It seems to me it's time for April to decide on her starting eleven and let them get used to playing together. She's had a year or so of trying out new people and trying out many of the veterans in different positions. We can't fool around with the semis and final of the Gold Cup. I'm very much afraid Canada will beat us. They're looking awful good. I know it's against weak teams. But they're beating weak teams by the scores we used to beat them by. In the last few games, she's been experimenting with different people in different roles in the diamond midfield. As attacking, she's had Wagner, Foudy, Hucles, Hamm and probably Parlow. On right wing she's had Foudy, Roberts, Fair and Hucles. Left wing is sewed up with Lilly. As defending mid,she's had Fair, Roberts and Foudy. Have I missed anyone? So, what do you think our best lineup is? Here's my idea, going with what April seems to prefer and leaning heavily on Beulah's analyses. (I don't know how much she knows about soccer, but she sure writes convincingly.) GK: Scurry Backs: Sobrero Fawcett Chastain Reddick (until Slaton gets back) Using the diamond midfield: Def m--Foudy, wings--Hucles and Lilly, att. m--Wagner. Forwards: Hamm, Parlow--pretty interchangeable with Milbrett, MacMillan and Wambach, depending on the situation. What say you?
I like your 11 players, except Mac should replace Hucles - she can overlap and get in those crosses from the right midfield position a lot better than Angela can.
Yeah, you're right. But it doesn't look like April is going to play Mac in that position. Watch me be wrong next match.
What I don't like about the 4-4-2 is that we have three excellent forwards in CP, Millie, and Mia, not to mention Abby and Mac. I think if Heinrichs is intent on keeping the 4-4-2 she'll have to play Mia as a middie to put the strongest team out there. GK: Scurry D: Sobrero, Fawcett, Chastain, Reddick M: D. mid Foudy, A. mid Wagner, wings Lilly & Hamm F: Milbrett, Parlow Wambach can sub in for Parlow, Mac can come in for Hamm or Milbrett, and TR can fit in a number of places. I'd rather see this than have Millie, CP, and Mia compete for the two starting spots when all three of them should be out there. JMO.
I think the best formation is still Tony Dichico's starting forwards : Mia, Milbrett, Parlow w/ Mac Millan as a super sub.
I think Mac Millan has a position she's been familiar with and good at for so long, the right wing midfielder.
Re: Re: The starting eleven? If you have those 3 up top, then you are losing Aly Wagner at offensive center mid.
I think tomorrow against Canada April will go with what looks like her best team at this point. No more experimenting or getting playing time for all the squad. At least I hope so. I'm sticking with the starting eleven I came up with in my first post in this thread: GK: Scurry Backs: Sobrero Fawcett Chastain Reddick (until Slaton gets back) Using the diamond midfield: Def m--Foudy, wings--Hucles and Lilly, att. m--Wagner. Forwards: Hamm, Parlow--pretty interchangeable with Milbrett, MacMillan and Wambach, depending on the situation. I think she'll bring Milbrett on in the second half if she is physically OK. Don't know who she'll take out--it will probably depend on the way the match is going. You might think Mac as the right midfielder, but she hasn't been playing that position this year. So who do you think will start?
It's hard to predict because we don't know the injury status of some of the players. But assuming everyone's healthy and fit, I want Mia instead of Hucles or Mac at right midfield. Of course I'd like to see her up top but there's already so much depth at forward. That way we can come out full force with Millie, Mia, and Parlow all starting, and there's still enough offensive depth on the bench in Mac and Wambach. For some reason I doubt that's going to happen though...