I think some give Hucles a hard time because she is not a player who grabs you. I have said right along that Hucles is a good utility player. she will drive the mid-fielders for the opposition crazy by simply staying in their hip pockets. She is not going to garner you a ton of goals and she is probably not going to be involved in alot of great final passes, but she is very good at being disruptive. she will preasure the oppostion all game long, she will pick up the garbage and help you control the midfield. As for Fair?...I have seen some improvment but my biggest issue with her is that she does not recognize backside preasure very well. Imposible to tell in this match whether it is something she has been working on as she did not have to face alot of defensive preasure with the ball at her feet. but generally speaking she has a tendency to get striped of the ball from behind. She simply does not feel it coming. Let her play against a stronger apponent and see if that area of her game has improved.
Concerning Hucles, perhaps I was being overly critical, if you as clearly a knowledgable fan as you are saw these things on a second viewing. My impression of the game was that the midfield, with the exception of Boxx, did not play a great game. Maybe I'm just spoiled by the exceptional play that our middies have had in the past. It was a very sloppy game in the middle of the field, who else do you attribute that to other than the midfielders? Again, leaving Boxx out of the criticism because she was solid. I was impressed by Fair's aggresiveness. At times maybe a little over-agressive, she's got some good skills. Is she one of the top six midfielders we have? I'm not sure. Three positions are locks, Boxx, Lilly, and Tarpley. Whatever is going on with Wagners knee makes the other three positions up for grabs. Are Hucles and/Fair going to get one of those three?
i think chalupny is ahead of hucles and fair in the midfield and is also ahead of the rising frimpong at left back - although frimpong just might outstrip all competitors for that position if given enough chances.
Been in Milwaukee on a business trip all week so I just got to watch the game. Impressions: Best game I've seen Mitt's play. A couple of ugly giveaways but color me moderately impressed. Hucles played the best I have seen her in a while. Was very impressed with Woznuk and Lindsey. Can't wait to see more. Frimpong. She's like a caged animal. So much energy she can barely control it! Really ugly first touch when she's trying to settle out of the air but gosh she is fast. It will be interesting to watch her develop. Solid game from Abby. After reading some of the post game posts I was not expecting much but I thought she had a good game (ugly foul aside). Of course, I would love to have seen her score but she did a good job of setting up her team mates. Boxx amazing as always. Reminds me more of Akers every time I watch her. Better game from Fair. Didn't see the giveaways that I saw last time. Missed Lilly. No one makes the end line runs like she does (except Mia and she's retired). I thought Mac looked good during the little time we saw her. She served a couple of great balls in the box but no one made supporting runs. Hope she stays healthy so we can see more. I saw alot of flack about Fotop only picking up garbage. But on that first goal she made an aggressive run to get the ball. I propose that a lot of players wouldn't have come in so hard thinking the keeper had it and it wasn't worth the effort. Defense didn't have anything to do. Millbrett pretty much a non-factor in this one. Julie and Rob have better chemistry than Julie and Glen.
With regards to our midfielders playing some sloppy ball I would suggest that we have seen so many people shuffled in and out of the starting line up that I expect the cohesiveness of those players to be impacted. Once Ryan Wittles out the dead wood ( so to speak) and he has his starters and they see some solid play time together I think alot of those issues will be significantly minimized. right now he is pretty much looking at everybody and I have no problem with that. this is in Affect a rebuilding year. I am not expecting perfection or anything anywhere close to that. I expect play to be a little disjointed and Chaotic.
Fair's game has simply gone back to where is was pre WUSA, she no longer has the pressures on her that she had while playing with the Charge... Her level of play has gone up 100 percent, watching her in the tumotulos 2003 WUSA season, there were a lot of concerns, her crosses were sailing, passing was not as sharp.... As far as back side pressure, that was the knock on her, but I rarely saw it being a problem for her (about the same as it is for many players)
Never claimed to be able to spell... Hey, thanks for taking the time to post that reply... very enlitening
Where is Nicki Serlenga when you need her? Fair has a good first touch and she is agressive in spirts. That is all. Nicki, if you are listening, now is the time to come back.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Fair had difficulty recognizing back side preasure long before the WUSA. I do not want to see her going backward but rather forward. I hope that she has decided to work diligently on those weaknesses in her game. She is a good player but she has never been a great player. That said it is important once again to note that we have not seen this team perform against a strong side. that is what I am waiting for. That and to see how things look once we get everyone back from Wedings and camps ETC.
