WPS Week 7 Review

Wambach continues to be a strong offensive presence. She leads the league with 7 assists, and is still on form, as she scored a goal for the Freedom, upping her tally to 3 goals so far in her league campaign.


It was a good weekend for WPS, that once again brought some good match-ups, and even a few surprises.

Saturday saw 2 anticipated matches, the first being Sky Blue FC vs. Boston Breakers; the Eastern Derby. Boston had never won a match against Sky Blue FC in the inaugural 2009 season, as they tied them once, and lost on 3 occasions. Boston would not break that record however on Saturday, as the 2 eastern teams would fight to a 0-0 deadlock. However, the score was definitely not representative of how the game was played. The match was very back-and-forth, with both teams having to defend and attack constantly. There were quite a few opportunities to score from both sides, but no one would capitalize. Bardsley made a few saves on the night, continuing with her excellent form, and still doing well once again for Sky Blue. This game also marked the return of striker Tasha Kai, who was out for a few weeks due to a hamstring injury. Having Kai back should help spur Sky Blue's offensive efforts substantially from here on in. Sky Blue will also be seeing the return of a few other injured players, such as Lloyd and Branam. Also, Rampone, who was out due to a pregnancy, will be back on the field very soon.

Boston still seems to be having trouble scoring, and Sky Blue is in that same boat. The reason this game ended the way it did, in a 0-0 tie, is because neither team could capitalize on some rather golden opportunities. Both teams had 1 on 1 chances with the opposing keeper, one time it was O'Reilly for Sky Blue, and another time it was Cheney for Boston, but neither could put it away. Although both teams had excellent chances in the opposing team's final 3rd, no one could slot one home. The reality of scoring problems has become even more evident for these teams as the season has progressed, and they have to work on it. It'll be crucial to them later on. When they play tough teams like Washington and Philadelphia, who do know how to score, that kind of problem will hurt them big time. Sky Blue is better off, as they are 4th place in the standings and are holding onto that place for dear life, as they continue to win by and inch, or tie with other teams. Boston however has started to fall down in the standings. They are in 5th place, tied with chicago Red Stars, who has been one of the sub-par teams this season. Boston better pick it up if they want to set themselves up the right way. If both teams want to stay in it, they have to start scoring goals. In soccer, you can't win unless you score goals.



The next Saturday match-up was the Chicago Red Stars vs. FC Gold Pride, and it was a big surprise. Chicago won 1-0 against FCGP, with a goal from Asllani, all the while keeping a clean sheet against FCGP who is currently the number one team in the standings. The Red Stars, who were the clear underdogs in the match, became only the second team this season to shut-out FCGP. In the 18th it looked like FCGP would get the first strike when Sinclair put the ball in the net, only to be whistled for the foul against Loyden. Later in the match, just after half-time, Asllani would put it home for the Red Stars. FCGP looked dangerous towards the end of the match, but the Red stars' defense held steady as they kept FCGP from scoring.

This was the biggest surprise of the weekend, and possibly so far this season. FCGP looked the sure winners going into this match. Their squad is a formidable one, especially in the offense. With players like Sinclair, who is always expected to score, along with Marta, and excellent player who was coming off a great match in which she scored 2 goals, they looked great going into this match. With an offense like FCGP's, any team would be expected to win, however, Chicago, who had a change of coach, beat the odds and held the Pride's offense at bay. They also did something else that was quite surprising. They scored, and won a match. There are signs of a great team in Chicago, but if they want that side of them to show face, they need to do what they did against the current best in the league. They need to score goals, and concede as little as possible, and they need to start doing it more often. Could their win be a result of having a new coach....or is it just a coincidence? Regardless of the influence of these circumstances, Chicago still won. Maybe the change in coach was a good thing. We shall see if this success is permanent or at least common. If so, the change might have been good to move Chicago forward. As for FCGP, anybody can have a bad game, and anybody can lose one, but they might want to take this as a lesson: Don't get too complacent.



The Sunday match, which was the final match of Week 8, featured Washington Freedom vs. Philadelphia Independence. The Freedom would win 2-1, but it was no easy feat. Philadelphia has been rock solid all season, holding their own, showing that even though they are a "new" expansion team, they will pull no punches, and will show that they mean business. Its exactly what they've done, as they have steadied themselves in the top of the league table, currently in 3rd place. The Independence won their first match against Washington this season, 3-1, which was a rather embarrassing defeat for the Freedom. They didn't want this loss to go unanswered, and they did exactly what they intended to do, on Sunday. Washington won against Philadelphia 2-1. The Freedom landed the first strike as Moros had a bit of a give and go with Welsh near the flank, then proceeded into the 18 yard box, where she sent it past a defender and against the far post, where it rebounded off and into the net. The next goal would come a little later, as Bompastor was fouled in the 18. The ref pointed to the spot, and Wambach stepped up to take the penalty. Wambach coolly put it away, putting it into the bottom right, as Henderson went left. The game was actually quite physical. Possession would fluctuate between opposing teams frequently during the match, and both teams would have opportunities. But, like I said, the game seemed rather physical, and it culminated towards the end of the match, around the 86th minute. Seger would challenge Huffman for the ball. Huffman put more pressure, and Seger, who was clearly frustrated, pushed Huffman off of her violently, hitting her in the face. Seger protested verbally against the referee rather violently, and exchanged words with an angered Wambach. After this, Ted Unkel issued Seger a direct red card, and she was sent off. Philly would end up scoring one goal, but it was a fluke. McLeod underestimated a ball coming in, and didn't quite get her hand around it. She dropped it, and as it went loose, Sanderson was there to take advantage of the mistake, and put it home for Philly. The score would stay 2-1, and Washington would walk away with yet another win.

This game was a tough one to call going in, as both teams were doing rather well, and haven't necessarily had problems scoring. Washington had the drive to win and get "revenge" so to speak, and did what they had to in order to get the win. It looks like Washington is one of, if not the strongest team in the league right now, up there with FC Gold Pride. Its no surprise that both these teams have heavy-hitting offense. Next week should be extremely interesting, as the top 2 teams, Washington and FCGP, will go head to head for first place. Both of these teams are home to top scorers, and these teams have a history of high-scoring games when they've met. FCGP will defend their perch atop the league standings, while Washington will be fighting to knock them down and take first place. As for Philadelphia, its one loss, they need to keep going as they have been. If they keep working hard the wins will keep coming. I'm sure they'll be working even harder now, so that when they meet Washington again, and even the other teams, they'll have gained more experience, and will be prepared to put up an even better fight.


Well, that's all for the WPS Week 7 Review! Hope you enjoyed the run down of this week's events!


Denise

The Matildas Reign Supreme in the AFC

The Matildas are the Champions of the Asian Cup, after fighting through adverse conditions for their entire campaign, which culminated in a down to the wire match against Korea DPR, where they won 5-4 in a nerve-wracking penalty shoot-out.


It was a special day for the Matildas, as they won their first Asian Cup title. They played against Korea DPR on a rainy, bogged down pitch, and fought through a full 120 minutes, and eventually triumphed due to superior nerve, as they edged out the Koreans 5-4 in a penalty shoot-out. In regular time, the Aussies landed the first strike in the 19th minute, as Kerr notched a goal, but the game was far from won. The Koreans would equalize late in the 2nd half, with a goal from Jo Yun-Mi, in the 73rd minute. Both teams fought on past extra time, and after the 120th, what was about to come was inevitable. A penalty shoot-out would be the only way to settle it. The Socceroos were perfect in their tally, as they would convert all 5 from the spot. The Koreans would go out as Yun Song-Mi would miss her penalty.

