Chicago also traded away 2 allocated US players, and have 4 allocated Canadians. WNY was only given 1 Canadian, and she didn't even play for them this season.
I wouldn't have been so upset about getting only 2 US players if we had been given some decent players from Canada or Mexico. What really pisses me off is that not only did we get shorted on US players, but also that we got basically nothing from the other 2 federations that are supposed to be providing NT players. And then people have the nerve to complain when we go out and get internationals to try and fill the void.
Vs. BOS - Speaking of NT players - why is Vicky on the bench? I get starting Allen, but why Barczuk instead of Edmonds or Palmer, especially since it meant moving Zerboni to LB?
Starting Zerbs at LB when both Edmonds and Palmer were available was a head-scratcher, but she did okay, I thought. My guess would be Lines wanted to give Barczuk a start in the midfield, but still wanted Zerbs on the field.
Back in 2011 WPS, Zerboni played right back and striker when the big stars were away. She was awesome at right back - between her and Ali Riley on the left - they prototype'd what outside backs are expected to do in today's game.
We are still hanging on by our fingernails. WNY must win its remaining two games. Portland needs to lose both their remaining games. At Boston and at home vs Seattle. Boston beat Portland at Harvard Stadium 4-1 in May and scored 3 goals at Portland on July 20. Seattle can beat Portland, and may want to win the game given the Cascadia rivalry. So it could happen that Portland drops 2. Chicago needs to lose 2 of the 3 remaining games. Chicago is home for the last 3 games. First is FCKC - a possible loss. Last is WNY - WNY must win two, so that would be Chicago's second loss. So it could happen that Chicago drops 2. When can the guillotine drop? 8/9-----FCKC at Chicago 8/10----Portland at Boston 8/13----Sky Blue at WNY 8/13----Boston at Chicago 8/16----WNY at Chicago 8/17----Seattle at Portland Note that WNY wins the goal differential tie breaker if they win two and each of the other teams lose 2, unless Chicago wins one game by a lot.
Yeah, I'm not optimistic at all about our chances. So many results need to go our way, and I don't think Boston can beat Portland again. Add in the fact that we have yet to win in Chicago in two season, and I just don't see it happening for us. While this team has had some horrible luck with injuries this year, the fact is is that they have no one to blame but themselves for the desperate situation they're currently in. Whatever bad luck we've had, that's no excuse for the players not doing their job on the field.
I'm so used to supporting crappy teams that I've had to be cynical. That way it hurts less when my teams inevitably let me down.
Ifs-and-Buts category: I figure not having Franch cost us 2 games, and not having Abby cost us 2 games, maybe one of those games is an overlap. 3 more wins (9 points) would put us at 36 points and in 3rd place today with Chicago, Portland and Washington chasing us. Not to mention, I think some of Lines' choices cost us at least one other game. BUT to paraphrase SU Hoops coach Jim Boheim - You play the players you have, don't worry about the ones you don't have, and play to win the game. WNY has not won enough games this year. Keep your head up - WNY has been pretty un-crappy since 2009. I know you are not Lucy, but I had to share one of my favorite Peanuts strips.
Ignoring the women's world cup (a.k.a. 800 lb gorilla) in 2015, my list for the handshake and 'Thank you for your service, good luck in the future" conversations is this: Position, Name , Not back in 2015 D , Barczuk, Amy F , Martin, Adriana M , Wetzel, Courtney GK, Williams, Lydia D , Allen, Tiegen F , Bermudez, Sonia D. Reynolds, Katherine, Trade D , Palmer, Haley , Trade for experienced starting defender, like a Sesselman F , Spencer, Jasmyne , Trade for bigger forward (sorry Jasmyne). D , Edmonds, Kristen, Trade or keep. Right now I am assuming Alex Sahlen comes back and I want her back. With her baby and coaching & Flash Academy duties, she may hang up the boots. But as I write this I am leaning the other way - she'll want to 'climb the mountain' and earn a spot. ---- In 2015, we may get zero Canadian, Mexican, or Australian (Kerr) players due to WWC--- --- as long as Herdman is Canada's coach, we may never get any Canadian players----
So with Boston tossing us a massive lifeline yesterday, we get into the playoffs if: -We win both matches -Chicago either loses or draws against Boston -Portland loses to Seattle The margin of error is still razor-thin, and I no longer feel confident that we can beat SkyBlue after they beat us last month. Not to mention the Chicago-Boston match. Chicago ran over Boston the other two times they faced off, and that was before they had Press and Tancredi. But at least there is still a chance, and until we are officially out of it, we can't give up hope.
