Tennessee vs Kentucky(5:30 SECN) ⚽️ SEC TOURNAMENT MATCH DAY

#6,979
#6,979
I'm curious to know if our injured players from last year play--Thomas, Barr, Chatterton, Klurman, Duval---and how some
of the new players look, especially Cuneio (centerback), Latino (attacking mid) and Giannola (midfielder).
 
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#6,982
#6,982
MAD said:
Congrats to LVFL Bunny Shaw and Man City.

9⃣ league wins in a row and go top of the league (Barclays WSL)
1️⃣2️⃣ wins in a row in all competitions.
Click to expand...

ManCity women are a very talented and athletic team. They've got the best front line in the WSL with Shaw flanked by two outstanding outside forwards/wingers in Hemp and Kelly and then three good midfielders. What's more, their outside backs are quite athletic--run very well. Both Hemp and Kelly are quick, speedy, can shoot and adept and finding open players and lasering crosses into the box--especially Kelly--which works very well when you've got a big target in front of goal in Shaw, who is good at heading the ball or using her size to cause problems for defenders. Hemp and Kelly are exemplars of the best wide forwards--with both playing a lot for the England National Team. Contrast with our forwards last year, who were both quite pedestrian, not very good at crossing the ball, just not dynamic enough. Neither was well-suited for the position.

We'll see what this year brings. My bet is that we'll see Woods, the Michigan transfer on the left wing, where she mostly played for Michigan. We could then have Thomas in the middle and, if Kirt wants to get Runyon on the field, her on the right wing. I don't think playing wide is ideal for Runyon, just as it wasn't ideal for Simmonds, so it's hard to know whether this trio will have any chemistry among themselves and with the mids. One big reason to have wide forwards is to spread the field, spread the defense--and get balls into the box. You need wide forwards who can create and zing balls into the box--and you need people in the box when the ball gets there--2 or 3 players. Physically, Runyon is a prototypical CF, but with Thomas back and her poaching ability, she'll be our CF, for sure, and so we could have the same issue(s) up front we had last season. I hope and expect to see freshman Mattern and soph Greiner get some good minutes at wide forward this season as they do have, firstly, the speed and quickness you want in that position.
 
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#6,983
#6,983
turbovol said:
ManCity women are a very talented and athletic team. They've got the best front line in the WSL with Shaw flanked by two outstanding outside forwards/wingers in Hemp and Kelly and then three good midfielders. What's more, their outside backs are quite athletic--run very well. Both Hemp and Kelly are quick, speedy, can shoot and adept and finding open players and lasering crosses into the box--especially Kelly--which works very well when you've got a big target in front of goal in Shaw, who is good at heading the ball or using her size to cause problems for defenders. Hemp and Kelly are exemplars of the best wide forwards--with both playing a lot for the England National Team. Contrast with our forwards last year, who were both quite pedestrian, not very good at crossing the ball, just not dynamic enough. Neither was well-suited for the position.

We'll see what this year brings. My bet is that we'll see Woods, the Michigan transfer on the left wing, where she mostly played for Michigan. We could then have Thomas in the middle and, if Kirt wants to get Runyon on the field, her on the right wing. I don't think playing wide is ideal for Runyon, just as it wasn't ideal for Simmonds, so it's hard to know whether this trio will have any chemistry among themselves and with the mids. One big reason to have wide forwards is to spread the field, spread the defense--and get balls into the box. You need wide forwards who can create and zing balls into the box--and you need people in the box when the ball gets there--2 or 3 players. Physically, Runyon is a prototypical CF, but with Thomas back and her poaching ability, she'll be our CF, for sure, and so we could have the same issue(s) up front we had last season. I hope and expect to see freshman Mattern and soph Greiner get some good minutes at wide forward this season as they do have, firstly, the speed and quickness you want in that position.
Click to expand...
So what would be your ideal starting XI and formation this fall?
 