This win is important for the Matildas, who will be going to the World Cup in 2011. Winning their first Asian Cup and being the number one team in the AFC should give them a lot of confidence, and a great momentum going in.

As for the 3rd place spot, Japan downed China in a 2-0 win, with a goal from Kozue Ando in the 18th, and another from Homare Sawa in the 62nd. This means that Japan, being the 3rd best team in the Asian Cup, have gained the 3rd and final qualification spot for the 2011 World Cup in Germany.

And that's all she wrote! The Matildas played with tons of heart, especially having to deal with adverse conditions the whole way. They lost star strikers Lisa DeVanna and Sarah Walsh during the tournament, and then braved a rainy pitch, a long, hard-fought game, and finally, nerve-wracking penalties to go on and win their first Asian Cup title. Seriously, hats off to the Aussies! The Koreans come up short as runner-ups, nonetheless clinching a spot in the World Cup, as did the Japanese, who won over 3rd place in the tournament, and the rights to travel to Germany in 2011.

The Asian Cup concludes, but a new challenge arises for Australia, Korea DPR and China, a challenge that awaits them next year in Germany.


Denise

Another One Bites The Dust

The St.Louis Athletica, one of the original 7 WPS Teams, has been discontinued due to financial problems.

Yesterday was a sad day in WPS history, as yet another team franchise has been discontinued. This time it was the St.Louis Athletica, one of the original 7 WPS teams. St.Louis had received many players from the LA Sol, the first team that had been discontinued during the off-season, and now, like the Sol, they are also going to disappear from the league. The Athletica had known of a financial danger about 2 weeks prior to its shutting down, but after reviewing options, they found that the St.Louis Athletica would not be able to survive, and the owners canceled all operations. The WPS is now back down to 7 teams, the original number the league started with in its 2009 inaugural season. The schedule will be adjusted for a 7 team league format. All of St.Louis' players have become free agents, and are free to sign with any other WPS team. The players will still be able to participate in the All-Star match, if they sign with a team by June 11.

The discontinuation of teams has become a scary reality for the WPS. There have already been 2 teams discontinued due to financial issues. I'm sure this doesn't sit well with any WPS fan, because I know that I feel pretty uncomfortable right now with how the future looks. I seriously hope the state of things improve. It makes me genuinely upset to hear information about anything bad happening in the league, especially the shutting down of a team franchise. I seriously hope this doesn't happen anymore, to any WPS team, and especially not the league itself. I'm afraid that this might be a repeat of the WUSA, where the league will last for a few years, and then collapse. I love this league very much, and I hate to see these kinds of things happen. This is a great league, that gives women's soccer players the opportunities that they deserve, and it also allows its loyal fans to follow women's soccer on a league level. I wish the WPS much success, and for them to experience this success for many years to come. We need to do all we can to ensure that the league we love sticks around. Whether its going to a game, buying a jersey, spreading the word about WPS through blogs and other media, or just being a loyal fan, we need to do everything in our power to make sure the WPS is not a repeat of the WUSA. I love the WPS too much to see it go down. Its an excellent league that is representing women's soccer and its players here in the United States. Women's soccer has grown since the '99 World Cup, and is continuing its growth. Today, it is filled with new talent and new personality. I think I speak for every fan when I say women's soccer is something special. Our players are humble, grounded, and passionate, and deserve much more support than they get. These players always stay true to their roots, and never let the fame and title of being a professional athlete go to their heads. Instead, they stay humble and loyal to their fans, and play their hearts out every time they step onto the field. I have been a fan of men's and women's soccer, and I can honestly say, I have never felt the kind of respect and personal attachment for men's soccer, that I have for women's soccer. In men's soccer, the players seem more distant, and the barrier between fan and player is practically visible. There are way too many egos in men's soccer, and when it comes down to it, its almost always about the money. The players are not as interactive with the fans either. Its a much different atmosphere for women's soccer. The players in women's soccer are selfless to a fault, and play incredibly hard every game, even though they receive a pittance compared to what the men's players receive. In women's soccer, it really isn't about the money at all. I feel closer and more attached to the players as well, as they truly appreciate the fans and interact much more with them. These women play with immense passion for the sport they love, and for their fans, and yet they get paid less, and do not have nearly as much support as they deserve. The difference between men's soccer and women's soccer can best be explained with an analogy me and my friend always use: Men's Soccer is like a huge corporation. Less personal, much bigger, more robotic, and the fans feel more disposable. Women's soccer is like the small, modest, privately owned family business. The owners work hard everyday,and truly appreciate their loyal customers. Its more of a close-knit bond between owner and customer, a business where things are much more personal.

Hope you enjoyed my little rant about why women's soccer is almost inexplicably unique. Every time I try to describe that special "something" I can never find the right words. I tried, and I think I did a fair job. All in all, women's soccer is something very special to its fans, and we don't want to see the sport take another step back. We need to move forward, and I hope the WPS does too, for many many years to come. These players deserve it, and we need to give them tons of support. They're good to us fans, and now we should give back to them, by helping support the further growth of women's soccer, and by making sure the WPS doesn't go under.

Here's to the prosperous future of the WPS, and women's soccer in general.

Denise

Who in the AFC will qualify for the 2011 World Cup?

Australia, Korea DPR, Japan, and China will all have the chance to qualify for the Women's World Cup in 2011.


As the Asian Cup concludes on May 30th, we will find out who is on the road to Germany in 2011.

The top 3 teams in the Asian Cup tournament qualify for the World Cup, which means the winners, runner-ups, and third place winners will be on the road to Germany in 2011. Technically, 2 of the teams have already qualified. Since Korea DPR and Australia are in the final, one will be the winner, and the other will be runner-up, meaning the first and second place team spots will be taken up. Since the third place spot needs to be fought for in the third place match, its still up in the air as to who will be the final team to gain the privilege of being in the World Cup, come 2011. The third place match will be played by Japan and China. It can go either way, as both teams have had a good overall tournament thus far. However, only one team can gain third place, along with the rights to be in the World Cup that comes with it.

Both the Final and the 3rd place match will be played on May 30th. On that day, we'll find out who'll be packing their bags and heading to Germany in 2011, and who will have to go home.


Denise

Injury Report: Australia and The Washington Freedom Have a Woman Down.

DeVanna will be out for 3 months due to an injury sustained in Australia's match against China, in which they lost 1-0.

The Asian Cup has been underway, and the Matildas of course are in on the action, as they are part of the AFC. Australia's campaign has been going fairly well so far, as they've already notched 2 wins, the first against Vietnam in which the result was 2-0, and another win against Korea Republic, the result being 3-1. However, their campaign has taken a sudden turn for the worse. Australia lost 1-0 to China on the 23rd, but the match isn't the only thing they lost. They also lost star striker DeVanna, who had already notched a goal in the competition. DeVanna broke her leg in a collision with China's Goalkeeper, and is expected to be out for 3 months, meaning she will miss the majority of the WPS season, and is also ejected from the Asian Cup tournament. There is a possibility that if her recovery goes as planned, she can be back in time to play in the WPS Playoffs, that is, if Washington Freedom clinch a playoff berth by the end of the WPS season. There is no doubt that both Australia and the Washington Freedom will miss DeVanna's lightning fast pace and world class dribbling skills, as well as her excellent scoring ability, which often times come through in clutch situations.


I wish DeVanna a speedy recovery. Her teammates and fans will miss her while she's gone.

I know I will.