Regarding the WNY 2014 thread, I plan to open a 2015 Pre-Season thread the day after the finals; not that we shouldn't continue to post in the 2014 thread as well. Teaser?: My first post will focus on marketing and expanding the WNY fan base.
So we are officially out of the playoffs for the first time ever. One of the worst days in Flash history.
I watched this match late at night after work and I am totally bummed that they couldn't get the win tonight. I thought they fought hard to try and get past SBFC. I don't want to point many fingers to anyone but I think if we had our starting goalkeepers, we would have been still in it. Unfortunately since Chicago won, I guess it wouldn't have mattered anyway what the result was. I thought overall, the Flash put in a great performance and hope to see them act as a spoiler on saturday against Chicago. I think it's fair to say, the best can't be the best forever, and sometimes they tumble and fall to the ground. I think it's healthy to have them lose out and figure out what they need to improve on for next season. Best of luck for WNYF, I'll continue to support this team until a southern california team is formed someday.
I guess we couldn't stave off the inevitable any longer. But it was a great run of 5 straight years in the postseason. Like any great team, perhaps this was our time to stumble. I'll post my final thoughts on our season after the match against Chicago.
As your post in the PBP noted, Wys was one of the weak links this year. Previously I said I would like her back as #2 GK, but now I am not so sure. Here are the numbers. They don't keep statistics on "Goals that Should Have Been Saves." I thin the W-L record and GA average are most telling. NAME........................G........W.......L.......T..... SH... SH/Gm... SOG...SOG/Gm.... SV......GA.....GA/Gm Lydia Williams..........14....... 6....... 6....... 1..... 125...... 8.9......... 65..........4.6..........49,......15.......... 1.1 Kelsey Wys................ 9........ 2....... 6....... 2.... 143..... 15.9......... 66.......... 4.7......... 47...... 20......... 2.0 TOTAL 2014.............23........8...... 12....... 3.... 268..... 11.7........ 131...........9.4.........96....... 35,.........1.4 Adrianna Franch..... 22...... 10....... 4....... 8.... 246..... 11.2........ 119.......... 8.5......... 98...... 20......... 0.9 Katelyn Rowland, UCLA Senior looks like a "keeper," pun intended.
Great chart! Think about it though, after Franch went down with her ACL, they brought in Williams to start. Perhaps Lines didn't think Wys had what it took to be a starter in the league, but with Williams going down, they had no other option. I also believe that GK coaching this year was also a week link. Pompert is a good GK coach, but he does not compare to Vallow.
Does everyone remember this awesome video they did last year with Carli and Sam? Well, I guess a lot of fans wanted an update, so we got a sequel:
Hmm. A no-confidence vote for Didi Haracic; reasonable to be sure. How much effect will playing not-to get-hurt have? Who in WNY will have 'checked out' for the season? I think everyone on both teams will be in the Don't Get Hurt category. In terms of checking out, I think it won't happen in the first half. For having the right frame of mind to start I vote Abby, McCall, Angela, BT, Kristen E., Kat, Didi, Sam and Carli. I think Tiegen, Jasmyne, and Vicky will be OK, IF they start. I sense that due to human nature, anyone who does not start will have a let down from the first whistle. Nonetheless, giving up 4 would be embarrassing.
Like we did against Boston, thanks to BT's Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day? Other than a couple of players who give 100% for the entire game regardless of the score, I have no idea who is going to turn it on tonight and try to play spoiler. And Haracic is a total unknown, so we could get stomped by a Red Stars squad hungry for postseason glory, or she could surprise everyone and pitch a shutout. The thing I hope to avoid most of all, besides injury, is bookings for Carli and Ang. If either one gets a card tonight, they would have to sit out their first game next year.
Bio on Haracic: Rookie from Loyola. Great kid!! Worked with my daughter at one of the Flash Goalkeeper Camps!! Hard worker. http://www.loyolagreyhounds.com/sports/w-soccer/mtt/didi_haracic_645906.html