who replaces michelle?

[fozziewozzie]

i think we are all in agreement that michelle is lost to us for the playoffs. an also i think we all pretty much assume that halley is going to be her replacement. my question is, is halley the replacement??
i've been thinking about line ups, an i hope by now you all know i am a biiiiig halley fan. that said, im thinking we might be more dangerous if we put kendall up top an insert taylor brook an left mid. i think i said earlier that kendall is more dynamic up top an i truly love taylor's burst at the left mid.
my other idea is to move kendall up top with dani, move ellie to left mid an an swing megan s over to left back. the question is, who do we move into the center back?? clohee, cassie, kristen??
what do you all think??

go pilots!!

[mattywizz]

Well, the one game I saw in person this year Halley scored a hat trick...all with her head. So you certainly can do worse than that. As for any other possible scenarios I will defer to those who have seen more than two games this year.

[SoreKnees]

I was thinking the same thing. Michelle is irreplaceable, period. But the qualitative aspect we will most miss is speed and creativity with the ball. I think Kendall has shown a bit of that this year and might be a good complement for Danielle up top.

If ... IF ... all the defenders are healthy, then it seems like moving Elli up and Megan outside is obvious. Given Megan's stature, she is probably more natural at outside back than in the middle anyway, so it makes sense to move her out.

Another thought I had was to put Kendra up top. She played a lot of forward as a freshmen before getting hurt and has the speed and skill to get the job done. As with Kendall, Elli or Taylor can move in at the outside mid slot.

Charney should also get some consideration here, but I'm not sure she fits as well. If Sophie moved back up front then Charney might be the sub in at attacking mid.

I just wish we didn't have to think about these things! Darn it!

[UPSoccerFanatic]

My immediate thought was, and continues to be, that Kendra moves up front in Michelle's position. Charney moves into right mid in Kendra's position. This lets the Pilots play the same tactical style they have been playing for the last half of the season. In other words, it's the most similar to what they've been doing, which I think is important at this point. Charney has played a lot of right mid for the team; and Kendra, in addition to her frosh year, has a previous entire career as a striker. Plus, Kendra is playing brilliant soccer.

[jc]

When I visualize Michelle's injury I feel a sort of sickness, so I don't like to think about it or ponder the consequences, for her or for the team. But it seems to me that the most likely replacement for her will be Halley, and I'm fine with that. Some of the speculations above make some sense, but I think Garrett will be careful not to make many changes that move players out of positions they have been in for most of this year. If someone is to be shifted around it might well be Sophie back to forward, where she played most of last year and some earlier this year, as I recall, with Charney at attacking mid.

[fwill]

I've been thinking about this, too, especially after watching last Friday's game. Seems to me that Charney would be a good fit on the front line, rather than Halley, because Charney has good speed, fantastic ball control, and clean passing, which are all the same attributes that Enyeart has. In other words, Enyeart's strength is her ability to set up plays as well as capitalize on them. Halley, on the other hand, doesn't seem very good at creating plays, just receiving them. We need a play maker in the front to set up Foxhoven, but who also can receive the crosses. Besides, Schmidt is so incredibly solid in holding the midfield that it would be a shame to move her to the front again. She and Winters make a dynamic and powerful midfield - probably the best in the country.

[pms275]

My hunch is that things will switch off from game to game in the early rounds between Halley and Sophie up front until the Pilots know what is going to be most effective.

[fan from afar]

I also would love to see Kendra at attacker, but I agree with JC about making too many changes this late. Plus, Kendra brings so much to the table at outside mid. I don't think I remember seeing Charney at all as an attacker. Halley at attacker probably makes the most sense, although it would definitely be better to have more speed there. I also thought Kendell looked good there earlier in the year.

[Harry Redknapp]

Huge question is whether Cloee can play or not. For me, that is the basis for answering this question.

If Cloee can play, then you revert to the starting defense at the beginning of the season and play MO and Cloee in the middle, move Megan to left de, move Elli to outside mid and move Kendall or Kendra upfront. Kendra came to UP as a forward. Either she or Kendall is the more similar to ME. Haliie has come on a lot this year, but she is a very different player.

If Cloee cannot play, then there are several options.

1. Kristen Kelly comes back in alongside MO and the same deal as above.

2. No change to defense from the USD game. Hallie comes in at forward.

3. No change to defense. Kendall or Kendra moves forward. Taylor or Charney comes in at wide mid.

4. No change to defense. Sophie moves back up front. Charney in at point of diamond. Earlier in the season this would have been my pick but I've become a believer in Sophie in midfield.

My guess. Cloee is not able to play: Sophie stays in midfield because she and Keelin are rock solid. Kendra moves up and Charney plays wide right. It's the least disruptive and there is not a lot of game time to get used to changes. Maybe the Friday game.

I trust Garrett and the team to figure it out. And I say "and the team" because it was Sophie and ME who asked Garrett to switch them.

[ShipstadPilot11]

I agree that "Garrett and the team" will work this out. I sure that a lot of thought is being put into it and I know that, come Friday, this team will be playing with the knowledge that they are the best they can be and that they are there to win. That's all any fan can ask.

[Geezaldinho]

In the early rounds we could put the Pilot for a Day out there and still win.

We have time to figure it out. let's just enjoy seeing how they do it.

[the20pointmay]

Our best football is played from the back, as long as the healthiest center backs are on the pitch and Jess an Elle are free to create havoc on the outside, we should be able to maintain our offensive output with the best finisher in the nation on our side (as long we we can get some good movement on the ball from Charney to replace Miche's presence).