#6,987
#6,987
IMG_6729.jpeg

Admission for all spring matches at Regal Soccer Stadium will be free of charge. Restrooms will be open at the facility, but attendees should be advised that concessions will not be available during these off-season contests.
 
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#6,989
#6,989
MAD said:
So what would be your ideal starting XI and formation this fall?
Click to expand...

Impossible to say right now. Too many unknowns. The coaches will need to evaluate at all the players on the roster now in the spring games, try different formations, try certain players in different positions---that is the only way you can really find out where a player is best-suited to play. They'll already have a good idea with players who've been on the squad for a couple of years. But there are transfers in who need to be evaluated---and then of course you've got additional transfers--including three players who for me could be starters--who want even arrive until late July along with a bunch of freshmen. So it will be a big challenge for this staff this spring and in the late summer, when you've only got about 2+weeks of practice time before the first game and a big roster. But there are some key questions that must be answered:

1) What's the status of our injured players from last year. Who is completely healthy and can be completely fit by the fall. Can Thomas? Key question. What about all the others?

2) Is Cuneio, the Purdue transfer, good enough to take the other starting centerback spot, next to Michel? This is a starting spot that needs to be filled. She's started as a freshman on a bad Purdue team that didn't win a Big10 conference game (2 ties). But her coach spoke very highly of her play, and Purdue was pretty solid defensively, based on their scores; their big problem was not scoring goals. She is fairly big, seems to have a strong leg and passes well. Is she /athletic/ enough--that is the key question that has to answered. She did not make the Big 10 All Freshman team. I was hoping to see here on that team, but she wasn't. Doesn't necessarily mean much. Purdue produced a little highlight tape of her---but nearly all the plays show her passing the ball as opposed to defending. She's 5'11", so conceivably could be a weapon, with her height, on corner kicks for us. But the vitalLat question will be her athleticism and agility level: if she gets isolated in a 1v1 situation vs. a forward---after an opponent as countered with a long ball and she's the only defender back, is she good enough to slow or stop that forward from getting off a good shot. This is a sport that puts a premium on athleticism and moving well and fluidlly.

2) Latino, Penn State transfer: how good is she as an attacking mid, which is her position? What qualities does she bring, what weaknesses? Is she good enough to play/start/get good minutes? Top prospect two years ago but got redeshirted in her first year and didn't play much at all last year as a redshirt frosh. But Penn State had some good, older players ahead of her on the team. She likes to shoot and score--that is noticeable--and one gets a sense that she's very confident in her abilities. Does she work hard defensively, as Fusco did? Midfiielders must have a good work rate and be able to challenge the ball and win battles for balls. With Fusco gone we need a starting attacking mid. If not Latino, then who? Maybe Stayart--solid, experienced player with a good work rate who can shoot. I'm thinking Stayart might be ready for a starting role. Sammi Woods, the Michigan transfer who'll arrive in late summer, might work as an attacking player. Not big but can score; played mostly wide forward for Michigan, I think, but also seemed to play a bit centrally. She might be good as an attacking mid--but the coaches will know more from talking to her about where she played--and how often--at Michigan, where she thinks she's most effective, watching film. Another key decision.

3) Defensive mid: Another starting spot to be filled. I watched some of Oklahoma's games to take a look at defensive mid Kroflin, who's now with the Vols, and she strikes me as a solid/good player. From Germany. Positions herself well, passes well. I think she'll be a strong contender to start--but we have a lot of midfielders who have played little or not at all yet, plus others coming in, so they all have to be evaluated. Mitchell might be ready for more minutes--she has the buld one likes in a defensive mid--and has talent. Kroflin is not here now, which is unfortunate. You'd love to have all the transfers here for the spring for the purposes of evaluation, but some aren't. We'll have at least 2 and maybe 3 midifield positions to fill (if we play four in the midfield) so imporant area to get sorted.

