What Is the Best Formation for USWNT Boss Jill Ellis to Use in World Cup Final?
The United States women's national team delivered its best overall performance to date at the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in a 2-0 semifinal win over Germany on Tuesday.
The key reason for the dominant win over the No. 1 team in the FIFA world rankings was a formation shift from a 4-4-2 to a 4-2-3-1. Morgan Brian, who thrived in the quarterfinal win over China, stayed in her holding midfield role, while Lauren Holiday started next to Brian with Carli Lloyd in an advanced role behind forward Alex Morgan.
After holding off an early spell of consistent pressure brought forth by the Germans during the first 10 minutes of the match, the three central midfielders helped dictate the pace of the game. Brian was rarely out of position when Germany attempted to surge forward. When the losing side finally broke free on a counter, Brian made sure it wasn't for long thanks to her recovery speed and tackling ability.
Holiday and Lloyd featured in vital roles in unlocking the true potential of the USWNT attack, but that wouldn't have happened without the skills of Brian, who earned plenty of praise from manager Jill Ellis after the match, per ESPN's Jeff Carlisle:
Ellis also pointed out in her post-match press conference that the responsibilities of the players are more important than the system itself, per Goal.com's Thomas Floyd:
"Jill Ellis on the 4-2-3-1: "The players are flexible. We don't talk about system, we talk about responsibilities on the field." #USWNT
— Thomas Floyd (@thomasfloyd10) July 1, 2015"
Now that the Yanks have dispensed of the Germans in what many thought could've been the matchup in the final if the bracket were designed differently, Japan awaits in Sunday's championship game at BC Place in Vancouver.
Japan boast a good amount of talent in their squad like Germany, but they bring different assets to the table than Silvia Neid's squad.
The first thing that sticks out in regard to Japan's style of play is their incredible technical ability. At times during the tournament, Norio Sasaki's team has reminded us of Spain's tiki-taka style in the men's game. Not only have Japan displayed flair in tight spaces, they have also opened the game up through the wide players.
Taking the USWNT's play on Tuesday and Japan's overall team performance into account, the Yanks should remain in a 4-2-3-1 to begin Sunday's championship contest.
In their semifinal win against England, Japan showed some defensive holes for the first time in the competition. The Lionesses were able to open up gaps in the final third, but they could not break the 1-1 tie in the second half.
"England were more mobile than I was expecting, and we struggled to cause them problems. We didn't play as well as I'd hoped, but when you qualify, it means you've achieved your objective," Japan head coach Norio Sasaki said, per the FIFA.com match report.
In the 4-2-3-1 setup, Lloyd will have plenty of freedom in the attacking half to set up the likes of Morgan, Holiday and Megan Rapinoe with her passing ability. The New Jersey native also could shoot, which might be the best option possible given her scoring record in previous big games: She scored the game-winning goal in each of the last two Olympic finals. She has also found the back of the net in the three knockout rounds—including winners in the quarterfinal and semifinal—of the current World Cup.
On the wings, Rapinoe and Tobin Heath will be tasked with doing much more than just opening up Japan's defense and firing crosses into the box. When the Yanks are on defense, the pair will have to track back in order to deny Japan's full-backs any space. If they are successful with this, Japan will have to work through the midfield, where Brian and the terrific center-back pairing of Becky Sauerbrunn and Julie Johnston will await.
"I'm excited. It is fun to face Japan again, but we are really focusing on ourselves. We have good momentum, there's a really positive feel around the team and we will be ready for a great final," USWNT defender Ali Krieger told the AP, per Fox Sports.
If, for some reason, the Yanks regress in form during the first half of Sunday's final, Ellis does have a few options. She could look to change the personnel, or she could switch up the formation. The latter is more likely to happen than the former.
If Ellis wants to go for the win in regulation, a 4-3-3 would be ideal, but it would require a bit of change to the squad in order to fit the requirements of the formation. Assuming she keeps the same starting 11 from the semifinal round, the first substitution should involve Tobin Heath leaving the pitch. Amy Rodriguez or Sydney Leroux would be the ideal player to replace Heath.
Although Heath brings plenty of tactical acumen to the field, Rodriguez and Leroux both carry more speed and finishing skill in their respective games. If Rodriguez were to enter, it would be wise to put her in the middle due to her hold-up play, from which Morgan, Rapinoe and an advanced Lloyd would benefit. Leroux, who was born in the Vancouver area, would enter in Heath's slot on the wing.
Regardless of what the formation looks like later in the game, we should expect to see Abby Wambach at some point as either the first or second sub off the bench. The third switch, if Ellis opts to use it, will depend on the situation facing the Yanks. If they are ahead, a defensive-minded sub like Kelley O'Hara could see some time. Christen Press' entrance may come if the Yanks need a goal to win or force extra time.
"In order to be the best team in the world at the World Cup, you have to beat the best teams," Wambach told the AP, per Fox Sports. "We just beat the No. 1 team in the world in Germany and now we face Japan, another team that we have so much respect for. They have an amazing team and they're the reigning World Cup champions, so I think it's going to be a fantastic final."
Ellis has plenty of talented players and formations to utilize, but to start Sunday's final, she should stick with the 4-2-3-1 that reaped plenty of rewards against Germany.
Joe Tansey covers U.S. Soccer for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @JTansey90.
.jpg?w=600 "NFL star fakes injury at Savannah Bananas game")
.png?w=600 "Landing Spots For NBA Free Agents ✈️")
