TWG Live! USWNT vs. Japan with Merri Speck

You're listening to the MIB Media Network, and this is the Women's Game.

Hello, everybody! How's it going? Uh, welcome. This is the Women's Game. We are alive just

moments after the U.S. Women's National Teams final game against Japan in this window.

And I feel like everything is restored to the U.S. Women's National Team.

Secured the win tonight, 3-0, thanks to goals from a pair of centerbacks, Naomi Garamon,

Kennedy Wesley, plus a goal from our girl, Rose the Vel. There's so much to talk about tonight.

I'm so happy to be joined by my good friend, Mary Speck-Mary. Well, come back twice in one

week. You're with us here at the Women's Game. I know you guys just can't keep me away.

I wouldn't want to keep you away. I'm so excited that you're here. Thanks for joining us. I know

it's late over there in the East Coast, but everybody, I'm on the West Coast, so it's only eight here.

I'm loving it. The night is young. The night is young. Okay. Um, everybody, I see you in the chat.

Thank you for being here. We're going to react to this game with Mary. But before we dive into all

the details, I'm going to explain the show tonight. This is our third show this week. So I know most

of you already know this. This is a T W G live, which means you are listeners are here with us.

You can ask us questions about football or life. If you want to call in and ask a question,

scan the QR code on the top left of your screen. Um, you can also click on a pinned comment in

the chat. That's going to take you into a zoom with our producer, Marcella. Marcella is going to

get you set up to ask your question. It's just audio. Don't be afraid. You're not going to be on

camera. We're going to get to those questions a little bit later in the show. Go ahead and get in

line now. Make sure you get your question in there. If you don't want to ask a question, just give

us a like. Give us a follow. Help us out. Comment in the chat. It really actually is so helpful. Um,

okay. I see some of you in the chat already. Um, I see everybody is in a much better mood than we

were on Tuesday night late. So feel looked good. Um, people having a lot of positive thoughts.

That girmagol made me think Sam, you as headers. I'll read out all the comments that are nice to me.

Thank you all so much for being here. First things first of this game, Mary, the talk of the town

earlier today was the snow. The this game was in Denver. Um, we saw Julie Fowdy posted on her

Instagram story earlier today. The field like earlier in the day was literally covered in snow and

they were plowing it. The weather in Denver notoriously fickle. I know it goes up and down. We heard

it was like hot there yesterday snowing today. Have you ever played in the snow? I have played in

the snow. I mean, I grew up Long Island, New York. So I had had a few snow games. I was actually

thinking about it. It was like youth soccer and literally I was like hiding in the locker room

when I was like not in the game with like canned warmers and toe warmers being like, I hope I don't

have again. Yeah, it it like kind of looks like it would be fun, but it's just like physically

uncomfortable. I actually feel like my most jarring and like upsetting memories of sporting events

in the snow was like watching a Patriots game and it was like 12 degrees and just being like,

this isn't fun at all. Yeah, you're like, I can't even try to stay warm. It yeah, it's just like

just really loses. It's luster quickly. I do want to say that I know one of the big talking

points and this doesn't really have to do with the game tonight, but one of the big talking points

going on right now in the women's soccer world is this talk about the end of the cell potentially

voting on changing the season from being like an extended summer season from like March and

November to the fall to spring season that the rest of the world is on. And I've seen literally

so many people are commenting about this. We've seen so much feedback about it. The PA is talking

about it. So this is going to be news that we're going to definitely get more into on good vibes

next week. But I did want to say quickly, Mary, that snow in April and Denver was kind of a wild

reminder of just like the unpredictability of winters in a lot of end of the cell markets. And

I was wondering if you had strong thoughts on if the end of the cell should change the schedule

in the calendar or not. Yeah, I mean, I think from the game perspective, I'm not sure like

the weather's going to affect hot temperatures or snow would affect a cold temperature game,

but I think the biggest effect that they're going to need to consider is travel. Like you don't

cancel a flight for 90 degree weather, but you are going to cancel flights first snow. I mean

earlier this year, my mom's flight got canceled on a Sunday and they're like the next flight we

have for you is Thursday. So I think in that sense, like if the league wants to change the schedule,

then hopefully they're also providing non-cancellable safe flights for all of the teams.

Yeah, yeah, I know. It's a big proposal and I do get, I mean, there are pros to the proposal

which would put us on the global transfer market. There are like a lot of other things to consider.

Is an MLS just changing to this calendar? But I agree. I think the travel sounds like such a

nightmare. I mean, look, climate change is going to impact the way sports are in the future and that

is a big conversation that we will try to continue spotlighting on this show. It's probably not

going to happen completely tonight. I do also want to shout out this crowd in Denver for showing

up in the cold in the snow. Our producer Jen was at the game early on. She was being tough. She

told us that it was bearably cold and then as the game went on, she was like, never mind. It's

it's really, really cold. But a huge card in Denver and I think the thing that stuck out to me

about this national team game tonight was actually like kind of in comparison to the Denver summit

season opener. I think that the season opener at the NBSL game felt like such a huge event and

I think it's so rare and so special to have your city show up like bigger and in a such an

excited way for your NBSL team than even when the national team comes to town. I think sometimes

when we played in North Carolina or in various markets, it would feel like all these people come out

to see the national team playing the club team is left going, where are you all when we have like

a club game? We are so happy that you're a soccer fan and we want you here every week. We're

playing every week and so I actually just really wanted to compliment Denver summit fans and the

people of Denver who of course show up for the national team but also show up so big for their club.