Denise

We're Number One.

Wambach notched 2 goals and an assist on the occasion for the USWNT, as they triumphed in a 4-0 win over the Germany WNT. Wambach has become 3rd All-Time top scorer in USWNT history, after scoring her 106th goal, which was the USWNT's first of the night.


May 22nd was an outstanding day for the USWNT, as they defeated FIFA's 2nd place Germany WNT in a 4-0 thrashing.

The first 20 minutes of the game would have any USWNT fan on the edge of their seats, but not in excitement...more like in nervousness. The Germans looked strong for the beginning of the match, and had some good looks and close chances, with Grings offside 3 times. We had opportunities, as our midfield wasn't absent for these first 20, yet they turned over possession quite a bit, and made some unsuccessful long ball efforts. The Germans are generally taller than the USWNT, so long balls were mostly unsuccessful, due to the German's height advantage, and our lack thereof. Many of the long balls played in were headed away, or never played all the way through if they were won. Things began to change though, after the USA was awarded a penalty in about the 28th minute. In my opinion, it was not the right call. The ball was sent into the 18, and was received by Wambach, who had tried to turn and shoot, but ended up falling to the ground in the process. The German defender was holding onto Wambach, but did not bring her down, even though it looked like she did as Wambach turned to take the shot and fell in the process. The referee whistled and pointed to the spot, and Wambach was assigned to take the penalty. Wambach lined herself up, the whistle blew, and she slotted a perfect penalty right into the left pocket of the goal, past German keeper Angerer, who had dove the right way. With this goal, being her 106th, she became 3rd All-Time top scorer for the USWNT, passing Michelle Akers.

Goal 1 was on the scoreboard for the USWNT, and that's when the momentum shifted, as did the pace, all in the USWNT's favor. The passing in this game was pretty good, as the USWNT often created some excellent, smart plays, and strung together some quick, nifty looking one- and two-touch passes and give and go's. Goal number 2 would come shortly after, from a corner kick effort in the 35th minute. The USWNT were smart in using their corner kicks; they aimed for Wambach who has the height to reach the ball, which is especially useful against taller opponents, such as Germany. Wambach got her head to the ball on a few occasions, and one would eventually be converted to a goal. The ball came in from the corner spot, and Wambach jumped up to meet the ball with her head. It went right to Angerer who stopped the ball, but it had gone loose, as she didn't catch the header. A-Rod was there, and the ball deflected off her as she scrambled for it. She passed it over to HaO who was right in front of goal. All HaO had to do was put the ball in, and that's exactly what she did, scoring the USWNT's 2nd of the night, and her first for 2010.

Goal number 2 was on the board for the USWNT. Halftime came after some more chances from both teams, and the opponents headed to the locker rooms. The game resumed, and it was still the USWNT's show. There were some scares, however. It could have easily been 2-1 as the Germans were in the face of goal. Garefreckes had what seemed to be a sure chance, but it was only to be stopped by Solo. That was one of 3 fantastic saves offered by Solo on the occasion. Solo would go on to save 2 other close shots at the face of goal, using her reflexes and skill to prove why she's one of the best there is. Solo's world class saves would keep the USWNT in the game, and would gain her a well-deserved clean sheet against a World Giant. Play continued, and the next goal came for the USWNT, one that came to be, thanks to Wambach's persistence and determination. Wambach fought her way through pressure on the sideline, and began dribbling towards the 18. She dribbled down the flank, and did a nice little trick move by passing the ball through the oncoming defender's legs to pass her and enter the 18 yard box. As Wambach went towards the near post, she lured a defender over, and passed it to Lilly who was open. Lilly took the shot and sent it into the back of the net, after it bounced off the right post. This would be her 130th international goal, as well as the USWNT's 3rd goal of the night. As if this wasn't embarrassing enough for the 2nd place team to be losing 3-0, the next goal came, within the next minute. The goal was scored off a smart, well executed play. Wambach was running towards goal as the USWNT was on the attack, with a defender on each side. Lori Lindsey, who was dribbling towards goal, saw the perfect opportunity, and lined up a ground cross that went right to the feet of Wambach who was in the 18. Wambach slotted it away perfectly, putting it into the back of the net at the far post. This marked her 2nd goal of the match, the 107th of her international career, and the 4th and final goal notched for the USWNT on the occasion.

There were many chances afterward by both teams, and Rapinoe joined the action for the first time in a while. She did well, as she made some smart through passes and plays. The USWNT could have definitely put one or 2 more away. One chance that looked golden was when Rapinoe slotted a through pass to HaO which beat the defenders. HaO rushed the shot and it went wide. Stoppage time came, and it looked like the USWNT would have a 5th goal. A mix-up in the German defense caused Wambach and rookie Morgan to be all alone, 2 v 1 against Angerer. Wambach dribbled it calmly towards goal, and had a perfect shot, which could have allowed her to notch a hat-trick on the occasion. But, Wambach, being the team player that she is, sacrificed her hat-trick for the rookie's 1st USWNT goal. Wambach passed it over to Morgan who did put it away...however, the referee nullified the goal, as Morgan was offside. It was a noble and selfless thing for Wambach to do by passing it off when she could have easily slotted it away to get her hat-trick, and it would have been great to have a rookie score her debut goal, but due to the pesky rules of offsides, the 5th goal would never happen.


Shortly thereafter, the match would conclude, as the USWNT once again prove why they deserve the Number 1 Rank. The Germans will walk away from this match with lots to think about, while the USWNT gains more confidence in their excellent form.

The next action for the USWNT will be in mid-July, when they will face off in a double-header against Sweden, here in the United States.

Denise

Quick Update

Hey guys, just going to give a quick little update. I've created a separate blog for Men's soccer.

You can find it at http://offsidecall.blogspot.com

Just Another Soccer Fan is now fully devoted to the Women's game, specifically the WPS and the USWNT, and events like the Women's World Cup, The Algarve Cup, International friendlies, etc. etc. I figured branching off separate blogs for both Women's and Men's Soccer would make things much easier. So, if you prefer Women's soccer, come here to Just Another Soccer Fan. If you prefer Men's soccer, then visit Offside Call. And if you like both, feel free to visit both of them!

That's pretty much it. Just figured I'd notify you on the fact that I've branched out a separate blog for Men's, and that this here blog is all focused on Women's Soccer now.

Hope to see you on both!

Denise

Clash of the Titans- Round 3

Today is a big day. Why you ask? Well, its only the 3rd Clash of the Titans to happen between 2009-2010. That's right, its going to be #1 vs. #2 in International Women's Soccer. The USWNT vs. The Germany WNT.


The excitement starts at 6pm on ESPN 2, as #1 USWNT will take on #2 Germany WNT. This is sure to be an interesting match. Its always interesting to see the top two ranked teams go at it! Due to the fact that the past 2 recent matches between these Women's World Giants have been in other countries (Germany in October 2009, and in Portugal for the Algarve Cup Final back in March), they were never televised. Since this match is in the U.S., all us USWNT fans out there can actually watch the game, since our country will broadcast the domestic matches. This game will be a real treat, seeing some of the best Women's players represent their country, and display some high quality soccer. I never like to predict winners, but I am very confident in the USWNT, and believe they deserve the # 1 rank. They've proven it against Germany 2 times already, so why not do it again? Still, the Germans cannot be underestimated. They have a lot of talent on their team. I'm expecting to see some excellent soccer from both contenders today.


This was pretty much just a post to remind you that the big game is today! Then again, who could forget about a fixture like this? It's too good to pass up.


