5 Things That Will Help Fix the USWNT After 2023 Women's World Cup Elimination

I'm not sure if anybody else has noticed this, but losing…isn't fun?

It was hard to watch the United States women's national team fall at the hands (and feet) of Sweden over the weekend in the World Cup's Round of 16. Players were in tears as they realized that their dream of winning a third-straight World Cup for the United States was no longer possible.

In some ways, being forced to head home after a solid performance and one of the narrowest penalty shootout decisions you'll ever see was brutally cruel. In other ways, though, the end of the U.S.'s run is more than fitting for a team that has regularly flopped under manager Vlatko Andonovski.

After struggling at the 2021 Olympics in Tokyo, the USWNT and U.S. Soccer must go back to the drawing board, with underwhelming performances outnumbering quality ones in the window between that tournament and this summer's World Cup.

So, what needs to change for the United States moving forward? And how do they better position themselves to make deep tournament runs ahead of the 2024 Olympics and the 2027 World Cup? Let's dive into five things that will improve the USWNT.

This has to be the starting point, right?

Managers don't control soccer games like chess players control chess matches. Still, it would be foolish for the United States to take any big steps forward in any direction until they've established the next macro, stylistic trend for the program. The word "next" is key, because Andonovski certainly won't be the one leading this team during the next tournament cycle.

Andonovski seems like a kind and compassionate individual, but he never found a way to get the USWNT firing on all cylinders.

His version of the U.S. struggled to control games and turn their attacking talent into chances. Andonovski's tactical shortcomings didn't mix well with some of his incorrect roster and game management choices, either. Of course, hindsight is 20/20, but bringing three attacking midfielders — Rose Lavelle, Savannah DeMelo, and Ashley Sanchez — and only playing two of them felt like a misuse of resources. Plus, using Sophia Smith as a left winger instead of as a No. 9, where she thrives with the NWSL's Portland Thorns, didn't take full advantage of the team's most dangerous goal threat.

So, with all of those problems in mind, Andonovski will forfeit his post. Now it's time for U.S. Soccer to fill it with a capable, exciting candidate.

With a new manager should come a new set of attacking tactics.

Sure, the United States have enough talent to brute-force their way into the occasional chance: they created more expected goals than their opponents in all four of their matches at this World Cup. But clearer ideas against set defensive shapes will help the USWNT go from being a team that's simply in games to a team that's dominating them.

Under Andonvoski, the USWNT relied on low-percentage crosses from the wings, instead of making real attempts to break into central spaces. Poor decision-making high up the field downgraded attacks with real potential to careless shots from a distance or ones from tight angels on the outer corridors of the box.

Players often seemed hesitant to combine and move forward as a unit, which could speak to a broader issue in the USWNT's player pool. Still, there's enough talent in the U.S. ranks to create more and better opportunities than what we've seen throughout this cycle.

Whoever the new manager is, their first priority on the training field should be ironing out the attacking play.

Alex Morgan started every game up top for the United States during their World Cup run. You can make a strong argument, however, that she was the second-best candidate for that position after Smith.

Smith, just 22, headed to Australia and New Zealand as the NWSL's leader in non-penalty goals. She's been truly dominant for the Portland Thorns, but never settled into the competition while playing on the left wing after a strong start and a pair of goals against Vietnam. The fact that Smith was used out of position certainly played a part in her issues. Morgan, for her part, didn't have a bad tournament, but her positive movement and ability to find space inside the box never turned into goals.

At some point between the USWNT's pair of friendlies next month against South Africa and the 2024 Olympics, we'll need to see Smith get an extended run of matches as the team's No. 9. When new Chelsea signing Catarina Macario is back and fully fit after a knee injury, she should get a long look in that spot, too.

Dividing forward minutes between players won't be easy, but it's clear that the U.S. left something on the table at this World Cup by not fully sorting out their striker position.

If the striker position needs sorting out, so does the No. 6 spot.

Andi Sullivan started every game for the U.S. at the World Cup, but was far from flawless. Her inability to stop the Netherlands' buildup came back to bite the United States in the group stage in the form of a Dutch goal.

Between Sullivan's limited skill set and Julie Ertz stating she's retiring from the USWNT, it's time for the United States to look for other options at the base of midfield.

Twenty-four-year-old Sam Coffey is the most obvious option to start earning minutes for the USWNT. The Portland Thorns' No. 6 made her debut for the national team in 2022 and wracked up four caps by the end of the year, but didn't make the cut for Andonovski's World Cup squad. She's a clever player, though. Coffey acts as a metronome for Portland, controlling the ball in tight spots and finding the right forward pass at the right time to maintain rhythm and speed. She's not flawless — Coffey doesn't offer anything close to Ertz's ball-winning or ground coverage — but she should bring a breath of fresh air to the United States' midfield.

Megan Rapinoe's national team career is over. It doesn't sound like Ertz is going to be around for another World Cup. Alyssa Naeher is 35 years old. Morgan is 34 years old. Becky Sauerbrunn is 38 years old and missed this tournament with an injury.

Players aging (and eventually retiring) is a natural part of sports, but that doesn't change the fact that the United States will have to dig deep into its player pool during this next tournament cycle.

Now, some of the veterans listed above will stick around. But between retirements and inadequate performances from some of the middle-aged players, we should see some fascinating changes to rosters over the next year. Though the new manager's preferences will dictate those squads, the U.S. must look to players like Coffey and 18-year-old attacker Jaedyn Shaw to breathe new life into the team after a disappointing last several years.

Expect to see more than a few players make their debuts or at least earn an audition in camp ahead of the 2024 Olympics.