Yeah and I think I mean you said it already but like also like to the front office of Denver summit

because obviously I mean I have heard that there's just you know advertising all over that city

and it is that I mean people like to argue that other sports are going to steal fans but they have

all of the teams and they're all showing up so I think it's a really good sign for the league and

I'm happy for the Denver summit girls. I know I totally agree and I know this this is exciting.

This window has been so awesome. I've loved watching all three of these games but I'm excited to

like pivot back to NBSL next week and start thinking more about what's coming up you know there's

this next stint of games before this big long kind of break over the summer with another international

window and then the break for the men's world cup so the rest of April and May are an exciting

time for the NBSL so we'll pivot more back into that. Starting next week we've got a ton of content

coming out. Until then I want to talk about this game. I want to start with the starting lineup

very similar to the first game of this window for us I would say kind of back to our like

tried and true more veterans than young players. A couple notable changes to you know David's

insert at center back which I think was huge for her there was that scary moment where she fell

and hit her head and was like doing the concussion testing she's up there at halftime hope she's

doing okay. I think Tyrna you know just brings so much experience to this team to this backline and

I'm always excited to see her out there. Plus the other big change Claire Hutton started in the midfield

alongside Lindsay heaps and rose the bell which I thought was another like huge change Emma did say

specifically that she wanted to see Lindsay and Claire playing together which I'm really interested

in that Mary what did you make of these changes the lineup did anything surprise you.

Yeah I mean I don't I was very happy to see Tyrna back I think people are constantly mentioning

that she is the US's most progressive passer and I was just curious to see with the partnership

of Claire being her six like how Claire handled maybe being targeted more as like Tyrna's progressive

passing and what Claire does with that kind of how many touches she's getting just she feel more

pressure to also play forward and how that affects like her game plan and I was wondering if

you who have played that position had any insight. Yeah I mean I remember one of the big things that

was would get like drilled into me when I'd play like the six or the eight when you're thinking about

receiving the ball from a center back and and this is probably more like an attacking midfield

or thing but you do it's so hard to receive a ball from a center back as a midfielder and not

be facing your own goal because you probably in some sense are checking back like yes it would be great

if you could hold your space and get your body half turned but that's like so often you're moving too

much to really do that and so I'll have to like think about this more next time Tyrna and Claire

played together and kind of see how Claire's body is and you know what what she might be thinking

about when she is receiving it more from a center back who plays forward a lot but I think that's

like a really interesting thing to note I was also interested in just that the the relationship

in the midfield and I noticed a lot of times I I felt like Lindsey Claire and Rose were working

really well together Sam coffee did end up subbing into the game which of course I was also happy

about I think those four to me are really becoming the four that could start at any given time

um I feel like it was kind of a big statement to start Claire again today and I'm excited for her

she had that great shot that went off the crossbar and I think like everybody in the world wanted

that to go in um but super fascinating to see those two changes specifically I was surprised to

not see Michelle Cooper start I kind of thought after the first two games just knowing you know she's

been pretty sharp I know she's coming back from injuries kind of still a little bit but she's

been playing for Kansas City and something that I've been saying in these live show in these live

reaction shows is like I feel like our crossing needs a little bit of work and I feel like Michelle

Cooper is so good at crossing that I kind of wanted to see her with the chance to start and see if

she could help us generate some of those chances from an attacking build up um so I was a little bit

like bum to not see her start but I don't know who I would tick off I just wanted to see her too

I know too many choices too many people to choose from I do think when she came in she did exactly

to your point what you're saying I think she works really hard I think she's really like

locked in defensively wins it back finds nearest person but then like what I actually love and

appreciate about her is like there's like one specific plan thinking of where like she tracks

takes the ball from the midfielder plays Emily Fox who's running forward she ends up like 10 yards

behind Emily Fox who's obviously often running and she's just like busting her ass to get into the box

to and I'm like but like not you like of course it's people say it's easier to run for but I'm like

that is a lot of work that she's consistently doing to put herself in good spots and I hope she's

like rewarded with more playing time going for yeah yeah I know I've become like a really big fan of

hers um one thing you just said when you were talking was you said people say it's easier to run

forward and I just wanted to help explain in case people don't know what you what you meant by

that like obviously recovering on defense it's the same running like you say you have to make a

60 yard sprint back on defense like that sucks and like best case scenario you make a tackle and

win the ball back but going forward say you have to make a 60 yard sprint best case scenario you're

scoring a sick goal so it's easier to make those runs going forward and it's kind of like one of

those soccer jokes soccer joke I'm way faster when I'm running towards a goal well I like literally

yeah my back I've actually heard you say this many times yeah I think my ball and I'm like no

you're trying my well yeah I mean that's definitely true the reward is just so much sweeter for me

you know yeah totally yeah um okay so yeah I think that this lineup but kind of like we said

kind of back to the veterans I think they looked a lot more comfortable on the ball and one thing

that I feel like I didn't address enough on Tuesday because we saw so many comments in the chat

about it was like did the team look hesitant on the ball did the team look like they didn't want

the ball did they look indecisive and while I think look we lost on Tuesday it was a younger lineup

so I think all those things are normal I'll be totally honest like there were times when I played

on the national team that I was really nervous and like scared to get the ball and like scared to make

a mistake and I think that I'm not going to speak for them but that was a common feeling for me

especially when I was like playing against a team that I knew was really going to challenge me or

when I was newer to the team and so I feel like what I want to talk about in terms of that is like

there there's like two ends of the spectrum when you're moving the ball slower you could either be

