Hmmm...OK I guess not I see everyone is still too deflated after the last game to even deal with this one, but I'm done ranting for the moment and I'm ready to be optimistic again! Um...for a minute or two anyway! Even though our chances are small we could still extend our season! Besides, having a real reason to root against Atlanta is fun!!! I was having a rough time generally rooting against Washington--I like them (even though we have Frenchie now, I built some love for Washington last season. Plus Abby Wambach is cool, and I'd like to see Cookie and Jacqui do well.) We've shut out Philly twice now, so let's go for three in a row! When our defenders are all on the same page there's no reason why we can't do it. Katia needs more goals this season and Tisha has really been concentrating on contributing to our scoring so both should be working hard. Bell is going to want to show you all that she deserves to be starting at forward so she's going to be working hard too (OK, I totally made that up. I seriously hope Bell doesn't care WHAT we say on here!). I'm predicting...Bell with her first goal of the season tonight! Do we know if Philly is coming out fully loaded this time or if they will be resting players again? I haven't really looked to see. Since they've clinched both a playoff spot and home-field advantage, there's no reason why they'd NEED to play everyone. While I do think if we play our best we can beat anyone, at this point I won't complain if we get some help, either! The pre-game notes are up, and as usual I suspect this part is totally inaccurate! Well, I'm hoping that line-up is inaccurate anyway. You all know why. Boof is listed as having the "flu"...again. If there's any truth to that part of the report it might account for the sub (Borgman) we saw on Saturday. At this point I wonder if Boof is sick with a bug or if she's actually simply stressed to the point she's sick (hey, soccer players can have job stress, too, and Boof has plenty of reasons to be feeling it right now). Totally my own guess & complete speculation there. Either way, Lindsey sick is bad news. Not that it's really affected her play much, but I just don't like the idea of her hurting herself by playing, as much as I think she's tougher than nails for going out there anyway. I'll be glued to the games on the match tracker this afternoon. I don't think I've ever been such a big Spirit fan before, but I am now!! GO RAYS!
Weather is good. And I think the Charge rest some players. Also, Beene and Katia were interviewed LIVE for 15 minutes on Tuesday on the local TV 90 sports show. Also, don't count any match where Pichon hasn't played.
The Charge are likely to start many of the subs and reserves, some starters may see some action in the 2nd half. If SJ can't win against a likely Charge B-team tonight, then they don't deserve to be in the playoffs.
This is a game that the Rays can ill afford to lose... win and they still have the hope of defending their trophy... lose and that's it, wait until 2003... Philly will go in wanting to deliver the knockout blow, while the biggest factor outside of the game is Atlanta just needing a win and they are in (if I got that right--someone correct me here if you can...) Philly is just as banged up, but since they are assured of at least a home game (1 or 2) they can ride easy and rest their key players, but they would like nothing more... Too bad there is no feed of this game available, and as on the Charge posters mentioned, the weather should let up for this game (and it gets muggy as heck over there)... Cheers!
That's really the size of it there... The champs are not going down without a fight though and the games are less now, just one game left over the weekend... Besides Philly, Carolina and Washington are in. The one spot to be decided between the 2001 Cup combatants Atlanta and San Jose. cheers!
How it works (I think) Atlanta doens't even need to win today. If we tie either of our remaining games AND Atlanta at least ties either of thier remaining games, they are in (so if we both tie tonight, Atlanta is playoff bound). We MUST win both of our remaining games, and Atlanta can do no better than lose one and tie one for us to get in. Have I mentioned that I am a really REALLY big Spirit fan today?
Thanks for clarifying that SomebodyOrOther... Too bad we're not at tonight's game... the Charge decided to make a second giveaway of the Lorrie Fair bobbles... http://www.philadelphiacharge.com/321015.html And I didn't bring mine to the game last week... Cheers!
This game is nerve wrecking. I don't know which is worse, following this game on the MatchTracker or following the Atlanta game on MatchTracker. I may bow out and not follow either. Just hope for the best. Can't wait to see the starting line-up so we can rip it to shreds. Alagich better play! The Charge will start Hall and Alfiler again and Mitts will most likely play a little. Not sure about who else is resting for sure, guess we'll find out now.