USWNT vs New Zealand Preview: USA Starting Lineup Predictions

United States going from Wellington to Auckland gonna face off against New Zealand to close out this two-game series and this one is going to take place in Eden Park um let's maybe talk about that a little bit um this team holding the January camp in New Zealand obviously mirroring a little bit of this group stage for for the team um in their in all of the matches that are going to take place uh for their group e uh playoff game or excuse me group games in the World Cup in 2023 thought it was cool to kick things off in Wellington and close things out in Auckland um I don't know I think when it comes to you know we'll probably get a little bit more reflective on this when we do do the recap but we had talked about in the earlier preview how maybe we're not going to get a ton out of these games in terms of um you know those lessons or those areas of growth I think this team tries to look for when they go up against the various opposition but then maybe a lot of this is going to be a huge chunk of this is gonna it's gonna the importance is gonna lie within the overall experiences that they get within yeah yes that's a really good point about it it's more about is this the first time the US has been in New Zealand and competed there and where they're playing tonight Friday night in the states Saturday if you're in New Zealand um is Eden Park which is New Zealand's National Stadium and it's going to be the host site for the World Cup the US will play their first group stage game there they're opening World Cup match will be at the stadium that they're playing at today and also their third group stage match I believe uh which is against a team that is TBD at this point but I think that experience is also something that's very interesting because this is where they're going to be staying right this is they're getting used to it and accommodate dated now time of year is going to be different but yeah I think that that's more about this trip than the actual competition against New Zealand is yeah you know New Zealand look it was scoreless in that first half in this first game you know lined up in a four four two um we're pretty organized um but this is a team that's this is a team that's missing players um Within These two friendlies themselves you know not having like their their their own complete roster um perhaps also looking at looking at this these two friendlies and like a similar light where it's like hey we're we're just eager to to host opposition and this is the number one ranked team in the world and we too are getting that experience of traveling within our country and as being hosts um but you know the the tone of that game quickly changed in that second half you know all those good ideas in the in the first 45 minutes for New Zealand um clogging things up dipping things like sort of snatching things out in terms of uh you know the USA trying to maybe play centrally a little bit they were really good at disrupting that but they were not so good at perhaps you know absorbing that pressure or uh you know creating those turnovers or disrupting those passes and then turning them around and trying to generate attack like we didn't see that from from New Zealand I don't believe you know they too didn't record uh many shots in that first half I don't memory surface correct they didn't have an attempt on target um coming out of that first half so I'm a little curious what type of adjustments they might make are we going to see a similar formation are we going to see a similar attempt to to try to frustrate um you know the U.S team early in this in in this first half and and I think maybe coming out of that first game out of that first half specifically I do wonder if we might see uh from in and asking the coaching staff the the player rotations that we might see in this game are they going to be perhaps some of those quote unquote game changers that we saw in the in the second half of this game like instead of coming off of the bench are we going to see a star for for as Sanchez are we going to to see a start from a trinity Rodman um is Lynn Williams going to be given an early half hour versus a later half hour um yeah I'm curious about it yeah I think those are really good questions um I I think we'll see a little bit of a shake up I'm hoping we will we saw Swanson Morgan and purse uh get the start in that first match or first friendly against New Zealand but if we see that front three Sandra like I'm not gonna be surprised I'm not I'm really not because he likes consistency without Sophia Smith there at this camp and in this roster um this is a lineup we're looking at especially Swanson and Morgan maybe we could see a rotation for a purse in that role but I'm I'm gonna argue that purse played really well throughout that first half the first 45 minutes that she was given uh she was an impact player in this first half of that game despite being zero zero imagine what she could win 1v1 yeah imagine what purse can do when the the rest of the team is playing how they did in the second half of that first game um versus the first half so I like I would argue to give purse to start again in this point the beauty of this Raw roster is that there are so many exceptional attacking players that black wananovski can start um will he switch that up I mean I think I would like to see Rodman get a start I still want to see purse get another start I think she deserves to get another startup there and I I mean I don't think we'll see Lynn Williams the first 30. I think we'll still see her at the end of the game I'm yes I'm with you on that for I'm I'm with you this is like a a mutual A3 thing like we're tossing out the same names here we want to see these particular players get those get those extended minutes and I think maybe for me again this is