Anyone making the trip to Boston or will people be watching from the comfort of their couch. Any idea what the line up will be especially for defense being that hopefully Mitts will be back as well as Falk? Will Magnusdottir still be in defense or will she be moved up to midfield. I'm hoping she's in the mid as she would be more dangerous that way.
I'll be watching from the comfort of the couch. Only road trips this year will probably be DC and Jersey. If Mitts plays, she'll be at right back. The team has no natural starting left back so Magnusdottir may get stuck there. They could have had Stephanie Cox in the LA dispersal draft but took LeBlanc instead. As much as I like Karina, the lineup would be in better shape with Cox at left back and Henderson in goal. I agree that I'd like to see Frida at left mid or forward. Unfortunately for the Independence, their best 4 defenders include 3 center backs - Falk, Larsson and Krzysik.
Well seeing that Magnusdottir is always making the run up and have to track back all the time, why can't they move some one like say Buckowski to left back. I'm sure she's a great player but she played in most of the preseason games and on sunday but for the life of me I can't remember what she did in the mid. Even when thinking of the starting 11, I always forget she's a starter.
Here's the starting XI from last week: Karina LeBlanc, Estelle Johnson (Gina DiMartino, 69'), Sara Larsson, Nikki Krzysik, Holmfridur Magnusdottir, Lori Lindsey (Joanna Lohman, 85'), Jen Buczkowski, Caroline Seger, Amy Rodriguez, Lianne Sanderson, Lyndsey Patterson (Karina Maruyama, 58') Will the same XI get the nod vs Boston? I do think the midfield matchups will be interesting, particularly if it ends up being Osborne vs Seger & Buczkowski matching up against Smith. Falk (if she playes) should be pretty familiar w/ Cheney from their Pac10 days.
I know the WPS website shows DiMartino replacing Estelle Johnson at left back last week but it was actually Kat Reynolds that came into the game. I'm hoping they replace the completely ineffective Lyndsey Patterson in the starting lineup with either Maruyama at forward or go with a 4-4-2 and bring Magnusdottir up to left mid.
Well to be fair, Patterson was looking really good in preseason so maybe she just had an off day an will rebound. I too was shocked that in the first half Patterson was particularly useless as we barely attacked from the right. But I do agree that it sames when Maruyama came in, she and Seger were connecting really well though I was shock to see that Seger is really slow. There were several runs that she gave up on that faster players could have made
My guess is that Frida will move up top with A-Rod. SOMEBODY needs to be up there, and she seems capable. Mitts, right, Krysik, left, Larrsson & Falk, mids. My guesses. The midfield may look better in a wider field. The Philly field is so little. (As an aside, I sure hope Philly plans on moving next year. That football field ain't gettin' it.)
Krzysik is too slow for the outside. I don't see Frida moving up given how she's been deployed thus far (including preseason) but if she does move up, I don't think Krzysik would be the one moving wide b/c Fabiana/Cheney/Weimer would easily get around her. I think Frida is at left back due to lack of other options. Senty might be a possibility.
I hope so too. I didn't realize it was a football field until I arrive on sunday and my whole face fell. I can't believe we would have to endure this for a full season, uhgh.
Fluid line-up for Philly with some tough choices, but think Frida always on the field (so either left back or up top) no matter what. Think Patterson out and Maruyama in as her replacement for starting line-up. Final choices on back 4 defense may come down to specific personnel match ups (Philly vs Boston players) if I were the coach.
Often forwards are only as good as the service they receive, and I thought that was a big weakness in this game. The connection between the central midfield and the forwards was just a little off, all game. Patterson got very little service. Towards the end of the game ARod was making run after run after run, and never getting the ball. Sanderson was getting the ball a fair amount, but often with her back to goal, and too deep to really attack, so she'd lay the ball off to the mids or defense. Didn't seem to have much luck turning with the ball. The more effective connections came from the flanks. Before you write off Patterson, give them a few games to get their act together.
I'm excited to see Frida on FSN Sunday, however I still wish she would be used in midfield, however good she has been at leftback, I am a firm believer in maximizing talent and having her on D making runs forward is not the way to use her. I mean she rifled one from 30 yards out off the post, use her where she'll have more opportunities for crying out loud. Falk and Mitts are back though so maybe she'll move up hopefully.
They were planning to play in PPL with the Union this year, but since the stadium isn't done yet and the Independence season is shorter than the Union's, they decided to play this whole first season at West Chester. But, next year they should be playing in PPL unless something has changed since those articles. I'm eager to see them move just because it'll be a lot easier for me to get to Chester than West Chester.
I expect they'll play where they can afford to. If the rent's too high at PPL, they'll play elsewhere. Now, back to game 2. Who do you think will score the first official goal in Independence history? Lyndsey Patterson got the first one in pre-season, but that doesn't count--will she repeat that feat in the regular season? Or will ARod score against her former team on a breakaway? Will Sanderson get a nice turn and finish? Will Seger or Lindsey put one in from the midfield? Will Frida score on an overlap? Not sure why, exactly, but I think it will be Sanderson.
I wonder if they will stick with the 4-3-3 - Lyndsey Patterson did not really impress me last week (I drove up from DC to catch the game). I wouldn't be surprised to them go with a 4-4-2, diamond midfield and give Lohman the start. She was the leading scorer in pre-season (3 goals I think) and was very impressive in the games I saw. Hoping for a Philly win on the road!
Going to be a tough game today on the road against Boston (who played very well last wkend and looking very strong). I predict some changes in the starting 11 (Falk and Lohman) and a line up as follows: Rodriguez, Lianne Sanderson, Lindsey, Lohman, Buczkowski, Seger Johnson, Larsson, Falk, Magnusdottir LeBlanc First sub - Maruyama Keys to victory for Philly will be A-ROD getting on the board and solid passing and play-making from the midfield group.
Lindsey should be in the middle for club play. That's where she's best at this level. Is Mitts a no go or do you just not want to start her?
She wasn't put on the not available list on the WPS site, so she will be at least on the bench, if she starts, I would put Magnusdottir in the midfield.
My mistake in not having Mitts in the starting line-up before, thought she was still injured although know she wanted to play against her former team. Very offensive formation for Philly with 4-3-3 in 1H which didn't seem to work too well as team play too chaotic and all over the map. However in second half the 4-4-2 formation seemed much better (not sure whether it was different player formation or the new players)....with Philly playing a more settled and poised game than first half. 2H to me was much more even game until end when philly played a man down for last 15 mins. Glad to see Philly on the board with their first goal finally, compliments of Allison "Kirby" Falk on a nice header. Seger also looked very good in 2H and made some excellent passes. All in all, satisfied with a tie and another point in standings. Roorm for improvement next week.
The ejection occurred in the 88th, with 4 minutes of stoppage time, so I am thinking you mean they played down for the last 6 minutes at most? Misconduct Summary Cautions: BOS: None. PHI: Caroline Seger (63'), Jen Buczkowski (76'), Jen Buczkowski (86') Ejections: Jen Buczkowski (88') Mitts looked more like her old self playing back on the right, I thought she shut down Lilly most of the first half in spite of not being 100%. Arod looked a lot like last year, not getting touches, not a factor. Sanderson gave the Breakers back line all they could handle all night. Good match between two teams both with room for improvement. Enjoy the rest of the season!
I agree with those comments. I'd like to see LeBlanc wear a uniform a bit more distinctive from her teammates. A different color might be helpful.