Soccer update

[Reb UT '70]

One of the star returning freshmen suffered a broken leg today in practice. Carrie Ridenour played in more games (12) last year than all but one of the non-starters. She was slated to be a starter in the midfield, and it is not known how long she will be out at this point. The bone fractured was the fibula (I think that's the one) which is not the load bearing bone and there is hope that she will be able to return this season. I personally find that very hard to believe, can someone give me hope.

Also Leslie Cooley who was a defensive star last year, starting in 17 games, is not yet up to full speed as she recovers from knee surgery. She played very well hurt for most of the season, and a full recovery is expected but she isn't there yet.

On the positive side, several of the walk on have playing experience at other Div I or Div II schools. We currently have a roster of 24 and the walk-ons are doing very well.

[CMJ]

So Reb, do you really think we're gonna have a good year? We seem to have had an AWFUL lot of problems this offseason.

[Reb UT '70]

We have a very good coach, but coaching in soccer is mostly teaching, the on the field play is pretty much up to the players. ascchamp is correct that losing Monica is a blow. She was the best of the on field 'coaches' and did a very good job of directing the defense.

However, we have others who I expect to step into that role, one of the girls mentioned in the posts, Alyssa, is a particularly strong leader, and there are others. One of the transfer 'ship students was expected to challenge Monica for the goalie job, so the question is why can't we get her eligible. That has never made sense to me.

The key problem is going to be injuries and subs. We have to count on some of the incoming kids to step as starters or starter subs. The latter term is my own, but it you have to be able to sub out your outside mid fielders in today's game. It is also pretty important to be able to spell your defenders. Thus the real number of starters needs to be at least 14 or 15. We were in worse shape last year and the freshmen more than held up their end of play.

The girls who fulfilled that role last year were Brimberry (17 games played in and 3 starts) Bacchus (15 games and 2 starts) Ridenour (12-3) Smith (10-2) and Carrier (6-2) and Standeven who was in rehab all season (5-0).

We have lost Brimberry to hours, but she didn't score and only had two assists as a forward. If we look at who got the top points last year, (2 point for a goal and one for an assist) Bacchus (8 on 4 goals, Carrier and Standeven 2 points each on a goal, Ridenour also got two assists, but she played as a defensive mid. Smith didn't get any points, but she played very, very well, and I projected her as starting in place of Adame even before Adame left.

All of this is to say that the effective losses are at goalie and Mitchell at forward, and of course two all SBC players who graduated. I didn't think Brimberry would be a starter, and I don't know how healthy Standeven is, but we've got a good forward to replace Mitchell. I don't see us losing anything on offense. The key number to look at is game winning goals. That is the goal that gave the margin of victory. Last year Marin had 5, Pina had 3, Bacchus and Kveton each had 2 and Uselton had 1. Four of those five will be back, and three of the top four score makers from the field will be back. (Kveton scored seven goals, but three of those were on PK's so Bacchus actually tied Kveton as a sub)

Ridenour's injury, Adame transfer, and Kveton's graduation leave us depending on Freshmen or transfers to fill the middle, especially the outside. That is where the subs are needed the most. Outside mid have to have both speed and endurance. They are expected to make constant 60 or 70 yd. sprints. There aren't many women who can do that, men either for a full game. Smith might be able to play a whole game as an outside mid, but I don't think we have another player who can. Unless it is one of the freshmen.

Soccer is a 90 minute game and a goal scored in the 90th minute counts as much as one in the 1st. If you watched the World Cup you saw a lot of late goals, that is part of the game, and that it the effect of having good subs, especially in the midfield. If we have the subs then players like Smith and Bacchus can use their speed early leave the field to catch their breath and return to do the same thing, If we don't then I know Bacchus runs out of gas and looks terrible.

I suspect we will shift to a 4-3-3 to minimize our holes in the middle. I do expect a good season. I still think we should be favored over most teams we play. I see the tough matches as Denver, FIU, W. Ky, SMU, Wy, UH, and Rice. Duquese could be more than a handful, they are a powerful East Coast team, but I just don't know much about how we should match up. It all boils down to injuries, if we can keep our starters healthy, we should be in the hunt, even favored for another championship ring if not... it's too soon to say, but I do wish we had more incoming 'ship players.

The only school I would say that we will be an underdog now that we should have been even with is Denver. We have to play them there, and they are very tough at home. It's the field size thing again.

Anyone else want to comment... please! I'd love to hear what someone else thinks of our talent, I know that I'm not completley objective.

[CMJ]

That was a terrific analysis Reb!

