If anybody votes for Portland, I'd be stunned. I tend to look at keepers and scoring first. Goalkeepers: Boston-Santiago Chicago-McLeod Kansas City-Barnhart Portland-LeBlanc Seattle-Solo Sky Blue-Loyden Washington-Harris WNY-Tajonar Big Guns: Boston-Leroux Chicago-Dominguez Kansas City-Cheney? Portland-Morgan AND Sinclair Seattle-Rodriguez??? and Rapinoe Sky Blue-Ocampo? Washington-??? WNY-Wambach, Lloyd?, Perez? I worry about Chicago, because arguably their two biggest name players, Boxx and Dominguez, are both into their mid-30's. There are two or three teams which don't appear to have a lot of firepower (Washington certainly, Sky Blue possibly). Kansas City may also have some problems in that area, because I don't see Cheney as being a potential big scorer like I did when she came into the WPS. My tendency right now would be to say Sky Blue. I don't see a lot offense there and Loyden has never seemed as good as she looked in her rookie appearances in the WPS. I'm not sure Ocampo can be a consistent scorer in this league. Rampone and Schmidt give them veteran leadership, but both were on MagicJack as well. But really, I see some weaknesses and question marks on all of the teams except Portland.
I'm surprised they allocated Morgan and Sinclair to the same team as well as Solo and Rapinoe. All four are highly marketable, should have had them on four separate teams
Tried to vote for Chicago and Sky Blue as I thought it was a multiple vote like the other thread. I'd still put Chicago just below them though.
As Charlie Naimo pointed out in one of his tweets, Free agency is where it is going to be won. I'm going to see who Chicago gets in free agency before I gain despair.
From Star Ledger and Frank Giase about Sky Blue: www.nj.com/soccer-news/index.ssf/2013/01/christie_rampone_tops_list_of.html#incart_river Sky Blue FC did well on the back end of today’s player allocation, but will have to do some work finding its attack before the inaugural National Women’s Soccer League opener this spring.... "There are a number of players who had an interest in Sky Blue, but it came down to mixing and matching," U.S. Soccer Federation president Sunil Gulati said via conference call. "Only so many players go to a particular team and Sky Blue received a hometown player like Christie, a starting defender and a goalkeeper. New Jersey was a popular place. A lot of players had an interest there." Still, East Brunswick’s Heather O’Reilly (Boston), Basking Ridge’s Tobin Heath (Portland), Delran’s Carli Lloyd (Western New York) all went elsewhere. All three played with Sky Blue in the past. The league schedule is expected to be announced in a few weeks. Free agents and the college draft will fill out most of the 20-player squad.
Gulati said a lot of people wanted Sky Blue but who could that have been? The three named NJ girls all were in the upper half of the seniority list yet they got Loyden and O'Hara who have no seniority. O'Reilly prolly wanted Boston all the way but if either Lloyd or Heath had put Sky Blue first ud think one of them would be there.
His statements do seem odd and certainly don't really reflect the distribution of the players. Although obviously we don't know for sure what teams the players marked down. But I wouldn't have predicted this outcome assuming what Gulati says squares with reality.
No, he said "a number had an interest" in the team, which could be different than "wanting" to be with it even as #1 choice. Look at my comments in the thread "Team Predictions" about the Jersey Girls (repeated below) going with NJ. If Rampone and Loyden both had to be in NJ for family reasons, that leaves one slot available. I have to assume both Heath and Lloyd did not pick NJ #1. O'Reilly 100% wanted Boston (she lives there). We don't know what the teams' choices were. Was Sunil providing coverage for Tom H? "Lloyd who supposing living close to her parents, could commute fly to Boston in about the same time. Rampone has a much further drive from the Shore but I have to guess will go back to the team. Heath's parents moved a while ago and her sister recently married and was living in Brooklyn, so no family reason to stay in Jersey. If Loyden is still in Vineland, that is so far south it could be another state, but she does have her sister's child. Plug O'Reilly in at Boston."