like hanging on to it to wait for something to open up or you could be being hesitant so like the

the scale is like you're really comfortable on the ball like Lindsey heaps who can sometimes put

her foot on top of the ball and just stop and wait for something or you're being hesitant and

there's like a scale of that there's also the scale of like you're either rushing and losing the

ball because you're like frantic to get rid of it or you're just playing fast and the scale

it's hard to always get that right and so I think I just wanted to like open up the floor to talk

about it and to I guess ask like how can you tell when a player is rushing versus um playing quickly

and how can you tell when a player is comfortable on the ball versus like hesitant and doesn't know

what to do with it yeah I mean I that's the first one is feels a little harder for me to answer

but I would maybe say the second one I think generally is like kind of determined from who they would

who would be receiving the pass from that player so if I want you to play it to me and you like you

have the ball and I feel like I'm open and I'm asking for it and you look at me and you wait

and I ask for it and then you don't play me like I feel that that means you're hesitating because

the receiving player wants the pass right where when it's more like being patient and waiting for

something to open up like there isn't a person who's asking for the pass does that make sense

yeah yeah or like and and and I think about Lindsey with this a lot because I think she's one of the

most patient players and she will not force a pass because Lindsey like really values the ball

but I would never be like Lindsey looks hesitant I'm like Lindsey's so comfortable on the ball she

if it's the wrong pass and there's like a low probability of connecting it she just won't play it

and she'll just swing it back around and go back the other way and I think on the other end of the

scale yeah it's like you you're you can almost see their gears turning like they're picking up their

foot and they're like should I play it should I play it and then maybe they play it late and like

that's hesitation yeah and then with the other one the rushing versus playing fast I guess I don't

know how you can tell I feel like it's more of a feeling yeah I mean I guess like pass completion

is a helpful stat here maybe I have realized for watching so many games just like how stat obsessed

the US in general is with sports the amount of stats that are being said during the game I'm like

you were mentioned I know did you know oh I actually did not hear that I admittedly was watching

the game with other people around what did it was it a compliment I hope well they were talking

about the they were talking about Jizzone Alyssa and how they're catching up to you and Christy

with games played oh I know five five starts together now me and Christy only had three but

you never know I mean me and Christy maybe we'll just maybe we've got to get back that was

joke everybody we are we are so excited for the jumps and sisters and they both started again

tonight that their fifth star I believe the sisters congratulations girls as I'm threatening to

make a return to the fields wow I'm scared this is so goofy okay um the other thing and you guys in

the chat have been so active this week I will admit on Tuesday night it was I was on these

coast it was midnight and we lost the game and I just felt like the chat was upset and like

fair everybody it was upsetting we lost um but another thing I wanted to bring up that has been

sticking with me from reading your comments which are just angel city I love Sam everybody I mean

you guys are the best um is this conversation around possession and I actually speaking of stats I

think I forgot to put the final stat in here but somebody might throw me an assist by the time I'm

done talking this idea that because we outpossessed Japan by so much that we should be winning and

obviously tonight we did outpossessed them it was like around 65 35 70 30 throughout the game when

I was checking what I want to talk about in terms of Japan is that I feel like like 10 8 10 years

ago we did all be like yeah you're gonna play Japan and they're gonna outpossess you but somewhere

along the way in the past like five years that kind of expectation has changed and I all I've

talked about this on here before I always think back to 2023 at the world cup when they beat Spain

forward and nothing in the group stage and everybody was like I'm sorry what and it they did not

outpossessed Spain they counter attacked and scored all these goals in the counter attack and I feel

like for me that was kind of when Japan's reputation or the expectation of them being a really

possession oriented team that's just gonna swing it around and keep it no matter what shifted

to being like no they're gonna like try to press and win it back and go and so when I'm looking at

like our possession from Tuesday night's game which obviously was more than Japan's and then even

tonight the the difference you know isn't necessarily that we outpossessed them it's tonight it's

again set pieces and attacking transition um but I think from you Mary I want to know when you

think of Japan would you categorize them now differently than you would have like several you know

yeah I definitely think that their like game plan has changed their strategy has changed I

still do think that their ability to problem solve and break pressure in tight spaces is like

certainly still there like as far as technical skill goes but I do they look comfortable without the

ball um I just it's an interest it's interesting to me like no offense to and like the Japanese

Federation but it's just fascinating to me to try to play in counter attack when I just don't

think I don't see them having a forward a stretching forward like none of the players in the front

line tonight to me like really screamed that they were going to stretch the back line um yeah so

I'm curious to see like where that I think I think having the skill of feeling comfortable without

the ball and being able to play in tight spaces lower on the field is like excellent to have but

it doesn't make sense to me just play in counter attack if you don't have a nine who stretches

