After initially installing SportGrass in PJCS, the Cards are in their first season with a new, artificial playing surface in FieldTurf. The turf is newly installed for the 2003 season BTW. I missed the game and was Watching the NJ Wildcats instead, they won 9-0
I am so tired of the Mitts bashing. Did kate play better Did Cat have a great game and joy who was beat on japan goal Heather plays D so let not forget that.Get past the looks
yes Kate did play better actually. so did BRANDI as did Pearcie. The player who Mitts is "supposed" to be better than.
The US has a bad case of the "play one good half and one bad half" disease. Either they play well (see the Brazil game) for the first 45, and the drop off, or like yesterday (and Mexico), really struggle to create much for an entire half. Seems like they need to work on consistency for 90 minutes, and setting a starting 11 and going with it could be one way to do this. Also, so much for Brandi being too old and slow to play. From what everyone is saying, she was the best player out there. Rampone is a STARTER!!!!
The Ape needs to go, she doesn't have a clue. She thinks big slow players with no imagination will win. She's wrong and so are her tactics. Where's the freaking speed Ape? Where's the balance? She's gooned it up. It's embarassing what she has done to the F-Nats and I don't think they believe in whatever freaking system she is trying to play. I really don't think she has a system. the team has gotten progressively worse the day Tony stepped down and she took over. At first I thought it was just the loss of Akers, I don't even like my girls watching them anymore. I'd rather they watch Sweden. Wagner is way to slow although her vision was better than it has been. But she tackles like a .... wuss Foudy is way past it and should have a parrot on here shoulder if she's going to play. boxx is a good defensive middie but needs a good player in front of her. Where are the playmakers Ape?
Well, we didn't win this time and played poorly...so...we need some excuse. I guess the field is the most palatable.
Are you Tiffeny Milbrett? I lol when I read "Foudy is way past it and should have a parrot on her shoulder if she's going to play", but I don't know why. What do you mean, that is, about the parrot?
Here's a quote from Merrill Ring's analysis. Did anyone else notice that? I haven't rewatched the game (ugh) but my memory is that the camera didn't pick up the action until too late for us to see Joy make that mistake. Maybe you had to be there. Good analysis by Ring. But he thinks April should have brought along a different group of players. And he doesn't say who he wishes AH had brought along.
Thanks, FearM9, Good to read someone, other than us posters, who actually criticizes the WNT for their performance. He hit a lot of nails, but I do not agree with his assessment of AW. Out of gas after 20 minutes is not what you need from a would-be starter. It's good to read an article from someone other than the pap that Aaron Heifetz ladles out to the press after each game. I wish Merrill would call for Ape's replacement. It might reach some ears in power in US Soccer. Who knows.
This team is going downhill fast. Cutting to the chase: Foudy-gives ball away way too much Parlow-lack of fitness and speed, her saving grace is her height,but the ball better be played directly to her, otherwise she's not gonna get there Wagner-no physical toughness or defense, too slow/ has her great moments but usually against weak opponents Fawcett-can't run down attackers Kate-after winning the ball frequently gives it back to opponent, needs to find the midfield and forwards and develop the attack Mitts-just being a defender and passing to the CB doesn't cut it at this level, she has to add something to the attack as well FWIW, my starting 11: Wambach Welsh Hamm Lilly Chalupny Boxx Chastain Kate Reddick Rampone Scurry I know I have two left sided midfielders starting,, but i would hope that one of them could play on the right.
Chalupny is a right footed player. She has played the left so often in her career, because, well, she can.
One game does not make (or break) a team. It's only an Int'l Friendly. I agree that it was a poor showing and some of the personel decisions Ape made were/continue to be questionable (at best), but please don't write the team off. They have a [very] good record in recent games, have played well in many matches up to this point, and have even taken a few cups home as testiment. Sure, this isn't the team of the past. The world has caught up. But we still are one of the best teams in the game. I do not think it's a fair statement to say the team is going downhill fast. There are probably many reasons, some of which were mentioned in previous posts, on why we performed so poorly. I do not think the showing at last game is the norm.
BeantownBully, Thanks for putting things in perspective. All we can do is hope that Ape doesn't try another new set of tactics for the next game. She needs to work on a set lineup and sub pattern and start vetting some of those who are in training camp as "competition" in practice with no hope of making the squad. I also wish she would start using her brain and not her heart when it comes to who plays and who sits and who goes home. Thanks again for bringing us back to the fact that this was "only a game." All we can do is hope that she learned from her mistakes.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Well BackOthenet....thing is we have a playmaker and a remarkably good one but for some strange unknown reason ape is reluctant to say so and play her there. Don't really know why as she would have the best of both worlds by doing it, but then again who knows how apes mind works. I sure as Heck havn't figured it out. Then again maybe i don't wanna know. (shudders)
To answer J@bontherick ? MITTS. To answer m9fantic ? I don't remember Brandi or Cristie in the game with Mitts of the 3 defender on the field with Mitts she was better than at least 2 and also Parlow was not in the game when Mitts was so were dose the pass to Parlow come in get passed the looks.
Ape quote.... Really? Which of the 6 backs used played out of position? More accurately which one played in a different role? WTF was the experiment? Was it getting "big shape" out of the backs and getting them to go forward? Guess what Ape?!!! IT'S NOT A NEW CONCEPT FOR THE TEAM YOU MEAT HEAD!!! Remeber when Joy and Brandi played on the ouside. They used to attack ALL THE TIME! Of course that was before Ape's tenure. Tony D played them that way. Somebody please explain to me this "experiment".
What? BC and Pearce were better than Mitts. it doesnt matter if they were on the field with her or not. They're just better players. They were better than her last week, they were better than her on Sunday and guess what? They'll be better than her tomorrow.