Not many points to back this (rather, none) but I'm inclined to agree. With so much talent on the roster its amazing why we're not better. New blood needs to be instilled in the program but really I don't know ho. The matches so far this season have been frustratingly bad. What was it, close to 30 shots against William and Mary? and we couldn't sink a single one? Horrible. yet they get THREE goals called offsides. Their chances were few and far between, and always just a little bit offsides, but they sunk them. Something needs to be done.
The year he won, they had players who were willing to perform a role for the team, and guys who would tackle and (possibly) foul in order to defend. Some of he guys he played that year on the back line were not recruited as defenders, yet they converted with a passion. If I was attacking this year's back line, I'd salivate over going down the right side!
Which one of Jackson, Leitch, Stokes was not recruited as a defender? But I agree that the championship team was special, with a unique combination of talent and commitment, along with great leadership.
I was wondering the same thing. If anything, it's the teams since then that have had attacking players move to the defense, with, well, mixed results. Ababio looks promising back there, but I might have left him at forward given how punchless the attack has looked so far. It was a very good team, but who knows where they would have ended up if they hadn't drawn such an easy road to the final four. I only saw one game of the 2000 season (the last one), but that team looks better on paper than the championship team of the following year.
McGinty didn't switch to the back until the following season, when the team lost Jackson and Leitch to the pros. He played exclusively as a forward/attacking mid that year. The 2000 team almost certainly had more talent, and was unlucky to run into Indiana in the Final 8. But the championship team had a great blend of veteran players and guys who had played together for many years (Pause, Gell, Crawford). A true team.
Dont sleep on unc they will be around when all is said and done. I would be more worried if i was a clemson fan and that sorry ourfit they have there.