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our listeners for supporting the women's game yeah I think and I feel like tonight and I'm seeing

this um these comments in the chat too I'm like I do think tonight you know beating Japan three to

nothing is a statement when I don't think Japan was at their best tonight I'm wondering was it

the cold was it the altitude they were in Denver um was it the fact that this was the third game in

a series we've talked about this a lot this week Japan is coming off of a six game tournament

then all those players had to fly from Australia back to the club teams then to the US is did you

think Japan tired did you think we just capitalized and played better what do you think was kind of

the X factor tonight yeah I think that they're I mean if I'm Japan I know that the US is coming in

after a loss on US soil to write their wrongs so you if you're on the Japan team you know that

you're gonna have to like you're in for a real game tonight I think they arrived in Denver

were shocked by the snow were not shocked but like you know it's altitude and I think yeah they're

probably like we would have been good but just going home with like one one win and one loss

yeah yeah no I I know I get that I feel like a three game window like is also just a lot

for any team like it's three games in a week it's a lot and you traveled to three cities

at least when you play three games in a week with your club team you're probably at home for at

least one of them yeah and they're most of the players I mean what is it five NWSO players

on Japan right now I think it might be four but don't quote so everyone yeah but everyone else

is coming from Europe so like you know it's just like travel on travel and then I really just think

that the snow was probably just like the cherry on top of like why are we here yeah yeah also

and the US showed up like they looked good they looked confident the second half obviously we haven't

really got there yet but I do think that they came out and were like we're ending this game and

we're ending their hopes well so we're actually almost there I do want to like touch on the first half

I think we all played Japan possession wise shots wise I want to talk about Sevilla Wilson for a minute

I felt like she was really active I felt like she wanted to score she had like

one of those really good chances where she kind of like had that half volley on the turn that

eventually you know Naomi Gurma foreshadowing here headed and it went over she had a great turn

where she just kind of like you know turned two defenders squeaked her way through that looked like

you know such vintage sov so I felt like she had a positive game I felt like she just really wants

to score I really want her to score but she was like just super active and I think did a lot of

things right tonight yeah I think that the more she can get on the ball the more that she can just

like get a feel for the things that she's used to doing and then I think at like any good forward

you just have to keep trying and I think that her mentality is you know she clearly has mentality

of that she's just going to keep trying and it's gonna feel more and more comfortable and she's

gonna have success as she continues to just try yeah yeah I know I think she was involved in some

good sequences we did generate some chances out of that just you know our build up play we had

that one just before half time Claire Hutton when she hit the crossbar such a great combination play

rose with like this great pass to Alyssa who played it to Claire and she just hits that that's

like one of them I'm like so mad for Claire that it didn't go in because it was so well set up

and like it feels so good coming off your foot and for it to just be like two inches basically

too high is just like so annoying yeah and like what are you even supposed like what are you even

supposed to do it's like what should I really have like aimed at two inches lower like I don't know

if I like believe in that no I don't believe in that either I also think she did a really good job

she like was patient she let it come across her body like she actually honestly did everything in

my opinion she did everything right right she's that I just don't know if that I don't know if that

goal was regulation I don't either I actually heard that you know maybe it got hit by the

plow in the snow and the crossbar got a little lowered I don't know I'm being goofy okay what else

going into halftime 00 but again I think a theme for this team has been coming out at halftime

strong the we saw it in the first game we saw it in this game and at whatever is going on at

halftime you know whatever Emma is saying whatever the the team is saying to like get back together

I think really is working we did see one sub Tierna came off Kennedy Wesley came on but remember a

few minutes ago when I said so fed that great chance and then Naomi had it over that actually happened

to Naomi one other time where there were some ricochets in the box and she was high up it was a

set piece maybe a corner kick and Naomi I think hit the second one right at the goalkeeper so she

must have gone on at halftime been like if I get this chance again look at the mirror and said if

I get this chance again it has to go in she gets that she gets the chance again and I can't help I

want to talk about Japan in a second great for Naomi so pumped to see a center back score goal obviously

I'm thrilled for her she you know I think she like learned from the reps before but I I Japan

repeatedly had these balls offset pieces just bouncing around their box and players free to get

them on target and that's where I'm a little bit like I think Japan needs to like button that up

yeah it was actually I mean watching it back like I was a little bit surprised that the lack of

different like discipline and tracking the player because it wasn't even like it was wasn't like

it was a scramble that like got cleared and then the line had to drop again like it was a pretty

two pass sequence where you see the player with Naomi and then you see her just stop and Naomi just

like runs passer and is free at the back post which is not going to win Japan any major tournaments

no I know and I just again thinking back to the first game we just had another you know rose

scored off that corner kick so I guess I'm just curious but that I know it wasn't there you

know regular shredding goalkeeper tonight and I wonder if that impacted their organization in the box

but I am psyched that we are you know being effective on our set pieces it's like such a staple

on such a backbone of this team the second goal was another like really beautiful sequence it again

it's it's more attacking transition than I would say attacking organized but I think it was Lindsay

played it straight to Trinity who turned in like Meg the Japanese defender as it went through on

to Rose Level who was running onto it who was able to finish far post like low great finish

such a quick and in like awesome moment to choose to go forward one of my I guess I'll say pet

peeps is when it is on to transition forward and somebody makes like the mature decision to like

keep it and go back and I'm I literally I'm just like not wired that way I'm like if you can go

score goal like you have to try so I loved this decision to just go and I thought the run from

Rose that's like why you have for there in the 10 is to kind of sometimes make that run in behind

and be act like a nine and go score goal um and such a great pass from Trinity I thought

you know we're not seeing the Trinity that we necessarily saw at the 2024 Olympics but the fact

that she's getting these assists I think is like an evolution and so I was really happy to see her

with this turn and assist to Rose's goal yeah and I think like this was kind of an example of like

she didn't hesitate like she saw Rose's run and she was like I'm gonna try to make this happen

even though like the opening wasn't like the most clear like I think some people would have looked

at the run and been like I see it but I can't really get this here and I do like that Trinity was just

like the risk like the reward is worth the risk um I also think it was a super classy finish by Rose

she I felt like she was one V1 for so long the defender was closing and she just looked so composed

slots it in far post I was just like good for her because this is just like uh someone to your

point like you would you love a 10 who's that comfortable in front of goal and Rose like very clearly

in those situations does not get rattled yeah I I was really impressed with it and Rose is just

goal contributions in her last several games with the national team um with you know just I think

she's just playing really consistently for the national team um and I just love seeing her name on

the score sheet with goals and assists we started making some subs we're like moving more into the

second half now Jaden shall Avery Patterson and Sam coffee come in off the bench and obviously

