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Ertz USWNT 2023Getty
Ryan Tolmich

Move Julie Ertz into midfield, please! How the USWNT should line up in Women's World Cup clash with Sweden

The U.S. midfield is a mess at the moment with bad form and one key suspension, so what can they do to change things?

Generally, for a team the caliber of the U.S. women's national team, the group stage is the time for a little rotation. Coaches can save an extra surprise, some extra razzle dazzle, for the knockout stage, catching opponents off guard by not necessarily showing their true team until it really counts.

Well, it would be stunning if Vlatko Andonovski had an ace up his sleeve at this point. If he did, he'd have played it by now.

The U.S. head into their Round of 16 clash with Sweden as the subject of criticism, having underperformed expectations in the group stage. After a 3-0 win over Vietnam, the U.S. drew both the Netherlands and Portugal, with the former being way less acceptable than the later. In fact, the U.S. was one post away from elimination. For a team of the USWNT's reputation, it's stunning that the situation was that dire.

So, they now limp into the knockout stage, and they do so without arguably their most important player. Rose Lavelle is out, having picked up two yellow cards to earn a suspension. Replacing her will be nearly impossible, but it's something Andonovski will have to try and do.

The question is, then, how does Andonovski line up the USWNT in this one? Does he unleash some surprises, or does he trust the team that stumbled through the group stage to find their way? GOAL takes a look at how the USWNT should look against Sweden...

  • Alyssa Naeher USWNT 2022Getty Images

    GK: Alyssa Naeher

    Naeher didn't make a single save in the group stage, but that stat isn't as damning as you'd think.

    The U.S. allowed their three opponents to put only one shot on target, the goal from Jill Roord in the Netherlands draw, leaving Naeher wildly untested through three games so far.

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  • Crystal Dunn USWNT 2023Getty Images

    LB: Crystal Dunn

    If Andonovski really wants to shock everyone, he could push Dunn into the midfield and put Fox back on the left, but that seems like a massive decision to make at this point in time.

    Instead, Dunn will likely remain on the left-hand side, where she's certainly been one of the team's more active players.

  • Naomi Girma USWNT 2023Getty

    CB: Naomi Girma

    A no-doubter here, and probably for the next decade.

    Girma has been the USWNT's best-performing player so far this summer, with her poise and confidence in her defending really standing out.

    She starts, in this game and any further ones.

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  • Cook USWNT 2023 Ireland

    CB: Alana Cook

    He has to do it this time, right? Right?!

    Andonovski has faced criticism for starting Julie Ertz at centerback despite glaring needs in midfield and, by doing so, he's indicating he doesn't fully trust Cook, for whatever reason. But, given what we've seen so far in the midfield, he's going to have to trust her now.

  • Emily Fox USWNT Ireland 2022-23Getty Images

    RB: Emily Fox

    She's playing inverted, so it's understandable, but Fox hasn't been able to impact the attack in the way the USWNT needs her to.

    The attacks have almost exclusively gone down the left-hand side and, while Fox has been solid defensively, the U.S. will need more out of her in this one, for sure.

  • Ertz USWNT 2023 Vietnam World CupGetty

    CDM: Julie Ertz

    The USWNT midfield needs Ertz. Maybe moving her to this spot to fix a problem creates two more, but it's quite clear that the midfield remains a problem.

    Does Andonovski finally do it? Probably not. He seems committed to the idea of playing Ertz in defense, but with Lavelle out and Andi Sullivan struggling, can the U.S. survive without Ertz in this spot?

  • Horan USWNT Netherlands 2023Getty

    CM: Lindsey Horan

    Her performances have been up and down so far, although she is the team's co-leader in goals, with two.

    Horan showed plenty of leadership in how she handled the controversies of this week, but we'll have to see how that bleeds onto the field after the USWNT saw their will to win questioned.

  • DeMelo USWNT 2023Getty

    CM: Savannah DeMelo

    No Lavelle, big problem. And the most likely answer is DeMelo.

    The Racing Louisville star is the closest thing the U.S. has to a like-for-like replacement for Lavelle, at least in terms of ability on the ball. It's a significant drop off, but DeMelo has certainly looked up for the challenge when on the field.

  • Sophia Smith USWNT 2023Getty Images

    LW: Sophia Smith

    The USWNT needs Smith to show up.

    She did in the first game, but hasn't in the last two. There have been brief moments of danger, but nothing close to the level of chaos she can create when at her best.

    The attack is sputtering and someone needs to step up. The most likely candidate to do so is Smith, who now has the chance to really make her mark on this tournament.

  • Alex Morgan USWNTGetty

    ST: Alex Morgan

    She's come under fire this week, with her former teammate, Carli Lloyd, calling for her to be dropped.

    But, make no mistake: this USWNT is not better without Alex Morgan. She may need to make some adjustments, but it's not that she hasn't gotten chances; it's that she hasn't finished them.

    If she can put one ball in the back of the net, maybe the avalanche will begin. The U.S. will need to hope so, at least.

  • Rodman USWNT 2023Getty

    RW: Trinity Rodman

    A tough call for this final spot on the wing, with either Rodman or Lynn Williams the starter in this spot.

    Williams was solid last game, although she did miss three big chances. Andonovski has previously called her a fantastic supersub, and it may be best for her to play that role in this one.

    Let Rodman run around and harass Sweden's backline for 60 minutes or so before bringing on Williams against tired legs to potentially do some damage.