Japan's tournament run is really being overblown and you're giving them too much credit. We would have got embarrassed had we played the same way we did previously? We didn't get embarrassed by anyone in the tournament, and played more talented teams than Japan.
Germany, like us, put pressure on the entire game and didn't capitalize on their chances but were the better team. But that's what makes tournaments entertaining (and frustrating when it happens to your team), the better team doesn't always win.
They controlled the tempo vs Sweden, but still struggled to create scoring chances. I don't care how long you have the ball in your half if you don't create good scoring opportunities. Their 3 goals vs Sweden were an own goal, and two horrible failed clearances by the GK which were immediately converted into goals. Even though they were better than Sweden, they could have very easily gone into OT/PK and it would have been a fair outcome. I give them credit for taking advantage of the other team's mistakes (like they did vs us) but for all the credit they get for dominating, they didn't create a lot themselves.
And against us, they again didn't create a lot. What CB over the age of 10 thinks its ok to clear it centrally so close to the goal? Their first goal was again them taking advantage of a terrible play by the other team rather than Japan showcasing their dominance and creating something on their own. Buehler should have been taken off right after that for the girl who replaced her vs France and played pretty well. Do that, and the 2nd equalizer doesn't likely happen as Buehler was beat again.
As for speed, you don't need a lot of it to take advantage of it. Morgan was abusing their back line, they clearly had no answer for her. I would have sent long ball after long ball to her in the 2nd half. There was nothing wrong with how we played in the 1st half and it was nice to see, but we failed to convert. Even Ian Darke said that we needed to just start playing over the top to Morgan because of how well it was working. I would have liked to see Rodriguez on after Japan's equalizer in regulation for more speed up top as well, even though she had a very bad tournament. Heard she scored the previous 3 times vs Japan in the year, which isn't surprising due to their clear problems in the back against speed.
Have to disagree about the Olympics. Unlike the men, it is a prestigious tournament for the women.