[Geezaldinho]

Well, the one game I saw in person this year Halley scored a hat trick...all with her head. So you certainly can do worse than that. As for any other possible scenarios I will defer to those who have seen more than two games this year.

Makes it sound like she's a big pumpkin head with a target painted on it.

add two with her feet

[fwill]

I love watching highlights - thanks!

[MonkeyFan]

Geez wrote:

"In the early rounds we could put the Pilot for a Day out there and still win.
We have time to figure it out. let's just enjoy seeing how they do it."

We started by moving Sophie up top with Charney in at Mid. Then Sophie moved back and Hallie came in up top. Taylor has played increased minutes and the back has shuffled more than during the season. It seems to me that all of the afformentioned worked at times in the first two rounds. So are we able to answer the question "who replaces Michelle" yet? It seems to me the "time to figure it out" has now run out. I can not wait to see how they play it on Friday. Any thoughts?

[UPSoccerFanatic]

Maybe here's a way to look at it:

Of the quality opponents the Pilots played this year, here are the numbers of goals against and goals for for those teams during the regular season this year:

Cal Against 15 -- For 31
Illinois 27 -- 28
Miami 23 -- 20
Oregon 32 -- 27
Oregon State 19 -- 30
San Diego 25 -- 32
Santa Clara 18 -- 31
Texas A&M 23 -- 46
Washington 15 -- 31
Washington State 18 -- 41

Virginia Tech has given up 31 goals and scored 44. So, compared to the Pilots' quality opponents, VT's defense is one of the poorest and their offense is one of the best.

That suggests to me that the Pilots will be able to score goals but will have to defend well. I think that means Sophie plays attacking mid, where she can do more defending work than at forward. Looking at the alignments from last weekend, it looks like it means Hallie at forward. Beyond that, I think we see the same starting lineup with the possible exception of the two central defenders. Regarding those two, given the rotation we saw last weekend, I won't even try to guess.

[onetouchfutbol]

Maybe here's a way to look at it:

Of the quality opponents the Pilots played this year, here are the numbers of goals against and goals for for those teams during the regular season this year:

Cal Against 15 -- For 31
Illinois 27 -- 28
Miami 23 -- 20
Oregon 32 -- 27
Oregon State 19 -- 30
San Diego 25 -- 32
Santa Clara 18 -- 31
Texas A&M 23 -- 46
Washington 15 -- 31
Washington State 18 -- 41

Virginia Tech has given up 31 goals and scored 44. So, compared to the Pilots' quality opponents, VT's defense is one of the poorest and their offense is one of the best.

That suggests to me that the Pilots will be able to score goals but will have to defend well. I think that means Sophie plays attacking mid, where she can do more defending work than at forward. Looking at the alignments from last weekend, it looks like it means Hallie at forward. Beyond that, I think we see the same starting lineup with the possible exception of the two central defenders. Regarding those two, given the rotation we saw last weekend, I won't even try to guess.

IMO this is very simplistic analysis. VT probably played a tougher schedule than we did. A goal scored by UNC is not the same as a goal scored by Gonzaga. I would still expect them to have a quality defense because they have many quality wins. That's how they earned their seed in the tourney.

Also, this is a late round game. We cannot assume that goals will come easy. I think this is likely to go beyond regulation...

[fan from afar]

As long as we're predicting - Pilots 2 VT 0, same starting lineup, same rotation with central defenders, Hallie replacing Charney if we need a goal.

[Harry Redknapp]

I agree with the thinking that Garrett will keep the same line up, with Hallie and Taylor coming off the bench.

I'd like to see Michelle O in there for 90 minutes unless the game is in hand, but Garrett has a tendency to stick to the same plan.

Having said that he pulled Megan off in the last game and that hasn't happened before bench clearing time before.

[UPSoccerFanatic]

Maybe here's a way to look at it:

....

That suggests to me that the Pilots will be able to score goals but will have to defend well. I think that means Sophie plays attacking mid, where she can do more defending work than at forward. Looking at the alignments from last weekend, it looks like it means Hallie at forward. Beyond that, I think we see the same starting lineup with the possible exception of the two central defenders. Regarding those two, given the rotation we saw last weekend, I won't even try to guess.

IMO this is very simplistic analysis. VT probably played a tougher schedule than we did. A goal scored by UNC is not the same as a goal scored by Gonzaga. I would still expect them to have a quality defense because they have many quality wins. That's how they earned their seed in the tourney.

Also, this is a late round game. We cannot assume that goals will come easy. I think this is likely to go beyond regulation...

You could be right, it's simplistic. So, let's look at VT's ACC record, but take out the Clemson and NC State games and the Tournament first round game against Murray State. This leaves all the other ACC teams plus Dayton (Tournament second round), a total of 11 games:

Goals for: 16
Goals against: 18

This being an NCAA Tournament round of 16 game definitely is different. However, the numbers say something. They score goals, but they give up goals. My point was, defense by the Pilots is the key in this game.

[fozziewozzie]

harryb said
Having said that he pulled Megan off in the last game and that hasn't happened before bench clearing time before.

i wouldnt be too concerned about garrett sub'g out megan against uw. he re-inserted her later in the game an that is when m.o. came out of the game.
it seems that garrett trusts three center d backs [providing we think clohee is red-shirting], megan, m.o., an kassie. i'll take any combo of them anytime!!

[Poopdeck Pappy]

It's hard to question Garrett's decisions regarding subs. He subs in Taylor in the Denver game and she gets a goal and an assist. He subs in Halley in the UW game and she gets both goals. He's either lucky or good!

[fozziewozzie]

garrett know his players like clive did. all they can do is prepare them, once the game begins, its up to the players.