During her first two weeks as U.S. women’s coach, Emma Hayes sometimes felt like “a heart surgeon in the middle of emergency surgery.”
“Not because there is something drastically wrong” with the team, she clarified; but her first training camp overloaded her and the players with, well, a lot of. There were individual meetings and intensive classroom sessions. There were “tired brains” and tax practices. Hayes jumped into the USWNT cauldron within a week of landing in America, trying to build relationships and trust, teach “methodology” and “principles,” set expectations, and, for that matter, win some, all at once. football games.
“It’s really hard for me to be on the wards or in the clinics and teach everyone: And operate at the same time,” Hayes said, expanding the metaphor.
But now, after a second straight win over South Korea on Tuesday night, she has time to catch her breath and think about her first major decision.
Before her second camp, she must choose an Olympic team.
And unlike a World Cup squad of 23 women, where peripheral decisions rarely have consequences, the Olympic squads are limited to 18 players.
So, with just nine days of personal evidence, Hayes will have to balance a somewhat unbalanced USWNT squad.
They have a wealth of talented attackers, but a shortage of central defenders. Will she bring all seven Mallory Swanson, Sophia Smith, Jaedyn Shaw, Trinity Rodman, Alex Morgan, Catarina Macario and Rose Lavelle? Or, to bolster defensive depth, will she leave one of those stars at home?
At least two players who started against Korea on Saturday or Tuesday must be dropped.
Here’s the USWNT’s player pool with July 3, the selection deadline, in sight.
USWNT Olympic selection slots, bubble players
Hayes takes two goalkeepers and sixteen outfield players to France. Contenders for the 16 appear to be:
Locks (10): Naomi Girma, Tierna Davidson, Emily Fox, Jenna Nighswonger, Sam Coffey, Lindsey Horan, Mallory Swanson, Sophia Smith, Jaedyn Shaw, Trinity Rodman
Probably (6): Emily Sonnett, Crystal Dunn, Korbin Albert, Rose Lavelle, Catarina Macario, Alex Morgan
Call (3): Casey Krueger, Sam Staab, Abby Dahlkemper
Long shots (3): Lily Yohannes, Olivia Moultrie, Lynn Williams
If Hayes were to simply pick her top 16 players, those top two categories would likely be her selection. And given their versatility, that could very well be the case.
However, those sixteen would remain four or five deep on the USWNT Olympic depth chart at all four offensive positions and only two deep at some defensive positions.
Possible USWNT Olympic depth chart
With the 16 players listed above, the USWNT depth chart would look something like this:
Left behind: Nighswonger, Dunn, Sonnett
Central defenders (2): Girma, Davidson, Sonnett
Be right back: Fox, Dunn, Sonnett
Defensive midfield: Coffey, Sonnett, Albert
Central midfield: Horan, Albert, Dunn
Attacking midfield: Shaw, Lavelle, Macario, Horan, Dunn
Wingers (2): Swanson, Rodman, Shaw, Smith, Dunn
Attacker: Smith, Morgan, Macario
The roster can include four alternates – essentially players who are on standby as potential replacements in the event of injury.
Substitutes, at least one of whom would be a centre-back, alleviate concerns about defensive depth somewhat, but not completely. With a maximum of six matches in a period of 17 days, in potentially debilitating summer weather, where suspensions due to a red card are always possible, depth within the selection of 16 field players is necessary. And the USWNT’s defensive depth, as outlined above, would depend entirely on two players: Dunn and Sonnett.
That, in a nutshell, is the case for Staab, a left-footed center back who excelled in the National Women’s Soccer League and could suddenly be the USWNT’s fourth center back; or Krueger, or Dahlkemper.
Olympic grid bubble
Sam Staab (D) — A month ago, when she was 27 years old, she had never been invited to a USWNT camp. But with Hayes looking for additional defensive options, Staab received her first call-up; then her first performance Saturday from the bench; then her first start Tuesday evening. Did she surpass Abby Dahlkemper?
Abby Dahlkemper (D) — The other option if Hayes feels the need for a new centre-back. Dahlkemper, a 2019 World Cup winner who has battled back from a long-term injury, actually started three games for the USWNT earlier this year. In April she appeared to be the third centre-back, behind Girma and Davidson. But she was completely left out of the latest training camp roster.
Casey Krueger (D) — Krueger has been reliable and has been hanging around the edges of the USWNT for a while. She is a very solid 1-on-1 defender, can play in either full-back position and can operate as a right- or left-sided centre-back in a back three when necessary – as she did on Tuesday, as the US built up possession. in something of a 3-5-2/3-4-3.
Krueger would add value to an Olympic roster. But the question is, just like with Staab or Dahlkemper: how do you make room for her?
Will Hayes make a surprise Olympic cut?
Alex Morgan (F) — Morgan was standing outside looking in 23 players rosters this past winter, and seemingly on his way out of the USWNT picture. Then Mia Fishel tore an ACL, coaches brought in Morgan as a late replacement and Morgan proved her worth. Her targets have dried up, but her skills – as a classic number 9, a target who can connect with teammates and a grinder who can run a press – are unique in the player pool. Hayes certainly sees that and wants that as an option this summer.
Catarina Macario (M/F) Macario still hasn’t played more than 60 minutes in a match for the USWNT since April 2022. She is still rebuilding after a multi-year injury layoff. But Hayes, who brought Macario to Chelsea while he was injured, clearly likes her – as a striker or as a No. 10. “I know how she operates in the pocket,” Hayes said after moving Macario into an attacking midfield role on Saturday put. “She can pull players towards her, she can escape pressure, she is quite a pressure-resistant player. She connects very well.”
Rose Lavelle (M) — Lavelle, like Morgan, only fits in one position. But in that position, when healthy and in shape, she is the USWNT’s most inventive player. She hasn’t been great for the national team this past year, losing her once guaranteed starting spot, but she could be great as a spark off the bench.
Korbin Albert (M) — Albert plays a much shallower position than the three players mentioned above. But apart from a brief apology on Instagram, she has still not publicly responded to her transphobic activities on social media, which came to light in March and sparked many ‘conversations’ within a team that has always supported and defended the LGBTQ+ community . In pure football terms, she almost certainly belongs on the Olympic squad; but the controversy adds a degree of uncertainty.
Crystal Dunn (D/M/F) — The ultimate utility player seems perfect for an Olympic roster. She could fill in as a left back, right back, central midfield, attacking midfielder, left winger or right winger. Hayes moved Dunn forward on arrival – because “I know what she can do as a left back” – and Dunn promptly scored on Tuesday in her first start in the position since 2017. The only scenario in which she is left out? Hayes prefers Krueger as a defender and concludes that Dunn is an unnecessary added value as an attacker.
Goalkeepers
The goalkeeper’s position, meanwhile, is quite simple.
Alyssa Naeher is currently recovering from a thigh injury. “If she hadn’t been hurt, she would definitely be in this camp,” Hayes said.
If Naeher recovers from her injury in time for the Olympics, she will be the starter and Casey Murphy or Jane Campbell will be the backup.
If she doesn’t, both Murphy and Campbell will likely battle for the starting spot.
