The bookmakers may have the USWNT as second favorite to win the Women’s World Cup, but the tune coming out of the U.S. ahead of Friday’s quarterfinal clash against China is a lot less cheerful.
Pundits and former players have all weighed in with their opinions after Monday’s labored 2-0 win over Colombia in the round of 16.
Two-time World Cup winner Michelle Akers even went as far as questioning whether coach Jill Ellis is the right person for the job.
Ellis had defended her side’s performance against the South American team, saying she was pleased with the way her players moved the ball.
“If she’s pleased with the way we played, then what the hell is she doing coaching our U.S. team?” Akers asked on radio show SiriusXM FC.
“We take it personal. That’s our baby out there, too.”
Former USWNT defender Kate Markgraf — who has 201 caps to her name — defended Ellis, saying she was only trying to protect her players’ confidence as the tournament moved into the sudden-death knockout games.
“I think if you continue to hammer them and hammer them and hammer them and point out their weaknesses … maybe that’s her tactic — just to shield all the negative comments and just try to keep boosting them up,” the 38-year-old told fellow former U.S. star Julie Foudy in a TV discussion on espnW.
“Because now you can’t coach, now you can’t tweak things too much, you have to bolster the players’ confidence — whether it’s right or wrong, because that’s not exactly what I could call good ball movement.”
Foudy, who played for her country 271 times, believes Ellis needs to change things if the USWNT is going to win the World Cup for the first time since 1999.
Both Foudy and Markgraf agreed that the U.S. team’s defensive strength meant the 2011 runner-up has yet to be punished for its lack of attacking cohesion. The Americans won two out of three group games and drew the other, scoring four goals and conceding only once.
“The 4-4-2 is not working,” Foudy said. “I think it’s asking too much of Abby Wambach, in a forward position at 35 years old, to carry that load.
“I don’t think she has the legs for it, or the pace for it. I think the second thing is you need to rejigger so that when you get, hopefully, through China, then Germany or France.
“If they’re playing like they are, this is going to be a short World Cup for the United States.”
Bookmakers’ favorite Germany takes on France in Friday’s opening quarterfinal in Montreal, followed by the U.S.-China clash in Ottawa.
On Saturday, Australia will seek to follow up its shock win over Brazil when it plays defending champion Japan in Edmonton, then England faces host nation Canada in Vancouver.
