Charge are 0-2 in San Jose, losing 3-0 on 6/20/01 (Moore's first game back from the broken hand which sidelined her for 2 months; also were without Fitschen and Smith for Euro 2001 duty), and the 3-2 clunker on 8/2/01 (goalie was Webber). Win or tie gets playoff berth. Game is CN8's final telecast of the season, so we'll have to deal with the 'Rays announcers on this one, unfortunately as we'll get the Fox Sports Bay Area feed of it. Charge are 0-3-1 in their last four West Coast games. I would think Pichon is doubtful for this one, and the Charge should hope for a return to active duty of Erin Martin. Charge could muster only 2 shots on goal before Ailing's goal Saturday, so this would be my lineup, if a 4-5-1 is used... Moore TIMBer Line Fair, Tullock, Lihong, Ailing, Connors Martin (if healthy; if not, then Koleski up front; yes, it's a gamble, but sometimes you've gotta roll the dice) If 4-4-2, put Martin and Koleski up front. Again, if Martin isn't up to par, then Connors and Koleski are my two forwards. If Pichon does play, then put her up front in the 4-5-1 and have Martin come off the bench. Pichon and Martin would be the two up top in a 4-4-2. If Erin is still out, then Pichon and Connors. McDowell and Demko would be my subs, Alfiler and Monroe too. Play for the tie or play for the win? There's the rub. Your .02 welcomed... Paul
You have to play for the win or you will get smoked by the CyberSushi. SJC is on the brink of elimination from the playoffs. They will be bring out all the guns.
Charge style is to pressure in midfield to disrupt teams, have possession themselves to get wide players into the game, and to play from deep to get behind the defense. Big question is when to Charge go to San Jose, on Wednesday or the day before. As to Tullock, she's a holding mid in the Claudio Reyna mold. gotta see her play a lot to fully appreciate her.
The team got into some heated discussion after the game Saturday night. I think the team will go into the game as if the season depends on it. As to when the team is traveling, I thought I heard them mention that they were leaving today. Dwight
Interesting, this is a day earlier than usual. I hate for them to do the Chargefans early wed am fight returning by red eye. San Jose has played well the past two matches, although they lost to DC. And they didn't get to see Pichon because she was at WCQ the first match. San Jose's narrow pitch does tend to squeeze width of play. In some ways, this is a playoff atmosphere match, San Jose needing every win possible, and the Charge wanting to clinch a playoff slot and get back to their best form. I think we'll see the best match of the year from BOTH sides.
Well, let's hope that the charge play better than they did against boston - as Mark said, they were lucky to get off with the tie. Let's see... the charge will be playing without Mitts, and most likely will start alfiler. San Jose is pretty hot right now, and they didnt look like they were going to slow down one bit - this is going to be a challenging game - but I really hope that they can at least tie it.
Because the field is so narrow at San Jose, I don't believe the absence of Mitts is a huge factor. Alfiler has good mobility, and she showed against NY, she can play at the right back slot. Chargefans, aka Dwight and Scott, while in San Jose, please be on the look out for Cachundo. And if you want a pleasant treat. look out for Druid Squirrel aka Heather. I'm sure any discussion with her would be very enjoyable.
Yay! Martin is probable for tomorrow night. That's good news...we may have to wait until Saturday to clinch, though. A team can take only so many hits... Paul
As indicated elsewhere Pichon is out with a fractured toe, and I highly doubt she can play any of the regular season. And I support her 100% if the next match is against Denmark. So 4-5-1 is the formation. I put Clemens in the Pichon slot. And we know who keeps and who defends. So, I say my mids are Fair Tullock Monroe Liu and Zhao. And you don't look back.
I just read in the Charge newsletter that Zhao will be getting Wednesday night off. So, that would mean we play San Jose without Mitts, Zhao and Pichon. Well, the kiddies were right. She has a fractured toe. Bummer for Pichon. She's worked so hard this season. Whew, we really need the team to heal up. She should rest and not be pushed to come back (even though I hate the thought of not getting to watch her play). I'm sure that will happen. Hopefully, she'll be ready to play for the semi-final.
