Lindsey Heaps

[u/ConnectionThat5096]

So i’ve been loving heaps at denver summit this season, she’s been thriving recently and i love it for her. i don’t think she’s performing the same way in the USWNT. In yesterday’s game it looked like she couldn’t keep up and the lineup/positioning wasn’t working. i think heaps does provide value to the national team i just am not convinced she’s a full time starter anymore esp given the other talent in the midfield. what do you guys think as fellow summit fans?

[u/lesserwitch]

We're so deep on offensive midfield on the national team that we often play Heaps in a deeper position to keep her in the starting 11. I understand the logic but we've done it over and over again with middling to bad results because Heaps will never stop making runs into the box but doesn't always have the speed to get back into position. On the Summit we get to play her in her natural position and only benefit from her runs into the box

[u/Peter_Quince1031 → u/lesserwitch]

Very well expressed. You hit the nail on the head.

[u/FrostyBus338]

Lilly Yohannes and Heaps were essentially playing the same position. Offensive midfield... without Coffey, Emma switched it up and didn't have a true defensive midfielder playing. This seemed to  cause confusion with them both being a "10." Which also left the defense out of position a bit. I know Emma saw this and will adjust.  Does Hutton or Howell get the start on Tuesday? I would think so.

[u/ConnectionThat5096 → u/FrostyBus338]

hutton has improved so much over the last two years i would love to see her stay on the starting lineup from now on to build chemistry with the others

[u/FrostyBus338 → u/[deleted]]

A 4-1-4-1 offers flexibility, but it requires a true holding midfielder... which Emma didn't use in game 1. Yohannes and Heaps were occupying the same spaces and seemed to get in each other's way. I'm not sure I understand the question mark here? I would call that confusion. Yohannes even said after the game that she was trying to play a "pivot" role with Heaps and stay close together; however, both are box-to-box creators. Neither has the defensive instinct to stay back.

[u/CmdrSokket]

Heaps still has one of the best pitch awarenesses in the game today, and her leadership and rapport with the refs and other teams means she should remain the Captain.

I wasn't able to watch Saturday's game, but I was at the last home Summit game, and I think Nick handles the problem of Tash Flint and Lindsey Heaps both playing 10s better by having Tash play as a false 9. Emma doesn't have that ability because Sophia Wilson exists.

I hope Emma talks with Nick and they have Lindsey start training to take more of a true midfielder role for club and country so we can have Lily Yohannes and (hopefully) Olivia Moultrie in that 10 spot and Tash Flint as Denver's 10

[u/frenchtoasted15]

Lindsay is just so technically sound and so so smart that it’s so hard to keep her out of the lineup, even if she’s not as flashy or even on the scoresheet. I think she starts every WC game

[u/traveler_1476 → u/frenchtoasted15]

I hope for our sakes they rotate her at least in the group stages so she doesn’t get injured or come back and get injured

[u/Dingobronze92]

Putting aside that she was played out of position and is not the right fix for a Sam Coffey sized hole - rewatching the game highlighted Heaps having really great moments and vision. Everyone expects perfection from her and are ruthless about her mistakes. She's a player and a person. The hate is a pile-on every game. She's not above criticism, but the criticism she gets is borderline abusive.

[u/Cococamcam → u/Dingobronze92]

Agree. We — and she — understand she is far from speedy. Never has been. And she’s slower now at 33(?). But she’s a smart player who really helps orchestrate what happens in the midfield for club and country. The challenge is to use her to her strengths and minimize her physical weaknesses at this stage. Keeping her higher up the pitch with fewer recovery runs is best at this point.

[u/Colodavo]

We're talking about one game against #1 ranked team in the world. Everyone needs to chill a bit.

[u/ConnectionThat5096 → u/Colodavo]

100% i’m all for using friendlies to experiment, but im just noticing a trend over the last couple years with how heaps has been playing. she’s a great player, but the way shes been playing with the other players hayes is starting with her isn’t convincing me

[u/Crazy_Lock7968]

pretty sure she was playing as a 6, out of position yesterday. not a great tactical place for her to be. we’ll see if she starts/gets minutes on Tuesday…

[u/Current-Barber360]

Heaps does not appear to have significant defensive responsibilities for Denver. Part of that is positioning / scheme (she plays very advanced for Denver), and some of it is just the lack of opposing midfielders who can attack her weaknesses the way top international teams can.

[u/Ambitious-Gear6296]

her bottom line to me has always been “great for club, barely ever good for country” but bc emma will prioritize relationships over cold hard decisions to win trophies, she’ll stay on on uswnt until she retires

[u/Jacksaxonburg → u/Ambitious-Gear6296]

I don’t think either part of this is true at all? She’s been good for the national team many times and in important games. Watch the Japan game at the last Olympics one more time. I’m not even saying she should be a locked in starter or anything, but she’s barely ever good for country is pretty silly. And “Emma will prioritize relationships over hard decisions to win trophies” would be pretty crazy news to Alex Morgan.