Well, it's time to get over Wednesday's game and get on with it. (Actually, I'm not over it, I'm still pretty freaking pissed). So Sunday night on FSC, we fly the friendly skies of Sky Blue. I don't know what you do with the lineup. Play great, can't score (almost sounds like tastes great, less filling....BEER!!!). I don't think you can start Hanks based on the one goal, so I don't know what would change outside of the back line. You have six to choose from there with Ellertson, McNeill, and Logterman as musts. The 4th will be between Larsson, Weber, and Tancredi. You can't really change the midfield, although I would still like to see Francielle get in at some point in the 2nd half. Chalupny is your captain and while she hasn't been playing as well as earlier in the season, she's still your best player that's healthy and she has to be out there. Woznuk is just coming off of her best game this year. Cinalli gives them some offense. Fletcher did a nice job of marking Marta for most of the game. I can't change Aluko or Welsh, either. We'll be facing Sky Blue, who has played pretty well lately, going 2-1-1 over their last four, with the only loss coming here against Saint Louis. We've got to do something different on the corners. Maybe not every one of them, but just change it up every so often. Go short, occasionally. Neither Branam nor Bardsley is as good as LeBlanc and they don't have Falk on their back line, although Averbuch at midfield is just about as tall and Dowling, if healthy can jump higher than anyone. I don't know what you do about the finishing. We should have had 4 or 5 goals last night. Barcellos has had them practicing this, but he can't put it in the net for them. We have to contain O'Reilly. She did everything but score against us in the last game. We contained Kai pretty well last time. I don't know the status of Walsh, but if she's finally healthy, she's faster than just about everyone except possibly Marta or DeVanna. She would be a hand full. We blew our chance to separate ourselves from the field, so now we have to grind out some games and get some points. I figure that somewhere between 24 and 26 points will make the 4th playoff spot. We're anywhere from 10-12 points short. Sky Blue is right behind us and a loss puts us 5th or worse. WE ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO TREAT THIS LIKE A PLAYOFF GAME! A win will put us 5 ahead of them, 5 ahead of Gold Pride, and keep us at least 3 points (or more) ahead of Chicago.
Mrs. BigPinkFoot is dragging me to Florida this weekend, so I need to confirm - FSC has a webcast correct? On these set pieces, isn't McNeill typically in the box? The more I watch her, the more I realize what a physical presence she is. With her aggression, speed, jumping ability, and knack for judging a ball in the air (face it, she NEVER misjudges em), I believe I'd bring her out to the top of the 18 and give her a running start for the header. As most of our corners and set pieces end up on the opposite corner of the box, that also leaves someone to hold the ball in if the headball isnt there. Then again, jumping out of the gym and crushing a clearing header isnt exactly the same as putting one on frame, but I like her chances better than anyone else on that team. Could be said we would be better served for her or Tanc to be in the 6 blocking out the keeper, but its the service thats been a problem on set pieces.
I think you could probably go to the WPS site and either they have the webcast or they have a link to the webcast, I forget which. I'm not sure if McNeill is forward on corners or not. Ellertson usually is, because quite frankly, she's the best leaper and best athlete on the team. Tanc is forward when she's in, just for the height and the body. I know Tanc has had two or three headers off of corners.
According to Tom Timmerman, Chalupny, Cinalli, and Hanks were all practicing corners Friday. Unfortunately (according to Tom) the best corner kick person was Barcellos.... Woznuk sat out the drill with ice on her her leg. I wonder if she will make the trip. http://www.stltoday.com/blogzone/fr...-athletica-notes-corner-kicks-espys-and-cake/
What in the wide world of sports is a-goin on here? I leave town and everything goes crazy. My main girl Hanks packs her bags right along with me? Francielle takes the train? All this and the wireless here in the condo in lovely Fort Walton Beach doesnt have the signal strength for me even begin looking for the FSC feed (if such exists). At least 1380 is streaming loud and clear.
Seems like Athletica perhaps got away with some sloppy plays today but I'm so excited about the win! That goal by Weber was goofy indeed but it feels like we've had our share of some poor luck so it's nice to see. I hope we can keep building and beat the Gold Pride next.
Well, we tried outplaying the other team and that didn't work the past two games, so we went back to the tried and true formula that works. Score early, get outplayed the rest of the way and win! Whatever works....
I hope you don't Although I have to say, I was happy to see Athletica win today on what it seemed like a clean game. Are any of you Athletica fans coming to the game in Buck Shaw?
Hopefully somebody will, but I haven't heard of anybody yet. It's too far for me to drive and I don't have the airfare right now. I would love to see a game out there sometime though. Maybe next year.
Congratulations to Athletica from the losing side. You summed up the game very well. Solo was great and in command. Branam has a good leg but I favor Bardsley for positioning and would like to see her start again. I don't doubt that Welsh can score goals since I know her history but Rampone could have spotted her half the field and still beat her to the box. Like they say a win is a win.
Story of the season, eh? Why, oh why do we have to win those we shouldn`t and loose/tie the ones we ought to win. Just so weird. Chalups played her workhorse theme once again and even Mark & Jen seemed to cheerish that, finally. Solo solid as always. Ellertson had some luck imo late in the game when she kinda ran over Kai(?) at the box. Borderline red card to me. Woznuk`s passing was off this time. Without Aluko we are doomed. She really surprised me this season. Tremendous progression so far. While still far from perfect in using her speed/skills she gets around with some constant production upfront. I like it. Sky Blue didn`t look dangerous for most of the match. Apart from the typical final minutes (where opportunities always seem to occur) they were dominant on 2/3 of the field and couldn`t do much on the decisive 1/3.