Good luck to the USWNT!

Denise

Good-Bye Mestalla, Hello Camp Nou!

Its official! David Villa is off to FC Barcelona. The Spain and former Valencia marksman will now be joining the Blaugrana for 40m. Finally, after many transfer seasons gone by, Villa is on the move to another team. Don't believe me? Here's the official news, from FIFA.

http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/clubfootball/news/newsid=1213928.html#barca+agree+villa+deal


You can't get any more official than FIFA, so in other words, this is a done deal. Well, that's the cold hard facts. Only thing left to give is an opinion.

As for me personally, I've been dying to see Villa leave Valencia for a few seasons now. Villa was actually one of the reasons I started to follow Valencia. My whole family followed Barcelona and Real Madrid, and since David Villa became my favorite player after the 06 World Cup, I figured I'd see how his team was. Along with Villa, and the rest of the players on the team, I ended up falling in love with Valencia. Villa has done some exceptional things on Valencia, and has provided fans with some unforgettable moments. From half line goals, to bicycle kicks, to Golazos outside the 18, to even free kicks that defied the laws of physics, Villa has carried Valencia through good and bad. As a Valencia fan for 3 years, I must say, it is sad for Villa to go. The team will definitely miss him. But as a Villa fan, I must say this is a good move for him. Let's face it. Valencia doesn't have the best players, and with the financial problems looming over their heads, they won't have the money to build the team up. Its logical to say, success just isn't in the cards for Valencia. A player like Villa, who is one of the best strikers in the World (he was actually named best striker in the World by World Soccer magazine, based on goals accumulated from 2005-2010), deserves to be on a team with players more his caliber, and with a team that will go far in competitions and win trophies. The things Villa has done and the recognition he has gotten on a club like Valencia is phenomenal, but I think its a good idea for Villa to move on to bigger and better things. I will follow Villa wherever he goes, but I will always remember everything he's done on Valencia, and I won't ever forget the moments Valencia has provided. I can't turn my back on them, and I will still continue to follow their endeavors, and I will still root for them. I wish Valencia good luck in the 2010-11 season, and I also wish luck to Villa on his new club, FC Barcelona.

WPS Weekly Review (Week 6)

Another 4 games, and another week down for WPS. This weekend marked some interesting match-ups, some great goals, some great soccer, and of course, some points for the teams that won, further advancing them in the title race. Let's take a look at our first fixture-FC Gold Pride vs. Boston Breakers. What a tight game this was expected to be, a real tough one to call. FC Gold Pride have been on the top of the league table for at least 3 weeks now, and had the edge going into this game, but Boston was not to be underestimated. The game ended 2-1. FCGP got their goals thanks to Marta. The Brazilian scored both goals for FCGP on the occasion, putting her on the board with a total of 3 so far for the 2010 season. Boston didn't go down without a fight however, and would score a goal that came from English player Kelly Smith. In the past few weeks, FCGP have shown they are a team to reckon with this season, unlike their lackluster, last place counterpart from 2009. As a team, I think FCGP has undergone the biggest transformation from 2009. They've gone from last place lackeys, to dangerous contenders, in the span of one off-season.

What we can take from this game:
Its still too early to determine FCGP as a "sure" anything, but I think it would be safe to say we will be seeing quite a lot of FCGP this season, and not in the basement of WPS. If FCGP keeps it up, they could be looking at a good place in the league as the season progresses. They have already proven themselves against some of the tougher teams in WPS, one being Boston Breakers, who have a decent defense, and a talented offense....one that actually has a little bit of a tough time finding the back of the net. The Boston defense needs to tidy up as well, they are still conceding more than necessary I think. Also, Cheney needs to get back into the game and re-establish herself as a threat in the offense. As for FCGP, if they stay on their form, they'll go far this season. Boston, on the other hand, has to dust themselves off and keep going, but must keep in mind their place in the league. Too many losses, and they may start to fall behind.

Next order of business. Chicago Red Stars vs. Philadelphia Independence. To be quite honest, I was not surprised with the result in this one. Philly won 1-0, with a goal from Joanna Lohmann. I would think this would have been a hard fought game, since neither team really won by much. A 1-0 result, doesn't show complete dominance by any team. However, I missed both the matchtracker and the Webcast, if there was one, so it could have been a hard fought game by both teams, or it could have been a complete domination by one team, with either the failure to find the back of the net, or just luck in doing so. I'm not exactly sure, but as I said, with the way I have seen Chicago play this season, its not so much about the quality of play, or problems with possession. Its the finding the back of the net. Philly, on the other hand, has no problems scoring for the most part. They've won the majority of their games, and are continuing to do so.

What we can take from this game:
Chicago does play well for the most part, but they can't score. They just can't do it. Philly on the other hand, has really surprised me. They have an excellent record this season, and continue to win. If they keep up their form, they will have a great chance of going far. Philly is on quite a roll, and its going to take a lot to stop them. As for Chicago, its a repeat of last year. Playing hard, but although they can't find the back of the net, not necessarily playing poorly. This team has always had problems scoring, and they need to fix it. Cristiane is a talented striker, without a doubt, but has had serious trouble finding rhythm this year. Her form is better than last year...but in the scoring department....not so much. Chicago is relying a lot on Cristiane to score, and she's going to need to break out of the slump and start putting them away. Nogueira has notched 2 on the board for Chicago. There are high expectations surrounding Nogueira, and she's doing well for a rookie, but the veterans are the ones who need to step up. As for Rapinoe, she came into her first game with a bang, giving Cristiane the assist....but now what? You can't put the pressure all on one player, but I truly believe Rapinoe is a pivotal midfielder. She brings speed and offensive spark, and it needs to start showing. Scoring and getting that last touch in the final third is virtually Chicago's only problem. If they can start scoring goals, they can be contenders. Only 4 points in the league....they have some catching up to do. They aren't setting themselves up well. Score the goals, and the wins will follow. If they don't fix the problem now, they will fall way far behind, and their chances of winning much this season will be very slim.

Onto the next fixture, which featured Sky Blue FC vs. St. Louis Athletica. I honestly believed St. Louis would walk away with the win on this one, taking into consideration St. Louis' decent form and record, and also Sky Blue's difficulty in possessing, dominating play, and scoring as of late. I also missed the matchtracker for this one, but I did stop in briefly when I tried to make some last minute changes to my fantasy team. I saw that Boxx had converted a penalty from the spot, and had gotten the goal early in the first half. I figured St. Louis was sure to win, especially with Sky Blue's subpar form as of late. But, they proved me wrong. Sky Blue ended up tying 1-1 into the second half, and then leading 2-1 just minutes later. This was thanks to Kalmari, who scored 2 goals in a quick 5 minutes. Just as it looked like Sky Blue would triumph over this tough contender, St.Louis salvaged the game and settled for a 2-2 tie. I missed the matchtracker the day of, but after reading up on the game, it seemed very back and fourth, and it also seems like its the best Sky Blue has looked all season.

What we can take from this game:
Sky Blue may be down right now, but they are certainly not out. They have a situation similar to Chicago in a way, having trouble winning convincingly, and sometimes scoring goals. But also, as of late, they've had trouble with possession and dominating play. However, this game has shed some new light on Sky Blue. The team has managed to win games, even if it has been by the skin of their teeth, but that still counts. They're keeping up, but just barely. If they play like they did against St.Louis from now on, they might just be able to turn their game around. Is this going to be the turning point in Sky Blue's improvement? We'll see in the weeks to come if maybe this serves as a wake up call for the WPS Champions to start playing like champions. They're certainly capable. After Kai comes back, the goal-scoring (generally that is) at least should improve. As for St. Louis, a team who looks absolutely fantastic on paper, has once again proven that they can be beat. They can't let their guard down, because when they least expect it, a team will come right up from behind and steal the win...as was almost the case against Sky Blue. St. Louis has a good team, and are doing fairly well, but they can be beat.


