SiriusXM Women’s World Cup analyst and former USWNT midfielder Lori Lindsey talks with The Post’s Justin Terranova about the U.S. team’s concerns and chances as the Americans ready for a World Cup showdown with France on Friday.
Q: What is the main area the U.S. team has to improve?
A: We absolutely need to be more sophisticated in the final third, more dynamic. The question mark for me going into the tournament was the midfield going in, but I think for the most part we have gotten that right. We have good balance there and have been dynamic, but it’s just that finished product in the final third, in terms of being sophisticated in our decision-making.
Q: What was the reason for Alex Morgan’s struggles against Spain?
A: What we are seeing is a lot of eyes on her. They know that she is one of our go-to players who we rely on for big-time goals. You can put Megan Rapinoe in that category, as well. There’s a lot of attention on them to produce and to get them off the ball as much as possible. They are not being given a lot of room. She’s drawing attention, and her movement is opening up the field for other players like Rose Lavelle and Sam Mewis to get on the ball more. That’s really what we are seeing, the evolution of our team with younger players stepping up when the big names are being marked.
Q: How much of a step up in competition is the U.S. taking against France?
A: You are seeing the level rise across the board. So, the days of teams coming in and being frightened of the U.S. are over. But it’s a jump up in terms of experience. France will be able to match us technically, tactically and physically. The difference-maker right now could be knowing what it takes to close out these games in high-pressure situations. That’s a mentality we’ve had since the program was built. But France is playing in front of their home fans and there’s going to be a ton of support. It’s going to be about management of emotions and riding the highs and lows of the game.
Q: Is this definitely the best team left?
A: Yeah, I think so. There’s a lot of individual talent and players out there who could cause trouble. But France has [Wendie] Renard in the back who is fantastic on set pieces. She’s dangerous in that area. They have fast front-runners who are tactically gifted, [Amandine] Henry is a gifted midfielder. So, yeah absolutely.
Q: How worried are you over the VAR handling?
A: It’s tough that it has not been implemented into the women’s game until the World Cup. And you see how it’s been utilized all over the place. There just hasn’t been any consistency. And we are seeing teams pay the price for that. It’s been tough to watch, and it’s taken away from the flow of the game, and hopefully we’ll see things settle down a little bit.