The U.S. Women's national Team plays the first of three games Saturday against Mexico in the wake of the World Cup (and yes, goalkeeper Hope Solo is on the squad).

But 100 Percent Soccer guest-blogger Brian Boswell, coach of Southern California WPSL team Ajax America Women, looks even further ahead and argues the U.S. must rethink its long ball style ahead of next year's Olympics:


The World Cup and Brazil in particular changed the priorities in the future selection of U.S. players in the women's game.

Developing players with good technical abilities, the ability to dribble, who are comfortable in possession and creative is critical.

Yet with the Olympics nine months away, wholesale changes should not happen no matter the thoughts of the coach in charge.

The current team as a whole is very capable of changing their style of play and doing well in the tournament. The players who can dribble and comfortable in possession should be encouraged to do so and given the opportunity to work on this in practice.

Goalkeeper Hope Solo said what she and many others truly believed, even though she picked the wrong time to say it. If she has apologized to Briana Scurry and the team she should be back in the squad. Except for the first World Cup game against North Korea she looked good and has the talent and experience needed for the Olympics. Nine months is not long enough to find and blood a new starting goalkeeper.

The defense is solid. They were opened up by Brazil, but if you consider the goalkeeper change and the own goal the defense was already on their collective back foot before having time to settle.

Full back Stephanie Lopez is young, played all but 45 minutes of the World Cup and has a great future. She did not have a good game against Brazil, but who did. Lopez has good speed, is comfortable on the ball and hits a dead ball well; two goals against Norway came from her corners.

Christie Rampone, the old head in the defense, tackles well, boasts tons of experience and if allowed can play the ball out of the back.

Cat Whitehill, who can play in the middle or on the outside goes forward well, is good on the ball, and has a dangerous throw, especially when Abby Wambach is the target.

The defense must be encouraged to play the ball out, look for their midfield players and play through them.

It has to be very frustrating to be a midfield player in the current style of the US with the long ball out of the back passing them by. In the difficult games they appear to get more of the ball by winning it defensively than when its played through to them.

Shannon Boxx is the best holding midfield player in the game. Her game is almost back to her dominating self after a year out with knee surgery. Good in the tackle and in the air, she reads the game well and if given the opportunity can distribute well.

Leslie Osborne is also a more defensive midfield player who works well with Boxxy, but when they are both in the team the needed creative player is missing.

Attacking central midfielder Aly Wagner has had a groin problem throughout this year and has seen little playing time. Her only World Cup minutes came during the demolition of Norway. If the style changes to a possession game, Ali can be the link in the midfield. With good technical ability, she passes well and can attack defenses.

Outside attacking midfielders Lori Chalupny and Heather O’Reilly both like to go for goal and O’Reilly in particular has the speed to stretch defenses. Again, they need to be encouraged to keep possession and not play full speed ahead as in the past.

The attacking pair of Abby Wambach and Kristine Lilly is as potent as any forward combination in the world.

Whether veteran striker Kristine Lilly returns for the Olympics after her fifth World Cup only she knows, but the U.S. could use her leadership through one more tournament.

But a change to a possession game can only help Lilly, who would not have to run and chase balls with little support and could even play a little behind two forwards as the midfield link or a deep lying third attacking threat.

Wambach remains the best pure goal scorer in the world. A great target player, she can dominate physically and loves to score with feet or head. But in the team’s present style she receives the long ball and has two choices, go for goal or hold it to await arriving players. With a possession game Wambach would have more support players to lay balls off to and receive shorter balls from.

Defender Marian Dalmy, 22, got her first start at full back against Norway, did a good job and is one to watch for the future.

Defender Tina Ellertson, who has great speed and was converted from forward, is one of the best markers in the women’s game, but is not going to help retain much possession.

Natasha Kai, a forward with great speed, is a free spirit who gives you something a little different up front. She would also benefit from through balls from a possession team rather than the long ball forward.

The U.S. can succeed at the Olympics by basically retaining the same squad, adding a few fresh faces, but most crucially changing its style.

The U.S. must become a possession team that encourages creativity and allows for mistakes.