During her first two weeks as coach of the U.S. women's national team, Emma Hayes said she sometimes felt like a “heart surgeon in the middle of emergency surgery.”
“It's not because there's something seriously wrong with the team,” she explained. But the first training camp had her and her players thinking, well, a lotThere were one-on-ones and intensive classes, “tired brains” and grueling practices. Within a week of arriving in the U.S., Hayes was immersed in the USWNT's throng, building relationships and trust, teaching “methodology” and “principles,” establishing expectations and, oh yeah, trying to win a couple of soccer games.
“It's really hard to teach everyone on the wards and in the clinic. and “Surgery at the same time,” Hayes said, expanding the metaphor.
But now, after a second straight win over South Korea on Tuesday night, she'll have time to breathe and ponder her first big decision.
Before her second training camp in early July, she must select her team for the Paris Olympics.
And unlike the World Cup's 23-player rosters, where extreme decisions rarely have serious consequences, Olympic rosters are limited to 18 players.
So Hayes will have to balance a somewhat unbalanced U.S. women's national team with only nine days of direct evidence.
She has a wealth of talented attacking players but a dearth of center backs: Do she bring in all seven — Mallory Swanson, Sophia Smith, Jaedyn Shaw, Trinity Rodman, Alex Morgan, Catalina Macario and Rose Lavelle — or keep one of those stars at home to add defensive depth?
At least two of the players who started against South Korea on Saturday or Tuesday will likely have to be removed.
With the July 3 registration deadline fast approaching, here is the current status of the USWNT player pool:
U.S. Women's Olympic roster confirmed, quota unknown
Hayes plans to take two goalkeepers and 16 field players to France. The 16 candidates are:
Lock (10): Naomi Girma, Tierna Davidson, Emily Fox, Jenna Nyswonger, Sam Coffey, Lindsey Horan, Mallory Swanson, Sophia Smith, Jaedyn Shaw, Trinity Rodman
Likely (6): Emily Sonnett, Crystal Dunn, Corbin Albert, Rose Lavelle, Catarina Macario, Alex Morgan
Bubbles (3): Casey Kruger, Sam Staab, Abby Dahlkemper
Longshot (3): Lily Johannes, Olivia Moultrie, Lynn Williams
If Hayes were to simply select the 16 best players, the top two categories would likely make up her team, and given their versatility, that's quite likely.
But those 16 players would leave the U.S. women's Olympic depth team with just four or five players at all four offensive positions and two at most at each defensive position.
USWNT Olympic Player Depth
If we combine the 16 players mentioned above, the USWNT’s roster depth looks roughly as follows:
Left back: Nicewonger, Dan, Sonnet
Centre back (2) Girma, Davidson, Sonnets
Right back: Fox, Dan, Sonnet
Defensive midfield: Coffey, Sonnet, Albert
Central midfield: Horan, Albert, Dan
Attacking midfield: Shaw, Ravel, Macario, Horan, Dan
Wing (2) Swanson, Rodman, Shaw, Smith, Dunn
striker: Smith, Morgan, Macario
Rosters can include four substitutes, essentially players waiting on standby as replacements in case of injury.
The substitutes (one of whom will undoubtedly be a center back) ease some concerns about defensive depth, but not entirely. With up to six games in 17 days, potentially debilitating summer heat, and the ever-present threat of a red card suspension, 16-man outfield depth is necessary. And, as mentioned above, the USWNT's defensive depth is entirely dependent on two players: Dunn and Sonnett.
Simply put, this is the case for Staab, or Kruger, or Dahlkemper, a left-footed center back who thrives in the National Women's Soccer League and might suddenly become the fourth center back for the U.S. Women's National Team.
Olympic Competitor List Bubble
Sam Staab (D) — A month ago, at 27 years old, she hadn't even been invited to a USWNT camp. But with Hayes looking to bolster her defense, Staab was called up for the first time, made her first appearance off the bench on Saturday and her first start on Tuesday night. Has she overtaken Dahlkemper?