Time to analyze and review our last fixture, which I had the pleasure of watching right on FSC. Washington Freedom vs. Atlanta Beat. This game was a real treat to watch. Opportunities on goal were plentiful for both teams, and the plays and chances were exciting to watch. I had predicted a win for Washington, seeing as they have the strongest offense right now, and also taking into consideration that ATL hasn't won a game yet, and has serious problems scoring. I figured Washington had this one in the bag. It was an exciting game, and once again, the Freedom's offense reigned supreme. The first goal for Washington came from a brilliant play. The ball was played into Wambach, who moved the ball into the 18, and took on defenders. She maneuvered smartly around them, although they hindered her advance toward goal, and was able to get a back-heel pass off to Mykjaland, who finished easily, sending the ball to the back of the left side of the net. This would mark Mykjaland's 2nd goal in WPS, and Wambach's 7th assist in 6 games. ATL tried to answer, and came close a few times, with Bachmann posing serious threats, charging head on at defenders in the direction of goal. Luckily for Washington, and unluckily for my fantasy team, she never scored. Washington would score again, and what a spectacular goal it was. It was one of Wambach's trademarked diving headers. Bompastor crossed the ball in, and Wambach dove to meet it with her head and put the goal away. ATL did have chances, but never answered, due to their continued troubles with the last touch, and with finishing.


What we can take from this game:
Washington is a true presence in the league, highly due to their offensive players, and their offensive power and efforts in general. The defense of course needs a little tidying up if we're speaking generally, but the defense did well in this particular game. McLeod was on form, and made some excellent decisions and saves to gain the clean sheet, and rightfully so. As for the midfield, the plays made were good for the most part. They supported the offense well. The only thing they could improve on is not losing as many balls, and not turning over as much. Other than that, the midfield is a great support system. As for the offense, Wambach continues to shine. 7 assists in 6 games, that's outstanding. Not only can she put the goals away, but she can supply the offense as well, and does it more often than not. She's on form this season, and is the main offensive force driving Washington. She's a dangerous presence on the team, and can play both supplier and goalscorer roles. If Washington continues to score goals, which they have no problems in doing, contrary to some of the other teams in this league, the points will continue to come in, and Washington will have nowhere to go but up. Washington are true contenders in the league this year....one with a highly dangerous offense. If they keep doing what they're doing, and just tweak the defense, Washington could be looking at possibly winning something this year. As for Atlanta Beat, it was business as usual. Another game where the final touch never came, and neither did the goals. The chances were there, but like some other teams in this league, scoring has been a problem. With only 1 point in the standings, the pressure is on ATL now. Even though it is only Week 6, every game is important. ATL is 14 points behind league leaders FCGP, in other words, almost 5 wins behind them. The closest team to ATL is Chicago, with 4 points, who is 1 win ahead of them. The point is, Atlanta, although they play well overall in games, needs to start putting goals away, or it will be too late for them to have a fighting chance.

That's all for the WPS Week 6 Review and Analysis! This weekend coming up is going to be a bye weekend, meaning there will be no WPS action......don't get too upset yet though! There will be a special treat this Saturday-an international friendly! The USWNT will be hosting the Germany WNT for a "Rematch" of the 2010 Algarve Cup Final! Its on ESPN2 at 6pm eastern time. Won't want to miss that one!

Denise

Tenim un nom el sap tothom, Barca Barca Baaarca! (La Liga's last week review)

It was business as usual in La Liga this weekend, as the the last game for the 2009-10 season was played. It was a down to the wire battle between the league's 2 best teams, Real Madrid, and FC Barcelona. Real Madrid, who was right on Barcelona's tail, only behind by 1 point in the standings, required a win, combined with the tie or loss of Barcelona to be League Champions. If Barcelona won their last game, it was all over for Real, and Barca would walk away La Liga Champs for a consecutive season. History repeated itself, and Barcleona were thus champions of La Liga for another year. Barcelona played against Valladolid, and handed out a thrashing. They won 4-0, with an own goal off the defensive deflection of Prieto, one from Pedro, and 2 from Messi. Valladolid had no answer, and so would be relegated to the Segunda Division. Meanwhile, Real Madrid would go against Malaga, in hopes of winning and possibly having the perfect circumstances fall into place so that they could maybe win the Primera. Anything is possible right? Well, Barca crushed those dreams immediately, pretty much after their 2nd goal was scored. Real Madrid couldn't even manage to win against former last place team Malaga. That's all those 200 million buckaroos at work. A team like Real Madrid, with all these big superstars, and all they could muster was a tie.....that's the difference between the champions, and everyone else. Barcelona gets the big wins when they are expected to. Real Madrid always falls short in some rather lackluster performances. Looking back, was spilling 200 million on players like Kaka, Benzema, and Xabi Alonso, really necessary? I don't think so. It was typical Real Madrid, trying to solve problems with money and all stars. Apparently, it didn't work, as they were just as successful this season with all of their big names, as they were last year without them. Maybe its time to re-analyze the situation Real Madrid, because once again, you have failed to stay in a Champions League, and have failed to win the Primera, or even the Copa Del Rey for crying out loud. The only acquisition that lived up to expectations, was Cristiano Ronaldo. He's pretty much alone out their though. He has no support. For the summer, Real, you have a lot of work to do. Try to get it right this time, though. Don't just shell out money on people who seem skilled, cough cough Kaka, Benzema, and Xabi Alonso cough cough.

Valencia, in the other realm of La Liga, only won thanks to a late goal by Alexis. Valencia, as usual, disappoint in some form or another. This year was no different. At least they didn't blow a Champions League spot this year! That's almost worthy of a celebration. But, not so fast. Champions League is sure to be an embarrassing experience next year for Valencia, as most of their assets, such as Villa, Silva, Mata, and Banega, are rumored to be leaving, or have already been signed to other teams. Good luck with that one Valencia. Another year, another La Liga season gone by. Many signings have been talked about heavily, one of which I'm most excited for (for obvious reasons) which is, David Villa to Barcelona. Its about time he moves on to a team that is more at his level of skill. Villa is one of the best strikers in the footballing World right now, and so, deserves to be on a team like Barcelona. Also, it has been rumored that Silva will be moving to Real, and that Banega has already been signed to Liverpool. It seems like this summer transfer season should be very interesting....when is it not?

Now, we look onward to another La Liga season....after World Cup, that is!

Europa League Final was...yesterday? Champions League Final....May 22nd. Whoopee?

Yesterday was the Europa League Final, and the team I didn't want to win...won. Long Story short, Atletico Madrid beat Fulham in overtime. I had practically no interest in this game whatsoever, seeing as my current favorite club (Valencia CF) were out since the quaterfinals, and to add the cherry on top, were eliminated by Atletico in the second leg off of away goals (and if you'd like to add the sugar on top, let's include the fact that a penalty was way deserved for Valencia in that match, as Zigic's shirt was ripped open in the 18 yard box, right in front of the referee's eyes). So, of course I was a little bitter after that match. After all though, it is only Europa League.