Kennedy Wesley had subbed it at halftime for Tierna but I'm excluding that for a second because

Jaden Avery and Sam coffee you know to me that felt like the next kind of really strongest like

where I was like these could be I mean especially Jaden could be first sub off the bench vibe

as we start to move forward and think more about who are the eleven but really who are the

14 who may be playing really in every game those first three subs Jaden feels like

she could become one of those um did you think what did you make of the subs in the timing and the

order in which they came in yeah I mean I think right excluding um Kennedy I think

it's tough for me with um the subs because they have so much talent and I do think to your point

like anyone you could really start to like interchange I do think Avery Patterson she got to play

on the right in the second game um to me she just looks a little bit more comfortable obviously

Emily Fox has in my opinion I know Emily Fox walked up even even though you were upset about

the ponytail situation um from our goal against in the first game and maybe and you know what Mary

rightly so um I think she heard me and her bun looked super secure and locked in um Fox we don't

talk about Foxy enough because I think we all are just like yeah she's got it and she's so good

it's not that there's nothing to say it's that I just think everybody agrees so it's almost like

one of those things that it's just like Foxy like check yeah we all I mean so good so talented just

very decisive but yeah I think for Avery like I do think she's very talented and I think she's good I

I don't like him in I think one of her first plays I was like she just did like

laterally so many moves she rolled the ball I saw that I saw that I know I I liked it and that

to me it's that's giving like confidence totally like I I'm not rolling the ball under my foot

twice in a row if I'm not feeling like I can and then did a step over I think and then cross

I know I know I'm I'm here for that um I also I was excited to see Sam coffee come in um

you know I don't know what conversations are had with these players about the midfield and

the selection but not seeing Sam coffee start was like a an eye opener to me um I think that she

is a starter um and it was interesting to see a different combination in the midfield and as I

said before I think there are several combinations of this midfield that could start as we move

through a tournament and so um happy to see her come in I think she's just like you know always kind

of a solid secure player in the midfield um can we Wesley then scores another goal off of

a corner get goal in the cisper center back tonight um I'm really excited to talk to Becky Sauer

Brun on good vibes next week about the center backs and their goal contributions because I think

she's gonna probably have a lot to say um and yeah just another example of our you know our set

feasibility I think this one was really good just more and a more intentional um you know she's

she's running in and finishing it straight it's like a actually a really hard finish um so I

thought that was incredible yeah I thought it was a great ball by Jay puts in an dangerous spot and

it was just like who wants more I mean it kind of was to me a little bit similar to Rose's goal

in the first game which is just like yeah eating your defender to a ball in the box and like

wanting it more yeah yeah I would like to sort of get it on frame totally and she got it on

frame I would like to go back to something I'm gonna have a maybe a little bit of a hot take here

but like hear me out Sam coffee this game she goes in whatever three zero but let's say that it is

the world cup and it's the semi-final and maybe the US is winning one zero or it's tied it's like

you coming in at that time in a six or a field position is a lot of pressure and so to be

able to have someone that you're confident would be like composed and when balls and close out a game

that's the skill too and I think of the three of them whoever ends up maybe playing that role

it's going to be really important and so I think that that's a skill that they should be proud to

have as well well Mary I that I really appreciate that coming from you and I think we talked about

this Mary was with us on good vibes earlier this week and we got a great question at the end of

the episode about well maybe this was actually on your episode a couple weeks ago but um to your

point it's like the role of a sub is not and shouldn't be just like you know either go in and be

selfish and prove yourself to the coach in a world cup the role of a sub is whatever the team

needs you to do and having veterans coming in as subs is such a weapon like and that's where

sometimes I think when we look at some previous world cup rosters coaches take more veterans than

you'd maybe think when you see like a late addition or um like at my world cup in 2019 Ali Krieger

ended up making the team unless she hadn't been in every camp leading up to it and it really

and then she ended up subbing in in the final and it's like who do you want subbing in in this

moment somebody who's scared and this is their first big moment or somebody who's like done this

before and that's where I love the youth and I'm all for it and Emma always talks about how she's

not developing us just for 27 27 but also for the future but there does come a time when you have

to kind of be like if we're subbing somebody into a world cup final they need to be able to handle

that and obviously your example being Sam coffee yeah I think Sam coffee will be starting a

real cup final but those subs are it's crucial that they're not like scared and so maybe aging the

roster or experiencing the roster towards you know those more experienced players is something to

consider yeah and I just think and like maybe to your point like Emma saying that she want to see

