da doce： The Chelsea boss is set to take up the vacant U.S. role in time for Paris 2024, so how could her new team look going into that tournament?

da brwin： After its worst Women's World Cup performance in history, these last three months have felt rather directionless for the United States women's national team. Therefore, the news on Tuesday that Chelsea boss Emma Hayes has officially signed up to replace departed head coach Vlatko Andonovski has injected some well-needed energy and optimism into the picture.

Interim Twila Kilgore has been tasked with keeping things ticking over while U.S. Soccer waits for the perfect person to take the program forward, and it may well have found exactly that in Hayes, who will leave Chelsea after 12 trophy-laden years at the conclusion of the 2023-24 season.

The six-time Women's Super League winner will come into the role at an interesting time. As the retirement of an icon like Megan Rapinoe suggests, the U.S. is going through something of a generational change, with many of its stalwarts coming to the tail end of their careers while some very exciting young talents start to take the first steps of their journeys with the USWNT.

There won't be much of a bedding in period for Hayes when she crosses the pond. The Olympic Games begin in France in July and the U.S. will want to be stood at the top of that podium when it concludes. Hayes will have just four games to prepare for the tournament, so what could the new coach's team look like going into Paris 2024? GOAL gazes into the crystal ball…

GettyGK: Alyssa Naeher

Goalkeeping duties for the USWNT have largely been taken by Alyssa Naeher in the last few years, though with a good sprinkling of rotation that has afforded Casey Murphy more opportunities than any usual 'back-up' would get. She's certainly a little bit more than that, albeit with Naeher still feeling like the No.1. Will that change under Hayes?

Going into an Olympics, it would make sense for Hayes to stick with 35-year-old Naeher as first-choice, with the heaps of experience she has in big moments one big reason for that. But the current Chelsea boss has a tendency to rotate goalkeepers herself, too, and so it wouldn't be a massive surprise for things to stay quite like they are now in her early days, with Naeher and Murphy sharing duties.

What about the long-term? Murphy could well take over for the USWNT's next World Cup cycle, of course. Alternatively, Hayes really values goalkeepers that are excellent with the ball at their feet, which is a trait much more common in younger shot-stoppers just because of the way the game has developed in recent times. Could she look to one of the goalkeepers coming through instead? Those are questions for further down the line, however.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesRB: Emily Fox

It's been a very difficult year for the USWNT, but Emily Fox is one of those who has certainly impressed despite that. She has nailed down the starting role on the right of the defense with her brilliant work at both ends of the pitch and it'd be a big surprise to see her lose that spot.

Fox has a lot of the traits that Hayes wants in her outside backs, as she loves them to get forward and support the attack. The North Carolina Courage star ranks in the top five for passes completed in the final third in the NWSL in 2023, which illustrates just how involved she is in those areas of the pitch.

With some wonderful defensive traits to go with that, as well as the versatility – another of Hayes' favorite qualities in a player – to operate on either flank, it feels like Fox will be an integral part of Hayes' USWNT.

GettyCB: Alana Cook

Hayes has set up her Chelsea team in various formations over the years and, in more recent times, she has switched between three-player and four-player defensive lines quite regularly. Given the USWNT's lack of experience with the former and the relative lack of time the incoming coach will have with her new players before the Olympics, it feels a lot more likely that we will see the four-time world champion lining up with a back four in Hayes' early days.

In the long-term, it is likely that Alana Cook holds down a spot in that heart of that defense. After not getting a look-in at the World Cup, the 26-year-old has been solid in the months since and is forming a good partnership with Naomi Girma.

However, she has competition for her place. Captain Becky Sauerbrunn has come back into the picture after missing the summer's tournament with an injury, and despite being 38 years old, could still well be a starter at the Olympics given her fantastic ability and experience. Tierna Davidson is another contender, too, as despite being left-footed like Girma, the pair looked good together in a recent friendly.

That all said, it still feels like Cook's place to lose.

GettyCB: Naomi Girma

There's not much to ponder here. Girma has spent 2023 asserting herself as one of the best centerbacks on the planet despite only celebrating her 23rd birthday in June. Excellent on the ball and with an outstanding reading of the game, she is going to be a key part of this USWNT for so many years to come, under Hayes and beyond.