Don't forget! This Sunday, we'll have the call of @NUWSoccer exhibition with the @chicagoredstars: pic.twitter.com/h9Yy51nndE— WNUR Sports (@WNURSports) March 31, 2016
Glad you liked it. We're doing previews for each team before the season begins, and we do previews/reviews of NT games as well. As well as opinion pieces on whatever hot topics come up. It can be a bit of work at times trying to coordinate schedules, but it's fun.
I sure am. Not on this particular spotlight, but I have done others. I was on the spotlights we did of Portland and WNY, and we're doing one tomorrow night on Seattle that I'll be on. And just for the record, none of us that are involved in this are getting paid for it. We do this for fun and because we love to talk about the USWNT and the NWSL.
Is Bywaters gone ? I received an e-mail from CRS indicating she is NOT on the pre-season roster. Maybe she is still with CRS but injury (or other reason) is preventing her from participating in pre-season? Can someone shed some light? Thanks!
A nice little preview with quotes from Rory Dames on the Red Stars upcoming season: http://equalizersoccer.com/2016/04/04/2016-nwsl-preview-chicago-red-stars/
Red Stars add new Coaches to roster: http://chicagoredstars.com/chicago-red-stars-announce-coaching-staff/ I really like the addition of Bonnie Young. She is an experienced former college, pro player and coach and has a positive personality.
Not sure. I haven't really asked. I have heard that season tickets have pretty much doubled from last season, though. Word is that the May 1 game against Orlando is a high interest game already.
roster http://chicagoredstars.com/red-stars-announce-2016-roster/ new kits http://chicagoredstars.com/red-stars-launch-new-kits-and-new-store-for-2016/
I'd like to comment a little on the Red Stars final 2016 roster. http://chicagoredstars.com/red-stars-announce-2016-roster/ The biggest improvement the Red Stars made in the offseason is at the Goalkeeper position. Michele Dalton is a serviceable keeper and often had brilliant saves last season, but not the whole package that Alyssa Naeher is. Naeher is a class above and if you are serious about being a Championship contender in this league, you must have a top level goalkeeper. Period...and the Red Stars have one, IMO. I give GM Alyse Lahue koodos for this move. The Red Stars lost some key players on defense from last season including one of my favorites in Taryn Hemmings. Having said that, I still feel Rory's defense will be solid this season, with Johnston, Johnson, Gilliland, Short and hometown rookie from Notre Dame Katie, Naughton. Samantha Johnson is a gem folks! She is fast, tough as nails and accurate with her passes, especially her left foot. Gilliland is just fit as a fiddle and a true warrior. Casey short will surprise people this season, I believe and the rookie, Naughton is probably the tallest player on the team and no stranger to tough completion have been on the USWNT U- programs fro many years and playing tough games in the ACC week after week. The midfield. This is IMO where we lost the biggest name, Lori Chalupny, our Captain, glue and engine that ran this team for the last 5 years. She cannot be replaced. Who will pick up the leadership? The ball will still go through Dani Colaprico, you can bet on it, but who will be that workhorse?, The enforcer when need be? The person to rally the troops? The person to put the team on her back and carry it to a win? That's what Lori was to the Red Stars and it may take more then one person to do that job this season. I have a sneaky suspicion that Vanessa Dibernardo and Alysa Mautz may fill that role this year. Watching the two pre-season game, I really liked Courtney Reatzman, a rookie out of Kentucky and Taylor Comeau who spent some time with Portland. Mary Luba looked a year more experienced from her rookie season last year. Raetzman is the size of Colaprico, kinda short, but a real "baller'. She can flat out play. I am very curious how Amanda Da Costa will fit in. I've heard many good things and it seemed like Rory was high on her, so hopefully it will be a good fit. The forwards. In my humble opinion, the Chicago red Stars have the best forward in the World - Christen Press. Press can score at will, change the dynamic of the game and has a sense for goal that few players have. With both feet. My problem is figuring out who is the best mate for her. Hoy or Huerta? Hoy is very fast and a very good forward, but not on the level of Press. Although I really like Jen Hoy and she should be on the field a lot, I feel that Sofia Huerta may be a better fit as a partner for Christen press up front. I think Huerta can feed Press better and I also feel that Huerta will make herself be in better position to receive a feed from Press. Where Hoy is a north-south speed runner, I feel Sofia Huerta has a better soccer sense to put herself in positions to succeed. The Coach - Rory Dames. I don't think Rory gets the credit he deserves for the success he has achieved in coaching this team over the last 5 or 6 years. I think he gets the most out of his players and has them ready to play as well as puts players in position where they can be the most effective. Rory dames should have been a choice for Coach of the Year last season, but unfortunately and wrongly he wasn't even on the list. He will have them ready on Saturday. Anyway, that's my pre-first game assessment and opinions and as a Chicago Red Stars Season Ticket Holder, and I am looking forward to a fantastic season from this team and a return to the play-offs.
I was wondering to what we could attribute the poor offensive performance of the Red Stars, so I watched the game again. Chicago took only 7 shots all game -- worst in the league this week -- with 4 on goal. Neither Hoy and Huerta took a shot - or even had an opportunity to take a shot. They were invisible. Obviously, a lot of credit for keeping the Chicago forwards at bay goes to the Houston center-backs, Brush and Moros -- and perhaps a lot of blame goes to the Chicago midfield for not being able to hold onto the ball and get it to the forwards. Rachel Daly for Houston was indeed fantastic. Speedy, aggressive, and hyper-active. Houston must have controlled the ball about 60 percent of the time -- and Chicago's offense, which I thought was excellent, went nowhere.