Paris 2024 will be here before we know it, and the likes of Mia Fishel and Jaedyn Shaw showed why they should be considered for selection
We're just nine months away from the Olympics and, as things stand, the U.S. women's national team is still treading water. There's still no permanent head coach and no real direction. Those things will need to come soon if this team is to have any hope of making the changes needed after a disastrous World Cup.
That's the big picture after October camp, one that showed just how much work there is still to do. Unfortunately, it'll take some time to get the coach in to do that work. Until then, the hope will be that we can see small steps forward from individuals as the wait goes on for the team-wide overhaul.
We got that in October, as the U.S. beat Colombia 3-0 after drawing their first clash 0-0. We saw some new faces make their cases, even if they didn't quite get as much run as folks would have liked. We saw some players reintegrated after long absences. Say what you will, but the player pool feels like it is changing.
Will it be enough in time for the Olympics? We don't know yet. What we do know is that this camp will have felt like the key for some players, which means it may end up feeling like the key for a USWNT desperate to usher in some new faces.
GOAL breaks down the USWNT's winners & losers from October camp:
GettyWINNER: Mia Fishel and Jaedyn Shaw
Mia Fishel and Jaedyn Shaw were probably the two players USWNT fans were most eager to see this camp, and neither disappointed, even if both had to wait to get a proper chance. Shaw only got a brief cameo in the first game, while Fishel was totally left out. It was a bit concerning at the time, but the fans eventually got what they came for in that second game.
Both came off the bench and both found the net for their first international goals, showing that they may not just be players for the future, but rather for the here and now.
Fishel, in particular, seems ready to push for a spot. It will definitely depend on how she does at Chelsea, but it's fair to say that, given her goalscoring record with Tigres, she deserves more chances to prove why she could just be the team's next big goalscorer.
As for Shaw, she faces a huge, huge fight for minutes with so many talented players in those wide-forward spots. Still, she's risen to every challenge so far, so why couldn't the teenager possibly make herself known in the fight for an Olympic roster spot?
Both Fishel and Shaw still have a lot of developing to do and both seem to be in club environments that should aid that development. This was a big step for them, though, and it seems it won't be the last as they continue to make their way into the international game.
AdvertisementGettyLOSER: Alex Morgan
Alex Morgan's goal drought looms large. It will until the moment it ends. At the end of the day, though, that's only one piece of a bigger discussion.
For the first time in about a decade, Morgan's spot as a go-to starter for the USWNT feels insecure. It's not just because of the lack of goals, but also how everything seems to fit together at this moment in time. The whole attack has been put on notice, not just Morgan, as a talented group of young stars vie for those spots.
Morgan, Trinity Rodman, Sophia Smith, Mallory Swanson, Alyssa Thompson, Fishel, Shaw, Lynn Williams, Midge Purce, Ashley Hatch… it's a lot of names. Each could very well make their case for a role in the Olympic team, and with that roster size being smaller than other tournaments, the new coach will have some major decisions to make.
The biggest one will surely be about Morgan. Will she be a starter or sub? Will she even make the roster at all? How much does she have left to give this group and, with the U.S. in transition, when does it become worth it to just let a young star suffer through some growing pains, even if Morgan is the better option in the here and now?
Morgan still seems like she has a part to play. The statistics say she's got plenty left in the tank, even if its more as a goal-creator than pure goalscorer. Much can also change in the coming months, especially if Morgan gets hot in the NWSL Playoffs.
Still, it remains a story to watch. It would have been less so if Morgan had scored the penalty she missed in the first Colombia game, but since she didn't, the discussion will continue.
GettyWINNER: Lindsey Horan
Lindsey Horan continues to prove any doubters wrong by showing exactly what she brings to this team. Her goal in the second match against Colombia was absolutely world-class, a stunning volley that, somehow, felt a bit overshadowed by how important the other two goals felt.
The thing with Horan is that no matter if the USWNT is playing well or poorly, you notice her. In bad moments, she's a player that you can see pushing forward and trying to make things happen. And in the good moments, she's often a player that can pop up with a goal or dictate a game with her passing in midfield.
The U.S. still needs to sort out the midfield around her (), but regardless of who else is starting, Horan remains as important as ever for the USWNT.
GettyLOSER: Andi Sullivan
The USWNT midfield is destined for something of a shakeup, and it seems that Andi Sullivan may be the one lost in the shuffle. Whether the U.S. lines up in a 4-3-3 or a 4-2-3-1, it's starting to look like Sullivan's spot may be disappearing. You have Horan penciled in. The same for Rose Lavelle, when healthy. That leaves just one spot left for someone in that unit.
Savannah DeMelo seems to be the primary Lavelle replacement, but could possibly feature in some games where the U.S. wants to really push forward in attack. Emily Sonnett, meanwhile, seems to be the best option as a more deep-lying midfielder. Sonnett and Sullivan played together in the first match, but it can't be denied how much better the U.S. looked with just Sonnett playing deep in that second game.
Add Sam Coffey to the mix as a potential No.6 and it seems that Sullivan's spot is, at the very least, under threat. She was a frequent target for criticism during the World Cup – some fairly, some unfairly – but Sullivan will now need to step her game up in a big way as the midfield competition heats up.