinking through the what if on Shaw vs Swanson, collecting that specific ball into a dribble is such a strength for Swanson, she makes it look effortless every time and then we take it for granted! Your first point on being outplayed is so much of it and I probably should've touched on it. Netherlands were all over loose balls in the first half, they wanted it more and executed quicker. And I really think the travel point is huge. It's a whole different experience waking up in a foreign country, breaking matchday routines you've had for years, jet lag is tough, and oh by the way it's Thanksgiving and you can't be with family. Big result all things considered.
good breakdown. curious, though, why emma subbed lily for horan when the obvious sub would have been for the 6 in that midfield 3. emma played her as 10/false 9. doesn't Lily fit more logically as the 6 in this system?
The 6 is where I had expected to see her too but maybe Hayes wants to get a look at her in more spots first. I also think the half time subs not being planned may have impacted the plan for the remaining players coming on.
Yohannes has serious talent in many facets of the game. I'm not sure her defense is quite there yet, but she is years ahead of herself at reading/reacting/passing and playing through balls, changing point of attack and finding teammates who can get on the end of her lovely passes. Her most evident skills right now are at the 10 - playmaking and directing passes on point. Hence the Lilly/Lindsey swap. I've seen clips her playing at Ajax. When she plays deeper, she does all right but has more room to develop those defensive skills. I think Emma wanted to see what she could bring at the 10. That header right out to Ryan - the hockey assist that led to the goal - was a terrific, in the moment play.
could you do one on the england game as well by any chance, would be curious to see your thoughts on how the two matched up as top 1 and 2
I won't get to a full breakdown of that game but have it clipped for player footage I'm hoping to use for other videos. I'm not sure the team necessarily played much better against England offensively, chemistry and timing still felt off. Defensively the coordination was tighter with the first roster but they weren't pushed in the same way.
@@BusyWatchingWomensSoccer that's fair, appreciate what you've posted so far
this was US team "C" , England was B team up front. Defence was A team vs England, B team for Dutch.
I feel like this team is trying to build to getting "A" performances regardless of the roster on the day, it was a pretty good start!
Excellent. The focus on defense is great. Many commentators focus almost exclusively on the attack, which is borderline-ridiculous. The one thing you could have commented on was how late first-half and second half Girma started to man-mark Berensteyn, that made a big difference. Nighswonger was seriously exposed in this game, I did not realize how much she has to learn as a 1:1 defender, because I've been so impressed by her attacking abilities. And Coffey and Lavelle's lackluster "marking"! Wow. Lavelle has stuff to learn from Trinity Rodman, who will follow her player from end-to-end.
I suspect folks try not to talk defense because it's harder to read and criticize, case in point, I didn't catch that Girma started man-marking Berensteyn after that "timeout". Just went back and had another look and it deserves a highlight for how smooth Girma is with her communication. She knows where her mark is at all times, knows when she needs to leave space, knows when she needs to hand her off. Played perfectly.
You should get a job covering NWSL or MLS!
Thank you, that's the dream!
THE no.1 reason the USWNT 'played bad' against the Netherlands was LEE's absence.
If Lee _had_ been there, I'm sure that the USWNT would have instead 'played badLY'
lol
(just a joke - don't flip out)
Bad Lee would be an incredible name for an athlete!
Nighswanger (SP?) was so outmatched getting beat over and over again. She should of been benched earlier. Lavelle does not belong on the wing. The team needs her ball control center pitch. Albert giving ball away too soon. She has the skill to hold and look for better passes, maneuver her way out of trouble first then advance play. We have seen it , especially against Brazil. Shaw was non existent on the field, total waste of talent, did not saw much urgency in her play on both sides of the ball. She needs to reassess her attitude when given opportunity to play. Why do you think Dutch took foot off the pedal in the second half? They stopped playing with urgency and kind of gave up.
Lavelle on the outside is something in principal I would've expected to work well in this matchup because I think she's strong defensively. But not this time out and there were signs of defensive issues against Iceland too. I'm not sure Hayes has found a permanent home for her which sounds ridiculous. Dutch change of pace baffled me, they eased up on the press significantly. Stamina may have been an issue with the lack of subs? Maybe they got excited to matchup against the world champs with a physical gameplan but forgot they need to do it for 90 minutes.
I think I remember in an interview Emma Hayes saying she liked Lavelle in the 8? Which if she's not the 10 that's probably where she should be. To me it kinda seems like Hayes knows what Rose can do in the midfield, so now she's experimenting with her in other positions.
USA was lucky Lieke Martens retired
One problem down and a new one pops ups! I really enjoyed watching Leuchter.
wish the word bad wasnt used. challenged yes and we learned a lot. but bad too negative
Challenged or tested would've been much more accurate but the negative connotation draws more clicks. I don't feel great about it either honestly but I'm experimenting and learning a lot right now so I appreciate the feedback.
@@BusyWatchingWomensSoccer I get it, the negative is just smothering and snuffing out the grace and gratitude for you and them. and it affects the players too as well as the kids watching..
Jenna is cooked omg. I'm sooo tired of her and her silly fouls😩😩
Nighswonger had a horrible matchup for her, someone who is just physically too powerful as well as very good technically. Between that mismatch and Horan and especially Lavelle being pretty much useless in midfield against possibly the best midfield in soccer, the US was in terrible shape for most of the first half. The US has been struggling against much more physical teams, and I wish we had a chance to see Gaetino who would be a much better matchup against tall opponents, if she fits in Emma's system. I see Lavelle and Horan as soon to be good players to come off the bench, but hope that younger and more athletic, and more creative players like Lily (offensive midfielder) and Hershfelt (defensive midfielder) could become more of a mainstay on the US team. I'm very disappointed that Macario has been so messed up with injuries just as she was coming into her own, and hope she can still make a big difference and an offensive midfielder going forward as she becomes 100% physically.
Nighswonger looks somewhat manageable after 30 minutes mark when she decided to actually play defense. The first 30 minutes she just looked not caught on by the speed and agility of Dutch RW. She's a very skilled player actually. Always enjoyed Dutch's 3-5-2 as they present a particular strong midfield challenge. Lavelle is our best MF player imo but is a little injury prone. The best thing about that game imo is it forced the US to play a 3 back system and it worked out.
Seeing Gaetino would've been great. I know we haven't had the chance to evaluate her against strong opposition but I didn't think the England or Dutch matchups were beyond her capabilities based on what we've seen so far. I do wonder if that had been the plan if things hadn't gone sideways quickly. Horan I don't have a read on what the plan is there but I think you're right on with Lavelle. What a pain in the butt it'll be for teams to slog through 65 minutes just to have Lavelle come out and dance around them.