the I feel statement for Sandra I don't want to I don't this part I don't want to speak for you on but I I'm also looking at these particular players and want them to get those extended minutes because even though we we both have said it's really about um this two game series is really about you know mirroring the group stage of of the World Cup and being in New Zealand and experiencing the travel within New Zealand those things are like taking precedence maybe perhaps what's coming out of the games I still want to see those particular players get minutes because this coaching staff still has to make an eventual decision about who is going to that World Cup and maybe this window of time for players is is one of those final opportunities to sort of leave those lasting impacts I have to imagine I have to this is this again I feel this is no sourcing or anything I have to imagine that if you have players who are going up in these two friendlies and going up against a somewhat depleted New Zealand Squad and they're exiting these two friendlies and not having very good games that you're maybe moving on to our areas in the player pool um excellent reporting shout out to meglinahan who's on the ground in New Zealand we all keep watching her beautiful photos of the Flora and the fauna out there but you know also in um availabilities when adanowski andanovski was asked about that player pool that this coaching staff has narrowed that down already that they've gone from about a pool of 40 players in consideration for the World Cup roster to down to 32. you know so it's it's it's getting smaller and smaller I think as as the world gets closer and closer so yes I think when we're looking at this this next game coming up I do want to see players like yeah just get extended minutes Trinity Rodman I think they have shown what they can do off of the bench what do they look like when they build into a game um and perhaps in terms of this pool of players like maybe these are players that you're already looking in looking at or looking to as those game changers right maybe this culture that's the next phase this coaching staff is going to look at who are going to be their typical starters but who are going to be those players that they're going to rely on to come into impact immediately I mean we saw that immediate impact from Rodman we saw that immediate impact from Sanchez and and to be honest I don't know if we see them rotate out of that role right they've proven that they add value to this team actually Sanchez Trinity Rodman specifically just talking about those two players they add value to this team I don't foresee them dropping off this roster barring anything outside of their control and but do we see them shift out of that substitute role and and play into that starter role I'm not so sure about that I think that they would have to be out playing the people that are currently in their position um by loads and loads and I just I'm not sure if we're seeing that right now and and that's why maybe we will see a start from Rodman in the front line alongside a Swanson and a purse I think that would be my ideal front three at this at this point because I think Rodman's impact in the game when she came in in that first friendly was so important and can she do that from the start or is she going to be that relief forward that comes in at the 60 Minute Mark and then can really shake things up and give opposition a brand new look and that's kind of where I see Rodman's role right now is being that substitute role that we see I mean when she started you know getting into these camps andanowski said like hey this is a young player it's so it's a player that we want to integrate and work into this system slowly gradually they're not trying to throw too much at her too fast um I think with you know with the appearance against New Zealand the other night over the last year or so with the team like I think it's 11 total caps 11 appearances for this team yeah so not only did she have a couple goals but coming out of that game now she's added two assists over 11 appearances over 11 appearances with this team so let's let's keep it moving I say let's keep it moving let's let's you know let's let's see a little more of it you know um let's maybe give her come on start and then sub her out at like 50 minutes 60 minutes right that's a great way to kind of advance that that well let's let's take a look at maybe that's starting 11 um in that first game and then maybe talk a little bit about what we would like to see in terms of an 11 for this game um they gave Alyssa Nair the start uh Crystal Dunn Becky cyber Naomi guerma Emily Fox run it out the defense in the back line the middle third was Lindsey Horan uh corneak Roosevelt uh Swanson Morgan and Perth surround out the the front line so when we're looking at that 433 when we're looking at that original 11 we are already know that paren is going to be unavailable in this game and what do you think we might see for the starting 11 coming into this game well we might see her what I want to see both okay I like doing both of these um I like that we got Alyssa Nair for full 90 in that first first friendly I think we'll see a d franch I think it the whole split time uh between just two goalkeepers during this this window right here and I think between 84 inch and Casey Murphy I would like to give the the toss-up to 80 French and have her win that goalkeeper battle for the number two um I I don't foresee too much change across the back line I'm gonna be honest I think we'll see Don on the left Fox on the right to start things out maybe cook and gurma get the start in the center back as opposed to sauerbrun just because sauerbrun played a full 90 uh in the last match but um and I would like to see a cooking garment kind of see how they play together I think gurma is better than cook