The most important thing to hope for from this game is to make sure that everyone comes out of it healthy and eligible to play in the final. This means no injuries to key players, no red cards, and no yellow card for Shannon Boxx. Accordingly, this is what I would do: 1. Sign two new developmental players to one-day contracts. Preferably this would be a defender and a midfielder, but it is not critical. 2. Make sure Shannon Boxx is not in the stadium. If she's on the sideline there's always a risk of her getting a card for dissent or something. 3. Leave all the other key players on the bench. Do not play them. If anyone gets injured, play the rest of the game a player down -- do not sub anyone in. 4. Play the following starting lineup: [LINEUP-4-4-2] Cameron, Milbrett, Bosio, Yokers, Tantillo, Dev1, Graczyk, Cross, Dew, Dev2, Guthrie [/LINEUP-4-4-2] Cameron and Guthrie could be switched; not sure which one would be more comfortable as a field player. There are 12 players I want to save, but it's only possible to save 11, so I chose Milbrett as the one to play in this match. It's not that I think she's the least valuable, it's that I think her experience and composure make her the least likely to pick up a pointless red card.
I think you're only allowed to do that if you're so short-handed you have no other choice. But the other ideas are good.
New Development Players Ali and Kelley's moms have agreed to sign contracts. It is now up to the Druid to convince Albertin
even though I understand your reasoning, I doubt this would happen. The team is trying to build momentum, maybe not in the way they play, but when it comes to attendance. People go to see the "stars" play, and the line-up you are proposing is not the team that has dominated the standings. Besides, why you as a coach would let accumulate even more time in which your prime subjects don't play? The way the WPS sets the playoffs it is way too much idle time IMO, they need to finish strong in front of a team they quite possible face in the finals. Let's just hope the ref is able to officiate a clean, injury free game; and if Albertin sees that certain players are being targeted, he is wise enough to pull them out of the game.
GREAT GAME!! Thanks FCGP players, owners, management and staff for a wonderful regular season. See you on the 26th... Ilisa, please tell us KO's crutches were only precautionary.
Based on the post-game interviews, it sounds like there's a real chance that O'Hara's injury will prevent her from playing in the Championship game. They'll be doing an MRI on Monday, so nothing will be known for sure until then. Montoya said it's the sort of injury that usually takes four to six weeks to heal. O'Hara herself was more optimistic, saying that the rehab would begin right away and that "the plan" was for her to play in the final. If O'Hara is indeed forced to miss the game, the starting lineup becomes pretty obvious, even two weeks in advance: [LINEUP-4-3-3] Marta, Sinclair, Milbrett, Boxx, Abily, Edwards, Riley, Buehler, Chapman, Wilson, Barnhart [/LINEUP-4-3-3] The only real question is whether the midfield triangle will have one d-mid (Edwards) or two (Edwards and Boxx). I guess I'm still going to hold out hope for O'Hara until the MRI confirms otherwise.
