Well time to rehash this thread. There is a damn good chance we are heading to the playoffs. If a game ends in a draw after the two 7.5 min OT's then it's on to PK's and good gawd we know what happened last August. So who are your first five? I don't know. I am real hesitant to put Hooper on there.
Yeesh...I hope this doesn't happen... but.... (1) Serlenga (2) Sawa (3) Krzykowski (she used to be a forward and is very accurate) (4) Burt (if she is on the field) (5) Cromwell or Cagle (if she is on the field...hard shot) back-ups: Julie or Nancy Face it... this is not our strong point! I say put a regular jersey on Wilson and send her in right before the PK's and let her take one!!!!!!!!!
Serlenga Sawa Sunny Parlow Bivens And I would go in that order. You want to be real sure of your first kicker the next two can be the weakest of the five and the last two must be willing to apply the bagger to the heart. I include Sunny in the weaker of the five only because she is the most likely to be affected by fatgue. Alternates, if any of these are not available are: In no particular order. Hooper Burt Cagle Krzykowski N. Augustyniak If any of the alternates are used then the first five move to whatever position is vacated and the alternate moves to position two or three.
My five 1. Sun - definately, her ability to place the ball makes her automatic 2. Bivens 3. Sawa 4. Wang 5. Serlenga
1) Sunny 2) Serlenga 3) Cagle 4) Bivens 5) Cromwell I like the idea of Wilson (another former forward) and Krzykowski as other options.
As I posted in another forum Keepers are often the best PK takers on the team so Wilson is not as far fetched as it might seem. Most coaches never really test the keepers for this unless they have exhibited foot skills a LOT in other situations. It just does not occur to most. I know, in my first though on this it did not occur to me. I have seen keepers with horrendous foot skills that could put PKs away virtually every chance. I think a lot of it is knowing all the "reads" a keeper takes and giving false signals. Clilivert was one of the best at that and Compos was very good too. It would not surprise me to find that even Scurry, whose foot skills are not a real strength, is very good at PKs. We know she has power and, I bet, she can fool most keepers into leaning the wrong way and that is all it takes. BTW: On PKs many of the best shot stopper's primary read is the direction the toe of the plant foot points. Players are trained to point that toe where they want the ball to go as the kick with the side of the foot and the instep is MUCH simpler that way. Players that can maintain accuracy and violate this are VERY successful PK takers. On the Beat I have seen Sunny, Parlow, and Serlenga all take free kicks with the outside of the foot and/or pull the ball with the instep or inside of the foot and still maintain good accuracy. That is why I think they are MUSTS if on the field.
Re: Yeesh...I hope this doesn't happen... but.... i agree w/ your list. Melie would play forward at A&M along w/ goalkeeping she has a strong accurate shot. I see these PKs of hers.
Stone replaced Sawa before the Pk's I suspect she may not be able to handle the pressure if he doesn't think so. Serlenga Bivins Burt Hooper Sun Wen Krzykowski Ms. sideback Augustyniak Wilson Ms. centerback Aug. Nonen Scurry
I disagree. Parlow is one of the best in the WUSA at striking the ball accurately with her feet. She scores a lot with her head because that is the service she gets BUT she has scored many great, important goals with her feed as well. Like, maybe, semifinals last year? You want your best, most accurate, shooters on the field taking these shots. Power means little, strength means little, (Parlow has both but that is not important) but the ability to hit the ball, with some deception, right where it needs to be is the characteristic you most need and Parlow has shown that she can do this throughout her career from U10 through now. I have thought about my earlier picks and I do have a change though. Earlier: Serlenga Sawa Sunny Parlow Bivens Now: Serlenga Sawa Sunny Parlow Nancy A. (or Miller)(Change for Bivens as her hurt foot could affect her accuracy too much.) As I said earlier Wilson is a good choice BUT I doubt that any WUSA coach would have the guts to take that kind of chance, much less a very conservative one like Stone.
I remember watching Nancy and Julie in the W-league for the Classics and they both took PK's if I remember. And Nancy scored the gamewinner for Clemson against UNC a few years ago on a PK. I think with the success Sawa has been having lately her confidence is probably way up and she should take one. Hooper definitely not! And then Serlenga of course and I am not really sure of who else yet.