and more consistent than cook but you still have to build up that role because you don't have Tierney Davidson back at this point and I'm just not sure about that I don't think we'll see Sonic get a start um I don't think Sophia Huerta will get to start me so get the start the rotation is something that we can talk about different but I'm going to go with done cook garma Fox not too much change up uh I told you Andy Sullivan in the Midfield with rose Lavelle and I want to see Ashley Sanchez not so sure about that but uh that's that's what I want to see maybe we'll see Christine U.S get the star to Taylor corneak even higher but definitely Rose Lavelle and Andy Sullivan in the Midfield and then up front I want to see Swanson Midge purse and Trinity Rodman I do and I want Rodman to get like 50 60 Minutes no I'm with you on that I I'm in agreement in terms of the back for sure uh well we might see it are we going to see Emily sonnet um make her return in this game we saw Lynn Williams get some some minutes in that first game coming off the bench um right just like shortly after the hour Mark um and walking away with the goal so we also have Emily sane who's making her return to this team um after missing extended periods of time in 2022 will she get some minutes in this game um I feel like she could where that's going to be positionally that's what I'm going to be looking at uh from this coaching staff we saw like you mentioned we saw Becky cyran get a full 90 we did see cook come in um for for gear muscle maybe there's a little bit of player rotation there like hey like you'll get a full 90 out of these games but it'll come in in parts you know across the two games so I wouldn't be surprised if we could give him a get another start I also wouldn't be surprised if we see Crystal done get another star this is again we're talking about players making their return to this team and the energy is going to shift a little bit about the players who are missing because now they're returning and now it's going to get about getting be about getting them reacclimated as quickly as possible with just six months out to the World Cup so I I wouldn't be surprised if we see Crystal Dunn get get another start maybe they want to give her another 45 maybe they want to see if she'll you know if she can go go the hour who knows um but yeah I definitely see cybern perhaps getting arrest um in this game um and I'm very very curious about whether or not we will see Emily sonnet in this mess I don't think sonnet will start I just but I'm even more curious about if she comes into the game as a sub what they're looking at is she going to come in at outside back are they going to slaw her in in the center back we've typically seen her at outside back I don't or this team I know I know you're like you're like you guys I'm in distress right now thinking about Emily sonnet because I'm sorry to bring it up and distress you but let's talk about that we have to talk about it because you're right she she traditionally plays an outside back role for her country um more of a center-back role for a club and I I don't know I think when you look at the the center backs that the U.S has right now between Becky sauerbran uh Naomi gurma Alana cook I don't see Emily sonnet slotting into that role I I just don't um but who is she going to rotate in for on the outside right because we saw where to get time Fox start their last match and then switch over to the left one Huerta came in for done and I think Fox is a little stronger on the left than she was on the right um just with her ability to cut inside and use her right foot to cross the ball in there seemed to be a bit of a comfort level when she is on the left just a little bit more familiar um I I mean Sonic's gonna play it on the outside we know that we know that listen I I don't know if we'll see it but the thought that's been swirling around in my head coming out of this first game against New Zealand is that this team is still looking for some answers in this middle third and they already they can say they could check that box off and say okay we tried the the you know the the more attacking player the taller player in in this lower role are we going to continue to do that maybe maybe not so I do wonder if they are quote unquote looking for something different because adonowsky was quoted on that hbi HBO Max pre-game show saying like we want to we want to try something different I do wonder if a different thing they could try is some of their experienced center backs pushed higher a lot of times we hear about when we're talking about soccer when we're analyzing it we that's that's another thing that's not uncommon in the global game such a natural shift where you should you make that shift for your Center back and push them just a little bit higher into that sixth roll and I think she's too good and doing too many great things for this team Karma has a center back but girma is not someone who is unfamiliar with that and I am also curious if they've had conversations with sonnet about pushing her higher as well yeah and I don't know if we would see it but I'm just looking at things positionally I'm just looking at players who you have in and who have played in those roles before and what else is a different thing that you could try exactly I mean Sandra why aren't we the head coaches what are we doing here on this podcast we just kind of I don't want that who wants that job it's a very natural shift and a natural progression to have a center-back shift higher into that defensive Midfield role completely that the roles are very similar the objectives are very similar you've just got a tighter space to work with but we've seen the footwork of Someone Like A gurma that could it definitely do that and push higher it's not going to happen black widowsky is not moving Naomi garma out of the