Then put Conners out there for Zhao. And I assume Liu really isn't a starter, so McDowell starts. All this resting of players, was what I advocated for the San Jose match. Brave coach NOT to back down on that strategy when players start getting injured.
wow - i'm surprised about resting zhao for this game. i think our midfield has been where our troubles have started the last couple of games. and i believe zhao to be our strongest and most dangerous attackers. it would be nice if we could clinch our spot tomorrow night - and we still can. our bench is strong. if everyone plays on the same page and comes out with the desire to go home a winner, we should be able to take care of the cyberrays. this is the game, though, that i thought all season we would probably lose. its a game we lost last year. it wil be tough to pull it off, without mitts, without lihong, without frenchie, without kelly. i'd like to see monroe play the whole game. i just love her tenacity. she's only played 90 minutes twice this season, and we had good results both times. i like to see liu coming in as a sub - she brings patience and posession to the game. would it be interesting to go with three back again like we did with carolina? benny and ive marking, tiej as the sweeper. connors, mcdowell, fair, monroe and tullock midfield and clemens and koleski up top. i'd like to see koleski do something this game as well. i hope that atlanta and/or washington will come through for us and lose as well.
Let's hope somebody on the Charge jumped the gun on the fractured toe stuff, 'cause if we lose Pichon *now*...I can't bring myself to say it. Whatever happens in that doctor's office tomorrow, the team should be told *after* the game. Nothing can distract what's left of the lineup from the task at hand. But SJ's job just got a whole lot easier, I suspect... Paul
let's remember the last time they were down 3 starters - mitts, benny and fair. being as defensively minded as they are, i really didn't think they would do well. coach pulled something off that surprised everybody with a new lineup. who knows what surprises he has in store this time? i for one intend to stay optimistic. nervous, yes, but optimistic. they have not let us down yet this year. this team has never (in almost two years ) fallen apart, they won't now. last time we played the cyberrays we did not have pichon or benny playing. yes, we had kelly smith for that game but , well, there is no answer for that. i think if they focus, the team that is on the field tomorrow night can take on the 'rays. if they had clinched a home playoff already, what fun would we be having? the games would be meaningless and who would care who played and whether or not they won? anticipation is half the fun.
I think the coach has to start Ailing because she has the hot foot . Also why not go with a 4-4-2 with Frances Monroe or Conners up with Clemens and see how that works at least for the first half . GO CHARGE !
Paul, if what you read is actually true, that is LUDICROUS!!! I cannot believe that. It truly mustve been a tiresome game against boston, or these players arent really concerned for this game. I wouldnt count on a Cyberrays win, however. Mark is an excellent coach - he is great at adapting. And even if the Charge are bound to go down tonight, they will sure give the C-rays a run for their money. GO CHARGE!!!!!!
An additional point... Don't think the players aren't concerned about the game; it's the coach who is getting a bit caught up, I think in resting people above clinching a playoff spot. Clinch the spot FIRST, then rest the people who need to be sat down. It's almost as if he's counting on Carolina to beat Washington tonight. I've disagreed with only one decision in Krikorian's two-season tenure here, just *one*. I'm as loyal a fan of the Charge as there is anywhere. But he has plain and simple conceded this one to the 'Rays, and I respectfully challenge anyone on this board to say otherwise. Pichon and Mitts you can't fault him for. They're injured; stuff happens. To sit Lihong and Iverson, who aren't hurt, however, while you've still haven't clinched, is playing Russian roulette when you don't need to do so. Paul
I guess Karyn Hall starts tonight, then, in place of Iverson. Based on a 4-5-1, so here goes my 2 Lincolns on the revised lineup: Moore Benson, Hall, Alfiler, Tietjen Fair, Tullock, McDowell, Connors, ?? Clemens Your mileage (and lineup) may vary... Paul
This match is turning into the rest the players match I had envisioned the kast couple months. Some times it is better to rest players than run them into the ground. Fresh players are better than players who are tired.
DennisM is a voice of reason, and I'd bet the paycheck I just got today, there a couple others who say rest them too. My line-up Zabala Benson Tietjen Hall Alfiler Tullock Conners McDowell Clemens Monroe Martin and then Koleski Liu and Demko off the bench. width of San Jose compresses things so I think Hall wouldn't have too much ground to cover. If San Jose walks out there thinking the match is over, then they will be rudely surprised.
yes, i think give zabala the start tonight as well. see what our second stringers could do. if sj comes out overconfident, we could easily upset them. i think they are a little prone as a team to overconfidence, even though they are fighting for their lives.
I just see Katia running at Hall all night. Maybe 2 man markers again with Tietjen sweeping and Benson assigned Katia. I'm sure we'll see some curveball thrown. Having Alfiler and Hall both start seems to be putting a ton of pressure on them. Carolina match with 3 in the back Fair Tullock Monroe Conners mcDowell in midfield Martin and Clemens as forwards this leaves Liu and Koleski off the bench as subs