Pellerud: USA women need to change style
Reuters - Tuesday 28 June 2011, 07:30
SINGAPORE - The United States, who open
their women's World Cup campaign against North Korea on Tuesday,
should ditch their possession-based style in favour of a more
direct approach, according to 1995-Cup winning coach Even
Pellerud.
Pellerud, who coached Norway to victory at the 1995
tournament, said U.S. coach Pia Sundhage had no shortage of
attacking options at her disposal in Germany but the side
struggled against the top teams due to their midfield shape.
Instead of a controlled, possession-based style, the United
States should rely on a more direct route to goal, Pellerud told
ESPN on Monday.
"In my opinion, if the United States played a more direct
game they would be even more dangerous with the attacking power
they have," said Pellerud, who currently manages Trinidad and
Tobago.
"That's been my main concern for a long time about the
United States, the midfield shape. The midfield is rarely in
balance. Against not-so-good teams they can always recover from
a bad shape.
"Against the better teams they will not recover because the
other teams are as good as the United States is.
"The United States has the skill, but they don't always have
the discipline," he added.
The United States will also face Colombia and Sweden in
Group C of the tournament.