Which 18 players will make the U.S. Olympic womens soccer roster?
There are 25 U.S. womens national soccer team (USWNT) players in the mix for 18 Olympic roster sports. The answer to that will likely be clearer at the conclusion of the upcoming 2021 Summer Series. Over the next week, the USWNT will face off against Portugal (Thursday, June 10), Jamaica (Sunday, June 13), and Nigeria (Wednesday, June 16). The USWNT Summer Series roster includes 23 players, though a total of 25 players (including Julie Ertz and Tobin Heath, who are both coming back from injury) are expected to be in the mix for the 18-player Olympic roster. Ahead of this weeks games, On Her Turf caught up with Danielle Slaton, who was a member of the U.S. womens national team at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. The upcoming Tokyo Olympics will mark Slatons second Games serving as an analyst for NBC. USWNT Goalkeepers for the 2021 Summer Series (2/3 will likely make 2021 U.S. Olympic roster):  Jane Campbell, Adrianna Franch, Alyssa Naeher  On Her Turf: Lets start with the goalkeepers. Two-time World Cup champion Alyssa Naeher has established herself as the top USWNT goalie in recent years. Danielle Slaton: You said it. Alyssa Naeher is the clear number one for the U.S. womens national team. Theres no question there, in my mind. So its really going to be a tough battle between Jane Campbell (Houston Dash) and Adrianna Franch (Portland Thorns FC). Both have played incredibly well for their NWSL teams. And in the goalkeeping position, you have to do that. Because when youre the number two goalie on the national team, youre not going to get too many minutes in a national team jersey. During the NWSL Challenge Cup last summer, Houston won and Jane Campbell had a fantastic tournament. And then at the most recent Challenge Cup this spring, Portland won  and Franch had a huge role in their success. If shes healthy, I would probably give her the nod. Because shes had a tremendous amount of success lately. To me, this is a decision that [U.S. head coach] Vlatko Andonovski will make in training. Training carries a ton of weight, especially for goalkeepers. Well see if either Campbell or Franch gets a start in the summer series games. I think who gets the start against which opponent could be an indicator of which way Vlatko may be leaning. Danielle Slaton: The reality is: you dont change your backline that much. To me, the clear center backs are Abby Dahlkemper and captain Becky Sauerbrunn. There is no doubt in my mind that they are the two starting center backs. I think it comes down to Alana Cook and Tierna Davidson. Davidson has more experience, but we havent really had the opportunity to see Cook. She wasnt able to play with the USWNT in April because her club team  Paris Saint-Germain (PSG)  didnt release her. The great news for Cook is shes gotten really good competition playing for PSG, and theyve had a lot of recent success [including ending Lyons streak of 14 consecutive titles]. If Cook performs out of this world at these upcoming games, maybe she bumps Tierna Davidson and makes the Olympic roster. If not, Cook is certainly someone to consider for the future. I expect her to have a very successful womens national team career. When you look at the outside backs, you have Crystal Dunn on the left and Kelley OHara on the right. Those seem to be the two outside backs that Vlatko tends to lean towards. Sonnett has a lot of experience; she was on the 2019 World Cup roster. But Purce provides an attacking weapon out of the back. Another advantage for Purce is that she is so versatile; shes an attacker for her club team, Gotham FC. Purce would give Vlatko some flexibility, especially given that the Olympic roster is only 18 players. USWNT Midfielders for the 2021 Summer Series (6/7 will likely make 2021 U.S. Olympic roster):  Lindsey Horan, Rose Lavelle, Catarina Macario, Kristie Mewis, Samantha Mewis, Andi Sullivan  + Julie Ertz, who was ruled out of the summer series due to an MCL injury  On Her Turf: Moving on to the midfield. There are six players on the USWNT roster for the 2021 Summer Series but that doesnt include Julie Ertz, who is out with an MCL injury. Danielle Slaton: Yeah, thats the biggest question. Julie Ertz has been rock solid for the U.S. womens national team at the number six position (defensive center midfielder)  and maybe, a little bit, to the detriment of the team. In the past, there hasnt been a question about who was playing that position because Ertz owned it  so theres not a lot of depth and experience behind her. So the fact that she is currently out has really forced Vlatko to ask some hard questions about who could replace her there. I think thats why Andi Sullivan was brought into this camp. In my mind, Sullivan is the like-for-like substitution for Ertz. Maybe those options include bringing Sam Mewis back to be more of a defensive presence. Weve also heard Vlatko mention that Emily Sonnett or Tierna Davidson could fill in for Ertz. Keep in mind that Ertz was a defender at the 2015 World Cup who made the transition to midfield, so perhaps he believes either of those players can make that adjustment as well. I wonder if it will be an option well see during this summer series. Thursdays game against Portugal is the game Im most eager to see because Portugal can move the ball. So that midfield presence is going to be very important. On Her Turf: In terms of evaluating a player who is coming back from injury including a player who is not at 100% on an 18-player Olympic roster is a lot riskier than adding them to a 23-player World Cup roster. Danielle Slaton: Yeah, when you carry 18 players on a roster, theres not a lot of room for error. I think Vlatko is going to have to make some hard decisions in that regard because health is probably the number one factor of whether or not youre going to be on this Olympic roster or not. I think back to the Rio Olympics, when Megan Rapinoe was coming off of an ACL injury and she made that roster. And in the quarterfinal game against Sweden [where the U.S. was ultimately eliminated], she subbed in, but then was subbed out after less than 30 minutes. Maybe yes, maybe no. On Her Turf: As you mentioned earlier, Crystal Dunn has established