If the Olympics were next week...

Who is on your roster? Who do you think April will pick for the roster? yes, these may be completely different choices. You get 18 spots and you can name 2 alternates. Pick starters, if you want. What formation will you favor? I've got to run to a meeting so I'll post my two later. I promise I'm not avoiding making choices

 

Or can we can pick a team for August

I'm going to assume, that if the Olympics were next week, Joy would NOT be available to play. If we want to choose who we'd pick in August WOULD Joy be fully fit. I don't want a repeat of the WWC where people made the team who were not fit.

I've got a problem with defensive subs. I think there are 7 defenders in camp: Rampone, Margraf, Mitts, Chastain, Fawcett, LePeilet, and Slaton. I'm begining to wonder if Slaton is ever going to be healthy again. Bivins is listed as a Mid and I would not play her in defense. Can Tullock be shifted to an outside back? I'd like six defenders on the roster.

I've tried to guess what April might do but I can't. She can make some pretty wacky choices. There is just no telling. I do believe she'll end up picking Mac as the 5th forward over Welsh.

Here's what I think April might do in August.

Mia, Abby, O'Reilly, CP, Box, Lilly, Tarpley, Foudy, Mac, Wagner, Rampone, Margraf, Reddick, Mitts, Chastian, Fawcett, Scurry, Siri

 

Cfan, were those your choices or what you think April will do? I only ask because I honestly do not believe that April will leave Chastain off the roster if she's close to healthy. I could be wrong.

Defender wise, if I were in charge, I'd be in a bind. I can't really see Joy's back being 100% by game time (maybe it will be but backs are funny things). Chastain's speed is lacking these days. Of course, I agree with that Merrill Ring article in that her heading was the best of the group's vs Mexico and her foot skill is right up there. Frankly, without at least one of those two, there is a serious leadership vacuum and depth issues. In my world, any pt Bivins gets is as a right midfielder. Maybe Augustinak has benefited from her time in Germany but I don't think she's even got 1 cap.

I'd really like to see some of the other campers in a game. I mean whose the better utility mid Bivins or Hucles or Osbourne?

My choices right now (assuming Joy's back is NOT 100%):
Mia, Abby, O'Reilly, CP, Box, Lilly, Tarpley, Foudy, Mac*, Wagner, Rampone, Margraf, Reddick, Mitts, Chastian, Augustiniak**, Scurry, Siri
Alternates: Lucks, Chalupny

*assumes she really is 100% healthy and fit
**or however you spell it

 

Go Heels, eh? I did debate switching Wagner and Chalupny. Wagner hasn't shown well of late and Chalupny did pretty well in the last game. However, that is one game and I'm not convinced she's completely ready for the leap up. Wagner is in a slump and hasn't really made the needed adjustments over the last year, though. It was a close call for me.