da doce： The new coach hasn't officially started yet, but there's plenty to keep an eye on in this first camp since her hiring was announced
da blaze casino： The first U.S. women's national team camp of the Emma Hayes era is here. Well, kind of. Hayes won't actually be leading the team; she's still got a Chelsea campaign to worry about. Still, this is the first camp with some sort of direction since Vlatko Andonovski's departure and there's finally some certainty around the USWNT after the World Cup disaster.
The U.S. will face China in a pair of friendlies, with interim boss Twila Kilgore remaining in charge. She'll hold onto her post until Hayes' arrival ahead of the Olympics and, in the months until then, the USWNT will be building and building towards their new coach finally joining up.
That makes these games the first of several friendlies the U.S. will play pre-Hayes, but her fingerprints will likely be all over whatever the USWNT does. The camp is already an interesting one, with several veteran faces being left out of the squad, while several young stars have been handed opportunities to impress the new coach, wherever she'll be watching from.
But what will Hayes be looking for? What sort of things will she be keeping an eye on on her way to the Olympics? GOAL has you covered…
GettyThe goalkeeper situation
Alyssa Naeher isn't here, which is a clear signal that the USWNT is starting to plan for the future.
Naeher has been the starter since the 2019 World Cup cycle but, at 35, her time is coming to an end. The bad news is that there's no clear-cut successor, but the good news is that there are plenty of good goalkeepers in the pool.
Casey Murphy, Jane Campbell and Aubrey Kingsbury are the three called into this camp, with the first two being particularly intriguing.
The 27-year-old Murphy has gotten some experience, earning 16 total caps and going to a World Cup, but has never really been the starter. She has started three games so far this year, though, indicating that the pre-Hayes regime saw her as next up.
Campbell, meanwhile, joins the team fresh off a NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year win. Campbell was outstanding for the Houston Dash this season, nearly setting a record for fewest goals conceded, but has just seven camps to her name. She was on the roster for the 2021 Olympics but seems due for another shot after a strong season.
As for Kingsbury, at 32, she doesn't seem like she'll be a long-term successor, although she could be the bridge through the Olympics next summer. The same could be said for Naeher, though, who you wouldn't write off ahead of one last tournament.
Overall, it's an interesting position with plenty of good choices, and Hayes will be keeping a close eye on the keepers as she prepares to choose a direction to go with when it comes to her No.1.
AdvertisementGettyAn inexperienced midfield
The three most experienced midfielders in the squad have 309 caps between them. The bottom five? Just 11. Knowing that, we're going to learn something new about several key players in the pool.
We'll start with Savannah DeMelo and Sam Coffey, the two we've actually seen before. DeMelo responded to her World Cup challenge in a big way and, despite having only six caps, feels like she's a part of this group. Coffey, meanwhile, is pushing for a spot, having been ignored for long stretches last cycle. Can she be the No.6 the USWNT has been looking for?
And then the final three: Korbin Albert, Olivia Moultrie and Jenna Nighswonger.
Albert joined PSG a year ago and has started to break through, while Nighswonger is fresh off an NWSL title with Gotham FC. All eyes will be on Moultrie, though, the Portland Thorns teenage prodigy who seems destined to play a part for the U.S. sooner or later.
Which of those three can join Coffey and DeMelo to push for an Olympic spot? It's one of the more fun positional situations in the U.S. pool.
GettyAnother go for Fishel and Shaw
We saw a hell of a lot from Mia Fishel and Jaedyn Shaw last camp. Both newcomers scored goals to open their USWNT accounts, and the hope is that they were the first of many.
Now's the tough part. Can they do it again?
Fishel, of course, already has a relationship with Hayes as she plays for her at Chelsea. Hayes won't need to learn too much about Fishel's game, but she will learn about how she handles stepping into this USWNT environment. The international level is a totally different game and Fishel, who has scored goals in bunches in her young club career, has to prove she can carry that over.
As for Shaw, she faces insane competition on the wings, but can you really bet against her? The Olympics may come a bit too soon but, then again, maybe they don't. A strong camp here would put her right into contention.
Fishel and Shaw are the two youngsters with the best chance of breaking through by next summer, and both can take a big step forward with a strong camp this month.
Getty ImagesA Morgan-less attack
Speaking of Fishel, it seems she'll get minutes as the starting striker. For years, those minutes have belonged pretty exclusively to Alex Morgan. She's not in camp though. What will that look like?
It's one of the biggest storylines of this camp, Morgan's exclusion. It doesn't mean the writing is on the wall with her, as she very well could be back in the picture by the Olympics, particularly if the young players don't prove they're ready. However, we haven't seen a USWNT without Morgan in over a decade, so it's hard to imagine what it even looks like anymore.
Her absence will leave a leadership void, particularly among the forwards. Who steps up there? Her creativity and composure, despite her goal drought, could leave a hole atop the field. Which striker can fill that?
Fishel, Sophia Smith or Ashley Hatch will be playing in that spot, and all three have different sorts of points to prove. So will Morgan, whenever she does come back into the fold.