Megan Rapinoe suffers knee injury, out several weeks

Megan Rapinoe will miss the remainder of the United States' January camp, as well as the team's friendlies against France and England, according to Steven Goff. The midfielder suffered a strained right knee ligament in training and is now facing several weeks out.

The U.S. is at the StubHub Center for training camp and it was there that Rapinoe was hurt. With the France friendly set for February 8 and the England clash five days later, she will not have a chance to return in time. At this point, the goal will be for her to return in time for the Algarve Cup, which begins on March 4.

Rapinoe's absence is a rather significant one. She has been in the mix to start for the U.S. either in a central attacking midfield role, or on the wing. Normally a few weeks out would not be overly problematic, but the Americans are just six months from the Women's World Cup and have a lot of work to do.

With the U.S. struggling of late, their set-up and style in question and results disappointing, Jill Ellis needs all the time available to her to sort out how the team is going to play and where players are going to play. With the No. 10 role that Rapinoe has occupied at times being a big question mark, as well as the wing, the U.S. will miss her. That is not just losing her, but also losing the time to evaluate where she fits best and what the team does best because there isn't a lot set in stone with the team right now. At least one wouldn't hope so.