Nobody seemed to know what was so badly wrong about the US women’s national team’s performance in Tuesday’s goalless draw against Portugal. With participation in the 2023 Women’s World Cup on the line, Vlatko Andonovski’s team failed to impress as they scraped through from Group E in second place.
Andonovski said his team must “get better.” Captain Lindsey Horan pointed to a lack of belief within the locker room. “I think we gotta be a little more ruthless in front of the net,” said Rose Lavelle, while Megan Rapinoe argued the USWNT should have “switched the point of attack more.”
There was so much wrong with the performance against Portugal that almost every USA player had a different suggestion on what needs improvement before Sunday’s last 16 clash against Sweden. There is, however, a consensus that the USA’s midfield unit must be strengthened in the knockout rounds.
Portugal and the Netherlands both exploited the USA in the centre of the pitch. Julie Ertz might be some sort of solution to this issue, but the 31-year-old has started all three 2023 Women’s World Cup games as a centre back instead. Is this really the best use of Ertz’s qualities? Would she be more valuable as a midfielder?
Ertz had never played alongside Naomi Girma in central defence until the opening match against Vietnam. Alana Cook had been Girma’s partner until the start of the 2023 Women’s World Cup, but has yet feature during the tournament. This selection decision is all the more confusing when considering the USA’s midfield weakness.
Andi Sullivan has operated as the USA’s number six at the 2023 Women’s World Cup, but the 27-year-old has struggled to make much of an impression in and out of possession. She was partially at fault for the goal conceded against the Netherlands and was vulnerable in a number of different moments against Portugal too.
Horan netted an important equaliser against the Netherlands and has given the USA drive and energy at various points throughout the tournament so far, but the Lyon midfielder has similarly appeared uncomfortable with the structure she is being asked to play in with the national team this summer.
Lavelle has been an important source of creativity for the USA and did a lot to change the midfield landscape in the second half of the 1-1 draw against the Netherlands. On the other hand, it’s not always clear where the 28-year-old should be in a defensive shape – and she’s suspended for yellow card accumulation for Sunday’s match regardless.
Suffice it to say, the USA’s midfield set-up has given opponents something to target.
Moving Ertz into the centre of the pitch might give the USA more control in possession. The 31-year-old might not be as mobile as she was a few years ago, but she is still more comfortable on the ball than most. The deployment of Ertz as a central midfielder could allow Andonovski to establish a line of possession higher up the pitch.
Some might argue shifting Ertz out of the backline would be misguided due to the USA’s relative strength in defence at the 2023 Women’s World Cup so far. Andonovski’s team certainly haven’t fulfilled their potential as an attacking outfit, but they have conceded just once in the three matches they have played.
“I think that today it showed how good she can be in the backline in possession and out of possession,” said Andonovski when asked to assess the performance of Ertz as a central defender against Vietnam. “So I’m glad we made that decision and I know that the back line is just going to get better and better going forward.”
The injury suffered by Becky Sauerbrunn before the start of the 2023 Women’s World Cup left Andonovski with a difficult decision to make. The USA needed experience at the back and Ertz has provided that. Cook might not be happy about it, but Ertz has shown what she can offer as a centre back.
Andonovski is now in a difficult situation of his own making. The USA might need Ertz’s quality on the ball and leadership ability in midfield, but moving her into that position midway through a World Cup could further destabilise the team on the pitch. The questions around the US team right now are clear. That doesn’t mean the answers are.