Actually, while I'm on the topic of international club competition, I will also say, that I have very little interest in the Champions League final as well. Of course, since the stakes, and technically the quality of the teams, are higher for the Champions League, its a little more interesting than the Europa League. Still, I'm finding it hard to be excited even for this final. Inter Milan vs. Bayern Munich....not really a fan of either. In fact, I strongly dislike Inter, and pretty much all of its players (So great back in 07 when Valencia defeated Inter in the Round of 16 of the Champions League...good after game brawl too!). I still cannot believe Barcelona let Inter win by so much in that first leg...but robbery strikes again, as the handball was called on Yaya Toure in the dying minutes of the second leg. Yaya Toure chested the ball, and passed it to Bojan, who went on to score the game wining last minute goal....if only the referee's whistle didn't follow shortly thereafter, for a handball called on Yaya Toure. That was such a BS call in my opinion. But then again, when it comes to refereeing, sometimes it helps you (Last year against Chelsea in the semifinal) and sometimes it kills you (this year in the semifinal against Inter). I'm pulling for Bayern in this one though. Although I don't much like them, or some of their players, they have been pretty impressive, and I can't take credit away from them. Of course, you kind of HAVE to watch the Champions League Final, even if you don't really like the teams. So, I'll be checking that one out on May 22nd.

But, I gotta say, the only soccer I'm looking forward to on May 22nd is the U.S. Women's National Team vs. the Germany Women's National Team match.

Same day, same channel. Check it out! Its at 6pm eastern time, probably right after the Champions League match.

Denise

The "Rematch" of the 2010 Algarve Cup Final is upon us!

That's right ladies and gentlemen! The proclaimed "Rematch" of the 2010 Algarve Cup Final, which featured The good ol' USWNT vs. the Germany WNT, is upon us! The game will be played right here in the United States, in Cleveland Ohio, in the Cleveland Browns stadium. Unfortunately, since I cannot drive, and also since I don't actually have family that's necessarily all that crazy about women's soccer, we won't be going to Ohio, though, if I could, I'd love to take the trip down there just to see our country's best duke it out against the # 2 Women's team in the World: Germany. This will be the 3rd match featuring both the World giants (seeing as the USWNT is # 1, and the Germany WNT is # 2) between the years 2009 and 2010. Back on October 9th, 2009, the first "Clash of the Titans", the United States won, but unconvincingly. Our goal, which was Abby Wambach's 101st in her international career, was scored off a header, against the flow of play. On March 3rd, however, of 2010, the USWNT proved they deserve the # 1 rank, as they defeated Germany 3-2, with goals from Wambach, Cheney, and Lloyd. By the score, it looks like they once again didn't win too convincingly, but after watching the highlight reel, it can be seen that the USWNT would have thrashed Germany, if it weren't for huge mud puddles right on the goal line which stopped the ball dead on at least 3 or 4 chances. This will be the 3rd "Clash of the Titans" to be played so far, in pretty much the same time period. I actually think its a good idea to get the USWNT playing against big teams. The 2011 World Cup in Germany will be here before you know it, and they can use some practice against world leaders, like Germany, and Brazil. After all, these teams will be the most probable threats in World competition, like the World Cup! Plus, its good for the USWNT to play against teams at their level of play. I've been looking forward to this game for a while, and today, the roster was announced. I borrowed this roster from womensprosoccer.com, who probably borrowed it from ussoccer.com. I'll post it here so you can see who is being called up.

GOALKEEPERS (3): Nicole Barnhart (FC Gold Pride), Jill Loyden (Chicago Red Stars), Hope Solo (Saint Louis Athletica)

DEFENDERS (10): Rachel Buehler (FC Gold Pride), Stephanie Cox (Boston Breakers), Ali Krieger (FFC Frankfurt), Marian Dalmy (Chicago Red Stars), Amy LePeilbet (Boston Breakers), Kate Markgraf (Chicago Red Stars), Heather Mitts (Philadelphia Independence), Christie Rampone (Sky Blue FC), Brittany Taylor (Sky Blue FC), Cat Whitehill (Washington Freedom)

MIDFIELDERS (6): Yael Averbuch (Sky Blue FC), Shannon Boxx (Saint Louis Athletica), Kristine Lilly (Boston Breakers), Lori Lindsey (Philadelphia Independence), Heather O’Reilly (Sky Blue FC), Megan Rapinoe (Chicago Red Stars)

FORWARDS (3): Alex Morgan (California), Amy Rodriguez (Philadelphia Independence), Abby Wambach (Washington Freedom)

I'm happy with the roster for the most part, its just a shame that certain people had to be out. There are injuries galore right now, so a few good players have to sit this one out. On the unavailable list is: Cheney, O'Hara, Schnur, Lloyd, Chalupny, and Heath. That's quite a bit, isn't it?

This game will mark the return of Markgraf to the National team since her pregnancy, and also the return of Rampone to the National team after she gave birth on March 6th.

But, there's one thing that's really disappointing me. And that's the fact that Kai, who I was hoping would get her spot back on the National Team, will also be unavailable. I figured it would be Kai's golden opportunity, since it was known that Cheney would be out for the match for quite some time, even before the WPS season started. I knew that if Kai was on form for the WPS season (which she is!) there would be no reason for her to not be on that roster. I figured this was her big chance. She hasn't been on the roster since her shoulder problems kept her out of last summer's Canada series, so this would be a great game to get back into the groove with. Plus, what better day to regain your spot on the National Team, than on your birthday? May 22nd is not only the day of the USWNT vs. Germany WNT game, but it is also Kai's birthday, so it seemed to good to be true. Of course, bad timing has once again haunted her with an injury, so she will now have to miss having been possibly called up to the roster. I personally believe Kai is the best striker, along with Wambach, for the USWNT. The 2 have excellent chemistry together, and not only that, but they are also outstanding players individually. I don't think A-Rod has done a good job of filling in Kai's shoes, to be brutally honest. I prefer Cheney up front with Wambach. The girl scored 4 goals in the Algarve Cup, and she's got a lot of skill for a young player! Definitely a rookie to keep your eye on...especially in the long run. But, since Cheney is not available, and since Kai is also not available, it looks like A-Rod will once again be partnering up with Wambach. Really though, the Wambach-Kai striker partnership? I don't know if you can get any better than that.

Another player I'd like to see make her way back onto the starting 11, is Rapinoe, who was called up. Rapinoe is such a great player, and deserves to be getting playing time on the starting 11 for sure. In the Algarve Cup, she pretty much warmed the bench the whole time. Rapinoe has excellent vision and play-making abilities. She's always making plays, or pushing forward, putting her 1v1 and dribbling abilities to good use. With Rapinoe, you just can't go wrong.

Something I'd like to see happen in this match, is Wambach scoring a goal. Of course I'd want her to score, since I'm a big fan of Wambach, but if she scores against Germany on May 22nd, it will be somewhat special, as she will pass Michelle akers on the all-time scoring list, making her 3rd all-time top scorer, behind only Lilly who has 129 goals, and Mia Hamm, who has 158.

The game is on May 22nd, and its televised. It will be on ESPN 2, at 6pm, eastern time.

So here's the main question: Will the 3rd time be the charm for the Germans? Or will the USA once again prove that they're number one?

And in Recap ( WPS Week 5)

Now its time for me to give my recap and opinions on the week in review. These posts will probably always be named "And in Recap". Let's get started!