The best competition would come from another team assembled here in the US. A "B" team by our standards but certainly a world class competitor in a WC. Who do you think should be on this team full of stars? What group could beat our best or so called best?
Not that easy. Give me some names and they can't be all U-21 because there are a lot of other deserving players who could be named.
I think you have to give Hucles a hard time because she's so limited as a center-mid. After reading more posts, I don't think there's that much disagreement about how she played. She's not a great possession player, doesn't move well off the ball offensively, doesn't have a lot of touch to create goals with a final pass, doesn't have a scoring touch from the midfield, and isn't real fast or a great defender. That said, she's certainly better than the Iceland center mids - she's just not good enough to win a WWC as a key playmaker/center mid. Did she work hard, sure, she recovers to defend, plays balls forward and is capable of serving on set plays - however we improved in these areas with her off the field. I'm also inclined to be a little more wait and see about Woznuk and Lindsay. They both may have earned a more thorough look, but it's early to be including them (or Hucles or Wagner) on the 2007 squad. Personally, I don't think Wagner or Hucles or Lindsay can play a meaningful role in '07 if the US is going to win unless they improve a LOT. Woznuk, I have seen for all of 10 minutes, so I can't really have a fair opinion of her. Fair looked fine against Iceland (Boxx looked the best, then Fair, then Hucles of the 3 starters - I don't know how controversial that list would be), but she hasn't looked as good against top competition and she needs to show in that environment to be in the mix. What impresses me about Ryan is he is playing different people and you can see him trying to sort out different areas of the field - an improvement over the previous regime.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- With regards to Hucles She is certainly not a starter. but I would not have to many reservations about having her on the team in a sub capacity if needed. Lindsey is a good player. But she again is not a great player. I do however think she has a slight edge over Hucles. she is better at playing off the ball and has better vision and passing. But she is not WNT material. could she become so?...maybe. But at this point she is not. Frankly any player in a U.S. Jersey would look good against icelandic defense. This was in the end a nice chance to get some time on the pitch and stretch their legs but in terms of a challenge it was for the most part woefuly lacking. I am going to enphasize that it was the Icelandic Midfield that simply could not defend. Icelands actual back line did pretty OK through the first half of the game and into the second half. But I think just could not stay with us fitness wise. and it all sort of unraveled for them. But it was a courages effort on their part missing their star keeper and the midfield while never great was certainly missing their captain.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- ISL: 1-Maria Agustsdóttir (12-Sandra Sigurdardóttir, 86), 2-Gudrun Gunnarsdóttir, 5-Asta Arnadóttir (10-Iris Andresdóttir, 72), 8-Erla Hendriksdóttir – C, 11-Gudlaug Jonsdóttir, 4-Edda Gardarsdóttir, 6-Laufey Olafsdóttir, 3-Erna Sigurdardóttir (16-Bjork Gunnarsdóttir, 46), 9-Hrefna Johannesdóttir (7-Laufey Johannsdottir, 84), 13-Rakel Logadóttir (14-Elin Steinarsdóttir, 57), 15-Olina Vidarsdóttir. Subs not used: None. Head Coach: Jorundur Aki Sveinsson
With the abundance of Midfield talent in this country, why continue to look at a player who has been in the mix and adds no excitement When play improves when someone leaves the field it is usually for a reason.
"Usually" being the pivotal word here... In the first place how much did play actually improve? How much could it improve? Shots were already what- 19-0 or something? All that happened is that Boxx beat the GK and Fotop took out the trash, and then in their post-goal disappointment someone neglected to make even a pretense of pressuring Abby on a cross and lightning struck twice... Hucles being on or off didn't make any real difference there... If we really have such an abundance of midfield talent, someone will take Hucles roster spot soon enough. You are verging on making the conclusion that "Hucles sucks" your defining point for a coaches competence-- "anyone who doesn't cut her must be inept..."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hucles role has been that of a sub since the begining. We do have several very strong candidates and we also have atleast 2 who have not been with the team who normally would be. That in my opinion is the only reason why Hucles started. there simply wasn't anyone else really.
i don't think anyone has argued that she is a normal starter. we're just saying that she is a good player. two national team coaches so far indicate by her use that she is a good sub and occasional starter. nobody has argued that she should be in the starting 11. if others surpass her she will simply be left off the squad.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Actually I was trying to say that she has some good qualities. That while she is not a starter she is worth having around as a sub. She by no means is one of my favorite players but I understand her limited role with the team and can appreciate her contributions.