[ascchamp]

Hey reb, to be honest with you the only true important starter loss is Monica, and yes it hurts! but think about this! even though the new freshman and transfers will be put into a tough position early on, i wonder what their fitness level is at! if they walked on and had no intention on playing untill a short time ago did they properly train this summer?? and that is the question not only for 1 person but for all 8 or 10 walk-ons??? You are more prone to injuries not being in fit condition however can coach hedlund afford to truely push his girls as hard as he might have wanted to???? i wouldn't! a freak sprain here or there and i kwo that all teams suffer unjuires in preseason whether it is a week long injury or the season they can't afford any caus ethen you end up pushing those walk-on players which ina perfect situation wouldn't be starters and woudl be used as subs, into possible starting roles! and i spoke to alyssa carrier the other day and she said that she isn't looking to start this season! at least not right away!??? And between you and i and anyone else that looks at this stuff Carrie Ridenour didn't seem to be in great shape going into these work outs! woudl she have made a diferrence!???????

how ever there is on thing i do disagree with you that you said! MOst coaches will never toy around with there defense it has to be your bread and butter especially now you aren't going to but some one in that you aren't familiar withand if you wanted to sure up a midfield i would play a 3-5-2 if you go with a 4-3-3 yes you will have more defenders but a team with 4 or 5 mids will run freely throgh the middle and all of a sudden it becomes a shooting gallery on a keeper that has little to no game time at all! if your forwards ar good you keep them in there and even in a 3-5-2 you can keep them pushed up, and shoudl the center mids need to drop you can still play long balls to them and let them try to run!?? the question is what do you do against a team that has good solid depth! UNT has depth but how big i sthe drop off from player 13-24 ??? if UNT tries to attack and push they leave them self open to attacks against a defense with out its leader and field general and a keeper that is very suspect ? believe it or not most teams with crappy keeps have great defense because the keeper never gets tested except for practice??! Now on the flip side, if they try and play more defense and look to get a goal and not blow teams out of the water, they will leave themselves open to more chances to be scored on and then they will be put in a position where all they to is counter attack!, adn yes it only takes one goal, but you have to have chances to score when do you see them with chances and as a coach will you be willing to suba player out that is tired but all conference for you to puit someone in that no offense is a walk-on that maybe couldn't handle it somewhere else for what ever reason??? how long has it been since these ladies coming in played?????

oh and from what you said reb about highschool talent! if it counts or is worth something to you i would be there to watch UNT's first game cause Nicholls state has some transfers with highschool credentials! and i know almostthe entire team! they are deep and there starting eleven is a brand new starting eleven with something to prove! and their coach used to be at UNT so there is more paridy for you! IF the UNT ladies think that this game will be a breeze they had better get ready for a war especially in the current situation that they find themselfs! coach hedlund has a week and a half to get new positions settled and players sitauted and that isn't even saying that people won't quit after 2 a days cause that happes also. tell me what you think!

[meanrob]

I can tell you went to the Sean Johnson school of write-ups.

[Reb UT '70]

even though the new freshman and transfers will be put into a tough position early on, i wonder what their fitness level is at! if they walked on and had no intention on playing until a short time ago did they properly train this summer??

That is a concern, from what I hear several of the 'ship players and walk-ons did report in pretty good shape, but we didn't have a massive amount who passed the Cooper test. That gives Hedlund a choice of working on skills and team play or getting the girls in better shape. That will be a problem, OTOH not many passed the Cooper last year either.

[ascchamp]

As most people like to say that a good defense wins chamopionships i have to disagree! The best defense is a great offense there for they never have to defend and are always well rested! I myself play midfield for the college that i attend! and i love the 3-5-2 and plain and simple you need a defensive mid! but if those three in the minddle aren't all on the same page, you will have holes galore in the mid! At this level, if you don't have speed you will never have it, and you can never train to gain speed, only quickness and there is a difference! As myself being short, i am not the fleetest of foot, but my acceleration is excellent and that is what keeps getting me by defenders! What Hedlund will find himself dealing with is his old style! he lieks to play 3 up top can he still do that under current circumstances and if he can't who do you pull out! you can't take marin out, but what if you must! then who is left tp be the good go to person that she is?? that is where coaching comes in! a good coach, and i'm not saying hedlund isn't, but a good coach has more then one go to person cause some teams especially with a solid team will use her and abuse her and try to take her out of a game mentally or physically! who do you go to next! and also does hedlund get them in shape or work on games tactics! if he works on game tactics you know that he is concerned and worried onwhat is going to take place! One thing i learned from an odl coach of mine is that you get your fitness in by doing drills and tactics at game pace sdo when you get into a game it is second nature! and yes it is more inportant to end the season strong then begin it strong that way they are peaking at the right time! can UNT afford any losses to get things in order at the beginning of the season, or wil those few losses set the tone for the rest of the season!????and now you wil truely see the character of the team and how they respond! comes some people will bounce and fight back and others just continue to sink! Mentally it is hard not to go into every game and think "crap we are playing the best team in conference and last year monica kept us in this game with great saves and get what they are better this year and she insn't here?? how do you deal with that??cause as soon as a coach has to try to patch up problems with mental letdowns the flood gates open to simple on field mistakes cause your somewhere else and not where you need to be!