Claire and Lindsay maybe it's because she's like okay this is a relationship that will be later in

the game if Sam's for sure starting so it's just like blocking in those later in the game

partnerships are also important especially in important major tournaments and games for sure

now you have my gears turning and I'm now I'm just thinking I'm thinking this through

thinking it all through um okay we saw several more subs come in Michelle Cooper Ali set

in our Olivia Moultry eventually Lily Johannes Lily Reel came in as well I think I want to start

to summarize and then we're gonna get to all of our callers who I'm so excited to hear from um

we've talked a lot about Claire Hutton thought she had a great game I wish her shot went in

thought Claudia Dickie had another great game she had you know a handful of saves one of them I

remember was like a really hard shot saved with both hands looked very solid who else do you think

is leaving this camp maybe feeling better than they came into it or just like feeling more solid more

confident well I have to assume after tonight's game Kenny Wesley is like having the time of her

life dream come true literally couldn't get into that I think Avery Patterson I feel like had a good

camp um Claire probably we talked about that but yeah I don't I think that there's no one that's

like really was like supers as prize besides Kenny Kenny Wesley's game tonight yeah and

here and I know getting her first start again I know I know we we didn't celebrate that enough

that's a really good and that's a really good point um okay chat let us know who you think

made a big impression in a good way which is El Talmson great suggestion ju ju wo so thank you um

yeah let's see what else we got Johannes is definitely in for the world cup love that um okay

Mary we beat Japan twice we lost once I think when I think about how much like emphasis we put on

this window and this opportunity to play Japan three times it was really unique because Japan is so

good we got tested in multiple different ways but I think also kind of like this is like maybe

exactly what I would have predicted had I predicted how the week would go we'll start our regular

starters we'll play great but it'll be a tough game we'll win it'll be close we'll change some

things up I did kind of I didn't you know know the order but I did figure that Japan would get a win

I have so much respect for Japan you it's tough to play the same team three times in a row and

I think Japan getting a win in this window makes sense and then I think again like kind of us

feeling fueled from that and kind of resurfacing our more of our regular starting group and feeling

like well we're definitely not losing again this team hates to lose we don't lose um we had more of

like a celebratory win tonight three to nothing the girls looked like they were having fun it's so

fun to see Naomi German Sophie Wilson jumping around together um so huge like opportunity in growth

for us this window what are you really taking away from that like what does it mean to you

to see our results against a team like Japan and what do you think this window is teaching us

in time for next summer yeah well I mean I think that they obviously are from like they just

finish these you've got they finished first in their confeder what is that called confederation

yeah confederation yeah nailed it um and so I think just like getting you should have just said it

I know because if it was wrong but I think getting to compare yourself to a top team from a

different confederation is always important I think that I appreciate that I feel like Emma values

playing tough games and really testing the team and seeing who can handle that kind of pressure

I appreciate that about her and I think also just like getting three games in the window like

shorts unconventional but I think especially with like people being a little bit more spread

not being on the same schedule if you can get three real games in that people are like

locked in and focused for rather than just training why not maximize your time together

yeah yeah yeah totally I think it was such a great test for us I guess where do you think

taking in that Japan won the Asian Cup and then played like this against us where do you think

Japan is in terms of like comparing them to the rest of the world right now is this a team

we could see in a world cup final is this a team we could see in a world cup semi final like how do

you think they are going to match up next summer well Sam you're asking some difficult questions I

think there's a lot of talent on Japan I am interested to see who they bring in as the new coach

and what that person values and if that person values yeah big question a different type of player

then I think it's like even really too soon to say I know that they're going to be good they're

always going to be good but yeah I think there's a few things that if I were coach I would try to tweak

a little bit and maybe I give them a semi final at the world cup that's what that is what I was

going to say I'm not just jumping on the same bandwagon you're so obsessed with me they they do

they feel um and they have a year but they do feel like maybe they are missing maybe something in

that final third piece and I'll honestly also want defensive set pieces I don't really know what's

going on there um so they also they feel like a semi finalist to me um did you watch any of

that England spit that obviously now that we're talking about the world cup semi finals and

imagine what they are there was that England Spain game on earlier in the week um Lauren hemp

scored that goal that was just barely over the line and literally marry when I saw that um the

VAR like review of that of that goal I googled the a listen there penalty kick that was like over the

and I like it was like such a flashback of like a traumatic moment of like realizing that

we lost um so I just wanted to bring that one up and see if anybody else felt the same way and

was like I don't want to ever see this image again I actually didn't I thought about the same thing

and I was like it's just so controversial like goal line technology and the shape of the ball and

that the line is straight in the ball it's curved it's all that say that well I don't I don't

I don't understand the physics of all of that so that's none of my business honestly personally

this year experience the NHL playoffs your way when I watch a single do or die game seven a

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to learn more okay everybody I hope we got you riled up because it's time for you to call in

um we want to hear from you so if you want to join us scan the QR code uh you're going to go

into zoom with our producer Marcella Marcella is going to have your question lined up we're going to

call on you and we would love for you to take yourself off mute tell us where you're from

and then ask your question um if you don't want to ask a question give us a like follow subscribe

love you guys um okay up first Avery you're back I'm so happy that you're back

awesome me hi hi Avery we missed you on Tuesday but it it was really late

well I tried to stay up and then like I sort of fell asleep and then woke up two minutes after it

ended so it's it's so understandable it was really hard to stay up um but I'm so glad that you're

here tonight uh what questions you have for us so my question is if the USM national team were to

play the World Cup tomorrow what would your starting lesson be also aren't going to be in

rolly before I go to the beach for vacation for a concert and a soccer camp clinic

and I want some food racks I don't I already have an ice cream recommendation from Mary from

good vibes on Tuesday but I want some food oh my gosh Avery such a great question um that

would be the howling moon the howling cow howling cow the howling cow Mary what else do you have for

Avery Avery do you like burgers yes okay you should go to the standard for a burger and then in the

same parking lot is two roosters which is actually maybe even better ice cream okay I'll write

this down to make sure I remember perfect okay Avery we we do have to go back to Avery's first question

which is tough I'm gonna just I know I know I know I know we're put on this spot I'm gonna answer

it I'm gonna answer it to the very best that I can um with the with you know who I think is

available to select from okay uh Claudi Dicking goal I know me I agree left back is hard

