One thing I'd like to see from Chicago is a little more consistency in the lineup. Swapping out 5 or 6 players on a regular basis doesn't allow for consistent performances, and IMO was a factor in them not getting the points needed for the postseason last year.
i didn't notice that much swapping out, but i didn't follow the team as closely as i did some others. they might not be able to avoid it tho. rory's approach is very aggressive and physically demanding. he may feel that he has to give several players periodic breaks.
I was tracking the lineup changes for each team during the season, mostly for FL purposes, and Chicago had a lot of games where Dames would make several changes to the lineups, and not just for players being gone on NT duty. I do get that no team is going to have the same starting XI every game, but the teams that have done well in this league generally had a stable lineup from game to game. If the style of play is forcing Dames to constantly rotate his players, then maybe he should tweak it to where he doesn't have to do that.
Allocated players assigned to the red stars http://chicagolandsoccernews.com/teams/redstars2.php?article_id=15239
Have you renewed your Red Stars season tickets yet, Senior ceezmad? I did with the Red Stars. As for the Fire, no season tickets until they get an international name I can recognize. I'm sick of the Fire roster being full of third world no-names who wouldn't make a European fourth division team.
Do you guys think the Red Stars will pick local girls in the later round. One of the girls I know Rachel is eligible and had a good season with Depaul Uni.
Round 4 is usually focused on local players. But it's not exclusively local players. Looking at the eligible players list, I see Rachel Pitman for DePaul, so I assume that's who you are talking about. It says she's from Bristol, does she have US citizenship or a green card? I think it'd be rather difficult for her to get on a team without it. Though the Red Stars do have 4 international slots available, so Chicago might be a good place for her to land. I guess it depends on whether Chicago thinks they need a right back or not with their last pick and/or if Megan Oyster is available and they want a CB.
She is British indeed. I don't think she has a green card. She used to play for the Arsenal academy before moving to DePaul and had a very good senior year. I did wonder if Chicago had any free international slot.
Other than WNY, Chicago has the most. I'd guess that even if she goes undrafted, there's a good chance she could try out for the team and at least get some time as an amateur callup during the WWC. She might even be able to work her way into a full roster spot that way.
I am pleased with the Red Stars 2015 draft. I especially like the ballsy move they made to get McCaffrey and then trading her to Boston for 2 picks. So they got an extra pick to pick DanIelle Colaprico and Huerta. Everything I've read about Gilliland is she is a stud player. I compare Colaprico being to Morgan Brian at Virginia what Scotty Pippen was to Michael Jordan with the Bulls. I have a feeling Sofia Huerta will be the emotional spark on the field for the Red Stars with very good ball on the feet control. Cara Walls and Rachel Tejada are local kids that had great college careers . Great move by the Red Stars. Nicole Setterlund is a ball winner from what I understand. Perfect for Red Stars style of play and another Canadian. We love our Canadians. I am surprised that Sammy Scofield from ND did not get chosen but there is still discovery. The most thing I am please is from reading comments form these players. They seem to be excited to be in Chicago and play for the Red Stars. These players see how Julie Johnston made an impact with the team and caught the eye of US National Team coaches, they see how Jen Hoy, Samantha Johnson, Taryn Hemmings all got a call-up with the U-23 camp. They see how Lori Chalupny won her way back to the USWNT through her play with the CRS over the last 3 years. Hope they all make a big impact in pre-season and get signed.
Chicago's gonna have a hard time keeping their record of signing all their draft picks in tact. They only have one open roster spot as far as I can tell, and they just drafted 7 players. That means 6 players on the current roster who aren't allocated (there are 12) would have to get cut! If most of them do make the team, it'll likely be at the expense of players like Bywaters, Mautz, Brock, Wenino, Hemmings, and Morway.
Every team is going to have this issue. One wonders if the NWSL will make a roster size exception this year because of the World Cup..
nwsl draft http://chicagolandsoccernews.com/teams/redstars2.php?article_id=15256 I bought season tickets
Not every team, since the Thorns had no draft choices so they won't have this specific issue. But, all teams will have players gone for the WWC, including the Thorns. For league financial survival reasons, I hope the league does not make a roster size exception (or, at least, that it does not increase the salary cap). Let the teams fill in with amateurs.
I'm looking forward to seeing Chicago this season. I'll endorse the prediction by somebody else that Sofia Huerta will be the rookie of the year. Press will miss half the season on NT duty so Sofia should have a chance to shine. True, Huerta and Santa Clara werent all that good against quality competition in 2014, but Huerta was good on the Mexican U-20 and National Team. I like it that she has Leroux-like confidence by quitting the Mexican team -- on which she would likely have been a starting forward -- to put herself in the lottery for making the U.S. team. I also like it that she may have a chip on her shoulder for not being selected for the U.S. U-20 team. Motivating factors? I hope so. She may fit in well in the city with the big shoulders.