armchair
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It certainly would be great if the soccer team gets in this year's NCAA tourney, but all the Vols can do now is wait and hope that the selection committee is very kind to the SEC and picks 7 or 8 conference teams. I think they'll pick at least 7, but UT's problem is that there were 7 SEC teams with a better conference record, so the committee would have to pick 8 for UT to get in--or it would have to favor the Vols over either Auburn or Arkansas. We tied Auburn during the season and lost to Arkansas, which was a killer loss since UT was and is a better team, IMO.
The Vols played a pretty tough schedule, played three good out-of-conference teams in UVA, Wisconsin and BYU. Problem was, we didn't get a result against any of them--and a lack of a result in close games killed this team all year, losing late, losing in OT, losing lots of competitive one-goal games that could have ended in a tie or Vol win. The Bennett ranking has the Vols at #40 or so, so we are certainly a good enough team to merit NCAA selection when compared to all schools in the country, but alas that is not how teams are selected. As with the basketball tourney, a lot of schools with nice records from lesser conferences get in; that is why you don't want to be a lower-mid-pack team in a big conference. We must hope that the committee takes into consideration the fact that the team played without Wilkinson, our best attacker, for half the year. When she returned we became a demonstrably better team.
Next year, coach Pensky has a few challenges, as coaches do every year. First, he's got to replace centerback Allie Sirna, who has been a rock in the UT defense for four years. Her experience and instincts were invaluable--breaking up opposing attacks before they get started by reading passes--and filling her spot with the right player will be HUGE. UT's defense and back four were a strength this year, and the Vols will be losing two of their back four--right back Wade is also graduating. You don't want your defense to regress as a strong back four is essential in football.
The worry is that Pensky doesn't really have anyone with anywhere near the experience of Sirna, who I think played just about every minute of every game for four years! So finding a tough, athletic centerback who is good at reading the game will be massive. I wonder if Ferguson, who was playing midfield the last half or more of the year, should be tried at centerback or fullback. She is a workhorse with experience, and her qualities are more defensive than offensive.
Second, the attack has to be considerably better. Scoring was the big problem with this team this year. After Wilkinson got hurt, the Vols basically had almost nobody who could put the ball in the net--cost the team three or four games this year--and, really, one could argue that the team is too dependent on Wilkinson. Against Kentucky we had 4 shots on goal--ALL by Wilkinson! The team's default attack mode was to hoof the ball downfield and hope Wilkinson could win it, beat a defender 1v1 and shoot/score. That is fine but your attack has to be more than that.
How? The team certainly needs a good attacking midfielder--someone who can beat defenders and make runs down the middle of the field, and also play off of Wilkinson. The midfield has to be better. Baldwin was a big addition and will marshall this team for the next three years, and Christie is talented and a good server of the ball on set pieces, but we need more in the middle. UT has to become more creative in the attacking third. We were good with crosses--and Neal has a poacher's mentality but need more combination play. It was interesting to hear the expert SEC commentator in one of our tournament games say that Wilkinson should be playing in front of the net more instead of out wide, which makes sense given her size.
A. Parry is a good athlete who played forward/midfield most of the year. She seems to have good ball skills, too--but she was not productive at all when it came to shots and scoring. Four shots on goal for the YEAR. Not sure why but Vols need to get more from her. It was curious that McClung didn't play more than she did. She has size and is very strong on the ball, has a good shot, but down the stretch she was only playing about 35 minutes a game; the U.S. national team commentator in the SEC tournament noticed her qualities and said she should be playing more.
Generally, if you watch the elite women's soccer teams play, they are better in possession than UT, with better individual technical skills. They win a lot of 1v1 battles, are composed under pressure, pass and move. If you can't possess the ball, you are chasing the other team most of the game, defending too much, and you don't win too many games against good teams like that.
Overall this year's team was young, so with more experience and a strong freshmen class coming in, and a few redshirt freshmen, one has to be optimistic about next year's team--and the future. And with luck we may yet get into this year's NCAA--fingers crossed.