4) Outside backs. More decisions--and a position that concerns me a bit. Might be three starting contenders on the right. We mostly played two on the right last year--Hofmann for a good part of the year, then Price in the last part of the season. I thought Hofmann had got hurt, but then St.Michael suggested that she wasn't and was simply replaced. I don't know. She's a very good player, actually, but has one liability, which is she lacks the speed one likes to have in an outside back, given that you've got to cover the length of the field and need //good recovery speed//--which means the speed to run from your attacking half to your defensive half, when there's an counterattack. and chase down opposing forwards blazing toward our goal. She is not slow--but she struggled with that aspect of the position, at times. Otherwise, she has a very strong soccer IQ, passes well, gets forward--knows what she's doing. Price replaced Hofmann late in the season--again, not sure what the reason was--and played well defensively. Seems to have a little more speed than Hofmann but offered little going forward. Has to show more in attack, I think. The third candidate is the Michigan transfer, Bridenstine: I think she was a three-year starter for Michigan. Solid build, moves well, good understanding of the position, crosses the ball well, from what I've seen. Fairly athletic, decent speed, from what I've seen--but not surpassingly athletic and doesn't have super speed.

If I'm the coaches, i might want to tak a look at Hofmann has a defensive mid this spring. Recall that Burdette was an outside back who got switched to defensive mid and excelled there. Hofmann is quite a bit better at outside back than Burdette was, and I've no idea if she might be suited for a midfield role--but if I didn't think she was going to be a starting outside back, I'd certainly take a look at her, because, like her German compatriot Kroflin, she's got a strong and advanced grip on how to play the game.

On the left, Ally Brown started most of the season and did a commendable job. A solid player for us, but wouldn't call her exceptional. But with a year of experience should be ready to take another step. Reads the game well, is fairly athletic but doesn't have the athleticism or pace you'd ideally like in an outside back--think Rain or Vignola, I think this is one issue with our outside back group. Solid, good understanding of the game, maybe lacking that last bit of athleticism/pace that you really want. There might be other players in line for minutes this year--maybe Klurman, maybe a freshman.

More to come on forwards....
 
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#6,991
#6,991
turbovol said:
Impossible to say right now. Too many unknowns. The coaches will need to evaluate at all the players on the roster now in the spring games, try different formations, try certain players in different positions---that is the only way you can really find out where a player is best-suited to play. They'll already have a good idea with players who've been on the squad for a couple of years. But there are transfers in who need to be evaluated---and then of course you've got additional transfers--including three players who for me could be starters--who want even arrive until late July along with a bunch of freshmen. So it will be a big challenge for this staff this spring and in the late summer, when you've only got about 2+weeks of practice time before the first game and a big roster. But there are some key questions that must be answered:

1) What's the status of our injured players from last year. Who is completely healthy and can be completely fit by the fall. Can Thomas? Key question. What about all the others?

2) Is Cuneio, the Purdue transfer, good enough to take the other starting centerback spot, next to Michel? This is a starting spot that needs to be filled. She's started as a freshman on a bad Purdue team that didn't win a Big10 conference game (2 ties). But her coach spoke very highly of her play, and Purdue was pretty solid defensively, based on their scores; their big problem was not scoring goals. She is fairly big, seems to have a strong leg and passes well. Is she /athletic/ enough--that is the key question that has to answered. She did not make the Big 10 All Freshman team. I was hoping to see here on that team, but she wasn't. Doesn't necessarily mean much. Purdue produced a little highlight tape of her---but nearly all the plays show her passing the ball as opposed to defending. She's 5'11", so conceivably could be a weapon, with her height, on corner kicks for us. But the vitalLat question will be her athleticism and agility level: if she gets isolated in a 1v1 situation vs. a forward---after an opponent as countered with a long ball and she's the only defender back, is she good enough to slow or stop that forward from getting off a good shot. This is a sport that puts a premium on athleticism and moving well and fluidlly.