center-back Roll yeah you could put sonnet there but you're not going to do that we're not going to see that happen a player in Emily sonnet that has been a Defender and been in the back line so consistently uh with club and with country and she's also coming back from injury and he's going to put her in her quote-unquote most familiar position to get her back into that role this is not the time that you say yeah let's try Sonic up higher I why not Sam coffee up higher hello that's her role that's what she plays for Portland uh we saw I'm surprised when I asked you about like who do you you know who do you who I just don't think we're going to like to see I don't think we're gonna see coffee at the start I think we're gonna see coffee second 45. Sullivan first 45 coffee but like that's literally why you brought Sam coffee in Sam coffee's not gonna play higher she's not gonna play an eight or a 10 in the Midfield she's not gonna play in the back line Sam coffee is only in these camps to play the defensive mid-roll you're not going to try someone like an Emily sonnet there yeah no I'm with you a hundred percent and and like you mentioned like the windows getting like a little bit it's closed a little bit like I don't know if you and I thought that we would ever see Taylor corny I get 45 minutes and that position and yet we had to talk about that so Never Say Never I don't think we could come on the show and Say Never Say Never now with the uh with the build up so close to the World Cup but um no with you in terms of what we could see out of the back line listen I want to see one of the other goalkeepers get a start in this game whether it's Casey Murphy or Adrian or French I I would love to actually see that star go uh go to 80 French um again we're getting closer to This World Cup this is the player who frequently in camps kind of as the as your number two uh next to a listener was the goalkeeper uh for this team during the Tokyo Olympics post Tokyo Olympics was not really called into camps anymore we we saw more games going to to Casey Murphy we saw the inclusion of Auburn Kingsbury into these camps and um massive 2022 season by French with the current and uh they just could no longer not call her into these camps and now here she is so I I you know I think when you're looking when you're looking at that role specifically and looking for the experience I think it's it's French who has it so I would while I would like to see France get the start in this one I don't know if we will but um yeah different goalkeeper I'd like to see I'd like to see some more minutes were done um you know for her for her to build that this middle third um yeah I really want to see Sam coffee get in the mix in here I mean you said it best she's literally here because of what she's done in the sixth role for the Thorns let's try to see it against the team like New Zealand I also really want to see Chrissy Lewis get minutes in in this in this game against a team like New Zealand and I think there's a good opportunity to her to play her uh you know back in in a higher line put to see what she can do um in the eight this is one of those players that they've tried to slot in at that number six position at times there's been a number there's been it almost feels like an endless number of players who have seen time in that role um so I'm curious if they are bringing a Sam coffee and Sam coffee gets these minutes will Chrissy Muse you know be someone who can maybe slide into one of those uh into those higher positions um I don't think you drop Lavelle from this lineup I would anticipate that she starts as well maybe she she gets subbed out at some point um and I would love to see the continuity in that front line um include a matter of response and I thought she had a massive massive game against New Zealand um want to see purse again as well I want to see her be able to build off of that um I was a little bit surprised that some of the players that they pulled out to was among the four at that immediate halftime I thought that maybe she was going to continue get a chance to continue to build into that game so we also talked about maybe that was predetermined yeah yeah they there are certain things that they do want to try to get looks at um coming out of these games so I I wouldn't mind to yeah I wouldn't mind seeing that once more um Swanson Morgan um purse starting three but how that develops over time in this game I'm not too sure maybe we will maybe we will get uh Sanchez and Rodman um tasked with a different assignment maybe they're going to be told hey we want to see how you guys work in you know work yourselves over the course of extended minutes versus coming in and just going fast so because on the horizon after these uh two matches it's the shiba leaves cup and it's a little bit different competition that they'll be going up against so so we'll see Lisa we'll see if we're if we're correct one one player let's close it out one player that you will be upset about if they do not see time in this game who's that one player Sam Coffey no all right people probably could have put money on that one that they knew I was gonna say that but you don't call a player like this in and not give her time this is this is why she's there she's only got one role to play Let's see it let's see what she can do especially because we didn't see her in the first game I want to see Sam coffee what about you who do you want to say I'm with you buddy same coffee all the way let's go let's go I love the energy coffee energy all right that's the wrap for today thank you all joining us this morning on attacking third and hearing our preview of tonight's game you could catch this game tonight Friday January 20th again it's another late kickoff 10 p.m Eastern make sure you tune in on HBO Max or on Telemundo make sure you get out there at support