Who do you think will start?

Who do you think will be the opening game starters.

Oooooh... pre-season prognostications! Something we never enjoy doing here on Pilot Nation...

GK: Kelsey D. (unless she is not cleared to play yet)
D: Jessica T.
D: Michelle O.
D: Cloee C.
D: Megan S.
MF: Michelle E.
MF: Keelin W.
MF: Charney B.
MF: Elli R.
F: Sophie S.
F: Danielle F.

This was tougher than I had anticipated... it's possible that Elli could play on the back line and Kendra could start at the wing (with Megan S. going to the bench). But personally I think Elli is so good with the ball and is such an offensive threat that I like her more on the wing than on the back line. Though I guess it doesn't really matter - she'll make a big impact wherever she is. And I think at this point Sophie is entrenched at the forward spot.... she's just had so much success there, why try to put her back in the center midfield?

Same as Stonehouse, except Kendra replaces Megan. Elli moves to D (behind Michelle - wow), and Kendra at outside mid in front of Jessica (wow again). A healthy Kendra is too good - she has to be on the field. Megan and Kassie provide outstanding depth on D, and I can see Elli putting in substantial time at outside mid to give them playing time, especially when the opponents do NOT have the real speed on the outside that gives Megan trouble.

I think both of those lineups is a realistic possibility, as far as not starting Kendra, it might be nice to keep a player of her quality and pace to put on as a "super sub" of sorts to change the game. Then again with the talent on this team, whomever they have to sit is going to have that gamechinging quality off the bench. A pretty enviable tactical position for the coaching staff for sure...

Very good point - Megan or Kassie coming off the bench would not really be game-changers, whereas Kendra would be. If you start the best 11, though, Kendra will start.

Definitely agreed, I think you are going to see a lot of minor lineup tweaks throughout the season depending on the strengths and weaknesses of the opposition... I don't know, I think tactically I like having a really strong attacking player on the bench just to bring in and add a new wrinkle to the attack mid-game

Has anyone heard anything about Kassi's fitness after her back injury?

If she is unable to come off the bench I think that is a bit of depth that hurts more than it seems on the surface.

You guys who have seen the team in practice a little - I wonder if any of the new players could be instant offense off the bench?

Kendall Johnson could be an x-factor, natural lefty with a lot of intangibles.

In regards to Kendall though, not sure if it is calculated or not, but you have to be pretty confident to take #3 immediately after the departure of one of the all-time fan favorites. Especially since she wore #5 in HS.

In my mind the big question is who will be playing offensive center mid in front of Keelin. Every other position has several options but this will be a key position and may take sometime to find the right mix in the midfield.

Wouldn't be to surprised to see Sophie here, she has good field vision, holds the ball well, distributes well, and can drive into the box when the opportunity presents itself.

I would imagine we'll see Charney there. Wouldn't be shocked however to see something along the lines of: Keelin at Attacking CM MO at Holding Mid, and then Chloee and Kassi in the back at some point this season.

PilotPoser wrote:In my mind the big question is who will be playing offensive center mid in front of Keelin. Every other position has several options but this will be a key position and may take sometime to find the right mix in the midfield.

Wouldn't be to surprised to see Sophie here, she has good field vision, holds the ball well, distributes well, and can drive into the box when the opportunity presents itself.

from what I saw of Kendall, she could fill that roll. I also think you will see a lot of Taylor. She looked really good at outside defender the couple of times I saw her there. She was very poised, a good passer, and fearless. There are all kids of possibilities to think about. Molly may see some time in the middle of the defense. I didn't see enough of Elinor to comment.

I'd kind of like to see Sophie in the middle with Michelle and Danielle up front. That would leave probably Kendra and Elli (or maybe Kendall) on the wings. But Charney sure deserves to play; she's one of the best in the country.

I hear you on the Sophie thing, but... she hasn't played anything but forward for two years now and is listed on the official roster as an 'F' only. I really think she's only going to see minutes up front.

I think the likely central mids are Charney and Keelin, though I supposed Charney could bump out wide and Keelin and someone else (Johnson? Olivier? Jackman?) could play in the middle.

