Saturday 10 April 2010

WEEKEND PREVIEW - SUNDAY 11th APRIL 2010

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                                                     Sun April 11th 2010  4 pm ET

This match looks on paper to be the most exciting player wise.  Marta, Camille Abily, Shannon Boxx and Aya Miyama are all from the disbanded Los Angeles Sol and who all were so dominant for them now play on opposite sides of the pitch.

Saint Louis Athletica come back with 9 players from last year but they have added experience during the off season. As well as Boxx and Miyama they also added Lindsey Tarpley from the Chicago Red Stars, former Gold Pride midfielder Tina DiMartino and Brazilian Elaine and Swedish striker Madelaine Edlund from Umea IK.
Elaine could slip into defence and Edlund should provide a scoring partnership with Athletica top striker Eniola Aluko. Captain Lori Chalupny has been plagued by symptoms from concussions and may be a question mark. Daniela who recently resigned is still out injured. GK Hope Solo will have to contend with a new defence in front of her.

FC Gold Pride look for another win again to start their season. Coach Montoya likes to play like Barcelona. He may get that wish with Marta and Abily in the ranks. Offensively the Pride have many options with Christine Sinclair for height and power and college #3 pick Kelly O’Hara with her 1 v 1 abilities joining Marta, but it will be in midfield and defence where they need to improve the most. Both area were very soft last season. To contend for the championship the likes of new team captain Rachel Buehler and Norwegian midfielder Sloveig Gulbrandsen  need to have a massive impact on the team.

The game will be a battle of the midfield. What midfield will come out on top and dominate the game? The one that does, their team will win the game.

Prediction - Home win for Saint Louis, just!








VS
                                                            Sun April 11th 2010 6pm ET

The two new expansion teams face off for their first match.  Who made up this schedule? Both cities have a deep history in women’s soccer and both will have incredible support from the fans of the cities.

Philadelphia have gone with experience for their first season. Most of their roster consists of players that have already played last year on other WPS teams or experienced internationals. In defense they have no1 GK Karina LeBlanc and top defenders Alison Falk and Heather Mitts. They have a WPS champion in Jennifer Buczkowski in the ranks, she having played a major part for Sky Blue in the playoffs. Midfield consist of Swedish captain Caroline Seger and Lori Lindsay who had a good first season with the Freedom. Up top England’s Lianne Sanderson is out to prove she is England’s no1 and Amy Rodriguez is looking to make a better impact than she did in Boston.
If Philly get to gel early they could be a very workmanlike team that will be difficult to beat and no team would like to play them.

Atlanta by contrast have gone for a very youthful team. Full of impact players that like to run with the ball and attack. The key to the Beat will be in midfield. They picked up good professional steady players in the offseason such as Angie Kerr and Amanda Cinalli from Saint Louis. No1 draft pick Tobin Heath will bring the fans in with her skills and 1v1 tricks and the likes of McCall Zerboni and Mami Yamaguchi can offer width and another attacking presence. If the midfield can get the ball to the forwards Atlanta may just be our favorite team to watch.
In the forward positions a clutch of internationals hold the key. Among them, young upstart Ramona Bachmann, who comes to Atlanta with a big reputation  and an abundance of talent . If given the chances and the service she will score goals. A natural goalscorer she is.

Expect Atlanta to come out fast with many attacking opportunities. Philly may stem the flow of the attacks and sneak one in. It will be interesting however with the contrast in styles.

Prediction - Home win. Philadelphia to overpower, eventually.


   

VS
                                          Sun April 11th 2010  6pm ET Live Fox Soccer Channel /Webcast


The first televised game opens with the defending  WPS champions at home. A thrilling match should occur as both teams have a point to prove. Sky Blue will be looking to show people that their win was not a undeserved or a fluke and the Red Stars need to show they can live up to the talent on the paper. Games are not played on paper.

Sky Blue come into the new season with yet another coach in Pauliina Miettinen from Finland. That’s how many now? What hasn’t changed is that many of the core players from last season are back. They have also added quality players in the offseason to push again for the playoffs. The Dutch captain Daphne Koster will slot into the back and star strikers Jessica Landstrom and Laura Kalmari will add  more attacking presence that was missing for many games last season. They will join a fit again Natasha Kai in the hunt for goals. In midfield the core of the team remains with Carli Lloyd coming in from Chicago replacing Collete McCallum to provide the service.

Chicago come in to the new season with a new mentality. Although they return with 9 players from last season, from the looks of it, it is an entirely new team. The team will still have the flair players of Cristiane, Megan Rapinoe and Karen Carney but they have added players with experience and steel to keep the squad ticking over. Kate Markgraf returns to organise the defence and probably the team. England’s midfielder Katie Chapman should provide a strong presence in midfield. Something that was not there last season. Up top Cristiane is fit and settled right from the start and Swedish starlet Kosovare Asllani and UNC star Casey Noguiera should provide a cutting edge.

Going from games from last season between these two teams, the games will be hard fought.

Prediction - Home win. The crowd behind them Sky Blue will be to strong for an improved Red Stars team.



                          

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