which new frosh are you most interested in seeing??

So who the heck is No 24, Kylie Leffler, from Newberg High? http://www.portlandpilots.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=2153&path=wsoc I don't recall haring anything about this recruit, but there she is on the UP roster.

I think she signed after the class was announced. Center mid in prep, I was told.

She didn't play the first practice. Somebody said she had some sort of health issue they need to sort out before she plays.

She was injured as a junior, I think, which is probably why she wasn't on the radar much.

I am a little surprised to see Michelle Cruz listed as a MF: thought she was a F?

Makes the question of who starts up front with Dani wide open.

The first I heard of her, she was listed as a center mid and I figured that's the spot she would compete for here. I think at the youth level, most kids we recruit can do both.

From what I saw at first practice, that job is Sophie's unless things get dire. Certainly we will have to groom somebody for when Sophie leaves for the Gold Cup. I found Garrett's comment in one of the interviews that we may have to attack with more players with Michelle gone interesting.

Let's not forget Halley scored 10 last year in part time duty. That was fourth last year and third among returning players. She will be there opening day.

Midfield is going to be interesting.

Assume that Kendall and/or Elli are wide left and Keelin and Sophie are up the middle. Kendra is not ready to play? which leaves a lot of players competing for the right side: Taylor, Sara J, and the freshmen: Michelle C, Sarah B, Ellen P, Kylie L. Added to which Sophie will be gone for WC in October so opportunity for PT then.

Pilots have looked for pace on the outside and strength and control up the middle. Not sure which of the midfielders fits the profile for wide role best. Taylor certainly had some good moments and will be a strong candidate for the start if she shows improvement over last year which many Sophs do.

I was among the naysayers last year who felt with Dani and Halley up front there wasn't a player with exceptional speed on the front line. I thought that speed on the front line was what the team really needed. Those two proved that hypothesis to be faulty. While I still like to watch a speed merchant up front, the team was well served by two players with skill and determination. It seems likely that they will be the starters.

I'm still not convinced that Hallie and Dani is the winning combination.

Having said that, HK clearly improved significantly year over year and looked more confident and skillful, she plays with great effort and determination, and she has the size to be a good target. UP plays more to feet and keeping possession so size is not as much a factor as it would be with a long ball team.

In the playoffs Pilots will need to players up front with the touch and finesse to make space and finish and create chances for others.

I think its an open question who that will be. Could be Hallie or could be one of the new players: or could be Sophie or Kendall moved up.

Another topic of interest as the season unfolds.

I wonder if Garrett is giving any thought to moving toward a 4-3-3. I think I remember that they used something like this with Christine, putting her in the middle with two speedy wings outside, then two playmakers in front of the holding midfielder. I could see Danielle in the middle role as the finisher and it seems like we'd have a fair number of excellent candidates for the wing and playmaker roles.

Any thoughts on this from you coaching types out there?

SoreKnees wrote:I wonder if Garrett is giving any thought to moving toward a 4-3-3. I think I remember that they used something like this with Christine, putting her in the middle with two speedy wings outside, then two playmakers in front of the holding midfielder. I could see Danielle in the middle role as the finisher and it seems like we'd have a fair number of excellent candidates for the wing and playmaker roles.

Any thoughts on this from you coaching types out there?

From what I remember of that 4-3-3 it was in Christine's sophomore or junior year and the players then weren't comfortable with it.

They moved back to a diamond 4-4-2 part way through the season, hopped it up a bit, and played a lot better. By 2005, there wasn't even a consideration of leaving the diamond 4-4-2. The only thing I have seen is ways to get more players forward in that system, first with one fullback pushing forward ( on the left) then with both going forward. Last year we even saw the central defenders in the mix with them in the box on offensive runs. I think Cloee particularly will get the green light if people don't play her honestly. Garrett made a point in an interview that we will need to get more people forward to make up for the loss of Michelle. That might be a way.

I have noticed that in the last couple of years UP drops into a side-by-side 4-4-2 that really clogs the middle up when they have a lead. Whether it's intentional or just following the flow of the game I don't know, but we certainly have the personnel for it.

I like the 4-4-2 with a diamond and it works well for UP with Keelin a natural in the holding mid spot. Also allows for wide mids and outside defenders to get forward a lot. Michelle O and Cloee are both good on the ball which is a huge help offensively.

Spain just won the (men's) world cup with a 4-5-1 or perhaps more accurately a 4-2-3-1. Sophie and Keelin are perfect in the Xavi Alonso and Busquets defensive mid roles: Dani is David Villa: all we need now are the Xavi and Iniesta players. But then most teams in the world are looking for that. All kidding aside UP does play that skillful possession style with Kendall, and two from Ellen Parker and Taylor Brooke and Sarah Bridges and Michelle Cruz and Kendra maybe in the threesome behind Dani.

purplehaze,
As for who is kylie leffler. i read, i think in a link somewhere on this board that she is a walk on to u of p. geezaldinho said she had some sort of health issue this year an was injured her junior year of h.s.
I don't think u of p would let just anybody walk on to their program. she must have some kind of talent that even the most informed of those here might not know about.

She played for FC Portland so is well-known to the coaches.

Pilots have 8 FC Portland players on the roster.

A little searching on Kylie Leffler reveals that she was a valedictorian (1 of 7). She was also a first-team league all-star her freshman year (1 of 2 frosh). She appears to be a good defender and passer as seen in a video at http://www.skillshow.com/Skillshow/ViewExtIncludes/SearchResult.cfm?searchathletes=10690Le

Has anyone been to practice and watched?

Psychotic wrote:Has anyone been to practice and watched?

Yes, I saw them scrimmaging for 15 minutes or so on Monday. I don't know the new players by face yet, and a couple of the frosh were wearing the practice vests that covered up their numbers, so I was not always sure who I was watching. Sarah, Micaela and Michelle looked solid but not spectacular. Nichole's defenders did a pretty good job not exposing her; the one punch-out she had was rather weak. Amanda, Ellen, Kylie and Erin (GK) did not scrimmage--all appeared to be injured to some extent (as did veterans Hailee and Kendra).

Kendall was a real tiger out there.