192ft2

USA GOLD
Sweet Revenge

The US 4-4-2 (4-4-1-1?) against the Japanese 4-4-2.  Formations
mattered less than execution in this game- and maybe luck!

Thursday's women's gold medal game was a taught affair, despite a 7th minute goal by Carli Lloyd.  Some notes from the game:

Amy Leipelbet is the weak link.  Team USA (men's and women's) continues to struggle to find backs who can get it done at the top level.  Japan was wise, and so often a hair's breadth from successful, in their attention on the right side of the US defense.  Nearly every attack of any note was originated on Liepelbet's side.  Granted, she did enough to not give away the game, but it was touch and go the entire 90 minutes.

Rachel Buehler struggled as well, looking nervous and uncertain with the ball at her feet.  It was a blue collar performance, with
pragmatism taking precedence over creative play.  This trend was evident across the field, where the US rarely built play up, rather seeking Wambach underneath Morgan and then either on the flick or via a ball dropped to Boxx and/or Lloyd, playing Morgan through.  Most attacks were executed in the same vertical third of the pitch as the ball was won in.

The first goal, somewhat ironically, came against this trend, as Rapinoe threw in to Boxx near midfield on the US's right side, who switched it (something she does better than perhaps anyone in the women's game) over to Heath, who found Morgan running cleverly in the penalty area.  Morgan pulled a great cross off, and Lloyd charged in to score, nearly losing her head to Wambach's attempt at a volley.  Either player was set to score...Wambach will surely feel a little bit cheated to have had that chance stolen away...but not too much!

Despite Lloyd's brace, it was her work with Boxx in stalling the Japanese attack and protecting the shaky duo of Rampone (who played fairly well between the two weakest US players in Liepelbet/Buehler) and Buehler that made the difference.  Had she and Boxx not defended as well as they did, the many Japanese chances (including the several off the woodwork, to say nothing of the stops Solo made) would have increased by a factor probably too great to prevent a second or even third Japanese goal.  The no-call on the handling offense in the area by Heath off a Japan free kick featured in a big way.  I'm as partisan as they come, but that was a spot-kick any day of the week...and I thought the German ref had a pretty good look at it.  She swallowed the whistle, and Japan fans will feel hard done by, and rightly so.

The most interesting tactical feature was the determination of the US back line to keep the shifty Japanese attackers from getting in behind.  The number 17 in particular was a handful, but her touches were limited to far fewer than I suspect the Japanese staff would have wanted.  Every time the Japanese attacked, the US back four absolutely careened backwards, ensuring there was no space behind them.  In the first half, this was highly effective, with several attacks ending up with a long ball played behind the back four...right to Hope Solo.  A very conservative defensive structure, but given the clear weakness of the US in the back, a safe bet.

Lloyd's second goal was an absolute screamer, and a fine piece of threading the needle.  As she was running into the three Japanese defenders, I was muttering for her to somehow find one of the two front-runners in Wambach and Morgan...but Lloyd showed why it is a player's game, instead of opting for the safe, scripted options, she took a bold and remarkable shot, and was rewarded.  Though, from a coach's perspective, given that none of those three defenders actually put her under pressure (1 to 1.5 yards away!) taking the shot is a perfectly reasonable result.

Every good game has controversy, moments of great discomfort, and excellent plays, efforts and creativity.  This one had it all, and the US women should be very proud, and pleased, with their performance.