The USWNT Should Fully Commit to a Narrow Shape
A look at some of the benefits of a narrow shape and what needs to be done to go all in
Over the last couple of years, the US Women’s National Team has taken up a narrower shape when they are in possession.
This post is going to look at some of the benefits of the narrow shape in the US’ recent games against Japan and Brazil in the She Believes Cup as well as a friendly against England in late 2022.
Defining Width and Reference Points
Throughout this post I will discuss width and reference points.
On his Twitter page, Peter Motzenbecker has provided good visuals for both of these terms.
First let’s take a look at width. In a possession a team can have maximum width or relative width.
The USWNT has used relative width recently. This is a change from the previous World Cup in 2015 when they used maximum width under Jill Ellis.
Next, we’ll look at reference points. There are many reference points that players and teams can use.
I’m going to look at how the US manipulated opposing teams into using their narrow shape as a reference point.
Capitalizing on Center Forward Movement
The US was able to capitalize on the movement of their center forward, Alex Morgan, due to their narrow shape using relative width.
Forward Mallory Swanson was the protagonist of the recent She Believes Cup. This is partly because she was able to maximize her speed and finishing in this shape.
The pattern went as follows: Morgan dropped down and Swanson was in a narrow starting position to exploit the space left behind by Morgan.
This was the build up to Swanson’s goal against Japan.
This pattern was also seen in their game against Brazil.
Creating Width as Needed
In a set up that uses relative width, it gives teams the opportunity to use width only as needed.
What does this mean?
It means that instead of having an expansive shape in possession where players are already populating wide areas, players are in narrow positions and there is space in wide areas.
This plays to the US’ strengths because it allows them to make it an athletic battle or a foot race into those areas.
Few teams in international football can match the US in an athletic battle consistently over 90 minutes.
It also provides teams the opportunity to manipulate the opposition into mimicking their shape.
Often, players use the opposition as a reference of where they should be positioned at a given moment in a game.
There were examples of this in the US’ match against England last year. The following two frames are from the same sequence.
The next frame was from a different sequence in the game.
Populating the Midfield
The US has already seen some of the benefits a narrow shape can have going forward.
However, in order to fully commit and see more benefits from this set up, they need to populate the midfield.
Situations like the one below against Japan is easy to defend for opposing teams.
Almost the entire team is on the back line, there is a minimal amount of space to make runs into going forward, and there are no movements and counter movements.
There was a similar scenario against Brazil higher up the field.
Midfielder Lindsay Horan was driving into the attacking third, but all of her options were on Brazil’s back line, including her intended target midfielder Rose Lavelle.
It was easy to defend, and Brazil was able to intercept the pass.
Just seconds later though, the US provided the solution to this problem.
Horan regained possession, and this time Lavelle had dropped down from the back line and was in an attacking midfield position.
The other forwards occupied Brazil’s defenders, and Lavelle was able to turn and play a through ball into the box.
There has been a lot of speculation about who will be playing in the midfield for the US this summer, but regardless of who plays, they must populate the midfield areas.
Conclusion
A narrow shape plays to the US’ strengths: athleticism, pace, and ability to be clinical.
The forwards have reaped some of the benefits from this set up, and now it’s time for the midfield to go all in as well.
Photo: Steve Roberts-USA TODAY Sports