Abby Dahlkemper (D) Another option is if Hayes feels the need for another center back. Dahlkemper, a 2019 World Cup winner returning from a long-term injury, started three games for the U.S. women's national team earlier this year. In April, she was seen as the third center back behind Girma and Davidson, but was left out entirely from the latest training camp squad.
Casey Kruger (D) — Kruger is a reliable player who has been playing on the edge for the U.S. Women's National Team for some time now. She's very solid as a one-on-one defender and can play in either fullback position, as well as filling in as a center back on the right or left wing of a back three when needed. She really delivered in that role on Tuesday when the U.S. held the ball in a 3-5-2/3-4-3 type of formation.
Kruger would be a valuable addition to the Olympic roster, but as with Staab and Dahlkemper, the question is how to make room for her.
Will Hayes make a surprise appearance at the Olympics?
Alex Morgan (F) — Morgan was on the outside looking in. 23 people Morgan was dropped from the roster last winter and seemed to disappear from the U.S. Women's National Team. Then Mia Fishel tore her ACL, and the coaches brought her in as a second-half replacement, and she proved her worth with her tenacity. Her goals have dried up, but her skill set as a prototypical No. 9, a target who can link up with teammates and a grinder who can lead the press is unique among the player pool. Hayes knows that, and she'll no doubt want it as an option this summer.
Catalina Macario (Male/Female) Macario hasn't played more than 60 minutes in a U.S. women's national team match since April 2022. She's still recovering from years of injury layoffs. But Hayes, who scouted Macario for Chelsea while she was injured, seems to like her both as a center forward and as a No. 10. “I know how she works in the pocket,” Hayes said after starting Macario in attacking midfield on Saturday. “She can draw you in and she can get out of pressure. She's a pretty good player under pressure. We work really well together.”
Rose Lovell (M) — Lavelle, like Morgan, is suited to only one position, but in that position, when healthy and in form, she is the U.S. women's most creative player. She hasn't been all that great for the national team over the past year, losing her once-guaranteed starting spot, but she could be a great addition off the bench for France.
Corbin Albert (M) — Albert plays in a much shallower position than the three players mentioned above. However, apart from a brief apology on Instagram, she has yet to publicly address her transphobic social media activity, which came to light in March and sparked a lot of “debate” within a team that has always supported and defended the LGBTQ+ community. From a purely footballing perspective, she almost certainly deserves to be on the Olympic squad, but the controversy adds uncertainty.
Crystal Dunn (D/M/F) — The ultimate utility player seems like a perfect fit for the Olympic roster. She can play left back, right back, central midfield, attacking midfielder, left wing or right wing. Hayes moved Dunn to forward immediately after her arrival because “I know what she can do at left back.” And Dunn started in that position on Tuesday for the first time since 2017, scoring right away. The only scenario in which she could be removed? If Hayes concludes that he prefers Kruger as a defender and doesn't need Dunn at forward.
Wildcard
Lily Johannes was 16 years old and had never stepped onto the field with 20 minutes left in the final game before registration for the U.S. Women's National Team was closed. But when she got there, she was remarkably calm and clean on the ball. And she scored.
Her chances of making the Olympics are still slim — she's only played a handful of games at the highest level, and a 20-minute stint on the bench in a friendly against South Korea doesn't change that fact — but her passing technique sets her apart from other U.S. midfielders, and she deserves to be on the national team — long-term, short-term, and maybe right now.
Goalkeeper
The goalkeeper position, on the other hand, is very simple.
Alyssa Naher is currently recovering from a thigh injury. “If she wasn't injured, she definitely would have been here,” Hayes said.
If Naher recovers from her injury in time for the Olympics, she will be the starter, with either Casey Murphy or Jane Campbell as the backup.
If she is out, both Murphy and Campbell will likely compete for the starting spot.
