if boxx signs with magictalk they will have the best holding mid-field. i still say they should pick up formiga. abby, their draft picks (esp press who is a marta clone and more offensive than morgan) and another tall forward will make them just as good as wny. they handle press right for magic and she is the rookie of the yr, should be on the NT. i dont know why?
Don't count your chickens before they hatch. Yes, WNY has a very nice roster on paper but that's just paper. Good rookies can have a sophomore slump. Scoring can dry up when internationals are away. And backup keepers can drop the ball. I also think you way under estimate the quality of Boxx but that's a subject for a different thread. I really like the prospects of Reed as a left back. This year, with Riley missing time for the WWC, I think WNY is a fine club for her (and she can fill in in midfield) but next year knock wood if both are still at the same club, it is going to be difficult for their (but more Reed) development. Setting aside the fact that your Team Borislow talk belongs in a different forum, I disagree about your Press > Morgan claim. Press is NOT a Marta clone or even Marta-lite. Her skill set is very different as she's not going to juke & dribble around folks. Morgan needs to build a bit more strength but she's faster and makes really top notch runs.
I'm sure it is but I don't think the team has to pay the whole cost. Doesn't AMWAY have to pay the bulk of it? I'm not sure. Although I thought a team that will play much of their games in south Florida would be a better fit for her with the huge Brazilian community down there. I'm sure she's making a nice living off this league.
Is it too early to speculate about a possible starting formation? Never! [LINEUP-4-3-3] Marta, Sinclair, Morgan, Seger, Edwards, Averbuch, Riley, Engen, Chapman, Wilson, Harris [/LINEUP-4-3-3] I like a 4-3-3 with this group, for several reasons. The most obvious is that you have to get three excellent forwards onto the field, so a 4-3-3 is pretty much called for. But you're also playing to the strengths of other players. Riley and Wilson are two of the fastest players in the league, so it makes sense pick a formation that allows them space to attack. In a 4-4-2 there would not be as much space for them to run into -- it would be clogged up by the wide midfielders -- and their speed would be somewhat neutralized. And Edwards, while not a proven threat in the attacking third, seems like a canonical d-mid (keeping shape, breaking up attacks, winning the ball, making the simple pass). The midfield triangle will probably all play centrally, leaving lots of room on the flanks for the outside backs. An aggressive formation would see Seger and Averbuch as attacking central mids, with Edwards behind them as the lone d-mid. A more conservative midfield would see Edwards and Averbuch as d-mids playing behind Seger. Also, even though Marta is listed on the left side of the forward line, she actually played on the right side just as often last season. I guess the thinking there is that when she's on the right she can cut inside with the ball on her left foot. Wouldn't be surprised to see more of the same this season.
MARTA$$$$$$$$ I think the money goes fast. I understand Marta is very much involved in supporting those back home in a small town in Brazil.
Druid Squirrel line up DS knows soccer and I agree that DS's formation is very likely. Same for the starting line up. However Bock was a force for the Sol. One of their standout players. She was best in the mid-field so will give Becky and Yael a run for their money. Bock is also extremely versatile and could sub in as holding forward or center back.
I agree. After the signing of Marta, it would be hard to see the Flash not go to a 4-3-3, even though a 4-2-2 was used in the W-League most often. I think now more of the comments about having explosive wing defenders makes more sense, since they will need to cover more territory with one less midfielder. I think it also makes the midfield more transitional than holding - I can see some of the play being run and gun when the momentum starts to shift in the Flash's favor. This is going to be interesting! Aaron
This team will be the most exciting team to watch in the history of the WPS. This might be one last hurrah before the closing of the league (although I hope the league can find a way to prevail for at least 2-3 more years after this coming season). It just makes you feel like they're holding on by a thread, each season (and by the day). But this team is even more exciting than the FC Gold Pride team. Instead of Kelly O'hara, they have the #1 pick in Alex Morgan (slight upgrade), to go along with Marta and Sinclair. The signing of Boquete would be equal to, or even a slight upgrade to the aging Milbrett. On Defense, they have Riley, Chapman, and Wilson (along with Edwards as a defensive minded midfielder). Instead of Buehler and Dew, they have Engen and Bock (slight upgrade, as Engen is equal to Buehler, and Bock is equal to Dew, but is more versatile than Dew). They have more depth, because they also picked up Eli Reed. She is no better than the #6 defender on this team. That's how much depth they have. In the midfield, they have Seger and Averbuch, instead of Abily and Boxx. I would say that's a silght downgrade, but still... Seger and Averbuch are borderline all-star type players in this league. Zerboni and Goebel give them depth. And of course, Becky Edwards is the defensive mid (similar role to how she played with FC Gold Pride last year). I think Ashlyn Harris has the chance to be at least as good as Barnhart, if not a tad better. Harris is one of the best young goalkeepers in the U.S., and quite frankly in all of the western hemisphere. This team is STACKED.