2) Latino, Penn State transfer: how good is she as an attacking mid, which is her position? What qualities does she bring, what weaknesses? Is she good enough to play/start/get good minutes? Top prospect two years ago but got redeshirted in her first year and didn't play much at all last year as a redshirt frosh. But Penn State had some good, older players ahead of her on the team. She likes to shoot and score--that is noticeable--and one gets a sense that she's very confident in her abilities. Does she work hard defensively, as Fusco did? Midfiielders must have a good work rate and be able to challenge the ball and win battles for balls. With Fusco gone we need a starting attacking mid. If not Latino, then who? Maybe Stayart--solid, experienced player with a good work rate who can shoot. I'm thinking Stayart might be ready for a starting role. Sammi Woods, the Michigan transfer who'll arrive in late summer, might work as an attacking player. Not big but can score; played mostly wide forward for Michigan, I think, but also seemed to play a bit centrally. She might be good as an attacking mid--but the coaches will know more from talking to her about where she played--and how often--at Michigan, where she thinks she's most effective, watching film. Another key decision.

3) Defensive mid: Another starting spot to be filled. I watched some of Oklahoma's games to take a look at defensive mid Kroflin, who's now with the Vols, and she strikes me as a solid/good player. From Germany. Positions herself well, passes well. I think she'll be a strong contender to start--but we have a lot of midfielders who have played little or not at all yet, plus others coming in, so they all have to be evaluated. Mitchell might be ready for more minutes--she has the buld one likes in a defensive mid--and has talent. Kroflin is not here now, which is unfortunate. You'd love to have all the transfers here for the spring for the purposes of evaluation, but some aren't. We'll have at least 2 and maybe 3 midifield positions to fill (if we play four in the midfield) so imporant area to get sorted.

4) Outside backs. More decisions--and a position that concerns me a bit. Might be three starting contenders on the right. We mostly played two on the right last year--Hofmann for a good part of the year, then Price in the last part of the season. I thought Hofmann had got hurt, but then St.Michael suggested that she wasn't and was simply replaced. I don't know. She's a very good player, actually, but has one liability, which is she lacks the speed one likes to have in an outside back, given that you've got to cover the length of the field and need //good recovery speed//--which means the speed to run from your attacking half to your defensive half, when there's an counterattack. and chase down opposing forwards blazing toward our goal. She is not slow--but she struggled with that aspect of the position, at times. Otherwise, she has a very strong soccer IQ, passes well, gets forward--knows what she's doing. Price replaced Hofmann late in the season--again, not sure what the reason was--and played well defensively. Seems to have a little more speed than Hofmann but offered little going forward. Has to show more in attack, I think. The third candidate is the Michigan transfer, Bridenstine: I think she was a three-year starter for Michigan. Solid build, moves well, good understanding of the position, crosses the ball well, from what I've seen. Fairly athletic, decent speed, from what I've seen--but not surpassingly athletic and doesn't have super speed.

If I'm the coaches, i might want to tak a look at Hofmann has a defensive mid this spring. Recall that Burdette was an outside back who got switched to defensive mid and excelled there. Hofmann is quite a bit better at outside back than Burdette was, and I've no idea if she might be suited for a midfield role--but if I didn't think she was going to be a starting outside back, I'd certainly take a look at her, because, like her German compatriot Kroflin, she's got a strong and advanced grip on how to play the game.

On the left, Ally Brown started most of the season and did a commendable job. A solid player for us, but wouldn't call her exceptional. But with a year of experience should be ready to take another step. Reads the game well, is fairly athletic but doesn't have the athleticism or pace you'd ideally like in an outside back--think Rain or Vignola, I think this is one issue with our outside back group. Solid, good understanding of the game, maybe lacking that last bit of athleticism/pace that you really want. There might be other players in line for minutes this year--maybe Klurman, maybe a freshman.

More to come on forwards....
Click to expand...
You are a treasure for the soccer thread. This was brilliant to read, learned so much about our players and the different positions played on the field.
 
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#6,992
#6,992
turbovol said:
And an important match. Not a good sign. Team gave up 5 goals last match, right? But don't think any were her fault. The team, alas,
is not good.
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Maybe Yanez has a knock or something. Without her, the goaltender gave up seven today in a 7-3 thrashing. Bet we see her back next match.
 
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