I'm gonna go jazel Thompson based on what we saw this week are you I agree I and then I okay

midfield I would go Sam coffee Rosalind Zheeps I thought lindy heaps had such a great camp

and really is just like I was just really impressed with it this week and I think you know she was

coming off of not starting all the games that she believes and I think I feel like we need I

feel like we play better with lindy heaps on the field so that's what I'm gonna say about that

up top is also tough but I think you go Sophie Wilson Trinity Rodman of the Thompson I mean I think

what we saw tonight was a solid selection I again Kamikara becoming back now swanson could be

coming back a lot there are a lot of like moving parts in the forward department I am interested

in Michelle Cooper so a lot remains to be seen but if I was you know picking based on what is

available and what we saw um without throwing too many wrenches into the mix that's what I'd pick

Meredith I agree I would I would maybe I would maybe a year from now say like tearna and

sonnet might be my centerbacks but I don't know that's the only thing that I could maybe make an

argument for fascinating I'm also gonna go out there and be like Lindy and Dolor a year from now

Lindy and Dolor's you know she's my

um okay everybody Avery great question you really challenged us there in more ways than one but

we so appreciate you calling in and have a have a good vacation at the beach okay thank you

okay all right bye Avery um up next we have Julia Julia can you take yourself off mute and tell

us where you're from I'm Sam and Mary I'm Julia from Des Moines Iowa Des Moines okay welcome to

the show Julia what's your question thank you so much um my question is inspired by Emma's

metaphor about food all week I don't know if you've seen it but oh yeah always talking about

these Michelin chefs and the players as ingredients which I love and I have this question

I know go ahead sorry Julia no no I was just gonna say I like love the analogy but like I keep

getting lost in it when I try to like repeat it back so I'm gonna have to study it a little bit more

but Julia please keep going yeah no I agree completely um so I have this question that I famously

love to ask people so I want to ask it to both of you which is if you were an appetizer what would

you be and why together you know what the first thing that comes to my mind is are those buffalo

chicken blasts from the cheesecake factory because I think I had them with you one time still

delicious I think they're called buffalo blasts and why I was gonna say I was gonna say oh and why

okay give us your why Mary for nachos yeah they're like a little spicy they're a little cheesy I'm

spicy you're cheesy okay just kidding no but it's like a nice yeah this is a jab at Sam

that's a tough question I do think nachos I think because it's like there's like a little bit

of every type of seasoning but when you can't have one without the other and it's a nice complete

bite when you get the perfect bite okay that was way better than my why my why I was just like because

I like them and we had them together one time I didn't cheesecake factory and I feel like I just

I feel like people from the east coast like appreciate buffalo chicken like a lot more than anybody

totally and if you're you're getting it with blue cheese right obviously oh my god now I'm like

nervous that we're gonna have like a lot of ranch people here and I just I do just have to tell

well I do want to be in the chat I'm nervous I'm actually nervous but I am like if you're from

California like do you think you like buffalo chicken as much as me like that like I need I've

yet to like meet a west coast person that's like yeah buffalo chicken is my life there's no way

I don't know I don't know if people are gonna um feel strongly I'm interested I'm interested

to see I know if there's people from Boston on here that they will feel strongly um Julia this

question took me down a crazy path I will say Julia and then you have an answer you do love

buffalo chicken so you east coasters might have a run for your money with us here in the Midwest

I don't know I think you have an answer to this question yeah um

what am I or do we remind you of oh up of you guys oh gosh I think you gave perfect answers

so I'll just stick with you said oh thank you well I'm saying okay Julia thank you so much for

calling in shout out shout out Mary I don't know if you know about this yet but we have a we call

the fans the listeners the hot dogs so it was uh Julia's on the inside get see in the

yoke have to explain to Mary um Julia thank you so much for calling you're welcome to call

anytime with questions about appetizers um this post game live has gone off through it a little

bit but perfect for a Friday night I agree I'm seeing a lot of people who like ranch in here and I'm

just like I mean I don't not like ranch but it's just got nothing on blue cheese I digress we

need to take one to two more callers Gina um Gina take yourself off mute tell us where you're from

hey can you hear me sure we sure can okay good this is my first time calling in

first time call a long time list oh my gosh welcome thank you um I'm actually I'm

I'm intended to see but I'm originally from Colorado and the weather out there um I was totally

not surprised by it um actually March and April are the snowiest months in Colorado and it's a

really heavy wet snow which is is probably why the ground was extra wet and extra fast tonight

when it's uh in the winter it's a really light uh powdery snow so it doesn't melt as quickly

so uh and plus the temperature was you know in the low 30s so it didn't have a chance to

to really freeze up but anyway I want to thank you miss muis for turning me on to ollie pop

oh oh my god Gina I know I have I have my root beer I have my orange squeeze my crisp apple and my

ginger ale are we twins oh my god those are four of my top favorite flavors have you tried cream

soda yet yes and uh I went what when I was younger I used to love cream soda and now I'm like

okay I think I'd taste of change a little bit I still like it but not as much as I still um

she's like yeah I've tried it not for me well no no I do like it but I it didn't it didn't grab on to

we like the orange squeeze I hear yeah but yeah I just whoo I love that stuff I anyway I totally hear

you Gina yeah ollie pop is literally the best um yeah I'm so excited to hear from you thank you

