The midfielder continues to recover from injury, and that recovery will be vital to the defending champions' hopes of another title
It's now been four years since the summer that Rose Lavelle became a household name in the United States. Just 24 years old and with the world at her feet, Lavelle departed France with a World Cup trophy, a goal in the final and the competition's Bronze Ball. She looked ready to be the face of the next generation of U.S. women's national team stars that would look to continue their dominance for the next decade or so.
If 2019 was Lavelle's coming-out party, the 2023 World Cup would be her encore. She arrived on the global stage in France, but, Down Under this summer, she'd begin to show the player she can be in her prime.
It hasn't quite happened that way. Limited by injury, Lavelle has made just two substitute appearances for the U.S., totalling just about 75 minutes on the pitch. So far, we haven't seen the best version of Lavelle this summer.
We have, though, seen glimpses. With the USWNT trailing the Netherlands 1-0, Lavelle came on to save Vlatko Andonovski's midfield before assisting Lindsey Horan, earning her side a much-needed point. It was a cameo perhaps made out of desperation, but it was also an appearance that proved just how desperate the USWNT are for their midfield star.
As the U.S. prepare to face Portugal in the team's final group game, it's never been more clear how vital Lavelle is to this group. The U.S. isn't anywhere near it's best without her.
GettyInjury issues
Heading into the tournament, the world knew that Lavelle wasn't anywhere near 100 percent. She's been battling a knee injury since April, with that injury keeping her out of the USWNT's send-off game against Wales back on July 9. As the U.S. arrived at the World Cup, Lavelle's status was very much uncertain for the opening game against Vietnam.
In the end, she was only cleared for a substitute appearance, coming off the bench in the second half of the 3-0 win. Against the Netherlands, though, the U.S. would almost certainly need Lavelle to help fight off the same Dutch team she buried back in 2019 with her goal in the final.
As it turns out, they would, but not as a starter, with Lavelle once again being left on the bench as Andi Sullivan, Horan and Savannah DeMelo started in her place while Lavelle wasn't cleared for a 90-minute runout.
AdvertisementGettyChanging the game
With Lavelle on the bench, the U.S. struggled for the opening 45 minutes. The midfield trio was routinely outmaneuvered by the Netherlands, who had one of their back three step up to leave the U.S. scrambling. Passing lanes were aplenty, and the U.S. midfield was routinely bypassed as they looked to close gaps all over the field.
Lavelle's presence was immediately felt, as she took an almost instant yellow card to get herself into the game. She ended up assisting Horan's equalizer with a fantastic set-piece while creating two chances and routinely pushing the U.S. attack into the final third. Her attacking instincts were on full display, while her defensive anticipation helped shut down a few Netherlands attacks before they began.
Without Lavelle, the U.S. has several good midfielders, but none can do a bit of everything in the way that Lavelle can. And none can quite dominate a game like Lavelle can at her best.
GettyWhat's been said?
After the Netherlands draw, coach Andonovski was quizzed about Lavelle's availability as he explained why she was limited to just a substitute appearance. “If we started (her) in the first half, we’re probably going to have to take her out at half-time because her minutes limitation was around 45 minutes,” he said. “So this way, we actually got a few extra minutes at the end of the game by her starting in the second half.”
He added: “I thought she did well. I don’t think she had a lot of opportunities. It was a tough game, a lot of opportunities to expose the qualities. But the moment she did, we can see what she’s capable of just controlling the ball, penetrating on a table and finding players.”
The big question, of course, is what this all means going forward. Will she be on that minutes restriction against Portugal and beyond, or, with the stakes rising, is Andonvoski ready to unleash her as a key figure for the rest of the tournament?
The USWNT boss, of course, sidestepped that question. “It will certainly be more, but we’re going to have to check with the medical team,” he said with a smirk. “It could be 90 minutes.”
Getty/GOALReshaping the midfield
There's no question that the USWNT midfield is taken to a different level when Lavelle is in it, but why?
So far, Lavelle has been deputized by newcomer DeMelo, who has proven a decent enough understudy. It cannot be understated how wild DeMelo's path to the World Cup has been. From uncapped a month ago to starting the first two games of a World Cup. That's absolutely ridiculous.
However, while DeMelo is a very good attacking midfielder, as evidenced by her NWSL dominance, she is no Lavelle. She doesn't have the all-round game or the World Cup experience that Lavelle does. To be fair, there are few that do.
DeMelo certainly wasn't bad against the Netherlands, where she was routinely physically harassed by the Dutch midfield. She suffered six fouls in just 45 minutes, with the Dutch clearly looking to take her out of the game physically. It could actually be argued that DeMelo was the USWNT's best midfielder in that first half, as both Horan and Sullivan struggled. But it definitely cannot be argued that the U.S. found another gear once Lavelle hit the field.
So how does Andonovski assemble a midfield? The obvious answer would be Lavelle taking the place of DeMelo in a like-for-like substitute. Lavelle can play a more attacking role alongside Horan while Sullivan, or perhaps Julie Ertz, sits behind as the No.6.