FC Gold Pride- I knew this team was too good to be down for long. They have been first place for 2-3 weeks now. With players like Sinclair (currently one of the top strikers in the league with 3 goals), Marta (4 time World FIFA Player of the year, and top scorer last year...need I say more? She will come to life at some point this season, she's too good to be silenced forever.), Abily (French middie who scored quite a few goals last season, about 8 or more. Another player that is too good to stay dormant for too long.), Milbrett (an oldie, but a goodie. Already has 2 goals in the league. A good striker to have up front.), Barnie (Good GK.), Dew (defensive anchor, and a good one) and rookie O'Hara (quite a prolific rookie. 2 assists, and 1 goal, that's a record that no one can complain about. More is definitely on the way.), I would sure hope so. Continue winning, and you might see yourself go far this season

St.Louis- seem impressive at first sight, but are better looking on paper than they are on the field. Have a decent record as of right now, but they are beatable. They have almost too many players to mention, So here's a few standouts- Solo (greatest 'keeper in women's soccer in my opinion. Getting past her is a challenge for sure.) and Aluko (not her biggest fan...but she can score, no doubt about it). To be honest, St.Louis is my least favorite team in the WPS right now. They're a shadow of past league superstar team La Sol, as they have many of the the former La players (Boxx, Chalupny, Miyama). Good? Yes. Beatable? Absolutely.

Chicago Red Stars- A team to watch, for sure. Possibly a dark horse this season. Chicago consistently dominates possession against most of the other teams they've played against. Only problem? Find the back of that net. With the addition of Rapinoe (excellent middie with superb 1 v 1 abilities, along with world class dribbling, outstanding vision and play-making skills, combined with some flair? You've got yourself quite a player on your hands.), the attack efforts should increase for the better, as should the speed of the midfield. Rapinoe will bring that offensive spark which is just what the doctor ordered. Other key players, like Cristiane (a great Brazilian player. Broke out of her slump by scoring her first 2 weeks ago, but needs to start scoring more. The team is relying on her to do what she does best. She's having problems finding her rhythm, but I'm sure she'll find it again.), Nogueira (rookie who has been doing pretty well this season. Yes she might have made a horrible miss one time that would have been the game winner, but what do you want? The girl is 21 years old, lacks experience, and is doing more than anyone else on the team! Cut her some slack. She's got 2 goals, and I expect more.), Masar (She needs to find her rhythm. She's a decent player and could only benefit CRS if she just got it together), will be instrumental in CRS's success. Dominate possession, find your rhythm, get in sync, and find the back of the net!

Washington Freedom- Home of the league's best offense, and for a good reason. With Strikers like Wambach (tall, fast player who is great on and off the ball. Great in the air, and when playing against physical opponents. Wambach will find opportunities to score anytime, anywhere, which makes her such a versatile player. Not only that, but she's also selfless. 6 assists in 5 games? That's incredible. A true force in the offensive effort.), and DeVanna (DeVanna's accolades and goals speak for themselves. Her lightning-fast pace can beat even the best of defenders, and her World Class Dribbling makes her a threat to any defense. Its hard to contain DeVanna, and when you have to, you will have your hands full. With 6 goals and 5 assists last year, she showed not only can she score, but she can provide and drive the offense on the other side of the coin as well. Its only a matter of time before this offensive player busts out and begins to score.), along with attacking midfielders like Sawa (2 goals on the campaign. For a midfielder? no complaints at all.) the proof is in the pudding. Keep dominating and scoring those goals, and the wins will of course follow, as will the points. The only thing that needs work is the defense, as Washington also houses the league's most scored on defense. Patch up those holes, and you'll be near unstoppable.

Boston Breakers- An all around team with a strong defense, and quite a strong offense. The only problem is that the defense will sometimes give up clean sheets easily, and the offense hasn't been as productive as of late. In back, LePeilbet (WPS Defender of the Year last year, and rightfully so. Able to mark players tightly, read the game extremely well, stop passes, long balls, through balls, and dodge attempts dead. Her speed make her one of the toughest defenders to beat, and one of the toughest to win a footrace against.) anchors defense. On offense, there are quite a few mentionable names. Smith (English player with 3 goals in the league. Great total right now. She has the ability to score from quite a few places, and reads the game well.), Cheney (young rookie who is sure to evolve into a great, at the rate she's been going. First goal of the season to start off the 2010 WPS year, but then silenced. Cheney needs to get it back together, and she'll be back on track in no time, scoring left and right, which she has the potential to do.), Laura Del Rio (player from Spain with impressive accolades gained and set in La Liga/Spanish WNT. Seemed impressive on attacking efforts in past Boston games. Now she needs to find the back of the net, off the bench.), along with some middie prescence, like Lilly (experienced veteran who is great on the wings). Boston Breakers has pretty much all of the pieces of the puzzle. Time to put them together and make them work. You have the offense, start scoring more goals. And defense? Tidy up just a little and stop giving away clean sheets, you're taking points off my fantasy team. Just kidding, but seriously, make it tight as can be back there.

Sky Blue FC- Where do I begin? You guys are WPS Champions. Start playing like you're champions. Score more goals, win against big teams, don't let other teams dominate, you should be 1st right now, technically. I'll give you more time, but you really have to shape up. You've got the players. Bardsley (excellent GK really making a name for herself.), Kai (an excellent, speedy striker with a great eye for goal, and an incredible scoring ability. Excellent dribbling skills, deadly vertical jump, smart plays on and off the ball, what else do you need? Tasha Kai is on form this year. Expect more than just 2 from her.), HaO (doing decent, but is a much better player than has been shown as of late). Point is, Sky Blue, you have to step up. You have not been playing, or winning convincingly at all.

Philadelphia Independence- a definite surprise team this season. Thought to be one of the noob teams that were going to be easier to beat, but they have shown almost every team in the league that they can play with the big boys. Philly has come up with incredible wins, and was the last undefeated team standing until Week 5. Don't let these first-timers fool you, they have a more talented squad than it seems. Players like Lori Lindsey (Lindsey is to Philly Independence as Xavi is to FC Barcelona. Instrumental in the midfield, high work rate, great passes, good play-making and vision, the reason why she has 4 assists and a goal.), Magnusdottir (Icelandic international who is a good defender. Good work rate in back, not afraid to get in there and mark up), and Falk (a great defender who knows how to score....even if she does put it into the back of her own net...), things are looking up. I would expect that Philly will continue to succeed in this league. Underdogs? Maybe for Week 1, but now, they're a team to beat

Atlanta Beat- You've lost every game, and I can only think of 2, maybe 3 players who have been worth anything for you. Bachmann (a 19 year old that has scored 2 of your goals. She's great, no doubt, but come on people, you're relying on a 19 year old alone? Sad. Guess its 'cause you got no one else.) Ocampo (Mexican player who's scored one goal, that's more than most of the rest of you.), and McCall Zerboni (did well in midfield for ATL against Sky Blue, seems like a driving force of the midfield). All in all, ATL, if you do not find your "Beat", and find it fast, you're done, because you're falling way too far behind.


And that's it for the WPS Week 5 in Review. Enjoy! Feel free to comment, agree, or even disagree.

Denise

WPS Weekly Rant (Week 5)

Welcome to my first actual soccer post in the history of "Just another Soccer fan". I wrote this the other day for fun, and now I'm putting it here for anyone who would like to read. Here we go!

Another week down for WPS, and the scores, although not necessarily yielding tons of goals, still got the job done for some of the teams. Here's a review of what happened in Week 5- FC Gold Pride is staying in 1st place, with 3 points, thanks to a goal by Milbrett, and another by O'Hara, one of the few prospect rookies in the league. On a side note, I have to say the rookies for the most part have been doing well this year. While Cheney has silenced a bit since her first few games, I know deep down she is a great player, nothing will change that. As for Nogueira, despite the lack of judgment used in the dying minutes against St. Louis (week 2), which is kind of expected from a young 21 year who lacks experience, she's been carrying Chicago. 2 goals for her in the campaign, and no one can complain, because that has been the only thing keeping the Red stars alive. She might not be a superstar...yet...but she's doing what the proclaimed superstars haven't been so far.