so much for calling in what is your question my question is and I'm glad you guys have been

touched on this tonight is the set pieces yeah um after you know if you remember in 2015 um Carly

scored a first goal off a set piece off a corner and the the the way that set piece was

constructed was just sheer brilliance and when the camera went to Jill Ellis's face when um she

scored it she had this those look like yep exactly how we planned it and then I think uh Carly's

next goal was a set piece and that was just brilliantly constructed and then in 2019 um

um Megan Rapinoe's uh free kick against France that had we had everybody rushing into the box

which uh blocked um I think but I but I the the the French goalkeeper

blocker view which which enabled you know the ball to kind of skip through into the goal

because she had so many monitors in front where she couldn't see it yep and I know I know I

know I I feel like I know you know where you're going I know I was there I feel like I know where

you're going with this to where in a world cup the set piece can be the difference between winning

and not winning like I think we saw that especially in 2019 knowing we scored so many goals off

of penalty kicks off of set pieces and the set pieces are such a detailed fine tuned thing um

some of ours tonight like wet perfectly you know scoring the one I'm really liking that I

do think is planned is we saw in the first game sam coffees free kick to Trinity at the far

post who headed it back across for rose and then even tonight Kennedy Wesley did the same kind of

plan I know that tonight was a corner kick but that feels to me like one of those intentional

what's on against the opponent is playing it to the back post and heading it back across for

that second phase finish and to me that's that's like such a good sign if this the staff

and this team are executing on planned set pieces it's such an amazing feeling when you plan and

practice a set piece and it actually comes off because when you do it in training you kind of feel

like there's no way this is going to work like this is like we're just hoping that this is going to

work and then when it actually works in a game it's such a unifying moment because the whole team

and the whole staff feel like they collaborated together on something um so I love that you're

bringing this up because I just think set pieces really can be the difference not just in a game

like tonight but in an entire tournament you look at the importance of set pieces across seven

games and it becomes so much bigger than just one you know what I mean yeah the the the thing with

the real concern that I have the set pieces is right now we have virtually no aerial attack

except for heaps you know when when we had like in 2015-2019 we had earths we had Lloyd we had

Morgan we had Abby in 15 and so we I mean we terrified our opponents with our set pieces they

literally did not know what they were going to get and we had so many targets in the box

and then we we also have this we also have this tower power chick I can't remember her name

yeah I mean I hear that I see that yeah I do hear that I think some players you know maybe

if they're like a little bit less tall or maybe just a little bit less known for their aerial

presence we'll have to step up like I think we should try to continue to be a threat in that way

and there are some players out there who can continue to to work on that and maybe we'll just

continue to see more from them I mean I think an interesting thing like tonight when seeing two

center back scoring sometimes when you when you think about those aerial presence is in the box it

is a center back yeah so I think it's an interesting one and something that we should definitely

keep an eye on Gina so thank you so much for calling in for bringing it up for bringing us

through so many great memories and for complimenting all the pop which you know we love thank you so

much love by all right all right thank you so much Gina all right um an update because I know

everybody's on the edge of their seats about this ranch is winning in the T w g poll in the chat 62

to 38 percent over blue cheese so that's how I know you're all from from from the west coast you know

and I love that I'm out here I'm out here we just but we just disagree we just disagree um thank you

all so much for calling in incredible questions uh this evening you are all actually in the

best you are seventy seventy five rigged and I'm like yeah I don't know uh the YouTube team is

definitely ranch people and they're uh they're doing this whole thing um okay thank you all so

much for calling in Mary last question for you and then we're going to let you go you have played

on the courage with so many international players Brazilians players from this Japanese team

so Sullivan from Ireland they haven't qualified yet but hopefully they will and we're starting to see

these slots for the tournament fill up as teams are qualifying who do you think you'll be the most

excited to watch in 2027 besides the US oh um that's a tough question I mean I'll say I mean

right now based off of who is like at an international window with their country I will say Japan

I you know I'm excited for Manaka I think her future is so bright she cares so much she's an

extraordinary little person and I just would love for her to get to like experience a major tournament

and have fun at it I know I know I think my answer is Australia to watch my sister in law

Sam Kerr shocking crush it and also I'm gonna say Brazil like hosting a world cup is a huge deal

I feel like Brazil have come so close like they got still like they're they've just come so close

they're hosting I'm like hoping Marta's playing like I don't know if that has been a blast yet

it would be so sick and so I'm excited to see Brazil like really represent and you know I think

that they are poised to have a great tournament as well so lots of exciting teams that are qualified

lots more to come um okay everybody it's time to go we're gonna see you all for teaming up

on Monday good vibes on Tuesday we also have the unique opportunity to react to this camp with

US women's national team captain Lindsey heaps next week with an all-new episode of the captain so

please make sure that you're following along across all of our social media Instagram Threats Blue Sky

TikTok at women's game MIB uh subscribe to the podcast feed you'll get alerts when the new episodes

drop um you can send us an email anytime with questions compliments uh women's game MIB at

menemblazers.com also we do have some new ish twg merch out which is very cool I wear the blue

sweatshirt all the time the hats are amazing the t-shirts are really high quality um perfect for

an international window or just whatever you're doing there's new color ways you can cheer on the

team so head to the store via the link in our show notes that's it everybody thank you again so

much to all of our collars to the entire team at the women's game men and blazers and thank you

into marry my good friend thanks for having me and vermont soon I cannot wait okay everybody I'm

again thank you for being here and I'll see you soon bye

you

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