[Eagle-96]

"As most people like to say that a good defense wins chamopionships i have to disagree! The best defense is a great offense there for they never have to defend and are always well rested"

Tell that to the German National team. I beleive they would disagree.

Plain and simple: Get a lead(whether it be off the set play, a quick counter attack, or timely distribution from the back) and then bunker down and sit on the lead. It may not be pretty but it is effective.

Look at the U.S Germany game at the World Cup. The Germans got a goal off the set play and then lad back and let the game come to them. Sure the U.S. team outplayed the Germans that day, but that's not what counts. The final score is all that matters.

And please don't tell me I don't know what I'm talking about. I'm 30 years old and I have played soccer since I was 5.

GMG!!!!

Beat texas!!!!

[Reb UT '70]

I lost a post! It was brililant, wish I could remember what I said. I do remember that I said "Soccer talk, I love it!"

Interesting point about Germany, and their 'stacked defense' which I hate, is that Brazil where I stated school has beaten that system more times than not. For that matter so has the Dutch "total soccer" which I think is closer to the American model.

I think we were very unlucky not to beat the Germans, and I think they were soundly beaten by the Brazilians.

[Eagle-96]

Reb,

Don't get me wrong, I never said the score and stall game was pretty. And I certainly don't like to play it. It can be very effective though. You are correct that the Brazilians have won their share of Cups, but Germany has taken their system to a few titles as well. And let's not forget that Khan lost the title game for Germany. Abysmal goalkeeping at best. Khan had no decisiveness to his game. He didn't know when to come out and when to hold his line.

Reb, you are right on about the Dutch "Total" soccer system of the 70's. You had to be versital to play in the system because everybody had an offensive responsibility. Even the keeper had to distribute effectively and get the ball into te attack as soon as possible. And when sweepers and marking backs went on the attack, the midfielders and forwards would have to have the defensive abilities to be able to cover the holes left open by the backs moving forward. You simply had to be a fundamentaly sound soccer player. Actually Ajax is my favorite soccer team outside the U.S. and I have had the pleasure of seeing their stadium in person. If you haven't seen the stadium or a picture of it, I suggest you go to an Ajax webpage. This stadium, with a retractilbe roof, is considered the finest soccer venue in the world by some.

GMG!!!!

Beat texas!!!! (Sorry Reb, but I bleed Green.)

[Reb UT '70]

I think the biggest problem with the 'score and stall' game is that it doesn't work for anyone but the Germans. It requres a huge amount of dicipline to forgo scoring opportunities and the Germans take pride in that.

In fact I'm not at all convinced that it works for the Germans either, at lest they haven't been able to dominate since "the Kaiser" stopped playing. BTW seeing him and Pele handing out the medals at the World Cup was a special moment. When you have a defender of his caliber you can make things like a stacked defense work, but look at what the Irish did to Germany in the Cup. They could push everyone forward in an all out attack confident that the Germans would stay on defense.

The Brazilians did the same thing and I think you're being unfair to Khan, that guy is a... I don't know how to describe him. I thought the US had the two best goalies in the world, I was wrong. Yes he made a mistake, and it gave Brazil a goal, but remember he'd been hurt earlier. Also, as a soccer player you know that in order for a goalie to have the opportunity to make a mistake the other ten player have to be beaten as well.

The problem with the German system is that you can't come back if the other team beats your defense, it's a mental thing.

To bring this back to North Texas soccer, I understand that we're looking very hard for a goalie, and that the walk-ons are looking pretty good. Three of them are transfer students with at least Div II experience, and most reported in okay shape.

I don't understand why so few were able to pass the Cooper test, I think part of it is that they just don't know how to run that sort of distance. It takes practice as well as conditioning to uderstand how to pace yourself over that sort of distance.