Alex Morgan off USA Olympics women's soccer team as era ends - ESPN

I think the new coach is making some tough decisions, but the right decisions. Also interesting to see Crystal Dunn listed as a forward and not a defender.

2024 U.S. Olympic women's soccer team roster by position (Caps/Goals):

GOALKEEPERS (2): Casey Murphy (North Carolina Courage; 19), Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars; 104)

DEFENDERS (6): Tierna Davidson (NJ/NY Gotham FC; 58/3), Emily Fox (Arsenal FC, ENG; 49/1), Naomi Girma (San Diego Wave FC; 32/0), Casey Krueger (Washington Spirit; 49/0), Jenna Nighswonger (NJ/NY Gotham FC; 9/2), Emily Sonnett (NJ/NY Gotham FC; 91/2)

MIDFIELDERS (5): Korbin Albert (Paris Saint-Germain, FRA; 11/0), Sam Coffey (Portland Thorns FC; 17/1), Lindsey Horan (Olympique Lyon, FRA; 148/35), Rose Lavelle (NJ/NY Gotham FC; 100/24), Catarina Macario (Chelsea FC, ENG; 19/8)

FORWARDS (5): Crystal Dunn (NJ/NY Gotham FC; 147/25), Trinity Rodman (Washington Spirit; 38/7), Jaedyn Shaw (San Diego Wave FC; 14/7), Sophia Smith (Portland Thorns FC; 48/19), Mallory Swanson (Chicago Red Stars; 92/34)

Alternates: Goalkeeper Jane Campbell, midfielder Hal Hershfelt, midfielder Croix Bethune and forward Lynn Williams.

It's good that we have enough young attacking talent to displace her.

She's been a stalwart on the squad for such a long time.

In some ways, we have too much attacking talent and not enough defensive talent. I understand the need for positional flexibility due to the limited roster size (stupid limit) so we're having to take Emily Sonnett as the backup CB. But we really don't have another reliable CB that's in competition, think Dahlkemper is recovering from injury.

akm91 said:

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In some ways, we have too much attacking talent and not enough defensive talent. I understand the need for positional flexibility due to the limited roster size (stupid limit) so we're having to take Emily Sonnett as the backup CB. But we really don't have another reliable CB that's in competition, think Dahlkemper is recovering from injury.

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That might be why Dunn is listed as a forward, but could easily move back to CB

I don't think Dunn, Nighswonger nor Fox are CB's. Dunn can cover either of the FB positions as well as Davidson can cover LB.

akm91 said:

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I don't think Dunn, Nighswonger nor Fox are CB's. Dunn can cover either of the FB positions as well as Davidson can cover LB.

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Damn, you are right. In might head I was getting American Football terms intermingled. I was thinking Cornerback in my head, should not have.

Dunn is definitely more of a Winger/Back type player on the outside. My bad.

No worries. I think Fox may be able to play CB in a pinch as she has the physical tools just lacking in experience.

Fox is 5'5", Girma is 5'6", Sonnett is listed at 5'7" and Davidson is listed at 5'10". Dunn is pretty small at 5'1" and Nighswonger is listed at 5'3".

Macario is hurt again and will miss the Olympics

oragator said:

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Morgan should have been gone years ago.
Gives me hope that the new coach is gonna take the team back from the players and get them back to where they should be.

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Outside of Morgan, didn't this happen an entire cycle ago? At least since the WC. This next generation of players just hasn't been able to perform at the same level as their predecessors yet.

Here's my attempt at breaking down the Olympic roster based on past participation in the previous 2 WC's. I didn't check the 2020 Olympic roster because I'm pretty sure it was the same as the 2019 WC roster.

It's a fairly good distribution of the old and new players to the pool.

The holdover old guards (2019, 2023 WC Roster) on Olympic roster:
GK: Naher
D: Sonnett
MF: Horan, Lavelle
F: Dunn

2023 WC Roster and on Olympic roster:
Gk: Murphy
D: Fox, Girma
MF: None
F: Rodman, Smith, Williams***

Brand New
GK: None
D: Nighswonger, Kreuger**
MF: Alberts, Coffey, Macario
F: Shaw, Swanson**

* Davidson was on 2019 WC roster but missed 2023 due to not being fully fit from injury.
**Kreuger and Swanson have been around the national team for a long while but has never made the cuts for the previous WC's.
*** Williams is injury replacement for Macario

Agreed, that's kinda my point.....the last Olympics was when all the complaining about the old guard holding back the youth and taking their roster spots was happening.....but that was really the last time we saw most of them, outside of Morgan, in significant roles. Lloyd, Heath, Press, Krueger, Sauerbraunn, Dahlkamper....they've all been gone for a full cycle now.

I agree that Rapinoe being on the WC roster was a stretch, but her quality on free kicks still had value.
The fact that Morgan hung around as long as she did said more to me about the ladies coming up behind her not being able to put balls in the net better than she could. That's been the knock for since that last Olympic squad - can't score goals.

Quote:

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The fact that Morgan hung around as long as she did said more to me about the ladies coming up behind her not being able to put balls in the net better than she could. That's been the knock for since that last Olympic squad - can't score goals.

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That's not necessarily true. The incestuous relationship within USSF and USWNT made it almost impossible to keep players like Morgan and Rapinoe off the field. Smith was already a better option than Morgan but Andonovsky couldn't/wouldn't bench Morgan.