personally i want to see the final line up for magictalk. formiga and boxx in the mid-field. abby has nice forwards around her and those 2 rookies. press is faster and a better scorer than morgan by a mile, will force situations where you get one-one defender matchups with abby. college stats dont lie. now they have a motivated solo in the box. she's a great offensive keeper. if wny attacks and is unable to finish...solo will push the counter on the wings with the likes of press. interesting...i'd say. i wouldnt be surprise if MJ wins it this season. it's one game and you are out in the playoffs. marta lost it with the Sol. Dont forget boston and philly (rodriguez and a hlthy kai who gave the sol problems) who have upgraded. as far as the clubs...i think wny, boston, sky and philly would be stable for 2012. i think alt is ok. fitz purchased a stadium, had an 1.2M franchise fee and acquired all other salaries from StL but had poor attendance...so he is working in the black this season and maybe 2012. it's about survival. that's ok with me. is magictalk an one hit wonder? washington fans are in the dark and he doesnt have a big latin draw in FL...so he could lose a ton of money like fitz this season. is he real or is this a 1 yr pet project? they have CO, OR, 2 locations in CA, Zona, 2 Locations in Canada and upstate Wash interested in franchises. enough to bring in 3-4 West clubs in 2012. Chicago 2012? Cut, Cut and More Cuts, and Good Book-keeping can keep this league going. oh...and about 4500 fans per game.
Add Kelly Parker and Gemma Davison "The Western New York Flash of Women’s Professional Soccer have announced today that they have resigned two players from their 2010 W-League Championship team, Canadian International Kelly Parker and English U-23 player Gemma Davison."
Parker played attacking mid while at Sky Blue (usually outside opposite O'Reilly if I remember) and I believe with Buffalo as well, although she may have played some forward. I think Davison only played a match or two with Buffalo last year, but mainly listed as a striker for Arsenal.
Gemma was a right winger with us in a 4-3-3 system, I have seen her play centrally twice over the 100th of game I have seen her play for the first team, but she has played many game there for the reserves in her younger years.
Yeah I was mainly talking about Parker being a good attacking mid option because Averbuch, Edwards, and Seger are all a little more defensive minded. Also Davison will provide some needed depth offensively.
Agreed on both counts - my point about having 2 midfielders who could either hold or attack was that it could possibly create confusion for the other defense. Kelly can do both, but she's definitely more of an attacking player more often than not. Gemma didn't see much action last year, but I'm not sure why. I thought I heard issues related to her Visa, but I can't confirm or deny that at. With that said, she is a definitely a great depth pickup. Aaron
I don't think I've seen it posted anywhere: Elli Reed played all 90 minutes of each game of the U23s in the just-completed Four Nations Tournament in La Manga, Spain. The US women won the tournament, going 2-0-1.
Good for her. She'll be very useful come World Cup time, especially if Engen ends up making the US team.
Apparently they have signed Gina Lewandowski. Looks as if she is primarily a CB now with FFC Frankfurt. (Which is the same team Ali Kreiger plays for) Is this a depth move or is this a replacement move? If the things about Maurine are true, the Flash would have to give up one international. Could that by any chance be Chapman? Anyone else maybe have more insight on Lewandowski?
I'm not sure. Does anyone know much about her defensively? Since it appears she played offensively in college. I'm just wondering depending on how good of a defender she is, could the Flash possibly try and replace Chapman with her and then sign Maurine.