herself at left back for the national team. But she plays midfield for the Portland Thorns. Danielle Slaton: Yeah, Crystal Dunn can pretty much play any position except for goalkeeper. And honestly, shes so athletic that if she had to play in goal, I might take it for a few minutes here or there. So she can play in the midfield, she can play up front. She is very, very talented. Thats one of the things she brings to this team and one of the things that Vlatko probably likes about her: she brings a lot of versatility. So sure, she could play that defensive center back position. But then the question becomes: if you move Crystal Dunn out of left back, the U.S. isnt really that deep at left back. Personally, I would solve the midfield problem with the midfielder rather than solving it with Crystal Dunn. Certainly. On Her Turf: So in terms of filling out the other midfielders around that number six position  Danielle Slaton: To me, theres no question that Lindsey Horan, Rose Lavelle, and Sam Mewis make the Olympic roster. And ultimately, I do think Julie Ertz is going to make the roster, too. So that leaves two spots. If theres a question about whether Ertz can play consistently like she has in the past, you need to bring a player like Andi Sullivan. So then its down to one spot between Kristie Mewis and Catarina Macario. To me, I think Catarina Macario has a higher ceiling than Kristie Mewis, but right now, Kristie Mewis might be playing better football. Macario has been a little bit up and down; she has had some really great moments, but there have also been moments when shes kind of disappeared. Danielle Slaton: Its been really fun to see Kristies progress. It would be fun to see Kristie and Sam be on the Olympic roster together, so that kind of tugs at my heartstrings. But I think its going to come down to fit. RELATED: For the first time in six years, there are two Mewis sisters on the USWNT  USWNT Forwards for the 2021 Summer Series (4/7 will likely make 2021 U.S. Olympic roster):  Carli Lloyd, Alex Morgan, Christen Press, Megan Rapinoe, Sophia Smith, Lynn Williams  + Tobin Heath, who isnt on the official summer series roster, but is joining camp as a training player as she comes back from a knee injury  On Her Turf: Finally, moving up to the forwards. Right now, there are seven players in the mix for what is likely to be four spots. Danielle Slaton: I gotta say, six months ago at the start of January camp, I was like, Theres no way that Carli Lloyd is making that Olympic roster.  And shame on me for betting against Carli Lloyd. Its like betting against Tom Brady or LeBron James. You just dont do it. Because Carli is a fighter and a competitor. Shes making a very strong case for not only making this roster, but potentially being the starting number nine (striker) on the Olympic roster. On Her Turf: Going back to early January At that point, Carli Lloyd, Alex Morgan, and Megan Rapinoe all seemed questionable. Lloyd was coming back from an injury, Rapinoe opted out of both 2020 NWSL tournaments, and Morgan had been diagnosed with COVID-19 and was also still getting limited minutes as she came back from giving birth. Danielle Slaton: A few months ago, I was also thinking its either Morgan or Lloyd. Theres no way both of them make this team. But I think the extra year has given Alex Morgan the time she needed to come back from the birth of her daughter. I think shes been playing particularly well recently, both for the U.S. team and also for the Orlando Pride. So I think Lloyd and Morgan provide a lot of options, and they both make my roster. Yeah, other players can play striker. But you need somebody whos going to put the ball in the back of the net. Period. No questions asked. And both of those players can do that. Scoring a goal is the hardest thing to do in soccer. And yet, both Lloyd and Morgan consistently find a way to make it happen. And then Megan Rapinoe  shes been playing well, too. She is somebody who steps up in the big moments and I think shes got a chip on her shoulder from Rio, where she wasnt able to participate in the way that she would have liked. RELATED: Rapinoe on gender pay gap: theres no level of status that will protect you  So I would have all three of them  Lloyd, Morgan, Rapinoe  on my roster. Its not so much a question of whether they should be in, but its that I cant cross them off. Yes theyve got the experience, but at the Olympics, the games are back-to-back. And because there are only 12 teams in the tournament, you are always up against top opponents. So youre playing top-level games right from the start. But I feel like all three of them could be on this roster. No question. And then Christen Press has been fantastic. Shes consistently solid. She provides something that no other woman on this roster provides: her flair, her creativity, and her soccer IQ. In a recent interview, Vlatko said shes on track to be back by the Olympics. Hes a guy who pretty much tells the truth, but I havent seen her play. So I dont know if shes truly as far along as whats being said. Sophia Smith is a very good player, but I think shes a future player. I think shes going to be the next generation of the U.S. womens national team. And then I know Lynn Williams is highly favored by Vlatko. Shes gotten a ton of minutes in 2021. I think the one thing thats advantageous for her is that she provides a different look; shes more direct, shes more vertical. And shes obviously got the speed and the ability to get in behind. I dont rate her quite as highly as Vlatko does. That might one of those things where you have to agree to disagree with the head coach. Hes the one that makes the decision, I just critique and discuss them. Danielle Slaton: The biggest thing for me is just trying to suss out what the starting 11 looks like. And then looking at the bubble players that are performing well and making a case to be on that 18-player roster. Any one of these women could make the Olympic roster, no question. But there are only 18 spots. I do not envy Vlatko when it comes to making that decision. I think he can probably go any number of ways and he probably wouldnt be wrong. Because this is the deepest roster that the United States has ever had. originally appeared on NBCSports.com