The United States women’s national soccer team visited a testing spell of experimentation in their back-to-back meetings with Spain, with their centre of midfield repeatedly looking unsettled. Emma Hayes has used the two fixtures to try different personnel and shapes, but the lack of a clear spine through the centre of the park was the dominant story. Spain often controlled the tempo and possession phases, leaving the US to rely on spurts of forward momentum rather than sustained dominance.
How the midfield combinations fell short
Hayes fielded several different midfield groupings across the double-header, shifting roles and responsibilities in search of a balance between defensive cover and progressive passing. Those adjustments produced moments of fluency, but not a lasting structure. When Spain pressed high or compressed the central channels, the US midfield often failed to provide a reliable outlet for the defence or consistent support for the attack.
That unevenness showed in the team’s transitions: too frequently the ball had to travel wide to escape pressure, removing the US from central areas where vertical passes can split lines. The midfield pairings did not consistently occupy half-spaces or coordinate forward runs, which reduced overloads and limited quick combinations in tight areas. As a result, the attack received fewer clean chances to work between Spain’s defensive lines and had to manufacture opportunities from wider or longer situations instead.
Absences that reshaped selection and structure
Two notable absences for the US were Naomi Girma and Sam Coffey. Their missing presence influenced both shape and personnel choices. Girma’s absence removed a central defensive option who can step into midfield or cover wide shifting from the back, while Coffey’s absence deprived Hayes of a midfielder with energetic ball-winning and drive from deep. On the Spanish side, the visitors were also without key midfielders such as Aitana Bonmatí, Mariona Caldentey and Clàudia Pina, which makes the comparative picture more revealing: even with Spain missing established creators, the US could not consistently impose itself in the middle.
Those player gaps prompted Hayes to persist with trial formations rather than settling on a single, clearly defined midfield identity. That approach is understandable in a non-competitive window, but it left the team vulnerable to teams that are comfortable controlling possession. Against an opponent that prioritised ball retention, the US lacked the cohesion necessary to win the second ball or to string together multi-pass sequences that break pressure.
Tactical adjustments and short-term options
- Deeper pivot: Deploy a defensive midfielder in a sit-and-distribute role to shield the backline and provide cleaner progressions into attack.
- Box-to-box pairing: Combine a mobile, press-resistant midfielder with a more creative runner to restore balance between defence and forward thrust.
- Wide support: Ask full-backs to push higher and tuck inside on transitions to create central overloads and quick passing lanes.
- Rotational pressing: Use coordinated rotation in press triggers so the midfield can step up as a unit and reduce space for opposing midfielders.
What this means for Hayes and coming fixtures
Emma Hayes now faces a selection decision with greater consequence than the immediate friendlies. If recent matches are any guide, her next set of competitive fixtures will demand a midfield that offers both defensive solidity and coherent forward movement. The experiments against Spain provided useful information about individual strengths and weaknesses, but they also underlined the need for a reliable base the whole team can use under pressure.
Finding that base could mean restoring players to roles closer to their club positions or committing to a single midfield pairing for an extended run of games. Either route carries trade-offs: sticking with one pairing improves cohesion but risks mismatches against different opponents; rotating keeps players fresh but delays the development of collective understanding. For now, Hayes has more pieces than answers. The fixtures that follow will reveal whether the coaching staff can convert these trials into a stable midfield identity capable of meeting the expectations attached to a four-time world champion side.