As for O'Hara, her record for the season isn't too shabby at all. 2 assists, and a goal. Keep it up, that's a good record, especially for a young'n. Anyways, FCGP gets past at the expense of Chicago Red Stars. Poor CRS, looked like they'd be making a comeback when Nogueira, Rapinoe, and Cristiane showed up against Boston, but apparently that was all for naught, as once again, no one on CRS could step up to the plate this time around. CRS had better get their act together, and fast. The addition of Rapinoe back onto the squad should help tremendously with the midfield speed and attacking efforts, but she can't be expected to do all the work herself. While CRS has possessed for the majority of their games, they can never find the back of the net. Maybe they need glasses? who knows.

As for one of the more looked forward to match-ups (for me anyway, as it was a rematch of this year's first match in which Washington lost 2-1 to Boston....revenge, anyone?), Washington Freedom vs. Boston Breakers, it was a bit of a disappointment. A 0-0 tie, in which nobody wins. If you're going to tie, at least score some goals! Then again, a 0-0 tie means both teams are pretty strong and were able to hold out against each other, making the next match-up that much more exciting. I'm guessing Boston's strong defense held off The league's best offense. In all fairness though, Washington were missing key midfielder Sawa, and also lightning fast striker DeVanna due to each players international duty. Could their contribution to the attack effort been the key to winning? We'll never know, not until next match-up of course. I like both teams, so I guess I am glad that they both tied, and nobody had to lose, but I would have liked to have seen Washington even out the record.

Now for St.Louis Athletica vs. Philadelphia Independence. This match seemed like a total disaster...for Philly that is. As the final undefeated team, this game proved to be pretty bad. The first goal, came from an own goal. Yes, that is right, first own goal in WPS I believe, and who was it scored by? None other than the biggest pioneer of firsts in this league. That's right, you guessed it, Falk. First player to score a goal in WPS, first player to score for the Philly Independence expansion team, first player to be shown a red card in a WPS Championship Final, and the first player to score an own goal. Way to go Falk, at this rate your trophy case will explode. Anyway, after the one goal, Philly made attempts, but I guess the "A-Rod wonder" couldn't produce any magic like she's cracked up to create. To put St.Louis even further ahead, Tarpley scored her first ever WPS goal for the campaign, and also for her time with St.Louis. Then Patterson came off the bench for Philly and scored. That did nothing, as St.Louis would end up winning the match. My one complaint for this game, is that St.Louis won. They aren't even that good. Sure they have good players but they aren't as uber as they seem. No matter who St.Louis beats, I will always be able to proudly say "Hey, Washington beat them...3-1. Taste that for breakfast." And Falk....own goal? You're kind of overachieving now with the firsts, don't you think?

And for the last match. Sky Blue FC vs. Atlanta Beat. Atlanta Beat, just don't have the "beat", or the rhythm. They haven't won a single game so far. Sky Blue undeservedly won 1-0 in the match. Sky Blue looked lost. Atlanta had possession most of the time, and created the best chances. Bachmann played excellently, and really impressed me. The young striker almost had a goal a few times. This is coming from someone who didn't believe the Bachmann hype before. All I have to say is, watch out for her, she's got talent. On the other side of the coin, Bardsley proved herself as a keeper to beat in this league. Hats off to Bardsley, she's been doing very well this season, definitely one of, if not the top keeper right now. Good job filling in for Branam, who is actually expected to return in early June. That should be interesting. But, here's where my complaints come in. Sky Blue won, sure, but off of an ATL own goal. What is this, WPS Own Goal Weekend? 2 own goals? In one week? Holy crap. That's not good at all. And here's my next big complaint. SBFC has not been playing like WPS Champions...not in the slightest bit. They've been winning games by very narrow margins, perfect example was their 1-0 win against ATL. I don't think they've scored more than 1 goal in a game. That's unacceptable. I understand that Kai is injured, and that really does hit the offense hard, but its not all about one player, as good as Kai is. We need other players to deliver when she's not there. To me, Sky Blue has been a CRS, only they're on the other side of the coin. They win every match, but by the skin of their teeth, often times letting other teams dominate. When faced with a true challenge though, like FCGP, they lose. Sky Blue had better wake up and start scoring and playing like they mean it. And ATL? I don't even know what to say. You haven't won a single game. I don't know if I should laugh or feel sorry. You have to start finding the back of that net. There's no reason to have not won a game by now.

Calling all soccer fans

Welcome! My name is Denise, and obviously, you are on my blog. If you're a soccer fan, grab a chair, sit here for a while, and feel free to read and comment. If you're not, then get out of here! No, I'm just kidding, anybody is welcome to "Just another Soccer Fan". Maybe for all of you non-soccer fans, we can get you to convert to being a follower of the best sport in the world....anyway, this is my introductory post, which will serve to explain the type of things I'll be writing about on here. I'm just a person who loves their soccer, and I can write about it for hours. I've been meaning to set up a blog, but I've been kind of busy in the past few months, and finally just dove in and created it. I'm pretty excited to have it set-up, and I'll be looking forward to writing on it. As any soccer fan, I have certain teams and leagues that I like to follow. I will cover both Men's and Women's soccer, as I enjoy both. As for Men's soccer, I'll be covering La Liga, particularly teams like Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Valencia, and general league review. I'll also be covering my favorite Men's National Team: Spain. World Cup 2010 is upon us, so expect some posts about that! If I don't it'll be because I'm too busy watching games all day or celebrating. Anyways, as for Women's Soccer, I will be writing quite a bit about the United States Women's Professional Soccer league, aka WPS. Also, I'll be covering my favorite Women's National Team: The United States. Of course, the blog is not just limited to these teams, its just an idea of what you'll be seeing most of. You can expect to see posts on certain events as well, such as Champions League, occasionally Europa League, World Cup Qualifiers, World cup matches, Euro matches, anything soccer that's going on, I'll likely cover it. I'm not a big fan of the Serie A, Bundesliga, or the Premier league, but I will rarely catch a game or 2, and so might write about it. I think that's pretty much everything...oh and I have a lot of favorite players (who doesn't?). I might just list them all now, because I feel like it, and also because you might see some individual posts on them. In Men's soccer, I have ONE absolute favorite, and that's David Villa. He's such an incredible player (I'll save all of my praises for an individual post). Expect a post about him alone somewhere down the road. I also like Mata and Jesus Navas. As for Women's soccer, my favorites are Wambach, Kai, Rapinoe, LePeilbet, Sinclair, and DeVanna. Expect to see stuff on them too. But even though I have favorites, I like most any player. I also collect soccer cards. I have a near complete David Villa collection, and my Mata and Jesus Navas collections have been growing. I like to collect all sorts of memorabilia, but cards are my number one favorite. Expect to see some pictures and posts of the collections I have going. Pretty much, this is a blog dealing with all things soccer (and maybe a random topic once in a while). Some of my blog posts will be opinionated rants and comments, so just keep that in mind. Feel free to agree, or even have a good argument! That's all for my introductory post. Hope you enjoy my blog, as I will be having just as much fun writing it!

I look forward to seeing you there!

Denise

I'm Denise and I love soccer.