P.S. I am watching Fla. State play UVA, certainly two of the best teams in the country--probably two no. 1 seeds. Fla. State is physical and talented and has 7 international players (including a forward from Iceland who is tall and dangerous on headers.) UVA probably plays the best pure football in the college game-- and we played the Cavs to a one goal loss this year. Not bad.
The Vols played a pretty tough schedule, played three good out-of-conference teams in UVA, Wisconsin and BYU. Problem was, we didn't get a result against any of them--and a lack of a result in close games killed this team all year, losing late, losing in OT, losing lots of competitive one-goal games that could have ended in a tie or Vol win. The Bennett ranking has the Vols at #40 or so, so we are certainly a good enough team to merit NCAA selection when compared to all schools in the country, but alas that is not how teams are selected. As with the basketball tourney, a lot of schools with nice records from lesser conferences get in; that is why you don't want to be a lower-mid-pack team in a big conference. We must hope that the committee takes into consideration the fact that the team played without Wilkinson, our best attacker, for half the year. When she returned we became a demonstrably better team.
Next year, coach Pensky has a few challenges, as coaches do every year. First, he's got to replace centerback Allie Sirna, who has been a rock in the UT defense for four years. Her experience and instincts were invaluable--breaking up opposing attacks before they get started by reading passes--and filling her spot with the right player will be HUGE. UT's defense and back four were a strength this year, and the Vols will be losing two of their back four--right back Wade is also graduating. You don't want your defense to regress as a strong back four is essential in football.
The worry is that Pensky doesn't really have anyone with anywhere near the experience of Sirna, who I think played just about every minute of every game for four years! So finding a tough, athletic centerback who is good at reading the game will be massive. I wonder if Ferguson, who was playing midfield the last half or more of the year, should be tried at centerback or fullback. She is a workhorse with experience, and her qualities are more defensive than offensive.
Second, the attack has to be considerably better. Scoring was the big problem with this team this year. After Wilkinson got hurt, the Vols basically had almost nobody who could put the ball in the net--cost the team three or four games this year--and, really, one could argue that the team is too dependent on Wilkinson. Against Kentucky we had 4 shots on goal--ALL by Wilkinson! The team's default attack mode was to hoof the ball downfield and hope Wilkinson could win it, beat a defender 1v1 and shoot/score. That is fine but your attack has to be more than that.
How? The team certainly needs a good attacking midfielder--someone who can beat defenders and make runs down the middle of the field, and also play off of Wilkinson. The midfield has to be better. Baldwin was a big addition and will marshall this team for the next three years, and Christie is talented and a good server of the ball on set pieces, but we need more in the middle. UT has to become more creative in the attacking third. We were good with crosses--and Neal has a poacher's mentality but need more combination play. It was interesting to hear the expert SEC commentator in one of our tournament games say that Wilkinson should be playing in front of the net more instead of out wide, which makes sense given her size.
A. Parry is a good athlete who played forward/midfield most of the year. She seems to have good ball skills, too--but she was not productive at all when it came to shots and scoring. Four shots on goal for the YEAR. Not sure why but Vols need to get more from her. It was curious that McClung didn't play more than she did. She has size and is very strong on the ball, has a good shot, but down the stretch she was only playing about 35 minutes a game; the U.S. national team commentator in the SEC tournament noticed her qualities and said she should be playing more.
Generally, if you watch the elite women's soccer teams play, they are better in possession than UT, with better individual technical skills. They win a lot of 1v1 battles, are composed under pressure, pass and move. If you can't possess the ball, you are chasing the other team most of the game, defending too much, and you don't win too many games against good teams like that.
Overall this year's team was young, so with more experience and a strong freshmen class coming in, and a few redshirt freshmen, one has to be optimistic about next year's team--and the future. And with luck we may yet get into this year's NCAA--fingers crossed.
P.S. I am watching Fla. State play UVA, certainly two of the best teams in the country--probably two no. 1 seeds. Fla. State is physical and talented and has 7 international players (including a forward from Iceland who is tall and dangerous on headers.) UVA probably plays the best pure football in the college game-- and we played the Cavs to a one goal loss this year. Not bad.