I have to agree with Harryb and Pilotposer. I would like to see Michelle E. up front with Danielle with Sophie as an attacking Mid. I know Sophie has played 2 years at forward for the Pilots, however, she still plays mid for Canada so I'm sure she hasn't forgotten how to play the position. You have to see her play that position to realize how dominating she is at mid.The rest of my lineup is Davis at goal, Sweeney, Cloee, Michelle O. and Reed on the back line with Tsao, Winters and Chandhoke filling the midfield slots with Schmidt.

Stonehouse wrote:I hear you on the Sophie thing, but... she hasn't played anything but forward for two years now and is listed on the official roster as an 'F' only. I really think she's only going to see minutes up front.

I think the likely central mids are Charney and Keelin, though I supposed Charney could bump out wide and Keelin and someone else (Johnson? Olivier? Jackman?) could play in the middle.

If Kassi comes back early you could see Olivier as Holding mid and Keelin as AM again. That worked pretty well when Keelin was in town last year.

There are just so many good players this year I think we'll see players coming in and out more than any time in the past. I agree you have to find a place for Charney, and Sweeney, and Brooke, and Kreminski, (add rest of roster).....

The big unknown is (knock on wood) staying injury free. That was the one big thing we had in both 2002 and 2005.

My guess:

Hailee (because Kelsey is just out of the wire); Jessica, Michelle O, Cloee, Elli; Keelin (holding mid), Kendra and Michelle E (wide mids); Charney (point of the diamond); Danielle and Sophie.

If Sophie is not ready to play (I'd heard from some folks that she was not playing in the scrimmages) then I'd guess that Megan S could be left back, Elli at wide mid, and Michelle E up front.

We might have more intel on who's fit etc. after Wednesday's season ticket event.

I like Sophie at forward because she can hold the ball up; might not be a bid deal against Loyola Marymount but is against top teams.

I like the speed of Kendra and Michelle E from wide; and the touch of Charney in the hole.

With Jessica and Elli outside backs you have a team than can switch to 2-4-4 veery quickly on offense; or to ut it another way, you can have lots of players going forward on offense, and lots coming back on defense.

Do you think we might see the whole second string starting some games as a unit? I think they could beat most of the teams we play this year. That way the starting line up could get a rest, particularly on weekends with two games and it might provide more cohesion than just putting in a few with the reg starting unit?

Haha so full hockey style line shifts?? Maybe we should start thinking about one of those 30+ player rosters to have three full shirts a game...

DaTruRochin wrote:Haha so full hockey style line shifts?? Maybe we should start thinking about one of those 30+ player rosters to have three full shirts a game...

Even though that's what UNC has done for decades, I somehow don't see Garrett going to that style.

I happened to be on the Bluff yesterday morning, to interview a Pilots staff person on my specialty topic, and it turned out the women were practicing. All of them were playing except for Kassi, who was running laps. So, my guess is she isn't going to be playing for a while. I'm guessing Sophie is ready to go, and presumably so is everyone else. Kelsey and Hailee were working separately with Bill Irwin and were talking, so I couldn't tell how Kelsey is doing but she was in her soccer gear so I'm guessing she's either ready or close to ready.

The Trib article confirmed something I'd also understood from one of the parents we saw when we were out for one of the Wednesday scrimmages, which is that the players have been working really hard on strength and conditioning, all summer. I seem to recall the same thing happening the summer of '05.

If you want to see the impact of the weight room work and off-season conditioning check out Elli Reed. She looks bigger and stronger than last season: her upper body - shoulders and arms - show that she has been working out.

Less likely to get knocked off the ball and able to tackle hard and bounce right back up again.

I remember in 2005 the players said that they knew that they needed to be tough enough to play physically and last through a whole season.

I remember that too, Harry. I seem to remember the team deciding they weren't going to be outfouled as they had been in 2004. Great to hear that they have the same thinking for 2009!

In regard to starters...my hunch is that there probably won't be any set group until at least sometime in October. Besides a starting line-up that I suspect will be pretty fluid, I also see some players switching positions from game to game.

In regards to Kendall though, not sure if it is calculated or not, but you have to be pretty confident to take #3 immediately after the departure of one of the all-time fan favorites. Especially since she wore #5 in HS

Most of the time, Pilot freshman don't have any control over what number they get. Most of the time, anyway. I do know some players in the past were assigned one number as freshman and switched to another midway through their careers.