USWNT: What changes does Vlatko Andonovski have to make going forward?

After three matches, the two-time defending champion USWNT has looked a shell of itself, so what changes need to happen in the Round of 16?

Once Mallory Swanson went down against the Republic of Ireland, the questions began to be asked of this team in the frontline. Three games into the World Cup, and they continue to come. Despite going through into the Round of 16, the four-time world champion USWNT have looked far from the dominant force that has reined over the women’s football world in the past.

Through the group stage, the Red, White, and Blue has a pass completion percentage of just 68.8 percent, a number that is worse than teams like Costa Rica, Argentina, and the Republic of Ireland. The midfield looks unimpressive, and with Rose Lavelle missing out of the knockout stage, the coaching staff is going to have to come up with solutions elsewhere.

Sure, the goal is advancing to the knockouts like Kelley O’Hara made known post-game, but the task at hand is now going to get much more difficult. The positive thing, this has been done before. Japan, in 2011 finished runners-up in Group B while the United States concluded in the same position behind Sweden in Group C. Both nations reached the final with the Japanese defeating the stars and stripes on spot kicks. That relentless winning drive does not seem to be present within both the staff and players on the team. Changes need to be made. Here are a few that could elevate the USWNT’s quality of play.

USWNT Change No. 3: Move Julie Ertz into the midfield while slotting Alana Cook into the backline

It was not a big surprise to see Julie Ertz roaming as a right center-back in the opening World Cup matches due to her versatility. Despite that, OL Reign star center back, Alana Cook, who came into the tournament as nearly a lock in the backline has failed to make it on the pitch for single minute. Though the problems have not been in the defensive half of the pitch, Cook’s calming presence alongside Naomi Girma could be a difference-maker.

Ertz is predominantly a defensive midfielder, and with Rose Lavelle now missing, it would make sense to move Lindsey Horan higher up the pitch with the Angel City star behind her as the No. 6.

Part of slotting Ertz into the defense means that you may be wasting some of her best traits that come out as a midfielder. She does not have the opportunity to make that much of an impact on the match playing as one of the two center-backs in the back-four.

Her passing and physicality would add a new dimension to the USWNT’s threat in the midfield alongside Horan and potentially a new attacking midfielder in the knockout stage.