Which would surprise me if true. It's not only their friends/family. They live there too. Teams submitted wish lists as well. Maybe they weren't on it.
Okay, now I'm officially stunned. Someone actually did vote for Portland having the worst allocation. All I can say to that person is I'd sure like to have Portland's problems.
I think that person made a booboo. The same poster also voted the Thorns as having the strongest in the other thread.
My comment wasnt in relation to why Lloyd and Heath didnt end up with Sky Blue but why Gulati thought he had to comment about it. I thought u did a real good job analyzing what Sky Blue was going to get and why. Still, this was the third thing out of Gulati's mouth: The issues were player preference, team preference, seniority and an attempt to balance allocation. 1 player preference seemed to count most 2 team preference seemed to be second 3. Seniority seemed to count for little 4. balanced allocation counted for nothing What he should have said is we tried to help out what we expect to be our three strongest franchises and keep our best players happy in the bargain and no, it doesnt bother us that the six biggest name players ended up in three cities.
Anyway as to the topic, if All White Kit is right and AshlynHarris has a contract until June of 2014 with Duisburg, then DC doesnt even have arguably their best player from a thin allocation.
They got Garciamendez, the young defender from Stanford, and who was possibly a top 5 pick in the college draft had she not been allocated. She became team captain as just a sophomore. She will have been one of the top 2 or 3 Mexican players on many teams lists. Lindsey is a solid pick up and much better than someone like Winters (though I know that you might disagree with me). She's not a great defender which is why she doesn't really fit the DM position where she played on the USWNT. Although she's not a big scorer she keeps the midfield fluid, is technically sound, and put her with the right strikers and she can rack up assists. Remember she was very successful in the WPS. Matheson is a solid midfielder with good pace. I think she'll contribute more goals than Lindsey but she's not a primary scorer. If Krieger can kindle the same form she had before her injury last year that would be huge and would make her more valuable than any of the other US outside backs allocated. The only glaring hole in the line-up is the lack of a true scorer but we knew a few teams would be in this position after the allocation. If they can pick up a free agent or someone like Caroline Miller in the draft they can address that need. Much like Seattle though having one of your key players not there for the entire season is not ideal. But I still think this is a stronger group than Chicago or Sky Blue.
I like Garciamendez (mostly saw her at Stanford not with wnt) and Lindsey is a valuable role player. Im a little worried about Krieger leaving Frankfurt. I didnt get to see her play and u have to wonder who cut the ties. If she is 100% it certainly helps them and she is a very popular local player. Still unless they get an impact player in the draft (AGAIN! IT"S CRAZY to have a random draft order when there is obviously disparity in allocation!!!) who is personality player on this team? I like Miller...she's a legend in the ACC but she isnt the fastest forward in the world. Nairn or Mewis would help if they pick high enough to get one. If they did get a top pick they may use it to address the GK problem and take Franch. My hope would be that they land two good internationals that either solidify the defense or bolster the offense. Right now they dont have either one to hang their hat on.
Heard somewhere, don't remember where, that Harris has an exist clause with her Duisburg contract. Not sure if that is true but I feel like I heard that somewhere.
That would make more sense. Never got why they picked four keepers anyway, especially if Harris was unavailable. Not that I have anything against Harris. Loved her with the Flash and wouldnt hurt my feeling if she was the US number two. Still, I kind have to wonder if a better plan for the US isnt and maybe will be Solo (31) Harris (27) and Franch (21).
That would be really awkward if they picked Franch with Harris waiting in the wings. But then again if you were a free agent keeper would you sign with a team that has another (likely starting) keeper on layaway? There might be a few other places with more "open" opportunities. WNY would be a great landing place for Franch. I wonder were Naeher will end up? Boston where they already have the young Mexican hot shot?
I agree...and if Harris has an out as suggested DC could use help in lots of other places besides GK. I was kinda hoping Franch landed in KC because of the local connection. They certainly dont need her backing up Barny tho. Wonder why Harris didnt land in WNY...she has a nice history there.